While a baby born with the mother concealing her identity to authorities will now likely have a family register set up, other obstacles in registering a confidential birth in Japan remain to be addressed.   Although experts are calling for legal revisions so that confidential births can be allowed without administrative exceptions, government officials continue to be reluctant to tackle….Read more

By Horikoshi Rina, staff writer   KUMAMOTO–The city government here has decided to allow Jikei Hospital to proceed with its confidential birth system, which lets a baby be registered without the mother’s name.    Kumamoto officials said some women require anonymity and have no choice but to use the system.   The hospital and city officials plan to meet to….Read more

Tokyo, Feb. 3 (Jiji Press)–The number of suspected child abuse and domestic violence cases in Japan both hit a record high in 2021, a police survey showed Thursday.     “Child abuse and domestic violence tend to stay undetected. We’ll be on increased alert, given social changes such as the spread of coronavirus infections,” a National Police Agency official said.    ….Read more

By Mizukami Yoichiro      1. The death of a Sri Lankan woman      Following the death of a Nigerian man from starvation after he refused to eat at the Omura Immigration Center in June 2019, a Sri Lankan woman (33) died on March 6, 2021, at the Nagoya Regional Immigration Services Bureau’s detention center. The woman fell ill while in custody and….Read more

  Tokyo, Aug. 19 (Jiji Press)–A Japanese health ministry panel on Thursday agreed to provide medical expenses and other aid to 29 people who filed for damages linked to COVID-19 vaccinations.   They will become the first group of people who receive aid from the Japanese government over health damage related to COVID-19 vaccinations.   The 29 people, aged between….Read more

The male-dominated Supreme Court dealt a double-blow to couples who want to retain both surnames after marriage.   Not only did the top court’s Grand Bench rule–again–that legal provisions requiring married couples to use a single surname were constitutional, it also said–again–that the issue should be settled by the Diet, not the courts.   The current Diet is largely controlled….Read more

Tokyo, June 15 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese government in a white paper released Tuesday outlined a policy of using this summer’s Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games as an opportunity to promote a barrier-free society.     The 2021 White Paper on Government Measures for Persons with Disabilities, approved at a cabinet meeting the same day, includes examples of city planning that utilize….Read more

Tokyo, June 2 (Jiji Press)–The number of public welfare benefit applications in Japan rose in fiscal 2020 for the first time since fiscal 2009 in the aftermath of the global financial crisis, a preliminary government survey showed Wednesday.   In fiscal 2020, which ended in March, the number of applications rose 2.3 pct from the previous year to 228,081, according….Read more

By Taishi Sasayama, staff writer   Japan’s minister of loneliness isn’t lonely these days, drawing much attention from media outside the country eager to know exactly what his job entails and if it’s meeting with success.   Tetsushi Sakamoto, responsible for dealing with problems of loneliness and isolation has been deluged with interview requests since taking the job in February, he….Read more