Section

Opinion

Analysis and argument from the InfoHandle newsroom—our take on the stories behind the headlines.

38 stories

Municipal lobby with a self-service government kiosk and ceiling-mounted Wi-Fi access point, muted tile floor and bulletin boards with blurred papers, no logos or readable text

Ward My Number Kiosks Must Not Cache Wi-Fi MAC Logs Beyond Seven Days

Ward-run My Number card kiosks must delete Wi-Fi probe MAC logs within seven days—convenience for elderly applicants is not a license to warehouse device fingerprints.

InfoHandle Editorial Sep 20, 2026

Shikoku expressway service area flower buckets and a wooden cash tray on a folding table under overcast sky, asphalt and guardrail in background, no logos or readable text

Shikoku Expressway Flower Stands Need Receipt Caps Before Equinox Traffic Peaks

We should cap anonymous cash at Shikoku expressway flower stands before equinox traffic peaks—NEXCO West and prefectural police need shared receipt rules, not another safety pamphlet.

InfoHandle Editorial Sep 20, 2026

Loaded quarry dump truck on a rural road near a yellow school crossing sign at dusk, dashboard GPS tablet glow, no logos or readable text.

Editorial: GPS-Tagged Quarry Haul Routes Protect Elementary Schoolzones From Night Blasts

Prefectures should require GPS-logged quarry haul routes that automatically slow trucks near elementary school zones at night—blast schedules already exist on paper, but unlogged detours treat school crossings as optional.

InfoHandle Editorial Sep 19, 2026

Elderly widow at a municipal tax assistance desk with stacked paper forms and a pension envelope, soft fluorescent light, counselor from behind, no logos or readable text.

Editorial: Pension Offices Owe Widows Itemized Withholding Slips Before December Filings

Japan Pension Service offices should mail itemized withholding slips to widows before December tax filings—not vague totals—because lump-sum statements without line-by-line deductions force grieving households to guess at refunds they are owed.

InfoHandle Editorial Sep 19, 2026

Small sake brewery with stainless fermentation tanks and bags of polished rice on a wooden pallet, soft daylight, no logos or readable text.

Editorial: Sake Export Labels Mask Rice Quota Costs for Small Breweries

Export-facing sake labels that boast rice cultivars without disclosing quota-linked milling premiums let trading houses capture margin while Niigata and Hyogo kura absorb rice auction spikes.

InfoHandle Editorial Sep 18, 2026

Customer in a bank ATM lobby checking a smartphone, cool interior lighting, blurred queue, no logos or readable text.

Editorial: Mega-Bank Bonus Alerts Must Name Spoofed Deposit Domains

Autumn bonus SMS alerts that omit the exact fake domains in circulation train customers to trust sender names—mega-banks should publish spoof lists weekly until payroll week ends.

InfoHandle Editorial Sep 18, 2026