Policy Gap
6 items
Neighborhood Ethnic Restaurants Are Disappearing — The ¥30 Million Capital Requirement for Business Manager Visas Tests Japan's Commitment to Multiculturalism
In October 2025, the capital requirement for the Business Manager visa was raised sixfold, from ¥5 million to ¥30 million. Approximately 96% of current visa holders fall short of this new threshold. Simultaneously, the Specified Skilled Worker category for the food service industry was suspended. This article examines the structural policy design that is causing Indian curry restaurants, Thai eateries, and Hong Kong-style congee shops to disappear from Japan's streets.
'Fund Museums with Public Money' — What's at Stake in a Country Spending 0.02% of GDP on Culture
'Use our taxes properly for museums.' A single Threads post exposes the structural thinness of Japan's cultural budget at 0.02% of GDP — one-fifth of France's, one-third of South Korea's. From the casualization of curators under the designated manager system to the consolidation of regional museums and rising admission fees, this article examines what it takes for museums to remain a public good.
The Common Structure of 'Unreached Populations' — What a 20% Take-up Rate Reveals About Policy Design
Japan's public assistance take-up rate is an estimated 22.9%—80% of eligible households receive no benefits. Analyzing three reinforcing barriers.
Japan's Bicycle 'Blue Ticket' — The Contradiction of Enforcement Without Infrastructure
On April 1, 2026, Japan introduces traffic fines for cyclists: ¥6,000 for sidewalk riding, ¥12,000 for smartphone use. But without dedicated cycling infrastructure, parents carrying children on bikes are being told to ride alongside trucks. A structural analysis of Japan's new bicycle traffic law.
The Complaint Gap Phenomenon — Why 'Reporting Won't Change Anything' Is Rational
A large number of residents suffer from noise exposure yet never file complaints with local government, creating 'complaint gap zones.' Zero complaints does not equal zero problems. This structural dynamic distorts administrative priorities and misallocates budgets — a vicious cycle dissected here.
Why Loud Motorcycles and Modified Cars Aren't Caught — Structural Analysis of Noise Regulations
An anatomical examination of the structural problem where three laws—Road Traffic Act, Road Transport Vehicle Act, and Noise Regulation Act—are fragmented in silos, creating a 'noise-free zone' for light motorcycles (126-250cc). Presents the vicious cycle of reporting→complaint gaps and breakthrough points achievable through data.