Cities and towns face language barriers as they prepare to vaccinate Japan's foreign residents
As local governments ramp up preparations to inoculate their residents against COVID-19, one key task for officials is to make the vaccine program as widely accessible as possible to foreign residents, including by offering interpreters and translating documents into other languages.
Lower House passes record budget as Suga looks to move on from scandals
The fiscal 2021 budget cleared the House of Representatives on Tuesday, providing temporary relief for Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, who has been hit by scandals over ethics violations at two ministries and criticism over his coronavirus response.
Japan's new Olympic minister comes under fire for opposing dual surnames
Tamayo Marukawa, Japan’s new minister for the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games, has come under fire for joining a campaign against a selective dual surname system for married couples.
LDP lawmakers to shun move to support separate surnames in Japan
Lawmakers from the ruling Liberal Democratic Party have urged local party assembly members to shun a move that supports a legal revision allowing separate surnames for married couples, according to party sources.
Japan’s Ruling Party Wants More Women To Join Meetings, Only If They Don’t Talk
Japan’s most dominant political party, the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) has been the country’s government for most of the time since 1955.
LDP lawmaker Marukawa takes office as minister for Olympics and gender
Liberal Democratic Party lawmaker Tamayo Marukawa took office as the new Olympic minister on Thursday to replace Seiko Hashimoto, who now leads the Tokyo Organising Committee to oversee this summer’s games.
Senior bureaucrats ousted amid scandal over dinners with Suga's son
The communication ministry said Friday it had replaced two senior bureaucrats and was considering reprimands in the latest development of a scandal involving a son of Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga.
Olympian takes over stalled Tokyo games
Photo: Bloomberg Photo By Kiyoshi Ota Seiko Hashimoto, member of the House of Councillors and the Liberal Democratic Party, speaks during the party's annual convention in Tokyo on Feb. 10, 2019.
Japan's ruling party invites more women to meetings, as long as they don't talk
TOKYO -- Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party, long seen as a homogeneous redoubt of elderly men, now wants more women at its key meetings - provided they don't do the talking.
Bwoglines: Bad Politicians And A Drug Bust Edition
On that Breaking Bad type beat.Happening in the World: Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party has proposed to allow five female lawmakers on its all-made board meetings, permitted they do not speak and submit opinions afterward.
Obama Too Busy for Jobs Council
President Obama “has not met for six months with the CEOs and others on his Jobs Council in part because he’s simply been too busy,” White House press secretary Jay Carney told Politico.
Trump Plots His Comeback
Washington Post: “Trump’s attacks on McConnell came as he plotted a broader return to the political arena.
Seiko Hashimoto Takes Over as Tokyo Olympic President
Seiko Hashimoto appeared in seven Olympics — four Winter Olympics and three Summer Olympics. According to historian Dr. Bill Mallon, her seven appearances is the most by any “multi-season” athlete in the games. Hashimoto made even more history on Thursday in Japan, where women are still rare in the boardrooms and positions of political power. The 56-year-old Hashimoto was named as president of the Tokyo Olympic organizing committee after a meeting of its male-dominated executive board. She replaces 83-year-old
Japan's ruling party faces sexism backlash as it invites women to look but not talk at key meetings
Hong Kong (CNN)A week after the Tokyo 2020 Olympics chief resigned in the wake of making sexist comments, another male octogenarian leader in Japan has attracted ire by spouting misogynistic remarks. Toshihiro Nikai, secretary general of the country's leading Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), on Tuesday proposed that women lawmakers should be able to observe the party's key meetings -- but not speak in them. The 82-year-old's plan to allow five female lawmakers to observe the party's main gatherings was a response