{
  "id": 16731003,
  "title": "Japan sets 'second capital' criteria, 4 prefectures qualify",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/27/japan-sets-second-capital-criteria-4-prefectures-qualify",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-27T10:00:10.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Mainichi",
    "slug": "the-mainichi",
    "url": "https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20261027/p2g/00m/0na/063000c"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": null,
  "summary": "The Japanese government has approved an ordinance setting criteria for the designation of a second capital to serve as a backup to Tokyo in the event of disasters, and to promote decentralization. Osaka, along with Hokkaido, Aichi, and Fukuoka prefectures, have met the necessary conditions to qualify for this status. The criteria include accounting for at least 2.1 percent of Japan's gross domestic product and containing a city with at least 1.2 percent of the country's population. Legislation to create a second-capital system was enacted in July as part of a coalition agreement between Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's Liberal Democratic Party and the Osaka-based Japan Innovation Party. The new law, set to take effect on Friday, does not limit the number of second capitals to one, leaving the possibility open for multiple prefectures to be designated if they meet the criteria. Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara confirmed that all four qualifying prefectures would be designated if they apply and meet all the requirements.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}