Japan upper house begins debates on active cyberdefense bill

The bill is aimed at allowing the government to monitor online communication in order to neutralize threats if it detects any sign of a major cyberattack.

The Japan Times
The ruling Liberal Democratic Party has most support from eligible voters ahead of this summer's election for the House of Councilors, a Jiji Press poll showed. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/04/17/japan/politics/ldp-upper-house-support-poll/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #ldp #upperhouse #surveys
LDP has most support ahead of Upper House election, poll shows

Respondents who said they will vote for the LDP in the Upper House's proportional representation bloc accounted for 20.6%.

The Japan Times
Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba delivered on two big tasks — but at a cost. A misjudged snap election cost the LDP its Lower House majority, forced painful concessions, and now threatens his job. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/commentary/2025/04/09/japan/ldp-shigeru-ishiba-replacement/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #commentary #japan #ldp #shigeruishiba #fumiokishida #yoshihidesuga #politicalfunds #budgets #diet #lowerhouse #upperhouse
The window to replace Japan's accidental prime minister is nigh

Shigeru Ishiba isn't the right leader to weather Japan through the incoming storm. With Upper House elections this summer, it's time the LDP starts fielding his replacement.

The Japan Times
Japan's Upper House has passed a revised budget bill for fiscal 2025 and sent it back to the Lower House for approval by the end of Monday. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/03/31/japan/politics/japan-set-to-pass-budget/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #budgets #upperhouse #diet #shigeruishiba
Japan's fiscal 2025 budget enacted just in time

The budget bill, which calls for general account spending of ¥115 trillion, was enacted in time for the start of the next fiscal year on Tuesday.

The Japan Times
With just days to go before the end of the current fiscal year, Japan's parliament has yet to pass the budget for fiscal 2025. Is this a big problem? https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/03/28/japan/politics/budget-march-passage/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #budgets #shigeruishiba #ldp #cdp #2025upperhouseelection #upperhouse
Is it a big problem if the budget fails to clear parliament by the end of March?

Government functions won't be significantly hindered, but the ruling government's reputation will take another beating.

The Japan Times
A Japanese lawmaker spoke at a meeting of signatories to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons for the first time as he attended the third conference in New York on Tuesday. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/03/05/japan/japan-lawmaker-nuke-ban-treaty/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #upperhouse #hiroshima #nuclearweapons #newyork
Japanese lawmaker addresses nuke ban treaty meeting for first time

'Nuclear weapons and humanity cannot coexist,' Shinji Morimoto from the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan stressed at a panel discussion.

The Japan Times
With female lawmakers holding only 15.7% of all seats in Japan's House of Representatives, gender equality in politics is still elusive in the nation as it marks the 80th anniversary of women's suffrage this year. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/03/04/japan/politics/gender-equality-politics-japan/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #women039sissues #diet #lowerhouse #upperhouse
Gender equality in politics remains elusive in Japan

Japan has a long way to go before fully achieving gender equality in politics.

The Japan Times
A supplementary provision in the bill says that lawmakers will "continue to consider and take necessary measures" regarding people filing candidacies to back others. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/02/16/japan/politics/political-parties-election-issues/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #upperhouse #tokyometropolitanassembly #misinformation
Japan parties to tackle issue of collaborating candidates

A provision to unify the size and other aspects of posters, which currently vary by election type, was also included in the bill.

The Japan Times
Television celebrity Dewi Sukarno, who was the third wife of then-Indonesian President Sukarno, has announced the launch of a political group for animal protection in Japan. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/02/14/japan/politics/dewi-sukarno-political-group/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #dewisukarno #upperhouse #animals #animalwelfare #houseofcouncilors
TV celebrity Dewi Sukarno launches political group in Japan

The new group, named 12 Heiwa To, upholds animal protection as its central policy.

The Japan Times
A bill aimed at guaranteeing the right of people born through the use of specified assisted reproductive technology to know their origins has been submitted to Japan's Upper House of parliament. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/02/06/japan/science-health/assisted-reproductive-tech-submission/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #sciencehealth #children #upperhouse #humanrights #humanrights #mynumber
Assisted reproductive tech bill submitted to Upper House

The proposed legislation is aimed at guaranteeing the right of people born through the use of such technology to know their origins.

The Japan Times