Tokyo Assembly Candidates, Talk to Young Voters About Definite Plans
このページを 日本語 で読む
The next election for seats in the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly was announced on June 13. Voting will be held 10 days later on June 22. While this election is widely viewed as a warm-up for the nationwide summer House of Councillors (Upper House) election, Tokyo, the nation's capital, faces a wide range of challenges of its own.
Disaster prevention and measures to combat declining births are high priorities. Policies made in Tokyo have an impact on local governments around the country. Therefore, we would like to see a sincere and informed policy debate.
Approximately 300 candidates are expected to run for the 127 seats up for grabs in the metropolitan assembly election. Every party has pledged to combat the recent rise in prices by promoting wage increases, advocating support for household finances, and subsidizing rent. However, all of them need to clearly explain the effectiveness and feasibility of the policies they advocate. They must especially let voters know how they will secure the financial resources to carry out their proposals.
Mid- to long-term policies addressing these problems cannot simply be left until later. To start, there needs to be a thorough discussion about disaster prevention measures, which are directly related to the lives of Tokyo residents.
According to the Tokyo Metropolitan Government's own projections, if a major earthquake were to occur directly beneath the capital, approximately 100,000 people would be killed or injured. Another roughly three million people would be forced to evacuate.
Additionally, there is concern that Mount Fuji could erupt at any time. In such an event, large amounts of volcanic ash could paralyze city functions. How should we deal with such situations?
Furthermore, there is a need to expedite the construction of underground or air raid shelters in preparation for emergencies. Voters listen to the speeches of candidates in the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly election on June 13 in Tokyo's Setagaya Ward. (©Sankei by Hideyuki Matsui)
Maintaining public order in the capital also requires stronger measures against illegal residence and employment of foreigners. Accordingly, measures regarding foreigners are expected to be included in the central government's basic policy. Hopefully, there will be coordination at all levels of government while addressing these problems.
Policies to deal with declining births also need to be thoroughly addressed and aired with the public. According to the 2024 Vital Statistics, Tokyo's "total fertility rate" fell below 1.0 for the second consecutive year. That made it the lowest among all of Japan's prefectures. Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike is tackling this problem. Nevertheless, it is also the role of the metropolitan assembly to ascertain whether the support measures for child-rearing she is promoting are appropriate.
Another topic requiring attention is how election campaigns are conducted. There were several notable problems during the Tokyo gubernatorial election in July 2024. For example, there were numerous instances where election notice board squares for candidate flyers were plastered instead with images of animals and nearly naked people. A noticeboar d in Setagaya Ward displays election flyers and details of the revised Public Election Law, on June 13. (©Sankei by Hideyuki Matsui)
While not in Tokyo, there were also problems during the Hyogo Prefecture gubernatorial election in November 2024. Those included rampant slanderous attacks on and false information about candidates on social media.
Fair, orderly elections are a pillar of democracy. Anything that undermines that ideal cannot be tolerated.
Increasing voter turnout is another challenge, especially among younger voters. Consider turnout in the past three metropolitan assembly elections. Overall turnout was 43.50% in 2013, 51.28% in 2017, and 42.39% in 2021. But among voters in their twenties, the turnout was less than 30% in all cases.
Tokyo has a population of approximately 14.2 million, and its total budget for fiscal year 2025 is ¥17.8 trillion JPY ($123.5 billion USD). Everyone must bear in mind that whether or not residents can live safely in Japan's capital in the end depends on the choices made by voters.
Author: Editorial Board, The Sankei Shimbun
このページを 日本語 で読む
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Japan Forward
5 days ago
- Japan Forward
Tokyo Assembly Candidates, Talk to Young Voters About Definite Plans
このページを 日本語 で読む The next election for seats in the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly was announced on June 13. Voting will be held 10 days later on June 22. While this election is widely viewed as a warm-up for the nationwide summer House of Councillors (Upper House) election, Tokyo, the nation's capital, faces a wide range of challenges of its own. Disaster prevention and measures to combat declining births are high priorities. Policies made in Tokyo have an impact on local governments around the country. Therefore, we would like to see a sincere and informed policy debate. Approximately 300 candidates are expected to run for the 127 seats up for grabs in the metropolitan assembly election. Every party has pledged to combat the recent rise in prices by promoting wage increases, advocating support for household finances, and subsidizing rent. However, all of them need to clearly explain the effectiveness and feasibility of the policies they advocate. They must especially let voters know how they will secure the financial resources to carry out their proposals. Mid- to long-term policies addressing these problems cannot simply be left until later. To start, there needs to be a thorough discussion about disaster prevention measures, which are directly related to the lives of Tokyo residents. According to the Tokyo Metropolitan Government's own projections, if a major earthquake were to occur directly beneath the capital, approximately 100,000 people would be killed or injured. Another roughly three million people would be forced to evacuate. Additionally, there is concern that Mount Fuji could erupt at any time. In such an event, large amounts of volcanic ash could paralyze city functions. How should we deal with such situations? Furthermore, there is a need to expedite the construction of underground or air raid shelters in preparation for emergencies. Voters listen to the speeches of candidates in the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly election on June 13 in Tokyo's Setagaya Ward. (©Sankei by Hideyuki Matsui) Maintaining public order in the capital also requires stronger measures against illegal residence and employment of foreigners. Accordingly, measures regarding foreigners are expected to be included in the central government's basic policy. Hopefully, there will be coordination at all levels of government while addressing these problems. Policies to deal with declining births also need to be thoroughly addressed and aired with the public. According to the 2024 Vital Statistics, Tokyo's "total fertility rate" fell below 1.0 for the second consecutive year. That made it the lowest among all of Japan's prefectures. Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike is tackling this problem. Nevertheless, it is also the role of the metropolitan assembly to ascertain whether the support measures for child-rearing she is promoting are appropriate. Another topic requiring attention is how election campaigns are conducted. There were several notable problems during the Tokyo gubernatorial election in July 2024. For example, there were numerous instances where election notice board squares for candidate flyers were plastered instead with images of animals and nearly naked people. A noticeboar d in Setagaya Ward displays election flyers and details of the revised Public Election Law, on June 13. (©Sankei by Hideyuki Matsui) While not in Tokyo, there were also problems during the Hyogo Prefecture gubernatorial election in November 2024. Those included rampant slanderous attacks on and false information about candidates on social media. Fair, orderly elections are a pillar of democracy. Anything that undermines that ideal cannot be tolerated. Increasing voter turnout is another challenge, especially among younger voters. Consider turnout in the past three metropolitan assembly elections. Overall turnout was 43.50% in 2013, 51.28% in 2017, and 42.39% in 2021. But among voters in their twenties, the turnout was less than 30% in all cases. Tokyo has a population of approximately 14.2 million, and its total budget for fiscal year 2025 is ¥17.8 trillion JPY ($123.5 billion USD). Everyone must bear in mind that whether or not residents can live safely in Japan's capital in the end depends on the choices made by voters. Author: Editorial Board, The Sankei Shimbun このページを 日本語 で読む
Vancouver Sun
05-06-2025
- Vancouver Sun
The newest Tory senator is a Trudeau appointee. What to know about about David Adams Richards
Less than two weeks after becoming a non-affiliated member of Canada's Senate, New Brunswick Sen. David Adams Richards elected to join the Conservative Party of Canada's caucus in Parliament's Upper House this week. The 74-year-old declined an interview with National Post, but an emailed statement illustrated an obvious frustration with both Justin Trudeau and Prime Minister Mark Carney's Liberal Party of Canada. 'For years, so many of the concerns I and others had about our country were dismissed by an insular, self-absorbed government, with an almost blind indifference to ordinary men and women,' wrote Richards, an award-winning and celebrated Canadian writer. Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. 'Now the Liberals are insisting on policies that certain senators pleaded for and who were so often ridiculed and refused.' Richards didn't elaborate on specific policies, but Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre said during the recent federal election campaign that Carney and the Liberals were 'plagiarizing' ideas from the Tory platform. In a statement posted to X, Sen. Leo Housakos, newly acclaimed Leader of the Opposition in the Senate, welcomed Richards to a group 'that is home to diverse opinions and healthy debate, consensus and cooperation, grounded in common-sense principles and committed to the important work of a robust and healthy opposition.' BREAKING 🚨 'The Honourable Leo Housakos, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate, is pleased to welcome Senator David Adams Richards to the Conservative Senate Caucus.' 'L'honorable Leo Housakos, Leader de l'opposition au Sénat, est heureux d'accueillir le sénateur David Adams… Here's what to know about Richards. Richards the writer Born in 1950, Richards was raised in New Castle, N.B., a suburb of Miramichi, where his parents operated a local movie theatre. He's married to Peggy McIntyre, with whom he has two sons, John Thomas and Anton Richards. While his first published work after studying literature and philosophy at St. Thomas University in the early 1970s was a small book of poems, Richards became an acclaimed Canadian novelist with 16 titles on his resume, along with six non-fiction books and two collections of short stories. His writings have been translated into 12 languages and are part of the curriculum of Canadian and U.S. universities, according to the Senate of Canada. In a style said to be influenced by the likes of Leo Tolstoy and compared to William Blake, his fiction work is mostly set in the Miramichi Valley where he grew up and the characters are inspired by the lives and experiences of its poor and working-class people. 'Through the characters of his fictionalized Miramichi, David Adams Richards explores conflicts between families with long community histories, the long-term consequences of errors in judgment, the complexity of making moral choices, and humanity's unfortunate willingness to remember faults sooner than virtues,' per his bio in the Canadian Encyclopedia. Richards has been a writer-in-residence at multiple universities and colleges across Canada, three of which have awarded him honorary doctorates — the University of New Brunswick (1995), Mount Allison University in Sackville (2008), and St. Thomas University in Fredericton (1990). He received the same honour from the Atlantic School of Theology in 2010. In 1998, he became one of just three Canadian writers to win a Governor General's Literary Award in both fiction and non-fiction for Nights Below Station Street (1988) and Lines on the Water: A Fisherman's Life on the Miramichi (1998). Writers Laura G. Salverson and Hugh MacLennan are the others. Meanwhile, his 1993 fiction novel For Those Who Hunt the Wounded Down and 2007's The Lost Highway were also nominated for the government honour. In 2000, his Mercy Among the Children was a co-winner of the Giller Prize along with Anil's Ghost by Michael Ondaatje, the only time two recipients have shared the honour in its 31-year history. Lost Highway and The Friends of Meager Fortune (2006) were both longlisted for the Giller. Richards has also been awarded two Gemini Awards for scriptwriting (Small Gifts and For Those Who Hunt the Wounded Down), the Alden Nowlan Award for Excellence in the Arts, the Canadian Authors Association Award for his novel Evening Snow Will Bring Such Peace, the 2011 Matt Cohen Award for a distinguished lifetime of contribution to Canadian literature and the Canada-Australia Literary Prize. He is a member of the Order of New Brunswick (2005) and the Order of Canada (2009). Richards the Senator When first appointed to the Senate by Trudeau in 2017 , two years after the then-prime minister established the Independent Advisory Board for Senate Appointments to make the Upper House less partisan, Richards joined the relatively new Independent Senators Group (ISG). The cohort had come together the year prior, not as a political party, but to work together on procedural and administrative matters, and had quickly grown to be the largest group in the Senate at 43 members. Its size is what led to his departure to sit as a non-affiliated senator. 'There was certainly a leaning toward government bills which I thought at certain times I didn't completely support,' he told Jason VandenBeukel in an interview for his doctoral thesis in political science from the University of Toronto. 'And so I decided I will be an independent and come to my own conclusions about things.' Today I was pleased to preside over the swearing-in of the Hon. David Adams Richards to the @SenateCA . Welcome to the Upper Chamber. #SenCA In November 2019, he was one of the founding members of the new Canadian Senators Group (CSG), which was established in part to address centralization within the Senate, particularly in the ISG, and to reinforce senators' roles as regional representatives. He remained with the second-largest ensemble in the upper house until May 21 this year, when he left to again sit as a non-affiliated member. He's the only Liberal-appointed Senator to have joined the Conservative caucus, which now counts 12 s enators. As of Thursday, ISG leads the way with 45 members, CSG follows with 21, the Progressive Senator Group has 18, and there are eight non-affiliated. There's one vacancy — the seat left behind upon Don Plet's mandatory retirement at the age of 75 earlier last month. He'll soon be joined in retirement by Richards, who turns 75 on Oct. 17. In the Senate, Richards has been critical of Trudeau's Liberal government at times, particularly regarding Bills C-11, the Online Streaming Act, and C-22, Ottawa's controversial firearms legislation. On the latter, in June of 2023, he stood in the Senate to lament Canadians being lectured 'by a government that assumes and presupposes a superior moral nature against certain members of its own citizenry, and acts with uppity condescension toward so many who have done no wrong, suspecting them — without evidence — of things they would not do, while being unable to stop those who will continue to do wrong despite the regulations they continuously and tiresomely propose.' He voted against it, but C-21 would receive royal assent in December. As for the Online Streaming Act, he called it 'censorship passing as national inclusion' and then read from an essay explaining how it puts freedom of speech and thought under threat. 'This is not opening the gate to greatness but only to compliance,' he said. 'The writers I know don't need to advance to fit an agenda, and neither do the songwriters or bloggers. When this bill mentions how we have evolved, it is simply a suggestion to comply.' It, too, received Royal Assent. Years earlier, it wasn't legislation that Richards fervently spoke out against; it was how the uninformed vernacular used by U.S. hockey play-by-play broadcasters was changing how their Canadian counterparts call a game. Reading from a statement, he said players don't wear jerseys, they wear sweaters, and they put them on in the dressing room, not the locker room. There's no such thing as a half wall, he insisted, it's just the boards. And don't call it a slapper, it's a slapshot. 'These odious phrases are all momentary inventions by American play-by-play announcers who have never played or understood the game, and worse, almost sacrilegious, have no respect for millions of Canadians who do understand and love the game. Sayings now adopted by Canadians who have no sense of tradition,' Richards said. 'The first thing lost is the game's essential genius.' Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark and sign up for our daily newsletter, Posted, here .
Cision Canada
10-05-2025
- Cision Canada
Abu Dhabi and Japan sign agreements to strengthen partnerships, boost bilateral trade and investments
ABU DHABI, UAE, May 10, 2025 /CNW/ -- An Abu Dhabi economic delegation, led by the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development (ADDED), concluded a successful visit to Japan, signing agreements with government entities and the private sector to further enhance partnerships in various industries and high-growth clusters. The Abu Dhabi economic delegation, comprising representatives from more than 80 public sector entities, private enterprises, SMEs, and startups, engaged in high-level meetings with top government officials, key businesses and investors in Japan, exploring collaboration opportunities in across key sectors including life sciences, carbon-neutral technologies, AI, digital infrastructure, robotics, advanced manufacturing, and financial services. The delegation visited Expo 2025 Osaka and SusHi Tech – Tokyo, and organised the 11 th Abu Dhabi Japan Economic Council (ADJEC) meeting, the Abu Dhabi Investment Forum (ADIF) and Abu Dhabi-Japan Business Forum, highlighting cooperation opportunities and the role of Abu Dhabi's 'Falcon Economy' initiatives in accelerating transition towards a smart, diversified, and sustainable development. 12 homegrown startups, supported by Hub71 and Khalifa Fund, participated in SusHi Tech- Tokyo, Asia's premier startup and innovation conference, highlighting Abu Dhabi's tech talent, solutions, and investment opportunities in innovation-driven industries. Organised in partnership with the UAE Embassy in Tokyo, the visit included meetings with H.E. Hirofumi Yoshimura, Governor of Osaka, H.E. Yuriko Koike, Governor of Tokyo, H.E. Nobuhiko Yamaguchi, Vice Governor of Osaka, H.E. Ogushi Masaki, State Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry, H.E. Takeuchi Shinji, Parliamentary Vice-Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), and H.E. H.E. Kodaira Nobuyori, President of the Japan Cooperation Center for the Middle East (JCCME). The delegation also met senior officials and executives of the Osaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Japan Business Federation (Keidanren), Sumitomo Corporation, Cosmo Energy, ITOCHU, and Toshiba. His Excellency Ahmed Jasim Al Zaabi, Chairman of ADDED, said: "Guided by our leadership's ambitious vision, we are doubling down on our efforts to future-proof the economy and cement Abu Dhabi's stature as a rising economic powerhouse and a global hub for talent, business, investment, and trade". "Our visit to Japan presented a valuable opportunity to further strengthen our longstanding partnership by exploring new avenues of collaboration in various sectors. The agreements signed during this visit reinforce our commitment to deepening partnerships across priority industries and clusters to address giga shifts in the global economy. We remain committed to enhancing cooperation with key economies and trading partners, making human development and sustainability our top priorities to shape a brighter tomorrow". The agreements signed during the visit included a strategic partnership for smart mobility solutions between Emirates Driving Company and Zenmov, a leading company in smart mobility solutions, and Abu Dhabi Chamber and the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) agreement to deepen business relations and create new opportunities for collaboration. In addition, the Emirates Foundation's Nema initiative and Japan International Cooperation Center (JICE) inked an agreement to bolster cooperation to support achieving Nema's goal of reducing food loss and waste by 50 percent by 2030, in line with the UAE's National Food Security Strategy 2051 and U.N. Sustainable Development Goals. His Excellency Shihab Ahmed Alfaheem, Ambassador of the UAE to Japan, said: "The visit of the Abu Dhabi economic delegation to Japan underscores the strength and strategic depth of the UAE–Japan relationship — one that is rooted in decades of trust and collaboration, and now firmly focused on the future. Japan's global leadership in digital innovation, smart infrastructure, sustainable mobility, and advanced manufacturing aligns closely with Abu Dhabi's economic diversification goals and its ambition to build a resilient, knowledge-based, and climate-conscious economy." H.E. Alfaheem added:"This mission represents a pivotal moment in our bilateral ties, as we prepare to activate transformative frameworks such as the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA). CEPA will provide unprecedented access to markets, streamline cross-border investment, and facilitate greater technological exchange between our nations. It is through such frameworks that we will unlock the full potential of UAE–Japan collaboration across sectors — from clean energy and AI to startups and industrial R&D. The UAE Embassy in Tokyo is proud to support this high-level engagement. We remain committed to fostering meaningful partnerships between Emirati and Japanese institutions, and to advancing shared priorities that will shape the next era of sustainable, innovation-led growth." Bilateral trade between the UAE and Japan rose 4.8 percent to AED 182.4 billion (USD 49.7 billion) in 2024, compared to AED 174 billion (USD 47.4 billion) in 2023, while non-oil trade grew 2.2 percent over the same period, reflecting growing ties between the two economies. UAE investment in Japan has increased 100% over the past five years, while the country accounts for 80 percent of Japanese investments in the Middle East. The Abu Dhabi economic delegation included senior officials and executives from government entities, private sector's companies, and startups, including the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX), ADGM, Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO), Abu Dhabi Customs, Khalifa Fund for Enterprise Development, Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ADCCI), ADNOC, KEZAD, Hub71, Abu Dhabi Airports, and major companies from different sectors.
