Public Policy & Governance
Latest news and updates on public policy & governance for expats in Japan
Diet Session Tensions Ease as Seat Reduction Bill Shelved, Imperial Law Advances
Japan's ruling coalition shelved a controversial seat reduction bill to ease Diet tensions, prioritizing Imperial Household Law amendments addressing ...
Japan Post to Raise Yu-Pack Delivery Fees by Average 10% from October
Japan Post will increase Yu-Pack delivery fees by 10% from October 2025 due to rising logistics and labor costs. Click Post and shipping materials wil...
Japan-India Summit Announces 2 Trillion Yen Investment Package
Japan and India announced a 2 trillion yen investment package and 130 corporate cooperation agreements, focusing on economic security and battery supp...
Japan Cuts Passport Fees by Up to 7,000 Yen from July 1
Japan reduced passport fees by up to 7,000 yen starting July 1, but processing times may extend to one month due to expected application surges. Offic...
Japan Passes Imperial Household Law Allowing Female Royals to Retain Status
Japan's government has passed Imperial Household Law amendments allowing female royals to retain status after marriage and permitting adoption of male...
Diet Debates Seat Reduction and Imperial Succession as Session Ends
Japan's Diet faces heated debates over reducing House seats by 45 and imperial succession reforms as the session ends. Opposition parties are boycotti...
Mixed News for Household Budgets: Utility Bills Drop, Food Prices Rise
Electricity and gas bills will decrease in July due to government subsidies, but food prices continue rising, with rice prices up and Calbee announcin...
Japan Introduces Numerical Standards for Dangerous Driving Prosecutions
Japan enacted new dangerous driving law with numerical standards including 0.5mg/L breath alcohol threshold. The reform takes effect July 2026, establ...
Two Fuji Electric Employees Detained in China Under Suspected Law Violations
Two Fuji Electric employees were detained by Chinese customs authorities in Dalian in May 2024. The Japanese government confirmed both are in good hea...
Supreme Court Finalizes Dissolution Order for Unification Church
Japan's Supreme Court finalized the Unification Church dissolution order, rejecting appeals and stripping its legal status. Experts urge victim compen...
Japan's Prime Minister Upgrades Official Vehicle to Century SUV
Japan's Prime Minister switched from a sedan to an SUV-type Toyota Century on June 22, 2026, marking the first SUV official vehicle while maintaining ...
Iran Threatens Hormuz Strait Closure: Energy Security Concerns for Japan
Iran threatened to close the Strait of Hormuz on June 20, risking Japan's oil supply as 95% of imports pass through this route. Expats may face higher...
Tokyo Elementary School Fire Raises Safety Questions After 11 Injured
An electric heater fire in a Tokyo elementary school injured 11 people, exposing issues with early fire detection and evacuation procedures. The incid...
Japan Post to Receive ¥65 Billion Annual Subsidy for Network Maintenance
Japan's parliament approved ¥65 billion in annual subsidies for Japan Post to maintain its nationwide network. The funding ensures continued postal se...
Japan Proposes Historic Law to Expand Imperial Family Membership
Japan's government has proposed legislation allowing female imperial members to retain status after marriage and permitting adoption of male descendan...
DAZN Halts Soccer Plan Subscriptions Amid Misleading Pricing Controversy
DAZN suspended new Soccer plan subscriptions after misleading pricing displays suggested monthly contracts when annual commitments were required. Affe...
Japan Legalizes Digital Wills in Historic Civil Code Amendment
Japan's Civil Code amendments passed June 17, 2026, legalizing digital wills for the first time alongside adult guardianship reforms, offering new est...
Six Major Food Manufacturers Raided in Ice Cream Price-Fixing Probe
Japan's Fair Trade Commission raided six major food manufacturers investigating suspected ice cream price-fixing. Senior executives allegedly coordina...
Japan's Children and Families Agency to Publish Complete Budget Online
Japan's Children and Families Agency will publish its complete budget online by March 2028, becoming the first ministry to fully disclose spending det...
Lawmaker's Self-Defense Force Comments Ignite Political Firestorm
A CDP lawmaker sparked controversy by suggesting SDF recruits face economic hardship, prompting Defense Minister Koizumi's angry rebuttal and immediat...