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July 05, 2025
 

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LOWER HOUSE

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.
Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba speaks at a meeting on political reform at the Liberal Democratic Party's headquarters in Tokyo on Tuesday.
JAPAN / Politics / FOCUS
Nov 14, 2024
Ishiba faces tightrope walk with minority government
As the opposition is seen ramping up pressure on the government, a single mistake could put the administration into jeopardy.
The Lower House plenary session on Monday
JAPAN / Politics
Nov 13, 2024
Ishiba in for a bumpy ride as CDP takes Budget Committee post
In a rare move, the Liberal Democratic Party and its coalition partner, Komeito, conceded the Budget Committee post to the opposition.
Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba votes to elect the prime minister at the Lower House in Tokyo on Monday.
JAPAN / Politics
Nov 11, 2024
Ishiba holds on to PM role as tricky parliamentary session looms
Ishiba was forced into a runoff after no candidate for prime minister was able to secure a simple majority in the first round of voting.
Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba speaks to reporters at the Prime Minister's Office in Tokyo on Sunday afternoon.
JAPAN / Politics
Nov 11, 2024
Ishiba battles for survival in parliament vote as Trump looms large
Lawmakers were set to decide on Monday whether Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba remains the country's leader
The selection of former CDP chief Yukio Edano as head of the Lower House's Constitution panel is expected to impact discussions on constitutional revisions sought by the LDP and others.
JAPAN / Politics
Nov 9, 2024
CDP's Yukio Edano to chair Lower House Constitution panel
The selection of Edano is expected to impact discussions on constitutional revisions sought by the LDP and others.
Fukushiro Nukaga of the Liberal Democratic Party is reappointed as speaker of the House of Representatives on Friday, following an agreement between the ruling and opposition parties.
JAPAN / Politics
Nov 8, 2024
LDP's Nukaga to be reappointed Japan Lower House speaker
The parties also agreed to name Koichiro Genba of the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan (CDP) as vice speaker.
LDP Diet affairs chief Tetsushi Sakamoto (left) and his CDP counterpart, Hirofumi Ryu, at a meeting in the parliament building on Thursday
JAPAN / Politics
Nov 8, 2024
CDP lawmaker to chair Lower House budget committee
The agreement was reached after the ruling coalition failed to secure a majority in last month's election.
A polling station at a local school in Tokyo on Sunday
JAPAN / Politics
Oct 27, 2024
As it happened: Japan's Lower House election 2024
Recent polls have indicated Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party-Komeito bloc might lose its majority in the lower chamber for the first time in 15 years.
A man votes in the Lower House election at a polling station set up at a school in Tokyo on Sunday.
JAPAN / Politics
Oct 27, 2024
Voters head to the polls across Japan in crucial test for ruling coalition
Recent polls have indicated the coalition might lose its majority in the powerful Lower House of parliament for the first time in 15 years.
New Komeito chief Keiichi Ishii gives a joint interview at the party's headquarters in Tokyo's Shinjuku Ward on Thursday.
JAPAN / Politics
Oct 12, 2024
New Komeito chief targets majority as make-or-break in election
Komeito head Keiichi Ishii says maintaining at least a majority of seats in the Lower House will be the ruling bloc's goal in the Oct. 27 general election.
Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba (center) ahead of an extraordinary Cabinet meeting at the Prime Minister's Office on Wednesday
JAPAN / Politics
Oct 9, 2024
Ishiba dissolves Lower House for snap election
The new prime minister has stressed the importance of winning a mandate from the public following his LDP leadership victory late last month.
Komeito Secretary-General Keiichi Ishii
JAPAN / Politics
Sep 18, 2024
Ishii to head Komeito in first leadership change in 15 years
Keiichi Ishii will be appointed the new Komeito leader at a party convention on Sept. 28.
Tamotsu Shiiki, 58, is accused of sexually assaulting a first-year junior high school girl at a karaoke parlor in Tokyo's Kabukicho entertainment district on Aug. 20. He has denied the charge.
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
Sep 11, 2024
Ex-lawmaker held over alleged sexual assault in Tokyo karaoke parlor
Tamotsu Shiiki, a former Lower House lawmaker of Nippon Ishin no Kai, denies sexually assaulting the first-year junior high school girl.
Komeito Secretary-General Keiichi Ishii
JAPAN / Politics
Sep 9, 2024
Keiichi Ishii set to replace Natsuo Yamaguchi as Komeito chief
The move would mark the first change in party leadership since 2009.
Manabu Horii in December, when he was a Lower House member
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
Aug 30, 2024
Ex-LDP lawmaker Manabu Horii indicted over two money cases
Horii allegedly distributed a total of ¥380,000 in condolence money and other funeral offerings worth ¥230,000 to 52 voters.
Lower House member Manabu Horii
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
Aug 28, 2024
Scandal-hit former LDP member Manabu Horii announces resignation as lawmaker
"I've ended up trampling on the trust placed on me by each vote, entirely due to my lack of law-abiding spirit. So I decided to quit," he said.
Lawmakers leave a Lower House plenary session after the chamber was dissolved in October 2021.
JAPAN / Politics
Aug 21, 2024
Signs point toward November general election following LDP race
The advantage gained from the change in LDP leadership may diminish if the snap poll is not called soon after the party's presidential race.
Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan leader Kenta Izumi at a news conference at the party's headquarters in Tokyo on Thursday
JAPAN / Politics
Aug 19, 2024
CDP and JCP leaders reaffirm need for cooperation in Lower House poll
The leaders of the two parties agreed that the next election will be an important opportunity to topple the LDP-Komeito ruling coalition.
A Lower House plenary session is held in June. One vote in the least-populated single-seat constituency for the lower chamber is at least twice as powerful as that in the eight most populous constituencies, an analysis has found.
JAPAN / Politics
Jul 26, 2024
Vote-value disparities may be unconstitutional in eight Lower House districts
One vote in the least-populated single-seat constituency is at least twice as powerful as one in the eight most populous constituencies, a new analysis shows.
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

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