Pension Reform in Japan Delayed

China has pushed back against Japan's protest over a recent incursion by a Chinese helicopter into Japanese airspace near the Senkaku Islands, claiming instead that it was a Japanese civilian aircraft that violated Chinese airspace.

Reporters Without Borders has released its 2025 World Press Freedom Index, ranking Japan 66th out of 180 countries and regions surveyed, just behind Timor-Leste (65th) and Fiji (64th).

The Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan has submitted a bill to allow married couples the option of keeping separate surnames, but the initiative has little momentum in the current Diet session due to a lack of support from other parties.

Shizuoka Governor Heita Suzuki announced on April 30th that the prefecture will implement its “Cool Biz” dress code throughout the year starting in May 2025. Previously limited to the warmer months from May through October, the initiative encourages relaxed attire for government workers, such as going without neckties, to create a more comfortable working environment.

Tensions between the United States and North Korea have been intensifying behind the scenes, despite the recent spotlight on former President Donald Trump. On April 15th, two U.S. Air Force B-1B bombers participated in a joint training exercise with the South Korean Air Force over South Korean airspace.

The Japanese government held its first meeting on April 25th to address support measures for the Employment Ice Age Generation, a group that has recently become the focus of active policy discussions across political parties.

In response to a third-party committee confirming five cases of power harassment involving senior officials in Ōnojo, including the deputy mayor, the city government held a press conference on April 24th.

Tottori Prefecture and the Kingdom of Jordan, both exhibitors at Expo 2025 Osaka-Kansai, have formed a symbolic partnership dubbed the "Sand Alliance," uniting over their shared cultural and environmental connection to sand.