Japanese lawmakers dial up digital reform in Diet

Nov 30, 2023 | News On Japan

TOKYO - As Japan's parliament inches towards digitalization, this week eliminating stenographers from the Upper House, smartphones are still banned while laptops are permitted, spurring bipartisan members to take action.

Deliberations began earlier this week at the Senate Budget Committee.

Constitutional Democratic Party member Tsujimoto Kiyomi, a senator, said, "On March 19, 2019, a cautionary note about ridesharing was included for the first time in the 'Safety Guidelines.' Who was the Minister of Foreign Affairs at that time?"

Asked this, Minister for Digital Affairs Taro Kono responded, "Let me check."

He searched on his smartphone, and then...

Minister Takai said, "Is that okay?"

The room buzzed with commotion...

The Chairman interjected, "Right now, the use of smartphones is..."

Minister Taro Kono replied, "Oh, I see, it's not allowed."

His use of the smartphone was cautioned.

In the Senate, while the use of laptops and tablets is permitted, smartphones are banned due to the potential for disruption. However, there is a rising movement supporting the use of smartphones in an appropriate manner.

Former Environment Minister Koizumi Shinjiro of the Liberal Democratic Party and other bipartisan parliamentarians have revealed plans to establish a subcommittee aimed at promoting the digitization of the Japanese Diet.

On Tuesday, the Upper House decided to discontinue the use of stenographers in the plenary sessions.

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the Upper House recorded interactions between members by hand within the chamber. However, since April 2020, the content of speeches has been typed on computers in a separate room. This change was made due to the lack of new stenographer hires and a decrease in their numbers, among other reasons.

Source: ANNnewsCH

Japan Introduces Stricter Penalties for Drunk Driving

Japan began applying a new numerical alcohol threshold for dangerous driving offenses on July 21, introducing a clearer standard for cases involving impaired driving that could lead to fatal accidents.

Japan Sets Investment Strategy

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's government approved its first annual basic economic and fiscal policy on Tuesday, pledging "responsible and proactive fiscal policy" and envisioning about 370 trillion yen in public- and private-sector investment in strategic industries through fiscal 2040.

Mount Fuji Filmed From a Helicopter

Breathtaking 4K footage filmed from a helicopter offers a sweeping aerial view of Mount Fuji and its majestic surrounding landscape.

Japan Scrambles for Oil

A covert network of shuttle tankers is carrying crude through the increasingly dangerous Strait of Hormuz as renewed fighting between the United States and Iran disrupts shipping and raises concerns over how Japan will secure the oil it needs.

Russia Calls Japan-Ukraine Drone Cooperation a Clear Hostile Act

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrey Rudenko has criticized moves by Japanese and Ukrainian companies to cooperate on drone technology, warning that such ties would be regarded by Moscow as a "clear hostile act."

MEDIA CHANNELS

MORE Society NEWS

Police Fire Warning Shot at Knife-Wielding Woman

A police officer fired a warning shot into the air after a 42-year-old woman approached officers while pointing a kitchen knife at them on a street in Eniwa, Hokkaido, on July 17.

Armed Driver Crashes Car Into Convenience Store

A 45-year-old man was arrested early July 20 after allegedly crashing a passenger car into a convenience store in Sagamihara, Kanagawa Prefecture, and walking around the parking lot carrying a kitchen knife and a golf club.

Drunk Driver Rams Roaring Motorcycle

A 42-year-old man was arrested after allegedly driving under the influence and intentionally ramming a motorcycle in Togitsu, Nagasaki Prefecture, leaving its rider seriously injured.

Giant Tug-of-War Rope Snaps, Injuring Over a Dozen

More than a dozen people were injured after a massive rope suddenly snapped during a tug-of-war at a festival in Kitami, Hokkaido, sending participants falling backward onto an asphalt road.

Housing Complex With 70% Foreigners Introduces Fine System

A public housing complex in Aichi Prefecture where about 70% of households are occupied by foreign residents is showing signs of improvement after introducing multilingual communication, foreign-led neighborhood activities and a 3,000-yen fine for residents who skip community cleaning duties.

Old Sake Brewery Goes Up In Smoke

A fire that broke out at the long-established Echigo Tsurukame sake brewery in a densely populated residential district of Niigata City on July 19 destroyed the brewery and spread to at least six nearby homes, with firefighters still unable to declare the blaze fully extinguished by noon on July 20.

Husband and Wife Killed in Ashikaga Landslide

Two people found dead in a collapsed home following a landslide in Ashikaga, Tochigi Prefecture, have been identified as a married couple in their 60s who lived at the property, city officials said.

Bacteria on Nurse's Uniform Match Those Found in Slain Patient's Blood

Bacteria found in excrement on the uniform of a former nurse arrested on suspicion of killing a hospital patient by contaminating his intravenous drip matched bacteria detected in the victim's blood, investigators have found.

< 2 3 4 5 >