Public Policy & Governance
Latest news and updates on public policy & governance for expats in Japan
Japan Issues First National Guidelines to Address Women's Restroom Lines
Japan's transport ministry released first-ever toilet installation guidelines requiring more fixtures in women's restrooms at facilities with equal ge...
Japan Post Mail Service Price Hike Made Easier Under New Law
Japan's revised Postal Service Law allows easier price adjustments for mail services. The June 12 legislation streamlines approval processes as Japan ...
Japan Moves Forward on Imperial Succession Reform with Adoption Plan
Japan's government is drafting legislation to allow adoption of male descendants from former Imperial branches, addressing succession concerns. Politi...
Japan Cracks Down on Misleading Promotions and Freelance Rights Violations
Japan issued its first nationwide order against misleading "limited-time" promotions and penalized KADOKAWA for violating freelance worker protections...
Food Price Surge: Chicken Hits Record Highs, Kirin Raises Beverage Prices
Chicken prices hit record highs while Kirin Beverage raises prices on 166 products (90% of lineup) from October 2026. Middle East tensions contribute ...
Kyushu Electric Loses 10 Million Customer Records in Major Data Breach
Kyushu Electric's subsidiary lost storage media containing personal data of 10+ million customers across mainland Kyushu. Foreign residents should wat...
Japan Extends Gasoline Subsidies While Government Searches for Exit Plan
Japan extends gasoline subsidies through supplementary budget while government seeks phased exit strategy. PM Takaichi confirms commitment to economic...
Japan Invests Additional ¥150 Billion in Rapidus Semiconductor Project
Japan invested an additional ¥150 billion in Rapidus semiconductor project, bringing total government support to ¥2.6 trillion. The initiative aims to...
Japan Sets Nuclear Reactor Replacement Target by 2040s for Energy Security
Japan plans to replace 2-5 aging nuclear reactors by the 2040s to maintain energy security and support carbon neutrality goals, though the policy face...
Supplementary Budget for Middle East Crisis Passes Lower House
Japan's Lower House approved a Middle East crisis supplementary budget on June 4, with final Upper House approval expected June 5. The measure passed ...
Japan's Birth Rate Plummets to Historic Low with 671,000 Births in 2025
Japan recorded only 671,000 births in 2025, the tenth consecutive record low. This demographic crisis affects expats through changing immigration poli...
Japan's Supplementary Budget for Middle East Crisis Passes June 5
Japan's Diet will pass a Middle East crisis supplementary budget on June 5 after LDP and opposition parties agreed to fast-track approval, potentially...
Japan Pivots to US Naphtha Imports as Middle East Crisis Disrupts Supply
Japan's naphtha imports from the Middle East dropped 47% in April 2026, but US imports surged 209 times to compensate. The government expects supply l...
Japan Strengthens Defense Ties with Allies Amid Regional Tensions
Japan strengthened defense cooperation with the US, UK, Australia, and South Korea during May 2026 meetings, confirming fighter jet development, missi...
Japan's First Fully Farm-Raised Eel Goes on Sale at AEON
AEON begins trial online sales of world's first fully farm-raised eel on May 29th at 4,500 yen each, marking a breakthrough in sustainable aquaculture...
Fukushima Daiichi Unit 2 Spent Fuel Removal to Begin in June
TEPCO will begin removing spent nuclear fuel from Fukushima Daiichi Unit 2 in early June 2026, a two-year operation marking progress in the decades-lo...
Japan Considers GPS Tracking for Stalkers Under Restraining Orders
Japan's LDP proposes GPS monitoring for stalking offenders under restraining orders, with victim notification systems. The May 27 proposal to PM Takai...
Diet Members' Bonus Freeze Bill Passes Lower House
Japan's House of Representatives approved freezing Diet members' bonuses until the next election. The bill now moves to the House of Councillors for f...
Japan's National Intelligence Bureau Bill Clears Committee Vote
Japan's National Intelligence Bureau bill passed the Senate Cabinet Committee on May 26 with cross-party support and is set for final approval on May ...
Japan Announces ¥5,000 Utility Subsidies in ¥3.1 Trillion Crisis Budget
Japan's government will submit a ¥3.1 trillion supplementary budget providing ¥5,000 utility subsidies per household from July-September 2026, respond...