Each week, here at Osaka.com, we bring you a selection of some of the top stories about Osaka making the local and national news here in Japan. Sometimes it’s serious, sometimes it’s funny, but it’s always direct to you, from Osaka.
Rules to Restrict Foreign National Employment Set to Impact Osaka
As part of their coalition agreement with the right-leaning, Osaka-based Japan Innovation Party, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi pledged to limit foreign worker numbers in Japan. However, much to the JIP’s chagrin she had been reluctant to commit to specific numbers. That changed this week though and the impact for Osaka could be considerable.
Under plans announced this week, Takaichi’s LDP party will limit the number of foreign workers permitted into Japan under 2 specific visa types to a total of 1.23 million people starting in fiscal year 2027.
The two visa schemes affected: The Specified Skilled Worker Visa and the new Employment for Skill Development both include sectors where Osaka in particular current has a critical shortage of workers. Namely, the care work sector, and the construction sector.
Conservative voters have welcomed the restriction on non-Japanese residents settling in the country. However, the demographic realities mean this could cause severe staffing headaches for some of Osaka’s largest employers.
Cynics also point to the fact that, if PM Takaichi’s tenure follows the same pattern as her recent predecessors, she may well no longer be in post by the time fiscal 2027 comes around.
Rules to Prevent Foreign Nationals Taking Local Government Jobs Also Proposed
Another angle to this, are moves to close a legal loophole in Osaka, and a number of other prefectures. This loophole currently allows non-Japanese nationals to work in local government roles. Mie is one of 12 prefectures, including Osaka, which currently allows non-Japanese workers to take on local government roles. They announced this week they will begin a process of consultation to decide if they will reinstate the mandatory Japanese nationality requirement.
This was rescinded in 1999 to encourage social integration. Osaka also did likewise, that same year. However, concerns about foreign intelligence leaks, particularly with regards to Chinese nationals, mean that this rule may soon change again.
Osaka’s prefectural government does not currently have publicly available numbers for the amount of foreign staff on their payroll. However, a prefectural spokesperson confirmed that they do have “some foreign nationals” working for them. They also said that, for the time being, Osaka has no plans to change its current stance on employing foreign nationals. However, with Osaka’s own government Hirofumi Yoshimura and his JIP leading the push for these rules to be tightened, this could quickly change.
Unqualified Osaka Doctor Arrested for Rule Breach
A 66-year-old former company worker was arrested in Osaka this week. He is charged with falsifying medical qualifications and prescribing medicines to patients illegally.
The “doctor” treated a total of 169 patients at a cancer treatment center in Osaka. Due to patient confidentiality rules, the identity of the doctor and the center where he worked have not been disclosed at this time.
The case represents the latest in a string of such scandals concerning doctors performing diagnoses and procedures without the appropriate qualifications.
The health ministry said they will examine the details of this latest case and decided at a later date if further tightening of regulations is required. The ministry referred back to an advisory notice, issued back in 2012, which states that checking a doctor’s original medical degree is the best way to verify their capabilities. It does not, however, legally mandate that clinics do so.
And Finally…
One of Osaka’s best loved video-game characters was immortalized in bronze this week. Edmund Honda, known in-game as E. Honda is a Sumo-based fighter from Capcom’s long-running Street Fighter series. He made his debut back in 1991’s Street Fighter II: The World Warrior. The series still rules the console market to this day.
He has since appeared in several sequels. His most recent appearance came in 2023’s Street Fighter 6.
A 1.6 meter bronze likeness of the heavyweight hero was erected outside Kashihara Jingu-Mae Station earlier this month.
Although developed in Capcom’s Osaka studios, Capcom’s original founder Kenzo Tsujimoto is from Kashihara, in neighboring Nara Prefecture.
Honda joins his fellow Street Fighters Ryu, Ken and Chun-Li who already have their own bronze statues in Kashihara.
With a new live-action Street Fighter movie set to debut in cinemas next year, and updates to Street Fighter 6 continuing to roll out, the 38-year-old franchise shows no signs of slowing down.
Next year is expected to be a strong year for Capcom. In addition to the new Street Fighter movie, they will also release the latest installment in their Resident Evil (Biohazard in Japan) series, titled Resident Evil Requiem in February.
Gamers can then look forward to the long awaited return of Capcom’s Onimusha franchise, which has lain dormant since the mid-2000s. Onimusha: Way of the Sword will release sometime in mid-2026.
That’s all for now but be sure to check back again same time next week for another round of this week in Osaka!
