- Japanese language classes for foreign students will count for credit from 2023, says MEXT
- Maximum \2.5 million to small and mid-size businesses impacted by COVID-19: applications accepted starting Jan. 31
- “New ‘Employment Insurance Multi-Job-Holder System’ to be Established–Begins on Jan. 1, 2022” Ministry of Health, Welfare and Labor (MHWL)
- Return to work after settlement with parent company: employees “de-facto fired” from Bellco agency
- Fired for “failing to meet quota”, despite pandemic: company insists “no sign of improvement in performance”–court voids dismissal
- RENGO supports no political party; will not endorse any who cooperate with JCP–upper-house election policy
- “We could end COVID-19 as a global emergency this year”, says WHO head
- IMF makes downward revisions to growth predictions for U.S., China, and the world: pandemic weighs heavily
- Sumitomo Forestry establishes “partnership system rules”
- Full-timers “lacking”, say 47.5% of companies: personnel shortage shows signs of a return
- Number of foreign workers in Japan sets new record; number of technical interns decreases for first time
- “Number of teachers short” by about 2,000 in public schools, first nationwide survey makes clear
- Welfare applications in November up by 10.6% over one year before
- JICA: “Four times present number of foreign workers to be needed by 2040; shortfall of 420,000”
- And more!

(Translated from Japanese)