Across Japan, road collapses have been occurring with increasing frequency, often blamed on aging infrastructure. In one recent incident in Ashioshi, Saitama Prefecture, a truck was swallowed by a gaping sinkhole.
The Japanese government’s long-anticipated pension reform plan is at risk of being significantly watered down, as the core proposal to raise the basic pension appears to have been dropped from the bill currently under deliberation in the National Diet.
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.