With Japan facing a labor shortage due to its aging population, immigration policy has emerged as a key issue in the upcoming Upper House election in July. On July 9th, the topic was discussed in depth by news program “It!”, which highlighted public concerns and political stances regarding the role of foreign nationals in Japanese society. (News On Japan)

The Ground Self-Defense Force has deployed its first V-22 Osprey to a newly opened base in Saga, with all 17 aircraft to be relocated from Chiba by mid-August as part of Japan’s shift to strengthen defense in the southwest region. (News On Japan)

Japan’s position on its handling of World Cultural Heritage sites, including Gunkanjima (Battleship Island) in Nagasaki City, has been upheld by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, which rejected South Korea’s demand for a renewed review of Japan’s efforts. (News On Japan)

As Japan's Upper House election approaches, party leaders debated whether restrictions should be placed on foreign property ownership. Amid soaring housing prices—especially in Tokyo where secondhand condominium prices now exceed 100 million yen—seven of the eight major political parties expressed support for some form of regulation on foreign homebuyers. (News On Japan)

U.S. President Donald Trump has expressed doubts about reaching a trade agreement with Japan and hinted at the possibility of imposing tariffs of 30% to 35%. (News On Japan)

U.S. President Donald Trump has once again voiced strong dissatisfaction with Japan over automobile tariffs, a key issue in ongoing trade talks between the two countries, criticizing Japan for not importing American cars and calling the situation unfair. (News On Japan)

The former Abe faction of the Liberal Democratic Party has officially dissolved after submitting a dissolution notice as a political organization to the Minister of Internal Affairs and Communications. The faction had already decided to disband in January 2024 in response to a series of political funds scandals. (News On Japan)

Okinawa Prefecture observed its annual Day of Remembrance on June 23rd, commemorating the more than 200,000 Japanese and American lives lost in the Battle of Okinawa during the final stages of the Pacific War. (News On Japan)

Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike has secured a third term after exit polls indicated a decisive victory, ensuring she will continue leading Japan’s capital for another four years. (News On Japan)

As the exchange of attacks between Israel and Iran continues, the evacuation of Japanese nationals from Israel has commenced. (News On Japan)

In a case involving bid rigging for the construction of a new city hall in Kiryu, Gunma Prefecture, four individuals, including a member of the Gunma Prefectural Assembly, have been arrested for allegedly undermining the fairness of the bidding process. (News On Japan)

The Pension System Reform Law was passed and enacted at the Upper House plenary session on June 13th with majority support from the Liberal Democratic Party, Komeito, the Constitutional Democratic Party and others. (News On Japan)

Amid rising rice prices, Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Shinjiro Koizumi has stirred debate by floating the idea of emergency rice imports. This is not his first confrontation with Japan’s powerful agricultural cooperatives. Nearly a decade ago, Koizumi attempted major reforms of JA (Japan Agricultural Cooperatives), only to face fierce resistance from entrenched interests within the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP). (News On Japan)

More than half of female local assembly members in Japan have experienced harassment, according to a Cabinet Office survey released on June 6th. (News On Japan)

Tachibana, head of the NHK Party, has been referred to prosecutors on suspicion of defaming a Hyogo prefectural assembly member during last year’s gubernatorial election campaign, according to investigative sources. (News On Japan)

The number of applications for public assistance in fiscal 2024 rose 3.2% from the previous year to 259,353, according to statistics released by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare. This marks the fifth consecutive year of increase. (News On Japan)

Opposition parties submitted three bills to the Diet on May 30th seeking to introduce a system allowing married couples to retain separate surnames—a topic that returned to parliamentary deliberation for the first time in 28 years. (News On Japan)

Akie Abe, widow of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, visited the Kremlin on May 29th and met with Russian President Vladimir Putin. During the meeting, Akie was seen tearfully listening to Putin’s words, reflecting the emotional nature of their exchange. Following the conversation, she was invited to ride in Putin’s official limousine to the Bolshoi Theatre, where the two attended a ballet performance together. (News On Japan)

Prime Minister Ishiba met with Montenegrin Prime Minister Spajic in Tokyo on May 28th during the latter’s official visit to Japan, marking what both leaders described as a historic occasion. (News On Japan)

The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries has temporarily halted new applications for discretionary contracts to purchase rice from government reserves, Agriculture Minister Koizumi announced on May 27th. The decision comes after applications for 2022-harvest rice reached the quota limit of 200,000 tons. (News On Japan)