Society

Japan to set aside $36 billion for education, growth steps in FY2018 budget

Jul 19 (Reuters) - Japan will set aside roughly 4 trillion yen ($35.6 billion) in the next fiscal year's state budget for measures that focus on education as part of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's strategy to spur growth, government sources told Reuters on Tuesday.

While setting aside money to develop Japan's growth strategy, the government will curb spending in other areas such as public works by 10 percent from this fiscal year, the sources said on condition of anonymity as the plan has not been finalised.

The 4 trillion yen pool will be spent on steps that include the nurturing of talented people, making education free of charge and boosting service-sector productivity, by allocating funds saved by cutting spending elsewhere, the sources said.

The plan will be part of an outline on the budget for the next fiscal year that begins in April 2018.

Based on the outline, to be approved by Abe's cabinet later this week, the Ministry of Finance will gather spending requests from government ministries by the end of August.

The government will not set a ceiling for total expenditure, the sources added, indicating the premier's stance of attaching greater importance to growth than fiscal consolidation.

Tokyo Court Rules Workplace Use of '-chan' as Sexual Harassment

A Tokyo District Court has ruled that addressing a colleague using the 'chan' suffix constitutes sexual harassment, ordering a male employee to pay 220,000 yen in damages.

Inside Japanese Fonts: How Designers Shape the Way We Read

Fonts are an invisible part of daily life, yet they profoundly shape how we perceive information and emotion. From the elegant Mincho to the bold Gothic, these designs are chosen according to purpose—whether to convey clarity, trust, or impact—and their influence extends beyond readability into branding and communication.

Knife-Wielding Man Arrested Near U.S. Embassy in Tokyo

A man wielding knives in both hands was arrested near the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo’s Minato Ward on the afternoon of October 25th after injuring a riot police officer on duty.

Imperial Family Pays Tribute to War Victims

The Emperor, Empress, and their daughter Princess Aiko visited the Tokyo Metropolitan Memorial Hall in Sumida Ward on Thursday afternoon, marking their first visit to the site as Japan observes the 80th year since the end of World War II. They were greeted upon arrival by Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike and other officials.

First Snow Caps Mount Fuji, 15 Days Earlier Than Last Year

The Kofu Local Meteorological Observatory announced on October 23rd that the season’s first snow had been observed on Mount Fuji, which stands 3,776 meters tall. Around 6 a.m., an official visually confirmed that snow had clearly accumulated near the summit.

MEDIA CHANNELS

MORE Society NEWS

Nagoya High Court Confirms Acquittal in Cannabis Case

A 47-year-old man accused of possessing cannabis in Nagoya has been acquitted after the Nagoya High Court ruled that the procedures used to seize the evidence were illegal. The decision, handed down on October 9th, became final after prosecutors decided not to appeal.

Man Dies Trying to Save Elderly Couple From Bear

A 38-year-old man was killed on October 24th in the village of Higashinaruse, Akita Prefecture, after attempting to rescue a couple in their seventies who were being attacked by a bear.

Families Honor War Dead from Northern Territories

A memorial service marking 80 years since the end of World War II was held in Shari, a town in Hokkaido’s Shiretoko region, on October 22nd to honor those who perished in the Northern Territories and other areas.

Osaka Police End 14-Hour Siege

Police in Osaka arrested a 48-year-old man on October 22nd after a tense 14-hour standoff in which he allegedly held a woman at knifepoint inside an apartment. A special tactical unit forced entry into the residence late at night, ending the standoff without injuries.