Agreement on normalization of Diet, Imperial House Law amendment bill to enter deliberation on 10th

LDP gives up on reducing lower house seats, opposition returns to deliberations, Diet normalizes On the 8th, LDP Diet Affairs Committee Chairman Hiroshi Kajiyama informed centrist reform coalition Diet Affairs Committee Chairman Kazuhiko Shigenori that the party would abandon the passage of the bill to reduce the number of lower house members in the current Diet session. The opposition parties agreed to return to deliberations, and consented to cooperate on the deliberation of the Imperial House Law amendment bill and the sub-capital related bill. A concentrated deliberation of the Budget Committee with the Prime Minister's attendance is also expected to be held within the session. 1234

Imperial House Law amendment bill to enter deliberation on 10th, likely to pass in current Diet On the 8th, the board of the House of Representatives Steering Committee agreed on a schedule to begin deliberation on the Imperial House Law amendment bill on the 10th and hold a vote. The Constitutional Democratic Party decided to oppose, but the centrist reform coalition supports it conditionally on amendments to the supplementary resolution, and the Democratic Party for the People and others are expected to support. Even in the House of Councillors, where the ruling party is a minority, passage is highly likely. 15

Basic policy to revise monetary policy description amid rising long-term interest rates The government is adjusting to revise the description of monetary policy in the draft of the 'Basic Policy on Economic and Fiscal Management.' The draft is seen as a factor in the rise in long-term interest rates due to concerns that it was restraining the Bank of Japan's interest rate hikes. 6

Tokyo considers lifting bear hunting ban for first time in about 20 years due to increased urban appearances The Tokyo Metropolitan Government is considering lifting the ban on bear hunting for the first time in about 20 years since 2008, due to an increase in Asian black bear appearances in urban areas. The estimated population within Tokyo is up to 378 bears, and there have already been five fatal accidents nationwide this fiscal year. 7

Former Unification Church to continue activities under same-name voluntary organization during liquidation proceedings The former Unification Church (Family Federation for World Peace and Unification), whose dissolution was finalized by the Supreme Court, intends to continue activities as a voluntary organization under the name 'Religious Organization World Peace and Unification Family Federation' during the liquidation process. The approximately 280 church facilities nationwide cannot be used, and they are continuing worship online. 8

Soccer player Kaoru Mitoma causes injury accident by running red light, woman lightly injured On the morning of the 8th, Japanese national soccer team player Kaoru Mitoma missed a red light while driving a passenger car in Itabashi-ku, Tokyo, and collided with a bicycle. The 48-year-old woman on the bicycle suffered minor injuries requiring two weeks to heal. His agency commented, 'We sincerely apologize from the bottom of our hearts.' 9

49-year-old woman arrested in Ibaraki Prefecture for sewing lips of cohabiting woman A 49-year-old unemployed woman, Masae Sakurai, from Koga City, Ibaraki Prefecture, was arrested on suspicion of sewing the lips of a 42-year-old woman she lived with using a needle and thread. The victim fled to a store on June 30 and wrote a plea for help on paper, leading to the discovery. The two had been living together since April last year. 10

Three arrested for brokering overseas organ transplants, first such case nationwide On the 8th, the Metropolitan Police Department and others arrested three people, including a former NPO executive, on suspicion of violating the Organ Transplant Law (prohibition of brokering). They are believed to have brokered overseas organ transplants and received compensation. This is the first crackdown for violating the law nationwide. 11