Legal issues in Japan

Topic Overview: Police are going to more strongly restrict people who buy or sell bank accounts. One of the main reasons is that these bank accounts are often used for scams and fraud. In many cases, accounts are sold through social media or disguised as part time jobs. Some people do not even realize that selling a bank account is illegal. Because the current penalties are not strong enough, the government is planning to strengthen the law and impose stricter regulations. My personal view:   I was not aware that these issues existed. Moreover, I honestly did not realize that bank accounts could be bought and sold. However, I was aware that scams and fraud have become more common in daily life, and I believe that almost everyone who uses a phone has experienced them in some way. Despite this, these crimes are often not taken as seriously as other types of crimes.  In my personal view, issues related to taxes or money are treated very seriously in Japan. Therefore, the police s...

Topic Overview: A first law has been established in Japan and will take effect on December 18. The aim is to increase competition among companies and reduce the power of Big Tech firms such as Google and Apple. Under the new regulation, Apple and Google must allow third-party app stores and also permit other payment systems. Moreover, users will have the opportunity to choose different search engines and browsers, and different devices will be allowed to work together, such as through AirDrop-like features.  Furthermore, fines will be imposed if companies break the rules, although exceptions are allowed for security, privacy, and child protection. Overall, this law is expected to have positive impacts on both consumers and developers. Consumers will have more choices for apps and payment methods, and developers will find it easier to enter the market. On the other hand, companies are concerned about security risks and the lack of clarity in the rules. 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　My personal v...

Topic Overview: Population decrease has been a serious issue in Japan, and although the government has made some efforts, no measures have been effective enough to stop the trend. As of January 1, 2025, the total population was 124,330 , including foreign nationals. The number has dropped by approximately 554,485 people , or 0.44 percent , marking one of the largest declines on record.  Some of the reasons are the low birth rate, low wages, shortage of living space, harsher employment conditions, and the heavy responsibility placed on women. However, the research explains that the population is rising in Chiba and Tokyo because immigrants and workers from overseas are increasing, which the government is struggling to handle due to the rapid growth of the foreign population. Furthermore, experts emphasize that Japan needs stronger nationwide measures and protections to address the demographic challenges. From a worldwide perspective, the records show that Japan is not the only count...

Topic Overview:     In 2024, the government in Japan has seriously taken the cyber  issues and established the Active Cyber Defense Law.  The government would monitor  online activity, and if the attacks are shown, they handle  the political defense. Cyberattacks have frequently occurred in large companies such as Asahi and Askul Corporation. A Russian hacker group called Qilin  has been sharing the ways or giving the programs on how to cyber attack to others. Thus, a major issue is that many people could access it and people could hack more often.  Furthermore, hacking is becoming worse; double, triple, or quadruple extortion  means encrypting the data so the company can’t use it, threatening to leak the data, and adding pressure. Moreover, even if the company pays for the ransom, there is no guarantee that the data would be restored like before, and crimes would happen more often, so experts advise not to pay the ransom. My person...

    Topic Overview:                                                                                                                                                                                                        Japan has been facing a serious issue of wild bears coming down into towns where people live, and 13 people have become victims, marking the highest number on record. Since April 2025, bears have appeared in supermarkets, schools, and even inside houses on a daily basis....

Topic overview: In 2019, Japan built the workplace harassment law. This law applies when there is bullying, an excessive workload, or when the work environment causes harmful conditions inside the community. Until this law was established in Japan, many workers had experienced harassment, with about 70% being affected. However, people in Japan often do not report harassment to their workplace because many workers feel that the workplace would not help or listen to their voices.  Because the workplace harassment law has been established, when a workplace does not take action or does not support workers, some kind of damage or legal consequences may occur. In order to avoid a lawsuit or not be sued by employees, experts advise employers not to raise their voices or scold workers in front of others, to give clear examples or guidance when mistakes happen, to recognize the personality of each worker, not to show hatred toward them, and to interact with them as they would with business ...