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The Mainichi
2 days ago
- Politics
- The Mainichi
Editorial: Japan should pass bill on optional separate surnames during current Diet session
Deliberations on bills separately submitted by three opposition parties over selective surnames for married couples are underway in the House of Representatives' Committee on Judicial Affairs. There are people who have had their dignity undermined due to having to change their surnames upon marriage, suffering disadvantages in their lives. It is unacceptable to leave the situation unaddressed. It is necessary to bring about a selective separate surname system for married couples during the current Diet session. The Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan (CDP) and the Democratic Party for the People (DPFP) have respectively submitted bills to revise the Civil Code to allow Japanese couples to choose whether to adopt a shared surname or retain their premarital surnames upon marriage. Both bills stipulate that the surname of children will be decided when couples get married if they opt for separate surnames. Under the DPFP bill, couples adopting different surnames will decide which name to list as the head of their family register, and their children will assume that name. There are no big differences between the two bills. The CDP and DPFP should immediately hold consultations to unify their bills for their early enactment. Fellow opposition party Nippon Ishin (the Japan Innovation Party) submitted a bill to expand the use of maiden names in business and on other occasions, though couples would retain a shared surname. Under its proposal, maiden names would be included in family registers to give people using legal grounds for continuing to use them. However, since the real name listed in the family register would still have to change, the problem of people feeling a loss of identity from having to change their surname would remain unresolved. The Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), meanwhile, is split over the introduction of selective separate surnames, and forwent submitting its own bill to the Diet. There were moves within the party to make the expansion of the use of maiden names its basic stance, but it failed to build consensus due to a strong backlash from party lawmakers in favor of introducing the optional separate surname system. As the points of contention are clearly laid out, the LDP should swiftly agree to putting the bills to a vote. If the party finds it too difficult to achieve internal consensus, it should leave the decision to each LDP lawmaker without compelling them to adhere to party lines. Komeito's response to the issue is also questionable. Although the LDP's junior coalition partner had advocated for the realization of selective separate surnames in its campaign pledge for last year's House of Representatives election, it is currently struggling to align itself with the LDP. In Japan, the majority of those who change their surnames upon marriage are women. The United Nations' Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women has repeatedly issued advisories calling for correct of the system forcing Japanese couples to adopt a single surname, calling it discriminatory. The optional separate surname system fulfills the wishes of those wanting to retain their own surnames while not shunning those wishing to adopt a shared surname. No one should be disadvantaged by this system. It has been 29 years since the Legislative Council of the Ministry of Justice proposed the introduction of selective separate surnames. Today, fewer and fewer people are bound by traditional family values. There are also many people who believe married couples having different surnames will not affect family bonds. It is the role of politics to keep systems in step with the changing times.
The Mainichi
31-05-2025
- Business
- The Mainichi
'Not bad at all': Japan expert taste-tests stockpiled rice as reserves hit shelves
TOKYO -- The Japanese government has started selling its stockpiled rice through negotiated contracts in an effort to curb the rising price of the staple, which has sparked public interest in the quality of old rice, particularly its taste. It's rare for stockpiled rice, released only in response to disasters, to enter the market, making this the first time for it to be used to control prices. And because it is rarely released, consumers don't often get a chance to taste it. The impression of old rice having poor flavor is deeply rooted. Yuichiro Tamaki, leader of the opposition Democratic Party for the People (DPFP), commented that stockpiled rice "after a year becomes something fit for animal feed," apparently echoing this negative perception. But how much does the quality of rice actually decline over time? The Mainichi Shimbun asked a food scientist and a major rice cooker manufacturer to find out. 'Not bad,' says expert "Of course, freshly harvested rice tastes best. But older rice isn't bad at all," said Toshiaki Mitsui, a specially appointed professor at Niigata University who teaches molecular biology. On May 29, he taste-tested rice harvested in 2024, 2022 and 2020 -- all from the same region and freshly milled. "The new rice from 2024 has an excellent aroma, chewy texture and refined sweetness. Older rice can be a bit dry and lose some of its luster. But I couldn't tell the difference between the 2022 and 2020 rice. While the fragrance is fading, there was no unpleasant smell." According to Mitsui, the fat found on the outer surface of rice oxidizes and produces compounds like hexanal over time, which can cause a so-called "old rice smell" when cooked. However, in his actual tests, even rice from five years ago apparently tasted like ordinary rice. "The outer layer is removed when the rice is milled, and more importantly, it all depends on how it is stored. I've heard that government stockpiles are kept at low temperatures with carefully controlled humidity, so there shouldn't be any issue," he explained. 'Livestock are eating well' Rice prices remain high. Despite the situation, consumers likely want to continue enjoying tasty rice as part of their daily meals. Agriculture minister Shinjiro Koizumi, who is overseeing the effort to bring down rice prices, criticized Tamaki's "animal feed" comment as "a bit disappointing," though the comment itself is technically true. Stockpiled rice is generally sold for animal feed if it is stored for more than five years. Of the 300,000 metric tons now being released by the government through negotiated contracts, 100,000 tons were harvested in 2021 and 200,000 tons in 2022. Tamaki's comment referred to this. Tamaki held a speech on the streets that same evening after the animal feed remark, and said, "That's why I don't think even 1,800 yen (about $13) for 5 kilograms is cheap." While the term "animal feed" may evoke the image of rice of a severely degraded quality, Mitsui laughed and said, "You could say that Japanese livestock (that are being fed stockpiled rice) are actually eating pretty well." He added, "Older rice can still taste really good. Why not think of it as a rare opportunity and enjoy it?" How to cook old rice according to rice cooker manufacturer Japanese rice cookers have made notable progress in recent years. Major brands now boast features that allow even older rice to be cooked deliciously. Milling technology is also said to have advanced significantly. Osaka-based Zojirushi Corp., a major rice cooker and kitchen appliance manufacturer, advises on its website that "since older rice contains less moisture, it's best to add a little more water when cooking." At the same time, scrubbing the rice too hard due to worries over the quality of old grains is apparently not recommended. Older rice tends to be drier and more fragile, making it more likely to crack when washed vigorously. A representative from the company's public relations department said, "In the past, people were told to scrub the rice, but now with advanced milling technology, a light rinse is enough. You don't need to worry that much just because it's old rice."
30-05-2025
- Politics
Diet Panel Starts Deliberations on Dual Surname Bills
Tokyo, May 30 (Jiji Press)--A committee of Japan's House of Representatives, the lower chamber of parliament, on Friday began deliberations on three bills submitted by opposition parties related to a selective dual surname system for married couples. At the day's meeting of the Lower House's Judicial Affairs Committee, the leading opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, Nippon Ishin no Kai (Japan Innovation Party) and the Democratic Party for the People respectively gave summaries of their bills. This was the first deliberation in 28 years at the committee on legislation for a selective dual surname system for married couples. The bills submitted respectively by the CDP and the DPFP are designed to revise the Civil Code to allow married couples in the country to choose the same or different surnames. As ways to decide children's surnames, the CDP bill calls on married couples to decide these at the time of their marriage. The DPFP bill proposes that children have the same surnames as the first registrants on the family register, which parents would select at the time of their marriage. [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]
29-05-2025
- Politics
DPFP Leader under Fire for Calling Stockpiled Rice Livestock Feed
News from Japan Politics May 29, 2025 22:01 (JST) Tokyo, May 29 (Jiji Press)--Yuichiro Tamaki, head of the opposition Democratic Party for the People, has sparked controversy by describing stockpiled rice being sold by the Japanese government as fit for "livestock feed" after a year. At a parliamentary committee meeting on Wednesday, Tamaki said that stockpiled rice sold under the government's discretionary contracts would become "livestock feed once a year has passed." While the government is releasing stockpiled rice harvested in 2021 and 2022 at a time when consumers in the country are struggling with soaring rice prices, Tamaki argued that the government effort does not meet consumers' demand for lower prices for high-quality rice. The DPFP chief appeared to be referring to the current system in which government-stockpiled rice is sold for feed use after five years. Agriculture minister Shinjiro Koizumi has told reporters that Tamaki's remark was "disappointing." Kenta Izumi, former head of the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, said on social media Thursday that Tamaki should not say such things at this time. A young DPFP member said that Tamaki "said too much." [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.] Jiji Press
Yomiuri Shimbun
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Opposition Parties Score Win with Minister's Sacking, but Hurdles Remain to Bringing Down Cabinet
The Yomiuri Shimbun Yoshihiko Noda, right, leader of the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, speaks during Diet debates between party leaders as Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, left, listens. With opposition parties holding a majority in the lower house, they managed to band together on Wednesday and push the ruling bloc into a corner, forcing Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba to sack the agriculture minister. After Taku Eto was dismissed as agriculture, forestry and fisheries minister, Yoshihiko Noda, leader of the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, called the move 'inevitable.' '[Eto] was not the right person for minister,' Noda told reporters. 'I believe [his dismissal] was the result of opposition parties sharing the same position on the issue.' Noda, who has failed to gain traction during the current Diet session, appeared to be trying to highlight his success with Eto's dismissal. Even so, due to their conflicting positions, the CDPJ and the other opposition parties face significant hurdles to passing a no-confidence motion against Ishiba's Cabinet, which will be a major issue toward the end of the Diet session next month. The Democratic Party for the People has argued that the CDPJ should make the first move since it is the largest opposition party. '[The CDPJ] has called for a change of government,' said DPFP Secretary General Kazuya Shinba. 'So it would be a shame if [the CDPJ] didn't submit a no-confidence motion.' The CDPJ chafed at Shinba's comments, with one member saying, 'He only said that because [the DPFP] won't assume responsibility for the decision to submit [a motion].' The CDPJ has been assessing what would happen after a non-confidence motion succeeded, which has left it on the fence about submitting a motion. If the motion were to pass, the Cabinet would have to dissolve the House of Representatives or resign en masse. Since the CDPJ does not appear to enjoy robust public support, many of its members in the lower house do not want the chamber to be dissolved. Some members are even hoping that Ishiba's Cabinet will not resign, given the House of Councillors election that will be held this summer. 'Because Ishiba's approval ratings are so low, it'd be to our advantage to face off against him as the prime minister in the upper house election,' said a senior member of the CDPJ.
