Overview
- On Nov. 26, the Democratic Party for the People submitted a Lower House spy-prevention bill that creates a notification system for activities tied to foreign interests, strengthens intelligence functions, and establishes a new headquarters led by the prime minister.
- The Sanseito filed its own bill in the Upper House on Nov. 25, as the Liberal Democratic Party and Japan Innovation Party pledged in their coalition agreement to move quickly on legislation.
- Higashikagura Town set 2026 utility hikes of 23% for water and 49% for sewer services, citing rising electricity costs and limited room for general-fund subsidies.
- Fukui Governor Tatsuji Sugimoto resigned after acknowledging messages judged as sexual harassment, and preparations are underway for a likely Jan. 25 gubernatorial vote.
- A full recount in Kamisu, Ibaraki, confirmed a tie at 16,724 votes each, leaving the lot-draw result in place; Sapporo police are probing a roughly ¥25 million crypto romance-scam loss and arrested a suspected cash-out operative in a separate case, while funding reports show LDP lawmaker Norio Kitamura’s groups paid at least ¥22.24 million since 2016 to firms led by his policy secretary.