1995 Hanshin-Awaji quake victims still struggling to find place to get settled

It has been 20 years since the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake claimed 6,434 lives and damaged about 470,000 houses on January 17, 1995. Many disaster victims living in publicly-rented housing units have now been required to move to other places.

Labor ministry panel begins discussing zero-overtime payment system

In defiance of strong opposition from trade unions, the Labor Ministry on January 16 at its Labor Policy Council sub-committee meeting proposed a new system legalizing overtime without pay.

Gov’t forcibly resumes on-sea project for new US base construction

Amid strong protests from Okinawans, the Japanese Defense Ministry’s Okinawa Defense Bureau on January 15 forcibly resumed the on-sea project as part of preparation for the construction of a new U.S. base in Nago’s Henoko district.