Public Policy & Governance
Latest news and updates on public policy & governance for expats in Japan
Hokkaido to Hold Public Forum in Sapporo on Disability Discrimination Elimination Law
Hokkaido's government is holding a public forum in Sapporo on November 19, 2026, to raise awareness of the disability discrimination elimination law a...
Digital Agency Lists Municipalities Offering Online Applications for Kumamoto Earthquake Disaster Certificates
The Digital Agency announced that residents affected by the 2026 Kumamoto earthquake can apply online for disaster certificates (罹災証明書) via Myna Porta...
Hokkaido Designates 13 Companies as Official Payment Agents for Administrative Fees
The Hokkaido Prefectural Government has designated 13 companies, including PayPay, Rakuten Group and Amazon Japan, as official payment agents under th...
Japan Opens Four Public Comment Periods on Genome-Edited Embryo Rules
Japan's education and health ministries have launched four separate public comment calls on rules implementing a new law regulating human genome-edite...
Ministry of Internal Affairs Seeks Public Comment on Measures for Stable, Sustainable Postal Service
Japan's Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications has opened a public comment period on measures to ensure stable and sustainable operation of p...
Health Ministry Launches 'Kaseifu-net' Pilot Site Linking Housekeeper Job Seekers with Local Agencies
Japan's health ministry has started a pilot website called 'Kaseifu-net' that lets users search summaries of housekeeper job listings from local agenc...
NHK Resumes Door-to-Door Fee Collection via External Contractors
NHK has resumed door-to-door fee collection through external contractors after suspending the practice in 2023. Foreign residents with TV-capable equi...
Japan's Senior Population Hits Record 29.6% as Society Ages Rapidly
Japan's 65+ population reaches record 29.6% of total, with 9.43 million seniors working. The aging society affects healthcare access, labor markets, a...
Six Japanese Nationals Detained in Malaysia Over Fraud Targeting Japan
Malaysian police detained six Japanese nationals suspected of running special fraud operations targeting Japan from western Malaysia. The case highlig...
Rice Prices Drop Below 3,000 Yen as Government Buyback Takes Effect
Rice prices fell to 2,971 yen per 5kg, the first time below 3,000 yen since 2024. The government will buy back 210,000 tons of reserve rice, signaling...
Chubu Electric Executives Resign Over Hamaoka Nuclear Data Falsification
Chubu Electric's president and chairman resigned after data falsification in Hamaoka Nuclear Plant restart applications. The company withdrew its regu...
Ishin Party Joins Government as Coalition Reshapes Japanese Politics
PM Takaichi forms coalition with Ishin Party, appointing Secretary-General Nakatsukasa to cabinet. LDP personnel changes include Hideki Murai as Diet ...
Okinawa Elects Pro-Base Governor, Ending Decades of Opposition
Genta Koza won Okinawa's gubernatorial election on September 13, 2026, defeating incumbent Denny Tamaki and becoming the first pro-base relocation gov...
Chubu Electric Power Leadership Resigns Over Nuclear Data Scandal
Chubu Electric Power's president and chairman will resign over earthquake data falsification at Hamaoka Nuclear Plant. The scandal affects safety revi...
Saudi Pipeline Attack Threatens Alternative Oil Route, Raising Energy Concerns
Saudi Arabia's East-West Pipeline, a key alternative to Hormuz Strait oil routes, was attacked by drones and suspended operations. The incident raises...
Japan to Launch GPS Monitoring Pilot for Paroled Sex Offenders in 2027
Japan's Ministry of Justice plans to pilot GPS monitoring for paroled sex offenders starting fiscal 2027. The experimental program aims to prevent rec...
Japan Requests Correction of Northern Territories on UN-Endorsed Map
Japan's government requested corrections to the UN-endorsed Equal Earth map after the Northern Territories appeared in Russian colors. The map's creat...
Japan Detects First Infectious Foot-and-Mouth Virus at Airport Quarantine
Japan detected its first infectious foot-and-mouth disease virus in meat at airport quarantine in January 2026. The discovery highlights biosecurity r...
Chubu Electric to Refund ¥1.2 Billion After Overcharging 5 Million Customers
Chubu Electric overcharged 5 million customers ¥1.2 billion since 2024 due to power generation cost calculation errors. The company will refund all af...
Nidec Founder Faces ¥28.7 Billion Lawsuit Over Accounting Scandal
Nidec founder Shigenobu Nagamori faces a ¥28.7 billion shareholder lawsuit over accounting irregularities. The derivative lawsuit highlights corporate...