Nipponica

Kimi Onoda, a first-time Cabinet member, was tapped for two roles: economic security minister, and “minister in charge of a society of well-ordered and harmonious coexistence with foreign nationals.”

Onoda said she was looking to work closely with relevant government agencies to enforce stricter measures against unruly foreign residents and to revise the country's insufficient immigration policies.

“The current reality is that the people are feeling anxious, dissatisfaction or a sense of unfairness due to crimes, nuisances and inappropriate use of various systems by a small number of foreign nationals,” Onoda said at a news conference Wednesday. “While we must not fall into xenophobia, ensuring the safety and security of the public is essential for economic growth,” she said.

At 42, Onoda is the youngest member in Takaichi’s Cabinet and one of only two women appointed as ministers. Born in Chicago, Illinois, she has an American father and a Japanese mother.

My response to this new posting in the cabinet would be different if it was to better help integrate foreign people into Japanese society. But, as per usual, Onoda is going down the well trodded xenophobic route and targeting them instead.

Prince Hisahito, the nephew of Emperor Naruhito and second in line to the Chrysanthemum Throne, has tested positive for influenza, the Imperial Household Agency said Thursday.

The 19-year-old prince developed a fever on Monday and was later confirmed to be infected, but he is now recovering at his residence in Tokyo, it said.

He will be absent from his university classes for the rest of the week.

Why is this news? Let the kid live his life without the vultures grasping at every private moment.

The terraces of the uniquely designed Nago City Hall in the southernmost Japan prefecture of Okinawa provides locals with places to relax around-the-clock.

The building is inspired by "kami-asagi," small huts used for rituals in the northern parts of Okinawa's mainland. Constructed from reinforced concrete, the three-story building features "asagi terraces" on each floor, resembling eaves that shield against Okinawa's intense sunlight. These terraces are accessible at all times, including holidays and at night, serving as communal gathering places for residents.

I've only seen this in person a couple times as I passed through Nago but it is quite the sight. It looked like some kind of ancient temple and only later I found out it was a government building. Hope it gets the attention it deserves.

"It was quite interesting to see how people outside Japan have reacted to the news." Ayda Ogura, 21, says.

"Everyone's like, 'wow, she's the first female prime minister in Japanese history and that would be a great opportunity for women empowerment and gender equality in Japan'.

"I think that's a very naive interpretation."

Instead, Ms Ogura points to her "political beliefs and what she stands for", adding: "She perpetuates the patriarchal system."

It is good that western outlets are getting the 'milestone' and 'women empowerment' narratives out of their system and actually started to look at Takaichi as a politician. This is largely a step back in Japan's slow journey for true equality under the law. Fortunately, with the instability of the coalition and LDP as a whole, this is hopefully a short term issue.

Japan said Wednesday it has lodged protests with Russia over its warnings of a live-fire drill and temporary restrictions on foreign vessels in waters off Russian-held, Japanese-claimed islands off Hokkaido.

The islands, called the Northern Territories by Japan and the Southern Kurils by Russia, have long been a source of friction between the two countries, preventing them from signing a peace treaty after World War II.

Japan's top government spokesman Yoshimasa Hayashi said at a press conference that the government had received two warnings from Russian authorities regarding the moves taking place in areas including in Japanese "territorial waters."

As someone that appreciates consistency in foreign policy, I welcome a unification in Russian strategy for violating borders on both sides of its empire.

Payments for popular water buffalo cart rides on remote islands in Okinawa Prefecture will soon become smoother thanks to contactless technology.

From Oct. 23, contactless payments by credit and debit cards, as well as smartphone apps, will be accepted at the ticket counter for the roundtrip rides across the shallow sea between the Iriomote and Yubu islands in Okinawa Prefecture, according to an announcement made Tuesday by Bank of The Ryukyus, a regional bank based in Naha, and other companies involved, including Sumitomo Mitsui Card.

So disappointed they aren’t installing Suica readers on the Okinawan wildlife.

With Japan’s parliament poised to vote on who it wants to next lead the country, a resurgent opposition and the collapse of the ruling coalition have put the prospect of the nation’s first female prime minister in real doubt.

Good summary of the PM state of play as of now.

Overseas assignments are often seen as prestigious and a fast track to promotion, but a recent survey found that more than 90% of companies have experienced cases where expatriates returned to Japan before completing their term abroad.

The most common reason for early returns was "failures in adapting to local culture," according to a September survey by Bizmates Inc., a Tokyo-based provider of programs including business-focused online English conversation services. The survey targeted 400 human resource development managers at companies with 500 or more employees that offer overseas postings. While pre-assignment training typically focuses on safety and language skills, the survey noted a "potential mismatch between training content and actual needs."

Interesting to see the opposite view of a Japanese person working abroad and the struggles they face. Perhaps this will help increase mutual understanding of how foreign workers in Japan feel. Or, more likely, perhaps not.

The continuing development of Tokyo's railway infrastructure is fueling further growth of the capital's sprawling metropolitan area, solidifying its status as the world's largest with 37 million people -- about a third of Japan's total population.

The railway network growth has facilitated Tokyo's outward spread, attracting more people from rural regions to urban centers. The ongoing development includes investments in railways and redevelopment projects, with the future completion of the super fast Linear Chuo Shinkansen maglev line promising even faster commuting options, such as from Nagoya in central Japan to Tokyo.

Since the 2000s, redevelopment has led to a resurgence of migration to central Tokyo. The Greater Tokyo area, encompassing Tokyo and three neighboring prefectures of Kanagawa, Chiba and Saitama, continues to expand both outward and inward.

Love the shoutout to Tsukuba and the Tsukuba Express commute as the example of urban growth in the Greater Tokyo region. TX forever!

A cable car connecting the middle section and top of Mt. Tsukuba in Tsukuba, Ibaraki Prefecture, celebrated 100 years of operation on Sunday.

The cable car is an indispensable means of transportation for more than 400,000 tourists visiting the mountain each year, but it was once discontinued during war because it was considered unnecessary. Tsukuba Scenic Railway Co., the operator of the cable car, says it hopes that visitors will feel the history of the long-loved cable car.

The 1,634-meter-long cable car line links Miyawaki Station at an altitude of 305 meters above the sea level and Tsukuba-sancho Station near the top of Mt. Nantai, with a one-way trip taking about eight minutes.

A salute to an icon from my hometown.