Ministry adds female lecturers to online course after backlash

Aug 23, 2022 | News On Japan

Aug 23, 2022 (Japan Today) - Japan's land ministry said Monday it has added 15 women to the lineup of lecturers for a planned online course on community development for public servants, after it came under fire for having initially filled all 25 speaker spots with men.

The decision follows numerous complaints that the Japanese government has failed to implement more effective measures to increase female participation in the political and economic arenas.

Following the revision, the course hosted by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism will consist of 37 lecturers, with three of the men originally appointed having been replaced.

The cap on attendees of the course, which the ministry will begin from September, has also been doubled to 400 people.

The land ministry was criticized in the wake of its announcement of the course in July on its website and via social media. Twitter users asked why there was not a single woman on the panel, with some saying the community building would be male-centric. ...continue reading

Unstable Weather Brings Thunderstorms Across Eastern Japan

Unstable atmospheric conditions are expected to bring widespread clouds, sudden showers and thunderstorms across eastern Japan on Saturday, with residents advised to carry umbrellas even when skies appear calm.

Research Map Shows Japan Faces Scorching Summers

Japan is likely to face increasingly long and dangerously hot summers as global temperatures continue to rise, with advanced climate simulations also pointing to more frequent torrential rain, rising seas and accelerating ice loss by the end of the century.

Japan Revises Imperial Law to Keep Married Women in Royal Family

Japan's revised Imperial House Law was enacted after clearing the House of Councillors with majority support, allowing female members to retain royal status after marriage and male-line descendants of former imperial family branches to enter the Imperial Household through adoption.

New Typhoon Likely to Form Far South of Japan

A tropical depression near the Truk Islands is expected to strengthen into a typhoon within 12 hours, but forecasters say it is unlikely to have any direct impact on Japan.

Protest Held Against Japan Flag Protection Bill

A protest against Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi was held in Tokyo's Shibuya district on July 16 as public concern grew over a bill that would impose criminal penalties for damaging the Japanese flag.

MEDIA CHANNELS

MORE Education NEWS

National Academic Test Shows Persistent Writing Challenges in Japanese

Japanese elementary and junior high school students continue to struggle with written-response questions in Japanese, while average accuracy rates in arithmetic and mathematics remained in the 50% range, according to nationwide academic test results released by the education ministry on July 16.

The Long History of Intimate Goods in Japan

Japan’s relationship with intimate goods is far older than the modern online adult shop. Long before discreet packaging, digital payments, and private home delivery, Japanese artists, writers, merchants, and townspeople were already exploring the boundaries between desire, humor, privacy, and everyday life.

Young Doctors Flock to Cosmetic Medicine

A growing number of young doctors in Japan are moving directly into cosmetic medicine after obtaining a medical license and completing their initial clinical training, raising concern that the trend may be worsening staff shortages in insurance-covered medical care.

Foreigners Failing to Pass Driving School Exams Is Skyrocketing

Foreign drivers seeking to convert overseas licenses into Japanese ones are increasingly turning to driving schools after tougher rules introduced last October sharply reduced pass rates for both written and practical checks.

Why Are Foreign Sumo Wrestlers Fluent in Japanese?

Foreign-born sumo wrestlers are often praised for speaking remarkably natural Japanese, a sharp contrast to many overseas athletes in other professional sports.

Students Honored for Catching Shoplifter

Police in Isehara, Kanagawa Prefecture, presented letters of appreciation to two first-year junior high school students on July 10 after they chased a suspected shoplifter for about 250 meters and helped detain the person.

Hokkaido City Drills for Bear Encounters

Noboribetsu in Hokkaido conducted a drill to cull a brown bear under emergency gun-hunting procedures, based on a scenario in which a bear appeared at a park near schools and residential areas in the city, with local hunters taking part as bear sightings continue to be reported across Japan.

Nurse Festival 2026 Offers Workstyle Ideas and Skill Training

An event designed to help nurses think about future career paths while building practical skills opened in Tokyo on July 8, offering hands-on training sessions alongside sales of colorful uniforms and stethoscopes.

< 2 3 4 5 >