Tokyo is adopting a 4-day workweek in a bid to help boost the nation's record-low fertility rates.
In Japan, the most recent data shows the corresponding figure for the average number of babies a woman is expected to have during her reproductive life came in at 1.20 in 2023.
Starting in April, the Tokyo Metropolitan government, one of the country’s largest employers, will allow its employees to work four days a week. Additionally, a new "childcare partial leave" policy will let some employees reduce their workday by two hours. Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike stated that the aim is to help parents balance childcare and work.
"We will continue to review work styles flexibly to ensure that women do not have to sacrifice their careers due to life events such as childbirth or child-rearing," Koike said in a speech during the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly's regular session, the Japan Times reported.
Currently, Tokyo Metropolitan government employees use a flextime system to adjust their working hours, allowing them to take one extra day off every four weeks. This system will be revised to offer one extra day off per week, enabling employees to work four days a week and have the remaining three days off.
Koike also said they will continue to advance initiatives to address shortages in nursery school vacancies and support egg freezing.
Japan's births fell to record low in 2024
The number of babies born in Japan fell to a record low of 720,988 in 2024 for a ninth consecutive year of decline, said the health ministry, underscoring the rapid ageing and dwindling of the population.
Births were down 5% on the year, despite a range of steps unveiled in 2023 by former Prime Minister Fumio Kishida to boost childbearing, while a record number of 1.62 million deaths meant that more than two people died for every new baby born.
Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba noted the rise in the number of marriages.
"We need to be aware the trend of falling births has not been arrested. But the number of marriages posted an increase. Given close ties between the number of marriages and the number of births, we should focus on this aspect as well," he said.
Japan's ispace Inc. blamed an anomaly in a laser range finder for its second unsuccessful attempt at landing a spacecraft on the moon in early June.
Japan’s core inflation rose to a more than two-year high in May, exceeding the central bank’s 2% target for over three years and increasing pressure on the Bank of Japan (BOJ) to resume rate hikes.
Japan has reportedly cancelled a planned high-level security meeting with the United States after Washington pressed Tokyo to increase its defense spending, according to the Financial Times.
Japanese stocks saw the largest foreign inflow in four weeks during the week ending 14 June, driven by optimism over U.S.-China trade talks and a weaker yen supporting exporters’ earnings.
South Korea and Japan have agreed to deepen their cooperation with the United States in addressing regional security challenges, including North Korea, during a bilateral meeting held on the sidelines of the G7 summit in Canada, according to local media reports.
Masked law enforcement officers have detained Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan, leader of the 'Sacred Struggle' movement in Armenia. He is accused of preparing terrorist attacks and an alleged attempt to seize power, according to the Investigative Committee.
The United States is not planning to impose additional sanctions on Russia for now, aiming instead to keep diplomatic channels open to pursue a peace deal, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Iran is now "much further away from a nuclear weapon" following recent U.S. airstrikes on Tehran’s nuclear sites, contradicting reports that the damage only caused minor delays.
Kazakhstan’s Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov has announced a major reform initiative aimed at strengthening national sovereignty in the country’s space sector.
An historic mission began early on Wednesday (25 June) as astronauts from India, Poland, and Hungary were launched to the International Space Station (ISS) for their countries’ first-ever visit. They were joined by NASA veteran Peggy Whitson.
Iran launched 18 ballistic missiles late Sunday targeting the U.S. military’s Al-Udeid Air Base in Qatar, the largest American installation in the Middle East.
Iranian missiles struck multiple locations across Israel and neighbouring regions early Friday morning, including a Microsoft office complex, according to emergency responders and local media reports.
A high-speed tram derailment in central Gothenburg, Sweden, has left at least eight people injured late on Thursday (19 June), after the vehicle slammed into a snack bar on Avenyn Avenue.
Wizz Air has suspended all flights to and from Tel Aviv, Israel, and its European services to Amman, Jordan, effective immediately until 15 September due to escalating situation in the Middle East. Also, the air carrier temporarily suspended its flights between Astana, Kazakhstan, and Abu Dhabi.
China has unveiled a mosquito-sized bionic drone designed for covert military operations and battlefield reconnaissance, marking a major advance in micro-robotics and stealth technology as part of the country’s growing focus on next-generation warfare capabilities.
Tesla’s new car sales in Europe plunged 27.9% in May, even as the region saw a major rise in demand for electric vehicles, data from the European Automobile Manufacturers Association (ACEA) showed.
Kazakhstan’s Energy Ministry, national oil and gas company KazMunayGas (KMG), and CNOOC Hong Kong Holding Limited—a subsidiary of China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC Limited)—have signed a contract for hydrocarbon exploration and production under the Zhylyoi project.
European markets rallied on Tuesday, with shares climbing more than 1% after U.S. President Donald Trump announced a ceasefire between Israel and Iran, easing geopolitical tensions and lifting investor confidence.
Oil prices fell sharply for a second day after Israel confirmed a U.S.-brokered ceasefire with Iran, easing fears that the conflict would disrupt global energy supplies.
U.S. President Donald Trump called for a major interest rate cut before Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell’s testimony to Congress.
Masked law enforcement officers have detained Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan, leader of the 'Sacred Struggle' movement in Armenia. He is accused of preparing terrorist attacks and an alleged attempt to seize power, according to the Investigative Committee.
The United States is not planning to impose additional sanctions on Russia for now, aiming instead to keep diplomatic channels open to pursue a peace deal, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Iran is now "much further away from a nuclear weapon" following recent U.S. airstrikes on Tehran’s nuclear sites, contradicting reports that the damage only caused minor delays.
Kazakhstan’s Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov has announced a major reform initiative aimed at strengthening national sovereignty in the country’s space sector.
An historic mission began early on Wednesday (25 June) as astronauts from India, Poland, and Hungary were launched to the International Space Station (ISS) for their countries’ first-ever visit. They were joined by NASA veteran Peggy Whitson.
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