🇯🇵 Japan · Policy & regulation
24 storiesJapan to count financial income in over-75s' medical costs from August 2029
Japan's Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare plans to start counting financial income, such as stock dividends, when setting medical co-payments and insurance premiums for people aged 75 and over from August 2029. It presented the schedul…
Trump cancels planned livestream of former Army major's execution
President Donald Trump said on October 15 that the planned firing-squad execution of Nidal Malik Hasan would not be livestreamed. Japanese reports said the execution would proceed as scheduled, with victims' relatives allowed to attend if t…
Japan's welfare minister seeks higher long-term care fees in fiscal 2027
Japan's welfare minister Kenichiro Ueno (上野賢一郎) said on October 15 he would seek a substantial revision to long-term care service fees for fiscal 2027. He cited rising prices, improved staff conditions and the need to secure workers; the go…
Financial Services Agency orders Prudential Life to halt new sales for about three months
Japan's Financial Services Agency on October 9 ordered Prudential Life Insurance to suspend part of its business, including new insurance contracts, for about three months after its employees defrauded customers of large sums of money. The …
Japan's cabinet approves bill cutting food consumption tax to 1% for two years
Japan's government approved a bill at a cabinet meeting on October 9 that would cut the consumption tax on food from 8% to 1% for two years from April 2027. The bill also creates a new income-linked cash benefit for working people on low an…
Japan beer cartel probe: section chiefs met to set prices by product size, sources say
Sales section chiefs at Asahi Breweries, Kirin Brewery, Suntory and Sapporo Breweries were the main attendees at meetings where shipping prices were discussed, people familiar with the matter said on October 8. Prices appear to have been se…
South Korea defense chief says athlete military service exemption to be abolished
South Korea's defense minister, Kang Shin-chul, told a parliamentary audit on Oct 7 that the special exemption from military service for high-achieving athletes and artists should be gradually reduced and ultimately abolished. The review fo…
US suspends Microsoft, Adobe and others from green card sponsorship procedure, Vance says
US Vice President JD Vance said on 8 October that Microsoft and other companies, including Adobe, would be barred from the employer procedure used to obtain US permanent residency for foreign workers. He accused Microsoft of laying off 6,00…
Japan transport ministry sets four-level flood risk plan for underpasses
Japan's Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism published guidelines on October 6 classifying underpasses nationwide into four flood-risk levels and calling for remotely operated or automatic barriers at the most dangerous s…
US proposes $70,000 fee per foreign student for post-graduation work permits (OPT)
The US Department of Homeland Security on October 7 announced a proposed rule to charge $70,000 (about 11 million yen) for the work authorisation known as OPT, which lets foreign students work in the US after graduating. Asahi Shimbun and K…
Takaichi says wording of Japan's no-nuclear-entry principle remains under review
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said on October 14 that wording on not allowing nuclear weapons into Japan remained under review as three security documents are revised for year-end. She said the three non-nuclear principles remained governme…
Tokyo police to set up first dedicated autonomous driving unit in spring 2027
Tokyo's Metropolitan Police Department will set up an Autonomous Driving Planning Office (provisional name) in its Traffic General Affairs Division, Asahi Shimbun and Nikkei reported on October 9, 2026. Nikkei said the unit will open in Apr…
US Justice Department investigates networks over White House TV pool suspension
The US Justice Department has begun investigating five television networks over their temporary suspension of White House pool coverage, Japanese outlets reported, citing The New York Times. The networks halted coverage in September to prot…
Japan privacy watchdog issues urgent alert to firms over spate of data leaks
Japan’s Personal Information Protection Commission issued an urgent alert on Oct. 7 urging businesses that handle personal data to strengthen safety management, after a series of large-scale leaks caused by unauthorised access. The commissi…
Japan ministry asks rental car association to inspect data leak countermeasures
Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism has asked the National Rental Car Association to inspect its information leak countermeasures after a data leak at the Times Car car-sharing service. The leak involved driver’s…
Japan audit finds ¥14.9bn in road repair subsidies used for ineligible work
Japan's Board of Audit found that about ¥14.9 billion in state subsidies for bridge and tunnel repairs went to work outside the subsidy programme's scope, in 469 contracts at 88 municipalities, according to Asahi Shimbun, Nishi-Nippon Shimb…
Fukushima's Futaba to lift evacuation order for two districts in December
Two districts in Fukushima Prefecture's Futaba Town are expected to have their evacuation orders lifted around December, which would let residents live there again after about 15 years and 9 months. It would be the first lifting in a “speci…
Japan tax panel experts question business succession tax break
Experts at a meeting of Japan's Government Tax Commission, an advisory body to the prime minister, on the 9th questioned the business succession tax system, which defers gift and inheritance tax for successors taking over small and medium-s…
Shizuoka to charge for off-season Mt. Fuji helicopter rescues, aligning with Yamanashi
Shizuoka Prefecture will make climbers rescued by prefectural disaster helicopters during Mount Fuji's closed season pay for the rescue, Gov. Suzuki Yasutomo formally announced at the prefectural assembly. An ordinance is to be enacted with…
Japan minister: two Futaba districts may see evacuation orders lifted by December
Reconstruction Minister Hosono said on October 6 that the government will work with relevant ministries so that evacuation orders can be lifted in two districts of Futaba town, Fukushima Prefecture, possibly within December. The districts a…