Teachers Submit 700,000 Signatures to Combat Overwork

TOKYO, Mar 14 (News On Japan) - The Japan Teachers Union (Nikkyoso) submitted a petition with approximately 700,000 signatures to the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology (MEXT) on Wednesday, demanding concrete measures to eliminate the long working hours of teachers.

The issue of teachers' working conditions has been under discussion, with MEXT's expert panel considering changes such as a 4% increase in base salary in exchange for not paying overtime, as well as revising workplace environments. Despite regulations stating that teachers cannot be ordered to work overtime, many are compelled to engage in activities like club advising and test grading beyond their regular hours. This is often interpreted as voluntary and not accounted for as labor, leading to unchecked working hours.

The union emphasizes that even time for lesson preparation is not guaranteed and urges that the voices from the field be reflected in the discussions. They argue that amending the Special Measures Law concerning teachers' salaries is essential for proper working hour management.

Currently, discussions in the expert panel primarily focus on maintaining the Special Measures Law, with plans to present a direction for salary structures by spring.

Bear Chosen as Kanji of the Year

The Kanji of the Year for 2025 was announced at Kiyomizu Temple in Kyoto on December 12th, with the Japan Kanji Aptitude Testing Foundation selecting the character for bear for the first time after nationwide sightings, record-high damage and injuries.

Blizzard Conditions Grip Northern Japan

Northern Japan was hit by warning-level blizzards and whiteout conditions on December 12th, with heavy snow, violent winds and subzero temperatures disrupting transport across wide areas while recovery continued in communities already damaged by last week’s powerful earthquake.

Akita Train Derails And Overturns, Injuring Driver

A train running on the Akita Nairiku Jukan Railway derailed and overturned near Kayakusa Station in Kitaakita City on the morning of December 12th, with the incident reported to police and fire authorities shortly before 6:50 a.m.

Kitagawa and Sakaguchi Receive Nobel Medals

The Nobel Prize award ceremony was held on the evening of December 10th, or early on December 11th in Japan, at the Stockholm Concert Hall, where King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden presented the highest honors — the medal and certificate — to Osaka University specially appointed professor Shimon Sakaguchi, 74, the recipient of this year’s Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, and Kyoto University distinguished professor Susumu Kitagawa, 74, who won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry.

Forbes Ranks Prime Minister Takaichi as the World’s Third Most Powerful Woman

America’s business magazine Forbes announced on December 10th that Prime Minister Takaichi has been ranked third on its list of the “World’s Most Powerful Women,” placing the Japanese leader near the top of a global ranking of 100 figures across politics, business, and culture, and marking a prominent acknowledgment of Japan’s first female prime minister.

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