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December 24, 2024
 

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Eric Johnston

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Eric Johnston
Steam rises from a geothermal plan in Yuzawa, Akita Prefecture. Despite its long history and potential, geothermal provided just 0.3% of Japan's overall energy mix in the fiscal year from April 2023
ENVIRONMENT / Energy / OUR PLANET
Dec 22, 2024
Is Japan finally ready to tap its abundant geothermal energy potential?
Japan boasts the world’s third-largest potential supply of geothermal energy, but this renewable energy resource has mostly been untapped.
A Lower House committee on political reform deliberates on a revision of the political funds law on Tuesday.
JAPAN / Politics
Dec 17, 2024
Bill to abolish funds for political activities clears Lower House
The bill will put a stop to the disbursement of such funds, criticized for their lack of transparency, by parties to their lawmakers.
The Lower House Budget Committee clears the 2024 supplementary budget on Thursday.
JAPAN / Politics
Dec 12, 2024
Lower House passes ¥13.9 trillion supplementary budget
Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba’s minority government made concessions to the opposition to secure support for the budget, which includes an economic stimulus package.
Osaka Gov. Hirofumi Yoshimura is elected as Nippon Ishin no Kai's leader in the city of Osaka on Sunday.
JAPAN / Politics
Dec 2, 2024
New Nippon Ishin leader vows to keep distance from other parties
Hirofumi Yoshimura says the party’s strategy is to not take sides with parties in the ruling or the opposition camps.
Reiwa Shinsengumi leader Taro Yamamoto speaks to reporters in Tokyo on Oct. 27. The party tripled their Lower House seats to nine in last month's general election.
JAPAN / Politics
Nov 25, 2024
How Reiwa Shinsengumi managed to overtake JCP in the Lower House
The younger party's focus on pocketbook issues attracted younger, independent left-leaning swing voters who might have voted for the older party in the past.
Seiji Osaka, the leader of the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan's Hokkaido chapter, has expressed concern over the finances of Rapidus, which is supposed to be in full production of cutting-edge 2-nanometer chips by 2027.
JAPAN / Politics / Regional Voices: Hokkaido
Nov 25, 2024
CDP’s gains in Hokkaido raise political questions about Rapidus
The head of the party's Hokkaido chapter has expressed concern over the finances for the project, which aims to produce 2-nanometer chips by 2027.
Four candidates vying to lead Nippon Ishin no Kai — from left, former Kanagawa Gov. Shigefumi Matsuzawa, party Deputy Secretary-General Ryuna Kanemura, Osaka Gov. Hirofumi Yoshimura and Lower House member Seiki Soramoto — gather for a stump speech in Osaka on Sunday.
JAPAN / Politics
Nov 18, 2024
Four candidates vie for leadership of Nippon Ishin no Kai
The leadership race follows the resignation of incumbent leader Nobuyuki Baba over the party's lackluster performance in the Oct. 27 general election.
Democratic Party for the People head Yuichiro Tamaki speaks to reporters in Tokyo on Nov. 8.
JAPAN / Politics
Nov 15, 2024
DPP leader clashes with governors over tax-free income limit
Prefectural governors fear that raising the ¥1.03 million limit would means less central government tax money for local services.
Osaka Gov. Hirofumi Yoshimura speaks to reporters in Osaka on Tuesday.
JAPAN / Politics
Nov 12, 2024
Osaka governor announces candidacy for Nippon Ishin leadership
Hirofumi Yoshimura said he has decided to run due to a sense that the party is now in crisis.
DPP leader Yuichiro Tamaki speaks to reporters on Monday at parliament.
JAPAN / Politics
Nov 11, 2024
Head of key opposition DPP admits affair ahead of parliament vote for PM
Yuichiro Tamaki admitted to the affair after a tabloid reported on the relationship, jeopardizing his future in the party and any tie-ups with the LDP and Komeito.
Nippon Ishin no Kai leader Nobuyuki Baba (right) and Secretary-General Fumitake Fujita speak to reporters in the city of Osaka on Oct. 31.
JAPAN / Politics
Nov 7, 2024
Nippon Ishin's Nobuyuki Baba to resign as party chief over election shortcomings
The party had failed to make gains beyond its regional base of Kansai and ended the election with fewer Lower House seats than before.
Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba speaks to reporters at the Prime Minister's Office on Friday.
JAPAN / Politics
Nov 4, 2024
Horse-trading continues ahead of next week's prime minister vote
In the absence of a majority by any single party or coalition, every lawmaker's vote will count in a widely expected runoff election when parliament reconvenes.
Democratic Party for the People Secretary-General Kazuya Shimba (left) and Liberal Democratic Party Secretary-General Hiroshi Moriyama meet in the Diet building in Tokyo on Thursday.
JAPAN / Politics
Oct 31, 2024
LDP and DPP inch closer together on economic policy cooperation
If their arrangement is successful, it would mean a majority of parliamentary votes for issues especially important to the DPP.
Democratic Party for the People leader Yuichiro Tamaki speaks to reporters in Tokyo on Sunday. Tamaki has not taken sides at the moment, saying only that his party will cooperate with those who are willing to cooperate with it to implement its policies.
JAPAN / Politics
Oct 28, 2024
DPP's quadrupling of seats burnishes its potential as a coalition partner
The question now is whether it will join a battered Liberal Democratic Party-Komeito coalition or work with a strengthened Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan.
Hokkaido Gov. Naomichi Suzuki helped mark the first seven decades of the America-Japan Society of Hokkaido on Sept. 19.
JAPAN / Society / Regional Voices: Hokkaido
Oct 28, 2024
America-Japan Society of Hokkaido celebrates 70th anniversary
The society is poised for further growth, with more firms from the U.S. and elsewhere looking to set up shop in Hokkaido.
Komeito chief Keiichi Ishii leaves the party's headquarters in Tokyo's Shinjuku Ward on Sunday. Ishii, who was elected party president just one month ago, failed to secure a seat in the Upper House election.
JAPAN / Politics
Oct 28, 2024
Komeito chief's Lower House loss raises questions about party's future
Keiichi Ishii, who was elected party leader last month and did not stand for proportional representation, fell short in his bid to win a Saitama district seat.
Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba arrives to deliver a campaign speech in Osaka on Sunday.
JAPAN / Politics / FOCUS
Oct 23, 2024
Polls show Japan's ruling bloc could lose its majority. What would happen then?
Depending on the final count, one option for the LDP and Komeito might be to invite another party into a coalition.
Former economic security minister Sanae Takaichi stumps in the city of Nara on Sunday.
JAPAN / Politics / FOCUS
Oct 22, 2024
With her sights set on Ishiba's throne, will Takaichi take over the LDP?
Anything less than a comfortable victory in Sunday's general election will put the prime minister in a vulnerable position.
Komeito leader Keiichi Ishii shakes hands with a voter in his district in Saitama Prefecture on Thursday.
JAPAN / Politics / FOCUS
Oct 21, 2024
Komeito's new leader faces trial by fire in general election
Once local allies, Komeito and Nippon Ishin no Kai are going head-to-head for the first time ever, adding to the challenge facing Keiichi Ishii.
Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba (center right) makes a speech Sunday in Soka, Saitama Prefecture, along with Komeito leader Keiichi Ishii (center left).
JAPAN / Politics
Oct 14, 2024
General election campaigning to kick off Tuesday
Rocked by a political funds scandal that engulfed the party and led to the dissolution of most of its factions, the LDP faces its toughest election since 2012.
Bankruptcies and suicides rise as Japanese struggle with mounting debt
Lawyers estimate that personal bankruptcies in Japan are on track to reach the highest since 2012 this year.
Honda-Nissan megamerger in the works
Nissan CEO Makoto Uchida (left), Honda CEO Toshihiro Mibe (second from left) and Takao Kato, CEO of Mitsubishi Motors, hold a news conference on merger talks on Monday in Tokyo.
Is Japan ready for 60 million tourists?
Visitors to Kyoto walk along a street near Kiyomizu Temple in April. A popular tourist spot, Kyoto has seen what locals feel to be an overwhelming amount of tourists in 2024.
Japan accuses Google of violating antimonopoly law
The Japanese antitrust watchdog said that Google forced smartphone makers to preinstall its search app on their devices, sources say.
Okinawa people stage rally against sexual assaults by U.S. servicemen
Sorane Sakihama, a 22-year-old college student, speaks at a rally in the city of Okinawa on Sunday protesting against sexual assaults by U.S. soldiers.
For baseball fans, 2024 brought The Summer of Shohei Ohtani
Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani reacts to a standing ovation from fans after hitting his 50th home run of the season, against the Marlins in Miami on Sept. 19.
A brief history of ‘osechi ryōri,' Japan's edible tradition for the new year
Japan's traditional New Year cuisine has a long history, though modern developments have led to slight changes in the way things work.
Japan accuses Google of violating antimonopoly law
The Japanese antitrust watchdog said that Google forced smartphone makers to preinstall its search app on their devices, sources say.
Casual workouts, cool living, ‘complete’ food: Japan’s health trends of 2024
In 2024, efficiency trumped effort among Japan's fitness-focused aspirants.
Is Japan finally ready to tap its abundant geothermal energy potential?
Steam rises from a geothermal plan in Yuzawa, Akita Prefecture. Despite its long history and potential, geothermal provided just 0.3% of Japan's overall energy mix in the fiscal year from April 2023

Podcast

One of the many entrances to the Kabukicho neighborhood in Tokyo’s Shinjuku Ward.
Kabukicho: Tokyo’s ‘stadium of desire’

Longform

Visitors to Kyoto walk along a street near Kiyomizu Temple in April. A popular tourist spot, Kyoto has seen what locals feel to be an overwhelming amount of tourists in 2024.
Is Japan ready for 60 million tourists?
By Kathryn Wortley

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