Latest news with #Nagoya
Japan Times
20 hours ago
- Business
- Japan Times
Welfare benefit reductions totaled about ¥300 billion between 2013 and 2018
The government's decision to lower the standard amount of welfare benefits three times between 2013 and 2015 resulted in welfare benefit reductions totaling about ¥300 billion ($2.1 billion) over about five years through 2018, an estimate showed Sunday. Amid lawsuits in which welfare recipients around the country sought to have benefit cuts revoked, the Supreme Court is set to deliver a ruling on June 27 for an Osaka High Court case and another from the Nagoya High Court, where the rulings were divided. If the plaintiffs win, the state may be required to pay the amount that would have been provided before the reductions. The three reductions in the standard amount of welfare benefits affected the period from August 2013 to September 2018, according to the welfare ministry. During this period, the number of welfare recipients ranged from about 2.09 million to about 2.16 million. The government decided to reduce welfare benefits during that time period based on factors such as the cost-of-living falling. In a document, the ministry estimated the fiscal effect of the first standard amount cut to be around ¥15 billion in fiscal 2013, the second cut to be about ¥26 billion in fiscal 2014 and the third cut to also be about ¥26 billion in fiscal 2015. This led to reduced government budget spending of ¥15 billion, ¥41 billion and ¥67 billion, respectively, from fiscal 2013 to fiscal 2015. The ministry has not made an estimate for fiscal 2016 and beyond, but a reduction of the same scale as in fiscal 2015 apparently continued as there was no significant change in the number of recipients. As a new standard amount revision was implemented in October 2018, Jiji Press estimated the reduction at ¥33.5 billion for fiscal 2018, half of the ¥67 billion for fiscal 2015, bringing the overall total amount reduced to more than ¥290 billion. Regarding the estimate, a ministry official said, "It is not a figure issued by the ministry, but I can't say it is wrong." Tetsuro Kokubo, an attorney representing the plaintiffs in the lawsuit in Osaka, said that if the plaintiffs win the case at the Supreme Court, "The government should apologize to all recipients and pay the unpaid amount based on the standard amount before the reductions."
Japan Times
3 days ago
- General
- Japan Times
SDF ramps up campus outreach amid recruitment slump
With Japan's Self-Defense Forces facing a growing shortage of new recruits, their provincial cooperation offices — responsible for public relations and recruitment — are stepping up efforts to engage students by setting up publicity booths at university festivals. Officials say the initiative is an effective way to foster a stronger connection between the public and the SDF. So far, many universities have responded positively to the outreach. Some experts argue, however, that "on-campus agreement" is needed to ensure that academic freedom is respected. Provincial cooperation offices have set up publicity booths at university festivals for years, but the overall picture of their activities has often been unclear because of limited public promotion. In a notable move, the Aichi Provincial Cooperation Office, based in Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture, took the unprecedented step of publishing its booth exhibition schedule for October-November last year on its website. Following the move, the office set up booths at 21 campuses across 17 private universities in the central prefecture over the two-month period. Officials noted that similar efforts have been made at other times as well, suggesting that the publicity initiative is now well established. Lt. Col. Eishiro Ishii, head of the office's recruitment section, said the office is "actively doing" the schedule disclosure, while noting that there has been no significant opposition from inside or outside the universities. A typical SDF publicity booth, set up under a tent, features pamphlets introducing the roles and responsibilities of SDF personnel, along with displays of reconnaissance motorcycles and high-mobility transportation vehicles. Some booths also incorporate virtual reality technology, offering computer-generated experiences such as riding in a tank or performing a parachute descent. One university official said, "This is one of the attractions that add excitement to the school festival." A student serving on the festival committee at another university responded positively, saying, "The committee invited (the SDF booth) as one of the sponsoring organizations." At yet another university, an official welcomed the display of SDF vehicles, noting, "Children from the local community were happy to see them." According to Defense Ministry data, the Ground, Maritime and Air SDF invited applications for 19,598 positions in fiscal 2023, but only 9,959 were filled. This reduced the recruitment achievement rate to a record low of 51%, highlighting a severe shortage of qualified personnel — a situation attributed primarily to Japan's declining births. "I feel that (public) perceptions of the SDF have improved," Ishii said. Even so, he emphasized the need to further strengthen outreach efforts. "The public still tends to have a vague image of the SDF as a physically demanding workplace. In reality, the SDF offers a wide range of career options, but these are not widely known," he added. Some experts have raised concerns about universities cooperating with the SDF, citing the importance of safeguarding academic freedom as guaranteed under Article 23 of the Constitution. Their concerns stem from Japan's pre-World War II history, when state power infringed upon independent academic research. In October 2023, the ASDF's Western Air Defense Force Band performed at Tokushima University's school festival, held on the Josanjima campus in the southwestern city of Tokushima. On learning of the planned performance in advance, the university's faculty labor union submitted a letter of inquiry, arguing that the ASDF concert was "out of line with the original purpose (of the school festival)." In response, the university explained that the event was a one-off. The SDF did not participate in the following year's festival. Shun Ishihara, a professor of sociology and social work at Meiji Gakuin University in Tokyo, expressed caution about uncritical collaboration between academia and state institutions. "Universities need to maintain a clear boundary between themselves and powerful state entities such as the SDF," he said. Still, Ishihara also suggested that cooperation is not inherently problematic. "It should not be ruled out if there is a clear agreement within the university," he said. In the case of Tokushima University, "the issue was that no such agreement was in place," he noted.
South China Morning Post
4 days ago
- General
- South China Morning Post
Japan's Nagoya city deploys ‘Stop and Stand Squad' in bid to reduce accidents on escalators
Standing still on an escalator has become a paid profession in Japan's city of Nagoya – part of a quirky but earnest campaign to reduce accidents and instil order ahead of an expected surge in visitors for the 2026 Asian Games. The unconventional job is part of Nagoya's campaign to promote a local ordinance that went into effect in 2023 that banned people from walking up escalators in train stations, retail facilities and office buildings throughout the city. Despite an aggressive poster campaign and announcements to advertise the new rule, according to TV Asahi, not enough people are getting the message that escalator users need to stand still for the duration of their journey and there are concerns that people are again going to be injured. The ordinance was introduced after 125 people sustained injuries in accidents on escalators in 2021, while the city also expects to see an influx of visitors during the 2026 Asian Games, scheduled to run from September 19 to October 4. Escalator etiquette in Japan has traditionally required that users stand to one side – although, confusingly, the convention in Tokyo and eastern Japan is to stand to the left but in Osaka and the west it is to the right – to allow the impatient or those in a hurry to walk up the free side of the escalator. People ride one of the outdoor escalators at the 2025 Osaka Expo on May 21. Escalator etiquette in Japan requires users to stand on one side to allow others in a hurry to walk up the free side of the escalator. Photo: AFP When the Nagoya city council passed the new law, it decided not to impose punishments on anyone who fails to follow the regulations, meaning that there are still plenty of people who choose to keep walking once they are on an escalator.
South China Morning Post
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- South China Morning Post
Onosato, 24, promoted to sumo grand champion in record time – and he's Japanese
Sumo crowned a new grand champion in record time on Wednesday as Onosato became the fastest to attain the exalted rank of yokozuna in the Japanese sport's modern era. And the big news is: he is Japanese. The 24-year-old's elevation by the Japan Sumo Association came after he appeared in just 13 professional tournaments, eight fewer than the current record holder. The wrestler, who weighs 191 kilograms (421 pounds) and is 1.92 metres (six feet three inches) tall, became the 75th grand champion in the centuries-old history of sumo. By comparison, the average weight of an NFL lineman is about 140kg, or just over 300 pounds. Onosato was the second to reach the top rank in the space of four months, following the promotion of Hoshoryu in January. Onosato won the Summer Grand Sumo Tournament on Sunday to earn his fourth Emperor's Cup. Photo: Kyodo The two will go head-to-head for the first time as yokozuna in July in Nagoya.
Reuters
6 days ago
- General
- Reuters
Onosato attains yokozuna rank in record time
May 28 (Reuters) - Onosato has been promoted to sumo's highest rank of yokozuna, the Japan Sumo Association said on Wednesday, attaining the honour in a record 13 professional tournaments. The 24-year-old wrestler, who weighs 191 kilograms and is 1.92 metres tall, has become the 75th yokozuna in eight fewer appearances than the previous record held by the late Wajima. Onosato is also the first Japan-born wrestler to reach the rnk since Kisenosato in 2017. He retired in January 2019. "I am truly happy. Now, things will become more important than ever. I want to stay focused and continue to work hard," Onosato told reporters. "This is a very much unknown territory for me. I want to maintain my style, be Onosato, and I will work hard to become a unique and unparalleled yokozuna." Onosato is the second wrestler to reach the top rank within four months following Hoshoryu's promotion in January. Onosato and Hoshoryu will face each other for the first time as yokozuna in July in Nagoya.
