Jun 6, 2012

Cabinet reshuffle for convenience

Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda reshuffled his Cabinet Monday — the second in nine months. His aim is clear: removing obstacles — Defense Minister Naoki Tanaka and infrastructure and transport minister Takeshi Maeda — to facilitate negotiations with the opposition Liberal Democratic Party and Komeito ...

Apr 26, 2012

Stalemate in the Upper House

The Upper House on Friday passed censure motions against Defense Minister Naoki Tanaka and infrastructure and transport Minister Takeshi Maeda. The nonbinding motions were submitted by the Liberal Democratic Party, Komeito and two smaller parties. The LDP at first said it would boycott all ...

Jan 14, 2012

Scrutinize Osaka mayor's moves

Osaka Mayor Toru Hashimoto, leader of the local party Osaka Ishin no Kai (association of Osaka reform), and Osaka Prefecture Gov. Ichiro Matsui have begun fleshing out the mayor’s idea of establishing an Osaka metropolitan government modeled after the Tokyo Metropolitan Government. As the ...

Dec 10, 2010

Recall of a mayor

Mayor Shinichi Takehara of Akune, Kagoshima Prefecture, was recalled in a Dec. 5 referendum. He has been criticized for taking advantage on many occasions of a provision in the Local Autonomy Law that allows a local government head to take action on important matters ...