Latest from Yomiuri Shimbun
Yomiuri Shimbun
4 hours ago
- Politics
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Council on Elections Asks Voters to Be Mindful of Fake Information; No New Legislation Ready Before Upper House Election
A council on election campaigning comprised of seven ruling and opposition parties on Friday issued a statement calling on voters to be mindful of dis- and misinformation on social media ahead of the upcoming House of Councillors election. The statement only went so far as to urge platform operators to strengthen countermeasures on their own initiative, with no relevant legislation to be put forward before the upper house election. The campaign begins on Thursday, with voting to take place on July 20. Before any effective countermeasures can be enacted, there are thorny issues that need to be resolved, including those associated with the 'freedom of expression' guaranteed by the Constitution. The statement also requested that voters confirm the source and authenticity of information they obtain on social media and expressed hope that they 'would utilize social media and other means to contribute to the development of democracy in Japan.' It also stated that the council would 'strive to meet the expectations of the people.' Ichiro Aisawa, chairman of the LDP's Research Commission on the Election System, who is responsible for organizing the discussions, at a press conference on Friday emphasized that the council would continue to consider concrete measures for strengthening regulations. The council — which consists of representatives from the Liberal Democratic Party, Komeito, the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, the Japan Innovation Party, the Democratic Party for the People, Reiwa Shinsengumi and the Japanese Communist Party — has been considering specific measures to strengthen regulations on social media related to elections. Discussions on such measures among the council began in December, in response to disturbances that cropped up in local elections in various parts of the country earlier last year. In the Tokyo gubernatorial election, for example, campaign posters lacking in dignity, including one showing an almost naked woman, were an issue. In response, the ruling and opposition parties enacted a revised Public Offices Election Law in March that calls for a certain level of decency in campaign posters. However, with regards to measures to deal with dis- and misinformation on social media, the council has only been able to include the phrase 'necessary measures will be taken' in the supplementary provisions of the law. Thus, no specific countermeasures have been included. At the council meeting held on June 4, the LDP, which is leading the discussions, presented some measures to cope with dis- and misinformation on social media. However, some challenges that face their enactment have been pointed out. A proposal to establish a provision that would urge platform operators to immediately delete posts when a complaint about defamation is lodged by a candidate or others may infringe on the 'freedom of expression' of those who posted it if the post is deleted without their consent. Aisawa was also asked at the press conference when the council would reach a conclusion on the matter. But he only said, 'I would like to refrain from making any statement [on this matter].' Hiroshi Ogushi, executive deputy president of the CDPJ, also did not go into details, saying only, 'We pledge to continue our discussions vigorously even after the Diet session in the autumn in order to reach a conclusion.'
Yomiuri Shimbun
6 hours ago
- General
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Tohoku Shinkansen Collides with Bear; Services Suspended
The Tohoku Shinkansen line was suspended after a bullet train collided with a bear while traveling in Miyagi Prefecture on Saturday afternoon. According to East Japan Railway Co., the train that collided with the bear was Hayabusa No. 25, which was bound for Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto from Tokyo. It was coupled with Komachi No. 25, which was bound for Akita. The train was traveling between Sendai and Furukawa stations when it detected an abnormal noise at 4:02 p.m., and an inspection of the cars was conducted. As a result, Tohoku Shinkansen services were suspended for 37 minutes between Sendai and Morioka. The company said it was a very unusual accident and that it is unclear how the bear got onto the tracks. A train crew member spotted the bear in the direction of travel before the collision and found the carcass near the tracks after the train stopped.
Yomiuri Shimbun
7 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Anselm Kiefer Solo Exhibition Held in Kyoto's Nijo Castle; Post-WWII German Master Presents ‘Solaris'
Why has humanity continuously repeated tragedies? This question came to mind while viewing a solo exhibition of artworks by German artist Anselm Kiefer at Nijo Castle in Kyoto. The exhibition, which ended Sunday at the World Heritage site, featured selected works of the 80-year-old master, who represents a post-World War II artists' circle in the country. Kiefer is known for massive works that touch on themes related to mythology, religion and science. The artist, born in 1945, overlayed Japanese and Western histories and senses of beauty, and posed this deep question in a world where war has continued unabated. This was Kiefer's first large-scale exhibition in Japan in about 30 years. The items on display comprised 33 artworks, mainly newer ones, including paintings and first work that greeted visitors was an about 9-meter-tall lead sculpture titled 'Ra,' which was placed outdoors. As if resisting the unescapable force of gravity, a pallet with wings extending widely demonstrates the power of imagination, making visitors wonder if the work may be able to take flight. Most of the artworks were displayed inside dimly lit buildings and illuminated only by natural light. The castle is famous for its kinpeki-shohekiga — screen or wall paintings mainly using gold and blue colors — which was invented by the Kano school of artists. The traditional space suited Kiefer's works painted using gold colors, fascinating visitors. Entering the spacious Daidokoro area of the castle's Ninomaru-goten Palace, visitors saw a painting symbolizing the exhibition. The work is about 4 meters high and about 10 meters wide and titled 'For Octavio Paz.' The large-scale painting harshly depicts scorched earth immediately after an atomic bombing. Soft light depicted in the work accentuates the fury of a person at the center of the scene. In contrast, works in the Okiyodokoro area showed a marvelous expanding scene that looks like a golden wheat field. The installation was titled 'Morgenthau Plan.' The installation related to a plan that the United States devised during World War II to make Germany a country without advanced industries after the war. The work overlayed images of rich natural environments, loss in the war and the postwar occupation. The overlaid images depicted Germany's complicated postwar history. Kiefer was born in a German city that had been devastated and has led a modern art movement with his harsh painting style. His techniques include using sand, lead and straw in layers on a canvas and even burning them. What has always stuck with Kiefer is his willingness to face up to the dark history of his country and confront the hardships of mankind. The subhead of the exhibition was 'Solaris,' which means 'related to the sun.' The works looked at the world 80 years after the war and radiated the strength to illuminate the next generation.
Yomiuri Shimbun
7 hours ago
- Business
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Public Assistance Ruling: Govt Bears Heavy Responsibility for Failing to Justify Reductions
Public assistance is an essential system for ensuring that people in need can live with peace of mind. A court ruling emphasized the need for careful consideration when changing the amount of benefits in the system. In lawsuits filed by recipients who argued that significant reductions in welfare benefits violated the Public Assistance Law, the Third Petty Bench of the Supreme Court ruled that the reductions were illegal and ordered cancellation of the cuts. The ruling has become finalized. Similar lawsuits have been filed in 29 district courts nationwide, and this ruling sets a precedent for those cases. The central and local governments will likely need to recalculate appropriate amounts not only for the plaintiffs in the lawsuits but also for all other recipients at the time of the cuts. The standard amounts for welfare benefits serve as a benchmark for other support programs, such as reductions and exemptions for childcare fees and national pension insurance premiums. These programs may also be affected. The Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry announced cuts of up to 10% in the standard amounts for food and utilities support welfare benefits during a period from 2013 to 2015, resulting in a total reduction of ¥67 billion. This measure was said to be to respond to the declines in prices and wages following the 2008 collapse of U.S. investment bank Lehman Brothers. The main point of contention in the litigations was the appropriateness of the 'deflation adjustment' reflecting the rate of price declines. The Supreme Court said that 'the revised rates in the deflation adjustment based solely on the rates of price fluctuations lacked consistency with expert knowledge,' concluding that 'the health, labor and welfare minister's judgment exceeded or abused discretion and was therefore illegal.' As for the series of the lawsuits, the cuts were ruled illegal in seven cases at the high court level. The government is considered to have broad discretionary authority, and courts generally tend to respect its judgment. In that sense, the top court's strict ruling can be described as significant. The review of public assistance was carried out after the Liberal Democratic Party included it in its campaign pledges for the 2012 House of Representatives election. Is there any suspicion that the calculations were distorted to achieve a predetermined reduction? The government should reexamine the decision-making process for the reductions and fulfill its accountability to the public. Welfare benefits in the public assistance program are received by 1.65 million households, half of which are single-person elderly households. The number of applications for welfare benefits has increased for five consecutive years, probably because more households find it difficult to make ends meet due to the COVID-19 pandemic and rising prices. The Constitution states, 'All people shall have the right to maintain the minimum standards of wholesome and cultured living,' and imposes on the state the duty to protect this right. Since reductions in welfare benefits directly affect people's lives, clear reasons for cuts are necessary. The government must enhance the transparency of the system. (From The Yomiuri Shimbun, June 28, 2025)
Yomiuri Shimbun
8 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Kagawa: Figurine of Satirized Man Becomes Hit Among Young People; Researchers Hope to Boost Artists' Profile
ZENTSUJI, Kagawa — A figurine depicting a character from a 20th century satirical cartoon burning a banknote to light up the darkness has become a hit, especially among young people. The cartoon, 'Narikin Eiga Jidai' (Nouveau riche era), was drawn by Kunibo Wada (1899-1992), an artist born in Kagawa Prefecture. The Kyuman Museum of Art in Zentsuji, which conducts research on Kunibo's work, hopes the figurine will raise the artist's profile. One of Kunibo's best-known cartoons portrays society in the 1910-20s, when the nouveau riche appeared and amassed a fortune during and after World War I. The cartoon has even appeared in Japanese history the cartoon, a female employee of a high-end Japanese restaurant is anxiously searching its dark entrance for a customer's shoes while the customer, an elderly man, stands nearby burning a ¥100 banknote. He is smiling broadly and saying, 'How's this? It's brighter now, right?' At that time, ¥100 would have been worth over a hundred thousand yen today. In recent years, the cartoon caught the eye of Daiki Yoshimoto, who runs a figurine production company in Kobe. He reproduced the character. When he put the figurines on the market in July 2022 for ¥5,000, orders flooded in. 'He has a charming face and seemed ideal for a figurine,' Yoshimoto said. The Kyuman museum also sells other products featuring the character, including a clear plastic folder and postcards. 'More young people are visiting the museum thanks to the figurines,' said Miki Nishitani, a curator at the museum. 'I hope it will lead to more people knowing about Kunibo.'
