Niigata Gov. Hideyo Hanazumi inspected Tepco's Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear power station on Friday, before making a decision on whether to approve the restart of a reactor at the plant. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/11/14/japan/kashiwazaki-kariwa-niigata-governor-visit/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #niigata #kashiwazakikariwa #tepco #restarts #localgovernment #nuclearenergy
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said on Wednesday that a proposed supplementary budget would include spending to help local governments address attacks by bears. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/11/12/japan/politics/extra-budget-bear-attacks/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #sanaetakaichi #bears #animals #budgets #shinjirokoizumi #localgovernment
Public hospitals in Japan are struggling to sustain regional health care systems, with more than 80% of them posting losses as medical service expenses rise faster than revenues. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/11/12/japan/public-hospitals-financial-strain/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #hospitals #localgovernment #medicine
The Defense Ministry will begin a phased deployment of long-range standoff missiles capable of striking from outside an enemy's range. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/11/05/japan/long-range-standoff-missiles/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #defenseministry #missiles #localgovernment
The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry has set up a support organization, in cooperation with local governments, to accelerate robot adoption by small and midsize enterprises in rural areas. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/business/2025/10/31/companies/rural-companies-robots/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #business #companies #meti #robots #manufacturing #depopulation #localgovernment
Haruo Kataoka, the mayor of Suttsu in Hokkaido who supports proceeding to a next-stage survey to select a final disposal site for high-level nuclear waste, has been reelected for a seventh consecutive term. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/10/29/japan/politics/hokkaido-suttsu-mayor-election/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #nuclearwaste #suttsu #hokkaido #localgovernment
Incumbent Miyagi Gov. Yoshihiro Murai has fended off four other challengers to clinch his sixth term as chief executive of the prefecture in Sunday's gubernatorial election. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/10/27/japan/politics/japan-miyagi-gov-race-murai-win/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #yoshihiromurai #miyagi #localgovernment #2025localelections
Ito Mayor Maki Takubo is likely to lose her job after most newly elected members of the city assembly said they would support a second no-confidence motion against her over the falsification of her education background. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/10/20/japan/politics/japan-mayor-scandal-job-loss/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #shizuoka #ito #makitakubo #localgovernment
Japan is pushing the reuse market as a new consumption model, with it's Environment Ministry planning a road map by the end of March 2026 outlining steps to boost growth of the sector. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/10/20/japan/society/japan-reuse-market-grow/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #society #recycling #waste #localgovernment
Though the Osaka Expo has come to a close, many local governments are eager to capitalize on the success of the international event to attract tourists while the positive effects last. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/10/15/japan/local-governments-expo/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #2025osakaexpo #tourism #localgovernment
The Mie Prefectural Government plans to create what it says will be Japan's first ordinance with a penalty aimed at deterring customers from behaving abusively to workers. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/10/08/japan/society/mie-prefecture-plans-customer-abuse-penalty/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #society #mie #localgovernment #customerharassment
Ryosuke Takashima, who became the youngest-ever mayor in Japan at age 26 in 2023, is among Time Magazine's 100 most influential emerging people. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/10/01/japan/ashiya-mayor-time-influential-emerging-people/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #ryosuketakashima #ashiya #hyogo #time #magazines #localgovernment
Crowdfunding-style projects to address specific local challenges are gaining traction in Japan's hometown donation system. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/09/29/japan/society/japan-hometown-donations-crowdfunding/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #society #furusatonozei #taxes #localgovernment #crowdfunding
The internal affairs ministry has said it will bar four municipalities from taking part in Japan's furusato nōzei hometown tax donation program for two years due to their excessive spending on the program. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/09/26/japan/politics/four-municipalities-banned-from-furusato-nozei/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #furusatonozei #taxes #localgovernment #internalaffairsministry
Forget all the silly candidates in this year's local body elections, at last there are some serious contenders;
The organizer of the Osaka Expo is encouraging local governments and companies to reuse pavilion buildings and equipment including air conditioners and lighting, in line with its theme of sustainability. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/09/16/japan/expo-reuse-pavilions/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #2025osakaexpo #environment #localgovernment#airconditioners #toilets
One of the biggest problems with local government in Aotearoa is that central government have devolved a whole lot of responsibilities to them, without passing on sufficient funding to fulfill them. So they either need to hike rates, increase council debt, or both. Or cut services.
A lot of this is effectively creative accounting by govts. Moving public spending and debt onto someone else's balance sheet, so their own books look healthier come election time.
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Meet Jon Heese, the Saskatchewan native who has remained staunchly independent throughout his career in Japanese domestic politics. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2025/09/08/our-lives/jon-heese-ibaraki-politician/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #community #ourlives #expats #ibaraki #localgovernment #canada
Japan will raise its minimum wage by a record 6.3% to ¥1,121 per hour, reinforcing the nation’s wage-price cycle and supporting the case for the Bank of Japan to keep hiking rates. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/business/2025/09/05/economy/japan-to-hike-minimum-pay-by-record/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #business #economy #wages #localgovernment #japaneseeconomy
Some local governments in Japan are turning to the hometown donation program to solicit contributions for projects aimed at passing down memories of World War II to future generations. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/09/03/japan/hometown-donations-used-to-preserve-wartime-memories/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #wwii #localgovernment #taxes #furusatonozei #museums