North Korea: Kim Jong Un oversees tactical ballistic missile drill
North Korea says its leader Kim Jong Un oversaw a joint striking drill of ballistic missile and long-range artillery systems on Thursday.
Friday's edition of the ruling Workers' Party newspaper Rodong Sinmun reported that the drill involved a 600-millimeter multi-layer rocket system and the Hwasong-11-Ka tactical ballistic missile.
The report said that ahead of the firing, training was conducted to make soldiers master the procedures and processes for rapidly switching over to the nuclear counterattack posture.
Kim reportedly stressed the need to steadily enhance the pivotal role of the nuclear force in all aspects of the strategy to deter war and the strategy to fight war.
The report also said that Kim underscored the importance of steadily perfecting the normal combat readiness of the nuclear force.
South Korea's military said on Thursday that North Korea had fired short-range ballistic missiles of multiple types toward the Sea of Japan. South Korean officials said the launches may have been a performance test linked to the North's arms exports to Russia.
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South Korea's new president has a chance to clean up
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Japan eyes tougher rules and a tax hike for foreign residents and tourists
Amid a record inflow of visitors and workers into Japan, legislators are increasingly calling for reforms to address growing concerns over social services, tax and regulatory loopholes. The ruling Liberal Democratic Party established a panel on May 21 'to dispel public concerns' among citizens living with an increasing number of foreign residents. Its members discussed policy revision, including the current system that allows some foreign nationals to easily convert their driver's license issued in their home countries to a Japanese one. 'We need to comprehensively discuss what the people (Japanese citizens) are concerned about,' LDP policy chief Itsunori Onodera said at the meeting, adding that the central and local governments need to tackle such issues together. 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Foreign nationals with international driver's licenses can use them to drive in Japan for one year. But foreign visitors and nationals from countries that do not issue them — including China, Vietnam and Brazil, who are not members of the Geneva Convention on Road Traffic — must pass a written exam and driving test to convert their licenses to a Japanese one to drive in Japan. Ariake Junction in Tokyo in 2021. The National Police Agency is moving to tighten regulations for foreign nationals looking to convert their overseas driver's licenses into Japanese ones. | Bloomberg The written test, however, consists of just 10 questions, with a minimum passing score of seven, prompting criticism that it fails to properly assess applicants' understanding of Japanese traffic rules. Authorities have also identified a loophole in which applicants on short-term tourist visas use hotels or other temporary accommodations as their registered address when applying for their license. The NPA plans to make it mandatory for applicants to submit their resident registration records and make the written and driving tests more difficult. National health care program An increasing amount of premiums for the national health care program has been left unpaid by foreign residents in Japan, with the local governments forced to allocate taxpayer's money to cover the deficit. When foreign nationals stay in Japan for more than three months, they must join the national health care program, called kokumin kenkō hoken. If they are hired at companies as full-time employees in Japan, they and their family members will be covered under the company's health care program. But those who are not, such as exchange students, are sometimes unaware they need to join the national health care program. Under the current rules, invoices are mailed out after enrollment, but many foreign residents fail to follow through. A health ministry survey of 150 municipalities from April to December 2024 found that only 63% of the foreign residents who need to pay the premium have done so — far below the 93% overall rate that includes Japanese citizens. In a parliamentary session in May, opposition lawmaker Hirofumi Yanagase, of Nippon Ishin no Kai, said that in Tokyo's Shinjuku Ward, households headed by a foreign resident paid only ¥870 million out of ¥2 billion in assessed premiums in a single year, leaving more than ¥1.1 billion unpaid. If this percentage is applied nationwide, he estimated that unpaid premiums by foreign residents may total over ¥400 billion annually. The ruling LDP is now proposing to have newly enrolled foreign residents pay a set portion — or potentially the full amount — of annual premiums upfront when they register their residency at local municipalities. The proposal was handed over to Ishiba on Monday. The LDP is calling for offering clearer explanations of premium payment obligations for the health care program during the visa application process, as many foreign nationals come from countries without public insurance systems and may be unfamiliar with Japan's model, and as such, might not realize they have to pay. Another issue is that when foreign nationals arrive in Japan, the calculations for their previous year's income are recorded as zero, thus making their first-year premiums extremely low and thereby creating a built-in deficit in the insurance pool. Tax-free shopping system Lawmakers are also considering drastic changes to the tax-free shopping system for foreign tourists, pushing for stricter oversight — or even a complete abolition of the program — amid mounting evidence of abuse and tax evasion. The exemption, introduced decades ago to boost spending by international travelers, allows foreign visitors to purchase goods from designated retailers without paying the country's 10% consumption tax, provided the items are taken abroad. But in practice, the system has been increasingly exploited for unauthorized resale and tax avoidance. In fiscal 2022, there were nine individuals who purchased tax-free products, but didn't have the goods with them when they left the country, meaning they failed to pay ¥340 million ($2.4 million) in consumption tax, according to the Board of Audit. The surge in inbound tourism has also amplified the financial implications. Government estimates suggest that of the ¥8.1 trillion spent by foreign visitors in 2024, roughly ¥2.4 trillion went toward tax-free shopping — though officials acknowledge the exact figure is uncertain. Critics have long argued that the current process allowing holders of foreign driver's licenses to convert to Japanese ones is overly lenient, causing an increase in the number of car accidents by foreign drivers. | REUTERS To curb abuse, the government approved a series of tax reforms that will shift the tax-exemption model to a post-purchase refund system starting in November 2026. Tourists will be required to pay the full 10% tax upon purchase and instead apply for a refund at the airport after presenting their goods to customs — similar to systems used in countries such as France and Italy. Retailers have expressed concern that the change could dampen consumer demand and overwhelm airport staff. But policymakers argue the reform is essential for restoring fairness and protecting tax revenue. However, some LDP lawmakers say the overhaul doesn't go far enough. Last week, members of an LDP study group drafted a proposal seeking to scrap the tax-free system altogether. The proposal will be submitted to the party's tax panel chief so it will be deliberated in next year's tax reform. Departure tax The government is considering increasing the ¥1,000 departure tax — mandatory for both foreign and Japanese nationals leaving Japan — just for foreign travelers. According to Finance Ministry data released Monday, the levy for fiscal 2024 is expected to generate a record high with the figure for 11 months from June 2024 already posting a record ¥48.1 billion in revenue, far exceeding government forecasts. Tax revenue for a fiscal year is calculated based on payment made from June through May the next year. Ishiba expressed support for a rate hike during a parliamentary session in May, noting that Japan's fee is low compared with other nations. Australia charges roughly ¥6,400, while Hong Kong's is around ¥2,200. Haneda Airport in April. The government is considering increasing the ¥1,000 ($7) departure tax — mandatory for both foreign and Japanese nationals leaving Japan — only for foreign travelers. | Bloomberg Government officials have floated the idea of using any additional revenue to improve tourism-related infrastructure and address overtourism in regions overwhelmed by growing visitor numbers. Critics have argued that applying a higher rate exclusively to foreign tourists could violate international agreements. Naturalization A growing number of foreign nationals are opting to acquire Japanese citizenship through naturalization rather than applying for permanent residency — largely because the former is conversely easier to obtain under current laws, much to the chagrin of some policymakers. In Japan, naturalization requires five years of residency, while permanent residency requires 10. A background check for naturalization typically looks at just one year of tax and insurance payments, compared to five years of tax and two years of insurance history for permanent residency applicants. Justice Minister Keisuke Suzuki acknowledged the discrepancy during a parliamentary session in May, saying it would be 'clearly inappropriate' if naturalization were the easier path. 'Both pathways should involve strict evaluations,' he said, adding that the government would review the legal framework for consistency. Nippon Ishin's Yanagase, who raised the issue, said the current system lacks coherence and called for legislative changes. 'Naturalization grants voting rights and access to one of the world's most powerful passports. It should not come with lighter requirements than permanent residency,' he said.
