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Voice of Minamata Cut Off

This is the way the government of Japan faces to the victims of industrial development in the high economic growth period. In the hearing from the victims of Minamata disease on May 1 st , an official of Ministry of Environment cut the volume of microphone off, during a victim’s husband was speaking about how his wife had died with the disease. The victims strongly opposed to the cold attitude of the ministry. Minister of Environment, Shintaro Ito, who had been at the meeting, apologized. Prime Minister, Fumio Kishida, announced that he would not replace Ito by his mishandling of the meeting.   The meeting was held for Ito to hear opinions of the victims’ family of Minamata disease on the day which marked sixty-eighth anniversary of official recognition of the disease.   In the  hearing , the Vice-chair of Minamata Disease Patients’ Union, Shigemitsu Matsuzaki, was speaking about his wife, who died with the disease last spring, with saying “It hurts, it hurts.” During he was telling th
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Amendment of Local Autonomy Law

The House of Representatives started discussion on revision of the Local Autonomy Law, which would vest the national government a power to instruct local government in an emergency. It may change the relationship between the national and local government, which has been recognized as equal. The opposition parties oppose the amendment, arguing that it would give the national government an excessive power.   With the Meiji Restoration, the national government abolished the feudal system, introducing modern governance. However, its autonomy was not sufficient. The governor of each prefecture was appointed by the national government. The local governments subordinated to the national government. It was as late as 2000 when  the Comprehensive Decentralization Law  was enacted and the relationship between the national and local government was defined as equal.   The national government found inconvenience in the relationship between the national and local government, when COVID-19 was preval
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Diplomacy toward Latin America Countering China

The Prime Minister, Fumio Kishida, gave a   speech  on Japan’s diplomacy toward Latin American and the Caribbean in São Paulo, Brazil, on May 4 th . In the speech titled “Paving a Pathway to ‘Human Dignity’ with Latin America and the Caribbean,” Kishida insisted on further cooperation between Japan and the countries in the region based on democratic value. It was obviously to enhance the presence of Japan and to reduce the influence of authoritarian regimes such as China or Russia. It was the first opportunity in these ten years for a prime minister of Japan to give a policy speech toward Latin America and the Caribbean. At the beginning of his speech, Kishida noted that he had visited São Paulo in 2013 as the minister for foreign affairs and got back as the prime minister to further promote the cooperation with the countries.   Kishida raised three pathways as the visions toward human dignity. Firstly, he argued necessity of ensuring free and open international order based on the rule
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Request for Final Nuclear Disposal Site

Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry requested Genkai Town, Saga, to accept “literature survey” for building a final disposal site for high-level radioactive waste. Genkai is going to answer within this month. If it accepts, it will be the third place to accept that survey, following two places in Hokkaido. Main reason to accept the survey is supposed to be subsidy from the national government.   Japan has no final disposal site. Among all 54 reactors in 17 nuclear power generation plant, 12 reactors of 6 plants are operating. The rest of them are not in operation, some of which are determined to be decommissioned. Used nuclear fuels are stocked in each plant, 　 or have sent to a reprocessing plant in Rokkasho, Aomori. There are two plans to stock nuclear wastes in the intermediate facility for disposal, one is already built and another is still in negotiation.   Nuclear Fuel Final Disposal Act in 2000 determines to bury nuclear waste in the underground. Literature survey, which is
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Quadrilateral Defense Framework in Indo-Pacific

The defense ministers of Australia, Philippines, Japan and the United States announced in their serious concern about the situation in the East and South China Seas, where Chinese vessels exercise dangerous and destabilizing conducts. They stressed their commitment to further cooperation each other for a free and open Indo-Pacific region. This is one of the series of efforts to deal with China’s unilateral advance to the Pacific through building frameworks of countries in the region. This was the second meeting by those ministers of four countries, since they met in Singapore last June. The  joint readout of the meeting held in Hawaii this time insisted their concern over China’s repeated obstruction of Philippines vessels’ exercise of freedom of navigation, including the disruption of supply lines to Second Thomas Shoal. They agreed on enhancing their defense cooperation in support of regional security and stability.   “ The Ministers and Secretaries discussed opportunities to further
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Japan’s Initiative on AI Regulation

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida announced that he would establish an international framework for setting rules on artificial intelligence at a ministerial council of the Organisation of Economic Co-operation and Development in Paris on May 2 nd . It would be an extended group of the Hiroshima AI Process, which Kishida took an initiative in the Group of Seven Summit meeting last May, with participation of forty-nine countries or regions. Kishida hopes to demonstrate his leadership in this issue as the chairman of OECD this year.   G7 leaders shared a recognition in Hiroshima Summit that the governance of digital economy, in areas such as AI, should continue to be updated in line with shared democratic values, including fairness, accountability, transparency and safety. “We task relevant ministers to establish the Hiroshima AI Process -- in an inclusive manner and in cooperation with the OECD and the Global Partnership on AI,” says  G7 Leaders’ Communiqué .   The leaders issued a  statement
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Constitution Day

It is the Constitution Day. National Holidays Act prescribes that it is the day for commemorating enactment of the Constitution of Japan and expecting growth of the nation. While the conservative lawmakers try to push forward the discussion for amendment of the Constitution, the liberal powers are careful for it, questioning legitimacy for arguing amendment of the Liberal Democratic Party, which has been involved in the slush fund scandal. Prime Minister, Fumio Kishida, still cannot find the way to implement his campaign promise for LDP president in 2021 that he would achieve the amendment within his term expiring September. A  poll  conducted by  Kyodo News  showed that 33% of responders thought the amendment needed to be accelerated, while 65% answered that it needed not to be accelerated. 72% expected to put priority on reaching a broader consensus including the parties careful for the amendment. 24% thought that the willing parties should start making a draft.   Do they think that
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Speculation of Interventions

Value of Japanese yen showed quick ups and downs against US dollar like a roller coaster this week. As soon as yen reached ¥160 per dollar, its value abruptly rose to ¥153. The same move was seen right after US Federal Reserve Board decided to maintain its interest rate. The overwhelming estimation about those moves is that Ministry of Finance of Japan intervened in the market to avoid excessively negative impact on Japanese economy. However, it is unclear whether the intervention has worked well. After the Bank of Japan announced no policy change in interest rate in its Monetary Policy Meeting on April 26 value of Japanese yen gradually fell down. The main reason was recognized as the gap of interest rate between Japan and US. Generally, money flows toward the currency with high rate. Once the gap becomes narrower, the pressure for that flow will be weakened.   While BOJ terminated its negative interest rate policy in March, the Governor, Kazuo Ueda, kept on saying that the trend of m
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Goal of Ending Coal Power Generation by 2030s

Countries of Group of Seven agreed on phasing out of unabated coal power generation by the first half of 2030s in the meeting of ministers on climate, energy and environment. Although the agreement includes an exception clause, it is hard for Japan to achieve the goal, because it still depends on coal energy to a certain degree. It is likely that argument over resuming nuclear power plant is going to be accelerated. The ministers’  communiqué  describes their commitment to “phase out existing unabated coal power generation in our energy systems during the first half of 2030s or in a timeline consistent with keeping a limit of 1.5°C temperature rise within reach, in line with countries’ net-zero pathways.”   The communiqué urged the members utmost effort, not mandate, to reduce coal power generation. “(We) reduce as much as possible, in the meanwhile, the utilization of unabated coal power generation plants in our energy systems to a level consistent with keeping the limit of 1.5°C temp
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Seeking Next Move after Defeat

In the three by-elections held on April 28 th , the Liberal Democratic Party suffered from miserable defeats in all districts. However, there is no obvious movement in LDP to replace their president, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida. There actually is an argument that LDP lawmakers will face a great disaster in next general election of the House of Representatives under the leadership of Kishida. Frustration is prevalent in the ruling party, which is heading to the presidential election this fall. “I seriously take the results of by-elections,” said Kishida to the reporters in the morning of April 30 th . “The scandal on political funds of LDP affected very much in the elections. I am sorry for the candidates and their supporters.” Kishida insisted his efforts for reform of his party, political reform and economic issues such as wage or price hike to restore public confidence, denying any specific thought of calling snap election.   There has been a speculation before the by-elections that
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Voters Give a Blow to Kishida Administration

Voters showed firm rejection against Fumio Kishida administration and the Liberal Democratic Party. In three by-elections of the House of Representatives on April 28, LDP lost all its seats. The Constitutional Democratic Party won all of those three districts. The results reflected public frustration against Kishida’s handlings on the slush fund scandal in LDP factions and LDP’s slow progress in political reform. The elections became a significant blow to Kishida’s strategy for maintaining his administration.   By-election in district of Shimane-1 was held after the death of former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hiroyuki Hosoda, who had been the head of Seiwa-kai, or Abe faction. In one-on-one match, Akiko Kamei of CDP defeated Norimasa Nishikori of LDP with a margin of 25 thousand of votes. It was almost the same margin when Hosoda defeated Kamei in last election in 2021. It means that swing voters who voted for Hosoda three years ago shifted to Kamei.   It was the first tim
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Kishida’s Ally Meets with Trump

The Vice-president of Liberal Democratic Party, former Prime Minister, Taro Aso, had a meeting with the presumptive Republican nominee for 2024 Presidential election of the United States, Donald Trump, in New York. While Prime Minister, Fumio Kishida, enhanced bilateral relationship with US in the meeting with President, Joe Biden, earlier this month, Aso, as a close ally of Kishida, reached Biden’s rival. Although it is obvious that Aso’s approach to Trump should be an insurance in case of Trump’s victory in November, it may deliver a mixed message from Japan to US.   Aso supported former Shinzo Abe administration as Minister of Finance as one of the closest allies. Knowing that political relationship in Japan, Trump welcomed Aso in his office in New York with embracing memories with late Prime Minister Abe. “He’s a highly respected man in Japan and beyond. And somebody that I’ve liked, and I’ve known through our very dear friend, Shinzo,”  said Trump  about the meeting with Aso, also
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BOJ Shows No Move on Cheap Yen

Bank of Japan decided to maintain its monetary policy in the Monetary Policy Meeting held between Thursday and Friday. With the bank’s dovish attitude toward current moves of foreign exchange, Japanese yen depreciated against United States dollar immediately after the decision. BOJ recognizes that the cheap yen has not significantly affected Japanese economy. The statement of MPM was simple. “The Bank will encourage the uncollateralized overnight call rate to remain at around 0 to 0.1 percent. Regarding purchases of Japanese government bonds, CP, and corporate bonds, the Bank will conduct the purchases with the decisions mad at the March 2024 MPM,” says the statement. That’s it.   In the last meeting in March, the bank introduced major change in monetary policy, terminating its negative interest policy. It also announced that it will continue its JGP purchases with broadly the same amount as before. While it had been expected that Japanese yen would appreciate against US dollar, yen ac
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First Administrative Action against Google

Japan Fair Trade Commission   announced   that it issued the Notice of Commitment Procedure to Google LLC. Google submitted to FTC the commitment plan to ensure that the conduct of restricting Yahoo Japan to use technologies for search advertising would be eliminated. FTC approved the plan, recognizing it as sufficient and expectable to be implemented. This is the first administrative action against Google, the United States search giant, by FTC. Google was suspected as having committed the conduct that made Yahoo Japan difficult to provide Mobile Syndication Transactions between 2015 and 2022, restricting the provision of technologies for search engines and search advertising to Yahoo. The restriction was made by amending contract, and FTC has been investigating whether the contract would violate Anti-Monopoly Act.   The technology is used for keyword-targeted search advertising, which delivers advertisement related to the word input in the search engine. If a user imput “ice cream,”
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A Lot of Disappearing Local Communities

A conference of experts named Population Strategy Council released its report on the forecast of local communities which would disappear with depopulation. According to the report, 744 local governments out of all 1,729 all over Japan are possibly incapable of maintaining its community as independent cities, towns or villages. It indicated that the policies of national government for revitalizing local communities have not worked well. The council was established in July 2023, concerning acceleration of low birth rate and concentration of population in Tokyo area. The chairman of the council is Akio Mimura, former chairman of Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and the vice-chairman is Hiroya Masuda, former Minister for Internal Affairs and Communications.   The council defined “a local community possibly disappears” as decreasing population of women in the age between 20 and 39 by 50% or more in thirty years from 2020 to 2050. It is based on a notion that depopulation will not be
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LDP Draft on Political Reform

The working team of Political Reform Headquarters in Liberal Democratic Party wrapped up a draft for amendment of Political Funds Control Act. To enhance transparency of management of political funds, the draft requires each lawmaker to issue “certification” when submitting political fund report. If a false in the report found guilty in the court, the lawmaker will lose the seat in certain conditions. Although LDP explain the draft as a strict rule for not repeat the slush fund scandal, the opposition parties criticize it as insufficient. The discussion over revising Political Funds Control Act is the biggest issue in the Diet after LDP imposed penalties on thirty-nine lawmakers who had been involved in receiving secret fund from the factions in early April. Both Houses of the Diet established special committees for discussing amendment of the act.   The draft proposed by LDP adds a provision requiring lawmaker’s responsibility for overseeing management of political fund report usually
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Imperial Discussion Resumes

The Diet members will resume their discussion over stable succession to imperial throne as soon as early may. The leading Liberal Democratic Party recently approved that the discussion would be made along with   the report   of experts’ panel in 2021, in which the experts proposed two options to broaden the category of successors. Although the conservatives in LDP have been reluctant to proceed the discussion, shortage of imperial successors seems to have made them unable to protest.   “The Imperial Throne shall be succeeded to by a male offspring in the male line belonging to the Imperial Lineage,” says  Article 1 of the Imperial Household Law.    After Emperor Akihito abdicated in 2019, there currently are three males in the Imperial House who can succeed to Emperor Naruhito: Fumihito, Crown Prince Akishino; Prince Hisahito of Akishino; and Masahito, Prince Hitachi. As Masahito is 88 years old and Fumihito 58, it is only Hisahito, in the age of 17, who is in a young generation. The e
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