Discussion Class

Discussion Class Topics

- Friday the 31st of July -

(12pm)

- New Shinkansen line approved despite protests -

Japan’s ruling coalition approved a plan to extend the Hokuriku Shinkansen line from Tsuruga to Osaka via Kyoto, with a new station 5km west of Kyoto Station, in Katsuragawa. The 139km extension, expected to cost ¥4.8 trillion and take 26 years to complete, will significantly reduce travel times between Osaka and Nagano/Kanazawa. The ruling bloc rejected alternative routes, including a more expensive option with a stop directly beside Kyoto Station.

The plan was approved despite protests from locals, claiming that the development could have lasting environmental impact.

The main concern is not that the railway will pollute the groundwater, but that tunnelling could change the way groundwater naturally flows beneath Kyoto. This could lower groundwater levels, reduce the flow of wells and springs, and affect rivers, gardens, and traditional industries that rely on underground water. Opponents worry that even small changes could have long lasting effects because Kyoto’s groundwater system is closely connected and supports many historic sites.

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- Friday the 31st of July -

(8pm)

- New Shinkansen line approved despite protests -

Japan’s ruling coalition approved a plan to extend the Hokuriku Shinkansen line from Tsuruga to Osaka via Kyoto, with a new station 5km west of Kyoto Station, in Katsuragawa. The 139km extension, expected to cost ¥4.8 trillion and take 26 years to complete, will significantly reduce travel times between Osaka and Nagano/Kanazawa. The ruling bloc rejected alternative routes, including a more expensive option with a stop directly beside Kyoto Station.

The plan was approved despite protests from locals, claiming that the development could have lasting environmental impact.

The main concern is not that the railway will pollute the groundwater, but that tunnelling could change the way groundwater naturally flows beneath Kyoto. This could lower groundwater levels, reduce the flow of wells and springs, and affect rivers, gardens, and traditional industries that rely on underground water. Opponents worry that even small changes could have long lasting effects because Kyoto’s groundwater system is closely connected and supports many historic sites.

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- Saturday the 1st of August-

(3pm)

- What Do You Think About the New Japan Anti-Flag Desecration Law? -

The Japanese Diet on July 17, 2026, adopted a flag desecration law that criminalizes damaging Japan’s national flag, a violation of the right to freedom of expression, Human Rights Watch said today. Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party, its coalition partner Japan Innovation Party, and three opposition parties supported the bill during a session of the Diet’s upper house, following passage by the lower house on June 30.

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