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.
Backlash Grows in Osaka and Beyond Against Government Immigration Stance
We’ve previously reported on the frustration, confusion and fundamental sense of unfairness being expressed by many of Osaka’s foreigner community. The frustration comes in light of recent proposals to change the immigration laws.
It seems this backlash has now reached a point where the native Japanese populace is also growing weary of a government high on rhetoric yet low on tangible results.
Of course, the immigration debate is just one aspect to this story. Most Japanese have concerns about immigration, and many of those are valid. However, the hyperbolic rhetoric pushed by some on the far right of politics ignores the simple truth. Even before the recent tightening of policies, Japan had one of the strictest sets of immigration criteria in the world.
Across Osaka this week, most voters we spoke to said that the government should be focused on other things.
“I get it, many people are tired of their being too many tourists,” said one Chuo ward resident, “But I think if the government tackled the weakness of the Yen, and our overdependence on tourism as an income stream, the problem would take care of itself.
Another resident added: “Prices are too high, wages are frozen, and people are tired. I don’t want a Prime Minister who thinks only sleeping 3-4 hours a night is something to be proud of.
“I think such behavior is symptomatic of just how out of touch many politicians are with reality.”
Our concerned citizen closed with this additional thought: “I’m not scared of hard work. But I expect to be rewarded for it. Right now, it seems the government is happy to push this ‘Work! Work! Work!’ narrative. But they don’t seem to be offering much in return for it.”
Backlash focuses on Economy, Jobs and Poor Priorities
A report in the Mainichi Shimbun this week, suggested that Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s approval rating had slumped to 41%.
Such things, if not corrected quickly, can usually spell the end for a Prime Minister.
But the fall of a Takaichi government wouldn’t just continue Japan’s recent trend of revolving door prime ministers. It would also spell trouble for Osaka’s current leaders. The Japan Innovation Party is a junior coalition partner to Takaichi’s LDP. They have made forcing through their “Second Capital” plan for Osaka a cornerstone policy and a “red-line” issue for the continued coalition.
It is too early to say the current administration is in trouble, after all, it is only a matter of months since the LDP won a landslide victory.
However, the platform on which they won that landslide promised fundamental changes. None of those have materialized. Demonizing foreigners and starting feuds with neighbors, it seems, are not enough on their own to guarantee ongoing political success.
Osaka Game Publisher Wades in on Sony Backlash
Those who follow video gaming trend will know it’s been a rough few weeks for Sony. They company has faced a hailstorm of criticism, anger and the threat of boycotts over their decision, last month to end physical game disc production in 2028.
Critics include those who believe in the importance of ownership of physical media, as opposed to digital licenses (which can expire and be withdrawn) as well as the total monopoly a digital only future would give Sony. Under their current system, all digital purchases for the Sony Playstation 5 console have to go through Sony’s own PS Store.
The prices in this store are typically about 30% higher than they would be in other retailers such as Amazon. Additionally, those who buy discs via the second-hand market can ordinarily expect to make an even greater saving.
Capcom Faces Backlash for Selective Accounting
With the backlash showing no signs of abating, Sony has called in a few favors. Among those drafted in to help with the damage control was Osaka’s own Capcom.
Capcom announced in a sales call with shareholders this week that more than 90% of their sales this year have been digital. Naturally, Sony leapt on this as validation that their decision to cut off physical media is legitimate.
There’s just one problem though, the Capcom figures aren’t as simple as the alleged 94% digital nature of their sales.
Of this 94% almost 70% were sold on PC (which has for a number of years now, been an exclusively digital format). It also doesn’t differentiate between those who purchase full games and those who purchase digital add-ons, known as DLC.
When you factor out the PC numbers, and allow for the estimation that around 30-40% of purchases for PS5 are Digital-only DLCs, then Capcom’s 94% digital figure comes down to something closer to 60%.
It’s a lot easier to sell the idea of losing 6% of your customers, but making massive cost savings as a result. However, if you’re Sony, then potentially conceding the loss of up to 40% of your customer base is a much harder pill to swallow.
For the time being Sony has doubled down on the issue and shows no signs of reversing course. However, the backlash continues, with various governments and other legal entities entering the fray to question Sony’s attempts to monopolize the gaming market.
And Finally…
Osaka showed its generous side this week, as thousands stepped up to support Kumamoto in it’s hour of need. The southern Japanese prefecture suffered a massive quake in midweek leaving dozens dead and many more missing.
Charity donations have been flooding in at sites set up across Osaka. Many have also volunteered to travel down to Kyushu to help with rescue and recovery efforts where they can.
It serves as a timely and poignant reminder that whatever political or social disagreements we may have, Osaka remains a city of compassion, solidarity and kindness.
That’s all for now but be sure to check back again same time next week for another round of this week in Osaka!
