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August 12, 2026
 

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DIET

Several recent cases have renewed scrutiny of allegations that some lawmakers in the Diet received government money to be used for secretarial staff ¡ª despite little or no evidence that anyone performed their duties.
JAPAN / Politics
Aug 11, 2026
Concerns persist over salaries of lawmaker secretaries in Japan
Recent cases have highlighted allegations that some lawmakers improperly received government funds for secretaries despite little evidence that they actually did their jobs.
Japan's the lower chamber of parliament will install security cameras in the Diet building starting in fiscal 2027.
JAPAN / Politics
Aug 2, 2026
Japan Lower House to install security cameras in Diet building
The plan has been considered partly in response to an incident in which a government employee secretly filmed a woman in a Diet building restroom in 2021.
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and Japan Innovation Party co-leader Fumitake Fujita (second from right) in the parliamentary building on Friday following the enactment of a bill to establish a second capital
JAPAN / Politics
Jul 26, 2026
Takaichi set to face grilling as parliament adjourns
Takaichi is set to appear at the Lower House Budget Committee during a review that follows Saturday¡¯s adjournment of parliament.
The Upper House passes a bill to create a secondary capital for Japan, after a last-minute showdown between the ruling and opposition camps, with 123 votes in favor and 121 against at parliament in Tokyo on Friday.
JAPAN / Politics
Jul 26, 2026
Secondary capital bill passes after showdown at parliament
The legislation¡¯s passage ended a week of intense debate and cleared the way for parliament to end Saturday after 158 days.
An Upper House joint committee discusses a backup capital bill in Tokyo on Thursday.
JAPAN / Politics
Jul 24, 2026
Lawmakers remain divided on secondary capital, with talks of further extension
As the LDP considers its options, an opposition party leader has threatened a no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Sanae Takachi¡¯s government.
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi attends a joint meeting of committees from both houses of Parliament on fundamental national policies in Tokyo on July 15.
EDITORIALS
Jul 24, 2026
To succeed, the prime minister must get back to basics
The ruling coalition does not have the communication channels and coordination mechanisms that facilitate cooperation and success.
The steering committee of the House of Councilors decided Thursday to change the chamber's English name to the Senate.
JAPAN / Politics
Jul 24, 2026
Â鶹´«Ã½ House of Councilors to be renamed Senate
The change comes as the upper chamber¡¯s current name sometimes causes confusion outside of Japan.
Liberal Democratic Party's policy chief Takayuki Kobayashi speaks at a ruling parties meeting in Tokyo on July 17.
JAPAN / Politics
Jul 23, 2026
Parliament extension grounds some lawmakers from overseas travel
The Lower House¡¯s rules committee turned down requests from senior Liberal Democratic Party officials so they would be available to respond to questions during the extension.
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi speaks to Democratic Party for the People head Yuichiro Tamaki in parliament in Tokyo on July 15.
JAPAN / Politics / FOCUS
Jul 23, 2026
How Â鶹´«Ã½ would-be kingmakers lost their edge
The nationalist Sanseito and the centrist Democratic Party for the People are struggling to maintain the momentum ¡ª and distinct political identities ¡ª that powered their rise.
The Centrist Reform Alliance was formed by House of Representatives lawmakers from the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan and Komeito
JAPAN
Jul 22, 2026
More CDP prefectural chapters oppose merger into CRA
In a survey of senior prefectural chapter officials earlier in July, 15 chapters expressed opposition, outnumbering the seven that showed support, while 25 chapters did not answer.
The Upper House Commission on the Constitution approves a bill to revise the law on national referendums on Wednesday at the parliamentary building.
JAPAN / Politics
Jul 22, 2026
Upper House panel approves referendum reform bill
The bill to revise the law was backed by the ruling coalition as well as several opposition parties.
Emperor Naruhito, Empress Masako and other royal family members attend the spring garden party at the Akasaka Palace in Tokyo in April 2025.
COMMENTARY / Japan
Jul 22, 2026
Â鶹´«Ã½ imperial succession and the invention of tradition
The historical record is clear: The absolute prohibition on female monarchs is not timeless. It is a surprisingly modern invention.
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is facing growing criticism over the lack of unity between her Liberal Democratic Party and ruling coalition partner Japan Innovation Party.
JAPAN / Politics / FOCUS
Jul 22, 2026
Takaichi faces growing headache over LDP and JIP¡¯s lack of unity
Poor communication and mistrust were major sources of governance problems and parliamentary chaos that led to an extension of the current session of the Diet.
Ichiro Aisawa of the Liberal Democratic Party topped the list of asset holders among Lower House lawmakers who won seats in February's general election.
JAPAN / Politics
Jul 21, 2026
Lower House members¡¯ assets average ?32.82 million
The figure rose by ?6.09 million from the previous average disclosed in April 2025.
Team Mirai leader Takahiro Anno answers reporters' questions after the party's first convention, in Tokyo's Chiyoda Ward on Saturday.
JAPAN / Politics
Jul 20, 2026
Team Mirai faces challenge of how to confront Takaichi administration
There is a view that the LDP and coalition partner JIP are taking advantage of the small opposition party to secure a majority vote in the House of Councilors.
Imperial family members attend the spring garden party in April. Under the revised imperial house law, female members of the imperial family will be able to remain within the institution after marriage.
JAPAN / Politics / FOCUS
Jul 19, 2026
After years, Takaichi achieves Imperial House Law revision by force of numbers
The common male ancestor of the former 11 imperial family branches and the current emperor goes back about 600 years.
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi attends a parliamentary meeting on Wednesday.
JAPAN / Politics / FOCUS
Jul 19, 2026
Takaichi expected to struggle during an extended Diet session
The ruling LDP and the Japan Innovation Party hopes to enact a secondary capital bill during this limited time.
The current session of parliament has been extended for eight days through July 25.
JAPAN / Politics
Jul 17, 2026
Parliament extends current session through July 25
The extension will allow further discussion on a bill to establish the concept of a secondary capital.
A bill to amend the Code of Criminal Procedure was enacted at an Upper House plenary session on Friday.
JAPAN / Politics
Jul 17, 2026
Â鶹´«Ã½ parliament passes bill to revise retrial system
The revised code will prohibit prosecutors from appealing court orders to initiate retrials in principle, while some exceptions will be allowed on sufficient grounds.
A package of bills on the imperial family clears the Upper House plenary session on Friday.
JAPAN / Politics
Jul 17, 2026
Bills to preserve imperial family clear Upper House
They pave the way for the first major revision of the Imperial House Law since its establishment in 1947.
¡®Total whiplash¡¯: Foreign residents react to Â鶹´«Ã½ changing permanent residency rules
The entrance to the Tokyo Immigration Bureau in Minato Ward, Tokyo, in March. For some foreign residents of Japan, tightening measures for permanent residency have become one factor in a broader calculation over whether remaining in the country makes financial sense over the long term.
Yasukuni Shrine introduces ban on military attire and cosplay
People gather in front of thousands of lanterns on display at Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo on July 15 during the Mitama Matsuri, one of the capital's largest summer o-Bon festivals.
Many Indonesians named after Japanese anime characters
Some people in Indonesia are named Doraemon, the name of a lead character of the blockbuster anime series with the same title.
Strong wind and heavy rain forecast as tropical storm approaches Japan
Tropical Storm Chan-hom is expected to make landfall in northern Kanto between late Tuesday and early Wednesday.
Where do foreign residents in Japan want to die?
The Yokohama Foreign General Cemetery is one of the few cemeteries in Japan that allows burials, albeit with conditions for the deceased, including foreign nationality and permanent residency in Kanagawa Prefecture.
¡®Total whiplash¡¯: Foreign residents react to Â鶹´«Ã½ changing permanent residency rules
The entrance to the Tokyo Immigration Bureau in Minato Ward, Tokyo, in March. For some foreign residents of Japan, tightening measures for permanent residency have become one factor in a broader calculation over whether remaining in the country makes financial sense over the long term.
As Â鶹´«Ã½ concrete jungles sizzle, urban forestry offers an all-natural fix
People and birds find relief from the sun in Tokyo's Nakano Ward earlier this month. While experts agree that urban greening is crucial to mitigating the impact of climate change, trees are becoming even more scarce in Japanese cities.
Â鶹´«Ã½ brewers experiment with a secret ingredient: music
At Smoke Craft, a craft beer brewery in Tokorozawa, Saitama Prefecture, music isn't just a background to the brewing process ¡ª it's an ingredient.
As countries ban social media for children, Japan mulls a different approach
Data from NTT Docomo¡¯s Mobile Society Research Institute released in June found that 55% of respondents across all age groups said they fiddled with their phones when they had nothing to do, even when another person was in front of them.
J. League enters new era as league kicks off first fall-spring campaign
Players from each J. League club pose during a kickoff event on Monday ahead of the start of the 2026-27 campaign.

Podcast

One of the many entrances to the Kabukicho neighborhood in Tokyo¡¯s Shinjuku Ward.
Kabukicho: Tokyo¡¯s ¡®stadium of desire¡¯

Longform

Disaster relief workers Taichi Kato (left) and Seiji Yoshimura enter the collapsed living quarters at Kyuganji temple in Yatsushiro, Kumamoto Prefecture.
What Kumamoto revealed about Â鶹´«Ã½ earthquake readiness
By Alex K.T. Martin

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