Masami Ito - The Japan Times

November 01, 2025

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Masami Ito

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Masami Ito

Masami is a staff writer for the Life and Culture Division at The Japan Times. She is in charge of the weekly Sunday Timeout, covering various issues related to Japan, from alcohol/drug addiction and juvenile crime to female sushi chefs and kendama. Over her 15-year career, she has written extensively on Japanese politics, foreign policy and social issues.

JAPAN

Nov 16, 2006

Ruling coalition education bill nears passage

is my Cabinet's priority," Abe told reporters Wednesday evening after the committee vote. Yukio Hatoyama, secretary general of the DPJ, the largest opposition party, slammed the vote, which went ahead despite the opposition boycott.

JAPAN

Nov 10, 2006

Aso should be axed for nuke comments: opposition

The Democratic Party of Japan, the Japanese Communist Party, the Social Democratic Party of Japan and the People's New Party sent a letter to the prime minister Thursday demanding that Foreign Minister Taro Aso be dismissed for saying Japan must debate whether to go nuclear.

JAPAN

Nov 9, 2006

Abe says no to nukes but allows discussion

Japan has no intention of going nuclear but there is still room for debate on the issue, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said Wednesday as he defended key Liberal Democratic Party lawmakers who have been criticized for comments suggesting that the matter needs to be discussed.

JAPAN

Nov 3, 2006

Plan OK'd to help students graduate

will say it is (unfair) to the 90 percent who completed the (required amount of) classes," Ibuki told reporters. "But if we are too strict, (they will say) it is cruel." The ministry plan specifies that "the students are victims and utmost efforts must be made so there is no unfairness between students...

JAPAN

Nov 3, 2006

Talk of going nuclear irks opposition

Four opposition parties leveled a joint protest Thursday at key Liberal Democratic Party lawmakers who have repeatedly argued that Japan needs debate whether to develop nuclear arms in response to North Korea's atomic test.

JAPAN

Nov 2, 2006

Japan stands firm with sanctions on North Korea

Japan will continue the economic sanctions it leveled against North Korea despite Pyongyang's apparent about-face on returning to the multilateral talks to end its nuclear threat, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuhisa Shiozaki told a news conference Wednesday.

JAPAN

Sep 30, 2006

Abe looks to compel schools to push 'patriotism'

As the extraordinary Diet session began Friday, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe laid out his legislative agenda and left political observers speculating over the government's apparent tilt to the right and its push for "patriotism."

JAPAN

Sep 30, 2006

Give Yasukuni a miss: New Komeito

must step on the accelerator for structural reforms . . . but when the LDP goes too far, we need to (say) wait a minute" and hit the brakes, he said. Although Abe has not clearly stated if he will visit the shrine again, he did go to in April while serving as chief Cabinet secretary, a trip that was...

Japan Times

JAPAN

Sep 27, 2006

Abe made prime minister

Newly elected Prime Minister Shinzo Abe named his Cabinet on Tuesday, giving most of the posts to his close aides and the people who actively supported him during the Liberal Democratic Party presidential election.

JAPAN

Sep 26, 2006

Abe may be Ozawa's target of opportunity

The battle is officially on -- Liberal Democratic Party President Shinzo Abe vs. Democratic Party of Japan leader Ichiro Ozawa.

JAPAN

Sep 26, 2006

Ozawa retains DPJ helm, is hospitalized

and Secretary General Yukio Hatoyama during a party convention Monday in Tokyo. YOSHIAKI MIURA PHOTO

JAPAN

Sep 21, 2006

LDP election broke with norm

to a certain degree," he said. "Without Koizumi's guidance, Abe would never have become party president." Abe won 464 votes, or 66 percent of the total, although he had reportedly been shooting for more than 70 percent. Aso came in second with 136 and Tanigaki got 102.

JAPAN / LASTING IMPACT

Sep 18, 2006

Aum's crimes marked start of growing public safety fear

Last in a series

Japan Times

JAPAN

Sep 14, 2006

Ozawa rallies DPJ with calls for change

The leader of a nation must have ambition above all else, and if he doesn't have it he should quit immediately, said Ichiro Ozawa, who started his new term as president of the Democratic Party of Japan on Tuesday.

JAPAN

Sep 13, 2006

Ozawa remains DPJ leader

Ichiro Ozawa was in effect named Tuesday to a second term as the Democratic Party of Japan president after no other candidates came forward to challenge him for the post.

JAPAN

Sep 12, 2006

Ozawa seeks re-election as DPJ chief

Democratic Party of Japan leader Ichiro Ozawa announced Monday he will run for re-election as the party's president.

JAPAN

Sep 10, 2006

LDP candidates launch race for presidency in Akihabara

, Sadakazu Tanigaki (center) and Shinzo Abe -- raise their joined hands Saturday after stumping in Tokyo's Akihabara district. KYODO PHOTO

JAPAN

Sep 9, 2006

Issues no factor in LDP election

The Liberal Democratic Party presidential election officially kicked off Friday with three candidates vying for the job, but it doesn't look like party members are going to vote according to their platforms.

JAPAN

Sep 9, 2006

Abe, Aso, Tanigaki file for LDP election

to build Japan into a country which (we) can be proud of. The president of the LDP is chosen by a vote among LDP members -- LDP Diet lawmakers and more than 1 million party members who have a paid party membership for two consecutive years.

JAPAN

Sep 7, 2006

Politicians happy to put off royal debate

a stable Imperial succession is an issue of extremely grave importance," he said. Yukio Hatoyama, secretary general of the Democratic Party of Japan, the largest opposition party, said it is now a time for celebration, not debate.

One of the many entrances to the Kabukicho neighborhood in Tokyo’s Shinjuku Ward.

Kabukicho: Tokyo’s ‘stadium of desire’

Mamoru Iwai, stationmaster of Keisei Ueno Station, says that, other than earthquake-proofing, the former Hakubutsukan-Dobutsuen (Museum-Zoo) Station has remained untouched.

Inside Tokyo's 'phantom' stations — and the stories they tell

By Alex K.T. Martin

SUSTAINABLE JAPAN

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