Category Archives: Others

A number of women in their 30s living at local municipalities designated as “depopulated municipalities” has been increasing, Research Institute for Sustainable Community, based at Masuda City, Shimane Prefecture, finds in its latest study. According to the study of the Research Institute, the population of the young generation also tends to grow even at local municipalities in mountainous areas as well as outer islands located especially in a western part of Japan. The Institute has made a study of population movements at 794 designated “depopulated municipalities” in Japan on the basis of national censuses conducted in 2010 and 2015. Among these depopulated municipalities, a number of female residents aged 30 … Continue reading →

The Government of Japan decided at an April 4 Cabinet meeting to enforce on November 1 the “Technical Intern Training Program Law” revised to enhance the supervision of companies, farmers and other organizations accepting foreign workers under the governmental technical intern trainee program. The Law provides for penalties if the employer of foreign trainee workers abuses their human rights by forcing them with illegal long hour works and the like. Under the revised Law, the maximum length for employment of foreign trainee workers will be extended from the existing three years to five years. The current technical intern trainee system is consisted of “Technical Intern Training (i)” (one-year program) and … Continue reading →

On March 30, 49 breeding cows and calves were returned to the village of Katsurao in Fukushima Prefecture for the first time since the entire village was evacuated following the 2011 accident at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant. It is the largest number of cows coming back to a municipality which had been designated as a no-go zone. Cattle breeders, who had been conducting decontamination works ever since the evacuation order was lifted in the village in June, are happy to resume their business after six years. But at the same time, they are worried whether they can ship their calves without facing harmful rumors. At a farm … Continue reading →

Support rating for farm policies of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s administration is still remaining at a lower level of only 29 percent, although it has risen by four point since the previous poll was conducted in June 2016, the Japan Agricultural News revealed on March 31 in a report on its poll conducted in March 2017 for its 1200 subscribers, mostly farmers, registered as agricultural policy monitors throughout the country. The opinion poll on farm policies was responded by 909 subscribers. The approval rating for Shinzo Abe’s Cabinet rose to 48 percent by 11 points over the previous poll, almost equally matching the disapproval rating at 51 percent. Fifty seven … Continue reading →