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
The government has announced a system to support a new regional cooperation framework across prefectures, with grants and subsidies to help local governments and businesses pursue regional development initiatives. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/09/02/japan/politics/cross-prefectural-cooperation-support/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #shigeruishiba #depopulation #tourism #localgovernment
The city assembly of Ito in Shizuoka Prefecture has unanimously passed a no-confidence motion against Mayor Maki Takubo, 55, who is alleged to have falsified her academic record. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/09/01/japan/politics/japan-mayor-no-confidence/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #makitakubo #ito #shizuoka #localgovernment
Kathy Reid
boosted
Council sounds alarm on 'tidal wave' of data centre water applications
By Leanne Wong
A council in Melbourne's outer north has voted for more scrutiny over applications for resource-intensive data centres, with its deputy mayor warning the significant volumes of water they require could jeopardise new housing and population growth.
Council sounds alarm on 'tidal wave' of data centre water applications
By Leanne Wong
A council in Melbourne's outer north has voted for more scrutiny over applications for resource-intensive data centres, with its deputy mayor warning the significant volumes of water they require could jeopardise new housing and population growth.
The Cabinet Office will create a system designed to dispatch personnel with damage assessment experience to affected areas promptly once a disaster occurs. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/08/18/japan/japan-local-governments-disaster-damage-certificates/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #disasterpreparedness #localgovernment #cabinetoffice
Osaka Gov. Hirofumi Yoshimura has suggested the possibility of making another bid for a so-called Osaka metropolis plan, an idea rejected twice in local referendums. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/08/13/japan/politics/ishin-osaka-metropolis-plan/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #osaka #nipponishinnokai #localgovernment
Incumbent Yokohama Mayor Takeharu Yamanaka has won a second four-year term as head of the capital of Kanagawa Prefecture. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/08/04/japan/politics/yokohama-mayor-wins-second-term/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #yokohama #localgovernment
The total amount of "furusato nо̄zei" hometown donations to local governments across Japan hit a record high for the fifth consecutive year in fiscal 2024, the internal affairs ministry said Thursday. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/08/01/japan/hometown-donations-record-high/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #furusatonozei #taxes #localgovernment
Maki Takubo, mayor of the city of Ito, Shizuoka Prefecture, on Thursday withdrew her resignation over allegations that she had lied about her academic record. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/08/01/japan/politics/ito-mayor-decides-not-to-quit/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #ito #shizuoka #makitakubo #localgovernment #universities
The number of local governments able to operate without tax allocations from the state thanks to their abundant tax revenues has increased for the fourth consecutive year, the internal affairs ministry has said. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/07/29/japan/society/local-governments-tax-allocations/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #society #localgovernment #taxes #internalaffairsministry #kumamoto
Japan has held the first meeting of its panel tasked with reviewing guidelines on how companies and local governments should respond to emergency information on a possible earthquake in the Nankai Trough. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/07/25/japan/nankai-trough-quake-info-guidelines-review/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #nankaitrough #earthquakes #localgovernment
Prefectural governors have urged the central government to give top priority to measures against Japan's shrinking population, calling for a national campaign involving private companies. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/07/24/japan/politics/japan-governors-meet-population/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #localgovernment #population #taxes #consumptiontax #aomori #2025upperhouseelection
The industry ministry is working to promote cooperation between private firms and local governments to ensure a stable supply of nursing care and elderly support services as demand increases in the graying country. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/07/23/japan/society/nursing-care-public-private-cooperation/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #society#nursingcare #localgovernment #elderly
Work to consolidate public facilities is gaining momentum amid a growing need to make more efficient use of public spaces like city halls and libraries as Japan's population continues to fall. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/07/16/japan/consolidating-public-facilities/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #localgovernment #depopulation #disasterpreparedness
Japan established a consortium comprising the national and local governments and private-sector companies with the goal of fostering female digital experts. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/07/08/japan/politics/female-digital-experts-launch/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #digitalization #localgovernment #wakakoyata
The government plans to study how food trucks owned by local governments and dispatched to serve hot meals following disasters can be used at other times. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/07/01/japan/disaster-food-trucks-expansion/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #food #trucks #localgovernment #disasterpreparedness
The average income of Japan's prefectural governors stood at ¥24.13 million ($167,852) in 2024, a survey showed Monday. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/07/01/japan/politics/prefectural-governors-income/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #surveys #localgovernment