J Update

Concerning a series of scandals coming out from the Ministry of Defense (MOD), both Houses of the Diet held a recess discussion on the issue on July 30. To the questions of the opposition parties on why the Minister of Defense, Minoru Kihara, did not know about the scandal for months, Kihara   admitted   the problem was about civilian control. Kihara refused his stepping down as the minister, abiding by a request from the Prime Minister, Fumio Kishida, to take leadership for rebuilding up the ministry. The discussion was focused on fraudulent record of allowance for divers in Maritime Self-defense Force (MSDF). Although the criminal investigation unit of MSDF arrested four members over the fraudulence last November, Kihara insisted that he did not know about it until it was disclosed in July 12. An officer of MOD explained that the staffs did not report it to the minister, because the incident would not affect other organizations outside the Self-defense Force.   The oppo...

The foreign ministers of four major countries in Indo-Pacific region, as known as the Quad, had a meeting in Tokyo and delivered a   joint statement   which indicated concern on advance of China. When Japan or its like-minded countries refers to opposition to “any unilateral actions that seek to change the status quo by force or coercion,” it means opposition to China’s advance, even if it does not name it. They reaffirmed their commitment to free and open Indo-Pacific. The Quad is a strategic dialogue of Japan, the United States, Australia and India. It is known as established with  an initiative  of the prime minister of Japan, Shinzo Abe, in 2006. The Quad convened a meeting in the level of senior officials in 2017, followed by foreign ministers meeting in 2019 and summit meeting in 2021. Recognizing necessity to deal with China’s authoritative activities, the Quad accumulated not only meetings but joint military exercises.   The meeting in Tokyo was the nint...

The secretaries and ministers for foreign affairs and defense of both Japan and the United States issued  the joint statement after the Security Consultative Committee (2+2) in Tokyo on July 28. The statement focused on enhancing interoperability of both forces, including establishment of new commanding system in each defense organization, procurement of defense equipment and upgrading discussion over extended deterrence. Those measures were introduced to counter recent military progress of China, as well as Russia and North Korea, which may cause further tension between regimes of democracy and authoritarianism in the Indo-Pacific region.   With  the National Defense Strategy in 2022 , Japan decided to establish a permanent Joint Headquarters, which would unify the commands of three self-defense forces (JSDF), to reinforce effectiveness of joint operational posture. Along with those developments of defense organization in Japan, the 2+2 noted U.S. intention to reconstitu...

The World Heritage Committee of the UNESCO inscribed Sado Island Gold Mines as World Cultural Heritage in the meeting at New Delhi, India. Although the Republic of Korea has been opposing the inscription, arguing that Japan has history of forced labor on Korean people there, Japan was successful in reaching a deal with Yoon Suk Yeol administration, which is known as politically pro-Japan stance.   The Sado Island Gold Mines consists of two mines, Nishimikawa and Aikawa-Turushi, with unmechanized mining methods between sixteen and nineteen centuries. The Agency for Cultural Affairs decided in 2021 to “consider” recommending Sado Island Gold Mines for the World Heritage. The reason why the government avoided immediate recommendation was that then ROK administration led by the President, Moon Jae-in, was opposing to the candidacy.   The government of Japan has been taking a stance that the labor of Korean people in Sado mines had not been “forced labor.” In 2021, a conservative l...

In the discussion on restarting operation of the reactor #2 of Tsuruga Nuclear Power Plant, Nuclear Regulation Authority (NRA) of government of Japan   concluded   that an active fault possibly existed under the site. It will be the first example for a nuclear power plant to fail in passing an examination based on   new regulative rule   introduced in 2013, two years after the severe accident in Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant in 2011. Although the operator of Tsuruga plant, Japan Atomic Power (JAP), argued that there is no active fault under the site, it is likely for NRA to dismiss JAP’s request to restart the reactor.   New regulative rule defines an active fault as one that has possibly been active 120-130 thousand years ago or later. The authority prohibits to build an important facility such as nuclear reactor on the land surface beyond the active fault, because it may cause damage on the facility if the fault moves. NPA requires power companies to a...

Demographic shrink of Japan is accelerated. According to the survey of Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communication (MIC), based on the Basic Resident Register, population of the Japanese on January 1 st   this year was 121,561,801, declining by record high of 861,237 from last year. Although Fumio Kishida administration has been delivering policies for raising birth rate, they are not working well. The survey showed that foreign immigrants have slowed the decrease down, but demographical centralization is also accelerated. The population of Japan decreased by 0.7 percent. Both number and ratio of decrease were the biggest, since the ministry began the survey in 1968. It kept on decreasing for fifteen consecutive years. The population of Japan was at the peak in 2009, when it marked 127,076,183. It declined by 5,514,382 in these fifteen years.   New births in 2023 were 729,367, marking the lowest since 1979. The total deaths were 1,579,727, renewing the highest record. “Nat...

The Central Minimum Wages Council, a consultative body for Minister of Health, Labor and Welfare,  agreed on the guideline   for minimum wage in each prefecture this year as ¥50 yen of increase per hour from the level last year. The average of minimum wage in Japan will be rise from ¥1,004 to ¥1,054 with 5% of hike. Each local council starts discussion based on the guideline presented by the central council, which offered ever-highest minimum wage hike.   Minimum wage is hourly wage for all workers, including part time workers, which employers have to pay at the lowest.  The Minimum Wage Act of 1959  determines the purpose of the law as improving “the working conditions of low-paid workers by guaranteeing a minimum level of wages.” It expects “securing the worker’s livelihoods, the improvement of the quality of the labor force, and ensuring fair business competition as well as to the sound development of the national economy.”   In short, the system was cre...

The government of Japan considers adding cost of new construction of nuclear power plants on the electric bill of users. Building new nuclear power plant or increasing reactor in existing plant was strictly ruled out after the severe accident in Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant. However, the rule have been reconsidered with demand of power sources with less carbon emission or to deal with rise of energy price caused by the war in Ukraine. Without presenting complete solution on economic and social cost of nuclear power generation, Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) and power companies promote nuclear policy at the expense of users.   According to  a report  of  Asahi Shimbun,  METI is considering the new system of utility charge, because security cost of nuclear power plant has been increased after new regulation was introduced with the accident in Fukushima, and because the power companies cannot invest for new nuclear power plant with no hope ...

With difficulty of foreseeing the result, confusion in the presidential election of the United States affects politics in Japan. While attempting Donald Trump’s life caused early presumption of his winning, retiring of Joe Biden from the race and possible bid of Kamara Harris proved unpredictability of US presidential election. Fumio Kishida administration has no choice but wait and see what is going to happen next. “I recognize it as a way for making the best political decision,” said Kishida to the press on Biden’s announcement of stepping aside from the presidential race. But he could not say about his recognition on what is going on. “Needless to say, Japan-US alliance is the basis of diplomacy and security of our country. I will closely watch what is going to happen,” said Kishida.   Ministry for Foreign Affairs and other governmental offices have been closely watching the race and preparing for next possible US president, either Biden or Trump. Although one of those two choic...

The ruling Liberal Democratic Party and the Constitutional Democratic Party, leading opposition, agreed on passing a bill for revising Public Offices Election Act (POEA) in the extraordinary session of the Diet this fall. Concerning unignorable examples deviated from original purpose in the Tokyo gubernatorial election earlier this month, both parties share necessity for excluding campaign posters or broadcasting which is not directly related to the election. This is a movement against campaigns trying to deride or destroy democracy. In the Tokyo gubernatorial election, a party collected donations and sold its donors a right to stick any posters on the public poster boards for election, which were built in about fourteen thousand places. In the TV program for election campaign broadcast by NHK, some candidates made explicit performances, which did not seem to be related to the election or policy of Tokyo metropolitan government.   The Chairmen of Diet Affairs Council of the LDP and...

The Special Investigation Division of Tokyo Public Prosecutors Office made a search of offices of a member of House of Representatives, Manabu Horii, with suspect of violation against Public Offices Election Act. Horii is doubted as illegally distributed money for condolence to the families in his electoral district. After the search by the prosecutors, Horii left the LDP. The prosecutors presume that the money was   made from the slush fund   illegally given by Abe faction of the Liberal Democratic Party. Horii was elected from proportional district of Hokkaido in last election in 2021, after being defeated in Hokkaido 9 th district by a candidate with the Constitutional Democratic Party, Tatsumaru Yamaoka. He is one of the members of Abe faction and listed as a member who received “kickback” from the faction as sales of fundraising party beyond quota, and failed in reporting it. The amount of unreported fund was 21.96 million yen between 2018 and 2022.   The prosecutors...

Hyogo Local Assembly established a special committee to examine a case in which a director of Hyogo Prefecture killed himself leaving a document of accusing the Governor of Hyogo, Motohiko Saito, of his receive of gifts or harassment on his staffs. The committee decided to pick the document as evidence. The   question   here is why the director’s whistle-blowing was not heard.   The director distributed assembly members and press organizations a document in March, which indicated the governor’s inappropriate acceptance of gifts from business firms after he requested them or loudly blaming the governor’s staff when he was dropped off from the car with twenty meters distance from the entrance of destination.   The governor labeled the director’s accusation as lies and condemned him as unfit for a public worker. The government of Hyogo prefecture officially disciplined the director with penalty of three-month suspension from his job. However, the local assembly of Hyogo...

The leaders of Japan and eighteen island countries in Pacific Ocean declared for the first time that they would oppose any attempt of forcible change of status quo in the region, indicating unilateral advance of China, on the last day of the their   summit   held in Tokyo. The declaration encourages collective response against possible threats. The framework for development looks like transforming into security cooperation. Japan has been hosting triennial Pacific Islands Leaders Meeting (PALM) in Tokyo since 1997 to talk about economic cooperation or climate change with expectation of collecting votes for Japan’s bid for the permanent membership in United Nations Security Council. PALM members include sixteen island countries in the Pacific region, Australia and New Zealand. The tenth meeting was held between July 16 and 18.   The Joint Declaration  issued by the leaders includes opposition to any war of aggression, reminding of Russia’s invasion to Ukraine. But it ...

The government of Japan embarked on compensation for the greatest violation of human rights in post-war Japan. Prime Ministetr Fumio Kishida met with victims of sterilization surgery conducted under Eugene Protection Law (EPL) and apologized coerced surgery promoted by the government. The both Houses of the Diet are going to pass a resolution for apologizing their legislation of EPL, and accelerate its effort to legislate new law for compensation. The Supreme Court found that EPL has been unconstitutional from the time when it passed the Diet in 1948 and ordered the government full compensation for the plaintiffs earlier this month. While the lawsuits were returned to the lower court, the government decided to take action for compensation before the court conclude the discussion, admitting its historical fault.   Kishida met with the plaintiffs who had suffered from forcible sterilization surgery in his official residence and apologized to them that the policy under EPL was extreme...

The head of Tokyo Branch of the Liberal Democratic Party, Koichi Hagiuda,   announced   his intention to step down as the head, taking responsibility of bitter defeat in the by-elections of Tokyo local assembly voted on July 7. Although Hagiuda was punished to be suspended party posts in the slush fund scandal, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida let him stay for taking leadership for the by-election. Kishida, as president of the LDP, is also asked his responsibility.   Known as one of “the five guys” in Abe faction, Hagiuda failed in reporting 27 million yen of political fund received from the faction between 2018 and 2022. He was punished by the party, with other lawmakers, with suspension of party leader’s position. Comparing with other leaders of Abe faction who were recommended to leave the party, the discipline on Hagiuda was said as too light. There was a speculation in the LDP that Kishida had made an unfair decision to keep Hagiuda close to him.   Hagiuda stayed as...

Ministry of Defense published its annual white paper titled “ Defense of Japan 2024 ” on July 12. The white paper sees that the world is “facing its greatest trial since WWII and entering new era or crisis.” The ministry is enhancing its defense capability by building measures against attempt of changing status quo by force and cooperation with the United States and like-minded countries. However, current mass discipline in Japan Self-defense Force eroded credibility of defense of Japan. Recognizing dramatic shift of balance of power, the white paper determines that global security challenges are prominent in the Indo-Pacific region, where Japan is located. It accuses of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine as serious violation of international laws. The paper requires Japan, as an ally of the United States, to monitor future changes in European situation, acknowledging that the security of Europe and the Indo-Pacific is in separable.   The white paper warned activities of China in ...

Former President of the United States, Donald Trump, was shot and injured on his ear when he was speaking at his presidential campaign rally in Butler, PA, on July 14. It caused one death and two injuries of the audience. The suspect of attempted assassination was shot by the secret service to death. His motivation or ideological background is not identified. The incident, which reminds of assassination of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe two years ago, shocked the people in Japan, bringing them a concern on situation of democracy in the world. “We must stand firm against any form of violence that challenges democracy. I pray for former President Trump’s speedy recovery,”  tweeted  Prime Minister Fumio Kishida in his account of X. When Abe was assassinated in 2022, Kishida said that the violence that took Abe’s life during election campaign, which consisted of the basis of democracy, cannot be tolerated and accused it with the strongest words. His response to the attempted ass...