The government and the ruling camp are considering capping the amount of tax deductions allowed under the furusato nо̄zei hometown donation system. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/business/2025/12/02/furusato-nozei-cap-deductions/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #business #furusatonozei #taxes #localgovernment
Hokkaido Gov. Naomichi Suzuki has announced his support for a planned restart of the No. 3 reactor at Hokkaido Electric Power’s Tomari nuclear plant. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/11/28/japan/politics/hokkaido-governor-tomari-nuclear-restart-support/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #hokkaido #naomichisuzuki #nuclearenergy #energy #tomari #restarts #localgovernment
The governors of the 47 prefectures urged the central government to implement measures to help them cope with expected declines in local government revenue due to the planned abolition of the provisional gasoline tax. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/11/27/japan/prefectures-tax-revenue/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #sanaetakaichi #taxes #localgovernment #inflation #gas
Akira Ogawa, mayor of Maebashi, the capital of Gunma Prefecture, plans to step down following a scandal involving her "love hotel" visits with a married male city employee. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/11/26/japan/politics/maebashi-mayor-to-quit/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #akiraogawa #maebashi #gunma #localgovernment
The Lower House on Tuesday passed legislation to scrap the provisional gasoline tax surcharge of ¥25.1 per liter, effective Dec. 31. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/11/25/japan/politics/gasoline-bill-lower-house/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #gas #ldp #cdp #taxes #energy #nipponishinnokai #komeito #jcp #localgovernment
The Osaka prefectural government and several municipalities submitted a proposal to stop accepting new applications for “minpaku” private-lodging services in special zones starting next year. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/11/18/japan/osaka-halt-minpaku-applications/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #osaka #tourism #localgovernment
The governor of Niigata Prefecture will visit the site of the Fukushima disaster, a key trip before he decides on whether to approve the restart of a separate nuclear plant in his own region. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/11/17/japan/niigata-governor-fukushima-trip/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #niigata #localgovernment #tepco #kashiwazakikariwa #nuclearenergy
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