Society

Japan's 2nd-largest opposition party absorbs smaller party

Apr 28 (Japan Today) - Japan's second-largest opposition Democratic Party for the People absorbed Friday a smaller opposition party in an attempt to expand its strength ahead of an upper house election this summer.

The Democratic Party for the People, a splinter of the now-defunct Democratic Party formed last May, will maintain its name and basic policies after being joined by members of the Liberal Party.

"It's the first step to creating an alternative to take over the reins of government instead of the Liberal Democratic Party (led by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe)," Yuichiro Tamaki, who heads the bigger opposition party, said at a press conference. "We'll continue to call on others to join."

The Democratic Party for the People now has 40 lawmakers in the more powerful lower chamber, up from 37, and the number in the House of Councillors increased to 24 from 21, coming closer to forces of the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, which has 54 seats in the House of Representatives and 24 in the upper chamber.

However, discussions in the second-largest opposition party on whether to unite with the tiny party, co-headed by Ichiro Ozawa, who was once a power broker in Japanese politics, lasted about seven hours from Thursday night before reaching the conclusion.

Some lawmakers of the Democratic Party for the People were against the merger and they remain alert to the political influence of Ozawa.

Do Bears Prefer Acorns or Berries?

Bear sightings across Japan have already climbed to nearly twice the level recorded during the same period last year, prompting entry bans in mountain areas behind Kyoto’s Ninna-ji Temple and the cancellation of hiking events in Kansai, while new research suggests that the key to reducing encounters may lie in understanding what bears eat in each region.

Copper Thieves Target Japanese Shrines

Copper roofing panels were stolen from several shrines in Hamamatsu, Shizuoka Prefecture, including a city-designated cultural property, in the latest case amid a nationwide surge in copper thefts targeting shrines and temples across Japan, where soaring metal prices have fueled crimes that leave historic religious buildings damaged, exposed to the elements, and facing repair costs of millions of yen.

1200-Year-Old Temple on Miyajima Reduced to Ashes

Flames broke out on the morning of May 20th on Miyajima Island in Hiroshima Prefecture, home to one of Japan's World Heritage sites, destroying Reikado Hall near the summit of Mount Misen.

From Bento Boxes to Garbage Bags, Rising Costs Hitting Daily Life Across Japan

Uncertainty surrounding the situation in the Middle East is beginning to affect daily life in Japan, as concerns over crude oil supplies spread to restaurants, cleaning services and even household garbage disposal systems across the Kansai region.

Tochigi Robbery-Murder Suspect’s Wife Posted Dance Videos on Social Media

A 25-year-old woman arrested as a suspected ringleader in a robbery-murder case in Tochigi Prefecture once posted cheerful dance videos on social media and was remembered by those who knew her as an energetic and outgoing young woman.

MEDIA CHANNELS

MORE Society NEWS

Garbage Burnoff Spreads to 3 Buildings in Okayama

A fire that broke out in Kagamino, Okayama Prefecture, shortly after noon on May 20th destroyed three buildings, including a home, after flames from open burning spread to dead leaves and then to nearby structures.

Gang Members Arrested After Opening Office Near Nursery

Six people, including a senior member of a group affiliated with the Sumiyoshi-kai crime syndicate's Kohei-ikka faction, have been arrested on suspicion of opening a gang office in a prohibited area near a nursery school in Tokyo's Itabashi Ward.

Six Police Officers Injured After Man Sprays Liquid at Station

A man who visited a police station in Hiratsuka, Kanagawa Prefecture, in the early hours of May 21st allegedly sprayed a transparent liquid inside the building, causing six police officers to complain of eye and throat pain and be taken to hospital with minor injuries.