National / Politics Oct 19, 2020
Party officials take to streets to campaign ahead of Osaka referendum
The plan calls for reorganizing Osaka into four special wards with a high level of autonomy in order to eliminate overlapping administration.
National / Politics | View from Osaka Oct 17, 2020
Osaka merger would affect residents and outsiders alike
by Eric Johnston
The planned move to merge the city's administrative wards could give officials more freedom to attract tourists and businesses.
National Oct 14, 2020
As of the end of September, the municipal government of Fukuoka made the use of hanko unnecessary for some 3,800 types of administrative procedure documents.
National Oct 14, 2020
The governor of Miyagi Prefecture would become the first to greenlight the restart of a nuclear plant damaged in the 3/11 disasters.
National / Social Issues | FYI Oct 13, 2020
Controversy over bids to host nuclear waste highlights disposal issue
by Eric Johnston
Two municipalities in Hokkaido have applied to the first stage of the process to build final disposal sites for nuclear waste, but the moves have prompted opposition.
National / Reference | FYI Oct 13, 2020
Referendum a pivotal moment for Osaka and its politicians
by Eric Johnston
On Nov. 1, the city's residents will be asked whether to merge Osaka's 24 wards into just four.
National Oct 12, 2020
Campaigns begin ahead of second referendum on Osaka metropolis plan
The initiative calls for the restructuring of the city's 24 administrative districts into four special wards with greater authority and elected leaders.
National Oct 9, 2020
Hold your bets: Japan to delay taking bids to host casino resorts
The decision will also affect the opening of such facilities, originally scheduled for the mid-2020s.
National Oct 9, 2020
Municipalities that undergo the preliminary research can receive up to ¥2 billion in state subsidies over two years.
National Oct 8, 2020
Hokkaido municipalities to launch nuclear waste disposal site survey
The government is seeking suitable places to store the waste, which must be encased in concrete 300 meters below ground.
National Oct 3, 2020
A Hokkaido village assembly Friday voted to apply for a first-stage survey to choose a municipality hosting a planned final disposal site for high-level radioactive waste from nuclear power plants. The Kamoenai assembly adopted a petition from a local chamber of commerce asking the village ...
National Sep 29, 2020
Aid eyed for Japan local governments promoting My Number cards
Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga aims to increase My Number card holders to nearly the whole of the country's population by the end of fiscal 2022.