Court orders Yamaguchi governor to pay back spending on luxury official car
公用車センチュリーの「購入は違法」県知事に請求へ
YAMAGUCHI, Nov 03 (NHK) -
A district court has ordered the Yamaguchi prefectural government to urge the governor to pay back 20.9 million yen, or about 142,000 dollars, that it spent to buy a luxury car for official use.
A resident, who is a former prefectural government employee, filed a lawsuit over the prefecture's purchase of a Toyota Century as its official car in 2020.
The plaintiff said the car purchase is a deviation from the governor's authority and an illegal use of public funds.
The prefectural government said it was a reasonable decision as the car is used to carry VIPs.
On Wednesday, Presiding Judge Yamaguchi Noriyuki of the Yamaguchi District Court noted there are not many prefectures that own a Century as their guest car. He said the necessity of buying a new car and the model to be purchased should be taken into account from the viewpoint of cutting spending. He said he has no choice but to say such a consideration was significantly insufficient. ...continue reading
Nov 03 (ANNnewsCH) - 山口県による2090万円の高級車購入は違法とする判決が言い渡されました。 ...continue reading
Japan, China set up military hotline ahead of foreign minister Hayashi's Beijing visit
WION - Apr 01
Japan and China on Friday set up a military hotline in an effort aimed to strengthen their capability of managing and controlling maritime and air incidents.
Japan to restrict export of chipmaking equipment as it aligns with curbs by US
WION - Apr 01
Japan said on Friday that it will restrict exports of 23 types of semiconductor manufacturing equipment, aligning its technology trade controls with a US push to curb China's ability to make advanced chips.
Japan to face 11 million worker shortfall by 2040, study finds
Japan Times - Mar 30
Japan may face a shortage of more than 11 million workers by 2040, a study has found, underscoring the economic challenges the nation faces as its population ages rapidly.
Kishida brushes aside speculation of early snap election
Reuters - Mar 30
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said on Wednesday he was not thinking about dissolving parliament, brushing aside speculation he could call a snap election in the coming months to solidify his standing within his ruling party.
Japan had weak basis for ordering 882 mil. COVID vaccine doses: audit
marketscreener.com - Mar 30
Japan's audit board has requested the health ministry provide supporting documentation for contracts with U.S and British coronavirus vaccine manufacturers after finding a weak basis for ordering a total of 882 million doses in fiscal 2020 and 2021.
Russia fires supersonic anti-ship missile at mock target in Sea of Japan
Reuters - Mar 29
Russia's navy fired supersonic anti-ship missiles at a mock target in the Sea of Japan, the Russian defence ministry said on Tuesday.
Japan lawmakers eye ban on TikTok, others if used improperly
indianexpress.com - Mar 28
A group of Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) lawmakers plans to compile a proposal next month urging the government to ban social networking services such as TikTok if they are used for disinformation campaigns, an LDP lawmaker said on Monday.
Exploring new horizons: Japan's defense priorities
Center for Strategic & International Studies - Mar 25
With the revision of three key security documents in December 2022, Japan is charting a new course in its national defense strategy.
GaaSyy ordered to return passport
Kyodo - Mar 23
Japan's Foreign Ministry on Thursday ordered a popular online personality and former lawmaker, currently residing overseas and known as GaaSyy, to return his passport after police obtained an arrest warrant for him over celebrity defamation threat allegations.
Russia boosts defences near Japan, accuses US of expanding Asia-Pacific presence
Taiwan News - Mar 23
Russia said on Wednesday that a division of its Bastion coastal defence missile systems had been deployed to Paramushir, one of the Kuril islands in the north Pacific, some of which Japan claims as its territory.
'Outraged by the cruelty': Japan PM Kishida visits Bucha on surprise Ukraine trip
euronews - Mar 22
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida began a surprise visit to Ukraine early Tuesday, hours after Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in neighboring Russia for a three-day visit.
Japan's prime minister gets standing ovation in Delhi
ANI News - Mar 21
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida addressed the 41st Sapru House lecture on "Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP)" in Delhi on March 20.
Kishida heads to Kyiv to meet Zelenskyy
Al Jazeera - Mar 21
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is on his way by train to Kyiv for talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in a trip that coincides with a state visit by Chinese President Xi Jinping to Moscow.
Japan plans $75 bln investment across Indo-Pacific to counter China
Reuters - Mar 20
Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Monday announced a new plan to promote an open and free Indo-Pacific, promising billions of dollars in investment to help economies across the region in everything from industry to disaster prevention.
Germany, Japan look to reduce dependence on trade with China
DW News - Mar 19
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz is in Tokyo for a trip aimed at strengthening economic ties with Japan. Scholz has been meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida. The pair have been discussing ways to strengthen economic security and reduce dependence on Chinese raw materials.
Japanese prime minister lays out plan to reverse falling birth rate
NHK - Mar 18
Prime Minister Kishida Fumio has laid out his vision to reverse Japan's plummeting birth rate, a key pillar of which is boosting parental leave benefits.
