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The Mainichi
2 days ago
- Politics
- The Mainichi
After spouse passes, Japan woman 'uplifted' by alternate online political info, candidates
TOKYO -- In the Japanese capital in mid-May, a woman planning to run in this summer's House of Councillors election was delivering a speech on the basement floor of JR Shinjuku Station's west exit, with the subject centering around criticism of the Chinese Communist Party. Many in the audience intently listened, with around 60 to 70 people staying throughout her two-hour speech. "Unless people take interest in politics, Japan will become a colony of China," the woman stated. In the audience was Yamada (a pseudonym), a 70-year-old woman, with a "hinomaru" Japanese flag of the rising sun in her hand. A resident of the Tokyo suburban city of Machida, she works part-time at a nursing care facility. "I've been coming here since last week. That's because I've noticed that something is wrong with Japan. I'm listening to a lot of people on videos. You don't know what's going on in Japan by watching the news (in mass media). They are biased. The Mainichi Shimbun gets commissions by selling information to China, doesn't it? That's no good," she harshly told this reporter when I approached her for an interview. The Mainichi is not selling information obtained through its news coverage to Chinese authorities. But she wouldn't give me room to refute her claims. She repeatedly mentioned a "conspiracy theory" and said, "Around half of Diet members are people from 'the other side.'" Yet, Yamada gradually began to share her own life story, and we met again sometime later. She lost her husband to cancer two years ago after nearly half a century of marriage. They had no children, and she was engulfed with a deep sense of loss right after his passing. She was at a loss, and couldn't get anything done. Around half a year ago, finally finding a bit of calm, she started to follow politicians who looked "young, powerful and as good-looking as possible" to her, including Shinji Ishimaru, who garnered massive votes in last year's Tokyo gubernatorial race, and Democratic Party for the People (DPFP) leader Yuichiro Tamaki. "It doesn't cost you any money, and it benefits society. I also get uplifted (while cheering for them)," she explained. Around the same time, she began watching YouTube to learn about politics and world news. In particular, she draws on footage streamed by international affairs analysts emphasizing "the truth that is not reported by the media." She confides, "My brain tends to start thinking about painful things unless it is doing something else. To get away from it (avoid thinking about my husband), I'm watching videos." She spends almost all of her free time viewing those videos, sleep being the only exception. "(My mobile data) is running short," she said with a wry smile. She became a member of the DPFP three months ago. Her reasoning was that the party is powerful enough to achieve a regime change and is "almost centrist." She owns two mobiles -- a smartphone for watching videos and a feature phone. The latter's standby screen shows a picture of her late husband. They are still together, all the time. "Honestly, I'd like to be part of this photo, but I'm doing this as I know I'll still have things to do for the rest of my life," she said.
12-06-2025
- Politics
Japan Opposition DPFP Scraps Plan to Field Ex-Lawmaker Yamao
News from Japan Politics Jun 12, 2025 12:23 (JST) Tokyo, June 12 (Jiji Press)--The Japanese opposition Democratic Party for the People has scrapped its plan to field former lawmaker Shiori Yamao in this summer's election for the House of Councillors, the upper chamber of the Diet. The decision was made at a plenary meeting of its lawmakers Wednesday. Yamao, 50, is under fire on social media over her alleged extramarital affair in the past. This is seen as a factor behind the recent decline in public support for the DPFP. The party announced its plan to put up Yamao as an Upper House candidate May 14. She held a press conference on her candidacy just Tuesday. "We've judged that we wouldn't be able to gain understanding or confidence from voters or party members and supporters across the country" if the party endorses her as an official candidate, DPFP leader Yuichiro Tamaki told reporters Wednesday. [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.] Jiji Press
The Mainichi
06-06-2025
- 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.]
