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EDITORIALS

Jul 16, 2007

Smoother trade in East Asia

The trade ministry's fiscal 2007 white paper calls for creation of an "open and seamless" economic system in East Asia where Japanese companies have already established strong business networks. Behind the call is recognition that a dynamic East Asian economy is indispensable for Japan's economic growth....

EDITORIALS

Jul 15, 2007

The wonder of wonders

The votes, 100 million of them, are all in. The most wondrous human constructions in the history of the world have been determined by an elaborate and multilingual online voting system. The results for these new Seven Wonders of the World, splashed across newspaper headlines worldwide, reveal a great...

EDITORIALS

Jul 14, 2007

Zeal to expand 'defense' missions

The 2007 white paper on defense, the first such government report since the Defense Agency was upgraded to the Defense Ministry, stresses that the Self-Defense Forces must become an organization that can better cope with crises and contribute to world peace, saying the days are gone in which the SDF...

EDITORIALS

Jul 13, 2007

Fair repair of the pension fiasco

A government panel of experts has established the basic criteria for determining pension benefits for people whose premium-payment records have been lost by the Social Insurance Agency and who lack receipts to prove they made the payments. The Central Committee of Disinterested Parties for Confirmation...

EDITORIALS

Jul 13, 2007

Upper House campaign commences

The campaign for the July 29 Upper House election has officially started. It is the first national election since Prime Minister Shinzo Abe took office in September 2006. Under the Abe administration so far, the Fundamental Law of Education has been revised to instill patriotism in children and strengthen...

EDITORIALS

Jul 12, 2007

Overdue help for the orphaned

Japanese who were separated from their families in China at the end of World War II have agreed to accept a new support plan and to drop their lawsuits filed with 10 district courts and six high courts over the government's failure to swiftly bring them back to Japan and provide adequate support. Although...

EDITORIALS

Jul 12, 2007

Gambling on a show of strength

The weeklong siege against militant Islamists holed up in Islamabad's Red Mosque ended Tuesday when security forces stormed it in a fierce battle that left more than 50 militants and eight soldiers dead. If those killed since street battles between security forces and militants began July 3 are included,...

EDITORIALS

Jul 11, 2007

From blunders to loose ends

The question remains as to why the Liberal Democratic Party and its ruling coalition partner, Komeito, forced two bills to abolish the Social Insurance Agency through the just-ended Diet session with such haste. Suspicions also have been raised about the contents of the bills.

EDITORIALS

Jul 11, 2007

Premature plan for devolution

A study group within the Liberal Democratic Party has submitted an interim report on introducing the "doshu" system of regional governments to the Abe administration. The crux of the idea is to divide the nation into nine to 13 regional blocs and give them greater autonomy than they have now.

EDITORIALS

Jul 10, 2007

Righting U.S.-Russia relations

By some accounts, Russia and the United States are on the brink of a new Cold War. That probably overstates the state of that bilateral relationship, but there is no mistaking the chill that dominates relations between the two countries. In an attempt to end the downward spiral, U.S. President George...

EDITORIALS

Jul 9, 2007

Fears of 'made in China'

Concerns are mounting over tainted products from China. Last month the media highlighted reports of toothpaste containing diethylene glycol, a chemical used in antifreeze. Earlier this year, pet food from China that contained melamine was blamed for the deaths of dogs and cats across North America. Regulatory...

EDITORIALS

Jul 8, 2007

Companies fend off the funds

Shareholder meetings of companies that closed their books in March are over. The peak day saw 1,457 companies holding meetings. At many of the meetings, investment funds saw their proposals, most of them calling for payment of higher dividends, killed one after another due to opposition from other shareholders....

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

Kabukicho: Tokyo’s ‘stadium of desire’

Japan's growing ranks of centenarians are redefining what it means to live in a super-aging society.

What comes after 100?

By Tomoko Otake

SUSTAINABLE JAPAN

Smile! It’s ‘Sanrio Time,’ now and ever after

Smile! It’s ‘Sanrio Time,’ now and ever after

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