Tag - government

 
 

GOVERNMENT

Plaintiff Satoshi Egura, 67, stands near the former site of the now-defunct Sumida Maternity Hospital in Tokyo's Sumida Ward on April 16. A mix-up at the hospital in 1958 led to Egura being raised by a couple who are not his biological parents.
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
Apr 21, 2025
Tokyo government ordered to find man's birth parents 67 years after mix-up
The mix-up in 1958 at the now-defunct Sumida Maternity Hospital led to plaintiff Satoshi Egura being raised by another couple.
Lower House lawmaker Kai Odake in his Tokyo office on Wednesday
JAPAN / Politics / FOCUS
Apr 21, 2025
Is Japan’s parliament ready to welcome more youth to its ranks?
Among the world’s largest democracies, Japan has some of the highest minimum age requirements for politicians.
With more wild bears entering human areas across Japan in recent years, the revised law is aimed at making it possible to deal with them promptly and prevent casualties.
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
Apr 18, 2025
Japan enacts bill allowing urban bears to be shot
The law designates animals with a high risk of harming people as "dangerous wildlife animals" that can be shot.
Unsold bonds are also being covertly peddled at discounted prices, according to several market participants, including investors.
BUSINESS / Economy
Apr 18, 2025
Japanese municipal bond deals fail to sell as rate swings surge
This month’s heightened market volatility have also led to delays and cancellations of several Japanese corporate bond offerings.
Shuhei Kishimoto, in April 2023 in Wakayama Prefectural Government
JAPAN / Politics
Apr 15, 2025
Wakayama Gov. Kishimoto dies at 68
The governor died on Tuesday morning of septic shock at a hospital where he was receiving treatment after being found collapsed at home a day earlier.
Shuhei Kishimoto
JAPAN
Apr 14, 2025
Wakayama governor taken to hospital after collapse
Kishimoto is unconscious and in critical condition, and is being treated in an intensive care unit, sources said.
This 1-meter "wajima-nuri" lacquerware globe from Ishikawa Prefecture will be one of the specialty products to be displayed by Japan's local governments at the Osaka Expo.
JAPAN
Apr 10, 2025
Local governments to showcase products at Osaka Expo
Eye-catching items include a 1-meter lacquerware globe from Ishikawa Prefecture that escaped damage after a 7.6 magnitude earthquake struck.
Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and others at a ceremony to encourage regional revitalization support officers on Wednesday at the prime minister's official residence
JAPAN / Politics
Apr 10, 2025
Ishiba names 180 regional revitalization officers
The officers will work in groups of three to help 60 municipalities.
On April 23, 1925, The Japan Times ran a story about the principal clauses of the new Peace Preservation Law that was enacted to suppress ideologies deemed dangerous by the state.
JAPAN / History / Japan Times Gone By
Apr 5, 2025
Japan Times 1925: Peace law has several teeth
The Peace Preservation Law was a means of ideological suppression that grew tighter over time until it was repealed by Allied authorities following World War II.
Fishermen unload Pacific bluefin tuna off Miyakejima island in Tokyo.
JAPAN
Mar 31, 2025
Tokyo aiming to establish brand power of fish caught off its islands
Tuna hauls around the islands of Hachijojima and Miyakejima are on the rise, as catch quotas have been expanded thanks to the growing tuna population in the Pacific Ocean.
Pedestrians in Omiya, Saitama Prefecture
JAPAN
Mar 27, 2025
More Japanese prefectures to introduce remote work allowance
Twelve of the 47 prefectures will introduce the allowance next month.
Hyogo Gov. Motohiko Saito bows during a news conference at the Hyogo prefectural government building in Kobe on Wednesday.
JAPAN / Politics
Mar 26, 2025
Hyogo governor apologizes over harassment but denies breaking whistleblower law
Motohiko Saito denied the illegality of the actions to identify the whistleblower, saying that they were appropriate.
Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike, an adviser to Tomin First no Kai, will suffer if the Liberal Democratic Party, Komeito and Tomin First fail to maintain their combined majority in the Tokyo assembly election in June.
JAPAN / Politics
Mar 25, 2025
LDP faces headwinds in Tokyo assembly election
Political funds scandals affecting the party at both the national level and in the assembly could cost it votes.
Fukuoka Gov. Seitaro Hattori
JAPAN / Politics
Mar 24, 2025
Fukuoka Gov. Seitaro Hattori wins second term
Hattori garnered broad support for his pledge to install air conditioners in prefectural high school gymnasiums and other facilities.
Kochi and Tottori prefectures, in collaboration with major airline ANA Holdings, will begin offering airfare discounts through the introduction of a flat-rate system as early as October for individuals based in multiple locations.
JAPAN / Society
Mar 23, 2025
Japan picks model projects to promote 'dual habitation'
The land ministry has selected 26 model projects to promote a lifestyle in which people divide their time between rural and urban areas.
Tokyo will soon require all companies in the city to make efforts to stop harassment by customers, such as by creating a manual on how to handle suspected cases.
JAPAN / Society
Mar 17, 2025
Tokyo gears up for April launch of law against harassment by customers
All companies in Tokyo must make an effort to eliminate such harassment, such as by creating a manual on how to handle suspected cases.
Chiba Gov. Toshihito Kumagai
JAPAN / Politics
Mar 17, 2025
Chiba Gov. Toshihito Kumagai wins reelection bid as turnout dips
Voter turnout was 31.93%, down from 38.99% in the previous election four years ago.
Bookshelves storing disaster-related documents at the Sendai City Archives in Sendai in February
JAPAN
Mar 12, 2025
Local governments struggle to preserve records of March 2011 disaster
Fourteen years later, securing storage space has become a growing obstacle as the volume of records continues to increase.
Fukushima Gov. Masao Uchibori says he wants the central government to clarify and accelerate the plan for disposing of soil from radiation decontamination work.
JAPAN
Mar 11, 2025
Governor urges contaminated soil be disposed of outside Fukushima by 2045
A law states all contaminated soil must be disposed of outside Fukushima by March 2045.
The Ukedo Elementary School Ruins in Namie, Fukushima Prefecture, in January. The Fukushima Prefectural Government offers training sessions for new prefectural government recruits to visit the school, the prefecture's sole preserved disaster-hit structure.
JAPAN
Mar 10, 2025
14 years on, prefectural governments work to pass on lessons to new hires
Many prefectural officials who were involved in front-line operations in the immediate aftermath of the massive earthquake and tsunami are retiring.

Longform

Visitors walk past Sou Fujimoto's Grand Ring, which has been recognized as the largest wooden structure in the world.
Can a World Expo still matter? Japan is about to find out.