Tag - local-government

 
 

LOCAL GOVERNMENT

JAPAN / Beyond Tokyo
Jul 26, 2019
In pursuit of a sustainable society, Nagano turns to AI to help craft policy
When times are good, there is less political pressure at the local level anywhere to be economically efficient or carefully scrutinize predictions that a new public works project or expensive industrial or tourism promotion scheme will lead to prosperity in 20 or 30 years.
JAPAN
Jun 21, 2019
New law holds government responsible for teaching Japanese to all foreign residents
The legislation places the onus for providing learning opportunities on the state but does not contain any concrete measures to fund.
JAPAN / Politics
Jun 6, 2019
Sakai voters poised to decide key mayoral race for Osaka Ishin and LDP ahead of Upper House poll
Voters in Sakai, Osaka Prefecture, will head to the polls Sunday to elect a new mayor in a key local race ahead of next month's Upper House election, with an Osaka Ishin no Kai (One Osaka) candidate reportedly the frontrunner in a closely contested campaign.
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
Apr 25, 2019
Journalist sues city of Nagasaki over alleged sexual violence by senior official
A journalist Thursday filed a damages lawsuit against the city of Nagasaki over alleged sexual violence during her newsgathering activities by a senior municipal official, who has since taken his own life.
JAPAN / Politics / ANALYSIS
Apr 22, 2019
Abe likely to use upcoming big events to distract Japanese public from election routs, experts say
The Liberal Democratic Party's defeat in two by-elections on Sunday is likely to prompt the administration of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to use upcoming diplomatic events to deflect domestic attention from recent political setbacks, as he looks ahead to a key Upper House election in the summer, experts...
JAPAN / Politics
Apr 22, 2019
Cosplaying eccentric Mac Akasaka of the Smile Party snags seat in Tokyo ward assembly
He clambers out from under the table, wearing a pink Hooter's tank top while sporting fluffy angel wings and a halo, before bowing deeply toward the camera and taking a seat.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Politics / Regional voices: Chubu
Apr 15, 2019
Youth turnout a worry in Japan's first quadrennial elections under new voting age of 18
The first quadrennial unified local elections to be held after the voting age was lowered to 18 in June 2015 are being hampered by concerns about the youngest voters' low voting rate.
JAPAN / YEN FOR LIVING
Apr 12, 2019
Is a lack of money behind Japan's drought of local political candidates?
In an Asahi Shimbun editorial published March 30, a week before nationwide elections were held for prefectural and municipal assemblies on April 7, the newspaper fretted about the state of local politics.
JAPAN / Politics / ANALYSIS
Apr 3, 2019
From casinos to nuclear power, local issues with national significance to play out at polls across Japan
Municipal mergers, integrated casino resorts, bullet trains and the future of nuclear power plants — local issues with national political repercussions — are expected to be taken up by candidates from Hokkaido to Kyushu in the coming weeks as the country prepares for a series of elections on April...
Japan Times
JAPAN / Media / MEDIA MIX
Mar 30, 2019
Will Japan finally promote its female politicians?
Japan has one of the lowest participation rates of women in national parliaments in the world, but a law is meant to remedy this deficit, even if it includes no enforceable quotas or penalties.
BUSINESS
Mar 25, 2019
China's local government debt: The bomb that doesn't explode — but gets kicked down the road
China has embraced the idea of defaults imposing some discipline on debtors in its bond market. And some of the most troubled debtors are local governments' financing vehicles. So an LGFV default has long seemed on the cards. But it just isn't happening.
JAPAN
Mar 4, 2019
As pool of candidates in rural Japan dwindles, Kochi village to allow councilors to retain side jobs
Faced with a rapidly shrinking population of elderly residents reluctant to run for seats on the local council, the village of Okawa, Kochi Prefecture, passed a referendum Monday designed to make it easier serve on the council while concurrently holding side jobs.
JAPAN / Beyond Tokyo
Feb 24, 2019
As the world drowns in plastic, Kameoka in Kyoto and other cities across Japan fight back
Plastic pollution in the ocean has become one of the world's most urgent environmental problems. Footage of vast fields of floating plastic debris between California and Hawaii — now commonly known as the Great Pacific Garbage Patch — have driven home the gravity of the problem, with scientists and...

Longform

Professional cleaner Hirofumi Sakurai takes a moment to appreciate some photographs in a Gotanda apartment whose occupant died alone. 
The last cleanup: Life and death in a lonely Japan