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July 05, 2025
 

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LOCAL GOVERNMENT

JAPAN / Politics / ANALYSIS
Nov 2, 2020
Osaka referendum defeat raises questions about future of city's politics
The focus for many in local political party Osaka Ishin no Kai is now on how — or even if — they can continue under a new generation of leadership.
JAPAN / Politics
Nov 1, 2020
Osaka voters say no to merger. Again.
The referendum defeat dealt a heavy blow to the Osaka Ishin no Kai local political group, with Mayor Ichiro Matsui vowing to retire at the end of his term.
JAPAN / Media / MEDIA MIX
Oct 24, 2020
Hokkaido municipalities gamble on a nuclear future, but at what cost?
Nuclear waste site survey applications reflect muddled official policy about what to do with the country's spent nuclear fuel
JAPAN / Politics / View from Osaka
Oct 17, 2020
Osaka merger would affect residents and outsiders alike
The planned move to merge the city's administrative wards could give officials more freedom to attract tourists and businesses.
JAPAN / Society / EXPLAINER
Oct 13, 2020
Controversy over bids to host nuclear waste highlights disposal issue
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.
JAPAN / EXPLAINER
Oct 13, 2020
Referendum a pivotal moment for Osaka and its politicians
On Nov. 1, the city's residents will be asked whether to merge Osaka's 24 wards into just four.
JAPAN / Politics / View from Osaka
Sep 19, 2020
Let the Suga-Nippon Ishin bromance begin
Osaka Mayor Ichiro Matsui and his supporters are breathing easy, knowing their favorite LDP politician is now the prime minister.
JAPAN / Media / MEDIA MIX
Aug 22, 2020
Political documentaries in Japan struggle to inspire
Japanese documentaries analyze entrenched political power with largely unsurprising results.
JAPAN / Politics / View from Osaka
Aug 15, 2020
Under cloud of pandemic, Osaka referendum remains a key issue for Gov. Hirofumi Yoshimura
More in Osaka are asking whether the vote should be postponed until after the coronavirus crisis has passed.
JAPAN / FOCUS
Aug 7, 2020
Travel during the Bon holiday? Japan can’t get a straight answer
With national and local officials giving conflicting signals over the risk of making trips, the holiday threatens to boost the spread of the pandemic.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Regional Voices: Fukushima
Jul 17, 2020
Fukushima localities speak out against dumping radioactive water in sea
The resolutions and statements described measures taken by the central government as inadequate to combat reputational damage to produce from the prefecture.
JAPAN / Politics / FOCUS
Jun 20, 2020
Osaka's second merger push faces pitfalls from pandemic, Abe's poll woes
Osaka voters will once again face a referendum on merging the city's 24 wards following a decision on a plan that would create four large, semiautonomous wards.
JAPAN / FOCUS
May 10, 2020
Japan governors face balancing act in reopening businesses amid pandemic
Governors are moving to lift emergency restrictions to get their prefectures up and running again, but can they strike the right balance between public safety and commerce?
JAPAN
May 9, 2020
Japan's hotels in a bind as mild and asymptomatic coronavirus patients opt to heal at home instead
Despite legislative attempts to persuade mild and asymptomatic patients to isolate in hotels, most cooperating facilities are nearly empty.
BUSINESS
May 5, 2020
Japan to launch model project for land banks to manage plots left unused
The land ministry will begin a model project for so-called land banks this fiscal year, aiming to appropriately manage land plots that are left unused and find new ways to utilize them through regional cooperation.
JAPAN
May 4, 2020
Abe extends Japan's nationwide state of emergency, but prepares to relax some restrictions
The prime minister strikes a cautiously optimistic note, but adds that the situation remains grim for the country's strained health care system.
JAPAN
May 4, 2020
Governor moves to get Osaka back in business by mid-May despite pandemic
Despite the state of emergency, the governor appears eager to get businesses reopened before the government's expected extension ends.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Regional Voices: Hiroshima
May 1, 2020
Cities in Japan flush bad image with upgraded public toilets
Municipalities are teaming up with corporations when carrying out renovations aimed at improving experience for tourists and families.
JAPAN
Apr 27, 2020
More prefectures in Japan extend school closures amid virus uncertainty
Caution is the watch word for now when it comes to students and teachers.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Apr 23, 2020
Defiant pachinko parlors show limits of Japan’s shutdown request
As pachinko parlors continue to operate, disregarding appeals to shutter amid the coronavirus pandemic, local governments look to shame them into cooperation.
A prophesied disaster (likely) won’t strike Japan this weekend
A viral manga prediction of a July 5 disaster has gripped Japan with anxiety and triggered an economic impact, but experts warn that while such dates are unreliable, the threat of a massive earthquake remains real. 
Magnitude 5.5 earthquake jars Tokara Islands amid flurry of seismic activity
A strong quake struck off the Tokara Islands on Thursday afternoon, with the island chain having recorded around 1,000 earthquakes since a burst of seismic activity first began on June 21.
Japan to require flight passengers to keep power banks within sight
The transport ministry has announced new regulations requiring flight passengers to keep power banks within sight to mitigate fire risks while on board planes.
Ghibli’s Isao Takahata exhibit shows how beloved anime is made
“The man who planted Japanese animation” exhibition includes a variety of sketches, drawings and animation cels from Isao Takahata films such as color design for characters by Michiyo Yasuda from "Grave of the Fireflies."
Residents of Tokara Islands begin evacuation as seismic swarm continues
Details about evacuations from Akuseki Island, located in the Tokara island chain in Kagoshima Prefecture, is seen written on a whiteboard in the city of Kagoshima on Thursday.
Ghibli’s Isao Takahata exhibit shows how beloved anime is made
“The man who planted Japanese animation” exhibition includes a variety of sketches, drawings and animation cels from Isao Takahata films such as color design for characters by Michiyo Yasuda from "Grave of the Fireflies."
Flag football facing challenges and opportunities ahead
Japan’s women’s flag football team at the 2025 International Bowl in Los Angeles in June. The sport is enjoying continued growth in the country.
From Hokusai’s Great Wave, shinkansen to One Piece: a cultural treasure box for Lego Japan
Michael Ebbesen, general manager of Lego Japan, says Lego bricks based on Japanese culture have a rich global appeal and are sellable around the world.
With farmed fish, RelationFish swims against the tide in fine dining
Chef Hideaki Matsuo (middle) and the staff of Oseto Suisan Fisheries prepare to check on their sustainably farmed fish.
As Southeast Asia heats up, a Japanese cooling giant sees a major opportunity
An employee of Daikin Cambodia explains the use of different tools during an air conditioner installation training session in Phnom Penh. Daikin is one of Japan’s oldest air conditioning companies, but as Japan’s population falls, the firm is keying in on overseas growth.

Podcast

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

Longform

Mount Fuji is considered one of Japan's most iconic symbols and is a major draw for tourists. It's still a mountain, though, and potential hikers need to properly prepare for any climb.
What it takes to save lives on Mount Fuji
By Alex K.T. Martin

SUSTAINABLE JAPAN

Muji has been sustainable from the beginning
Muji has been sustainable from the beginning

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