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JAPAN / DECISION 2010
Jun 24, 2010

Parties focus on economy, taxes

With the campaign officially kicking off for the July 11 Upper House election, political parties are weighing in on rebuilding the economy and government finances, hoping their platforms will translate into votes.
JAPAN / ANALYSIS
Jun 17, 2010

DPJ's Diet handling gets low marks

Last Christmas, then Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama led the Democratic Party of Japan into its first ordinary Diet session, telling reporters he wanted to give the public a "sense of hope" as a gift and vowing "tangible results" to improve their livelihoods.
JAPAN
Jun 12, 2010

Can Kan survive the leadership gauntlet?

Japan has gone through prime ministers at a dizzying rate — Naoto Kan is the sixth in the last four years, and 14th over the past two decades — the highest turnover among the major industrialized countries.
JAPAN
Jun 5, 2010

New Prime Minister Kan to 'rebuild trust'

Naoto Kan was voted in as prime minister by the Diet on Friday, shortly after the ruling Democratic Party of Japan elected him as its new president.
JAPAN
Jun 5, 2010

Likeable, shows promise, but Tarutoko who?

When he emerged Thursday to run against Naoto Kan for the Democratic Party of Japan presidency and hence the prime ministership, many probably asked who is Shinji Tarutoko?
Japan Times
CULTURE / Art
Jun 4, 2010

Artistic daring from a retired prime minister

This story may sound like the ultimate anecdote about "slumming it," a phenomenon in which the rich and privileged willingly choose to endure conditions much harsher and more squalid than they are used to. About 10 years ago, following his retirement from politics, ex-Prime Minister Morihiro Hosokawa...
EDITORIALS
May 21, 2010

Familiar name wins in Philippines

There is a timeless quality to Philippine politics. The names in any election are familiar, as are the issues. Yet even in this amberlike world, the most recent presidential election seemed particularly populated by ghosts. In the top slot, Mr. Benigno Aquino III, son of the slain human rights icon and...
COMMENTARY / World
May 15, 2010

Don't write Labour Party off

In an ironic twist, just as the Democratic Party of Japan government is considering importing elements of the Westminster model, British politics begins turning Japanese.
COMMENTARY / World
May 2, 2010

Life or death for Suu Kyi's party?

The incumbent regime in Myanmar is asking all interest groups, until Thursday, to form political parties and register within 60 days. All unregistered parties will cease to exist under the new election laws. The National League for Democracy (NLD) party has openly boycotted the election laws, and has...
COMMENTARY
May 1, 2010

How news skews views

BEIJING — I am not good at flying kites. But during a recent visit to the Olympic Village of Beijing, I felt compelled to do so. Despite the cold and late hour, there were many kite runners around me. A salesman insisted that I try my hand before committing to any purchase, and I did. After purchasing...
JAPAN
Apr 30, 2010

Akasaka Prince, favored venue for power players, to close in '11

It was a dream hotel for young ladies during the late-1980s bubble economy and the center of politics in the 2000s, but its aging facilities are failing the test of time and foreign competition.
COMMENTARY / World
Apr 28, 2010

Ethics of citizenship tests

PRINCETON, N.J. — Can citizenship really be tested? An increasing number of countries — especially, but not only, in Europe — seem to think so.
CULTURE / Books
Apr 25, 2010

Whaling whoppers debunked

Ever wonder why landlocked nations such as Mali, Mongolia and Laos with no tradition of whaling are members of the International Whaling Commission (IWC)? According to Jun Morikawa, the Japanese government sponsors the membership of third-world countries in the IWC to boost support for Japan's pro-whaling...
JAPAN
Apr 24, 2010

Masuzoe launches new party

Former health minister Yoichi Masuzoe and five other Diet lawmakers formed a new political party Friday, following three other new minor parties that hope to give voters an alternative choice in the Upper House election his summer.
JAPAN
Apr 24, 2010

Small parties looking for bigger say

With the approach of the summer Upper House election, several new parties are vying for voters disenchanted with the Democratic Party of Japan, which swept to power last year on the promise of change but became mired in money scandals and accusations of poor leadership.
EDITORIALS
Apr 22, 2010

The field of parties thickens

On Sunday, Nippon Soshinto (the "Japan Innovation Party") was launched by a group of politicians with experience rooted in local government. Headed by Tokyo Suginami Ward Mayor Hiroshi Yamada, the party accuses both the Democratic Party of Japan and the Liberal Democratic Party of pursuing baramaki ("rose...
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Voices / VIEWS FROM THE STREET
Apr 20, 2010

Who would you like to see start a new political party?

COMMENTARY / World / SENTAKU MAGAZINE
Apr 19, 2010

Playing ends off the middle

Komeito, the third largest political party in Japan, is striving not to antagonize but to be friends with as many rival groups as possible in a determined bid to win in the Upper House election scheduled for this summer. The principal reason for pursuing this tactic, which has been described by some...
COMMENTARY / World
Apr 13, 2010

Vote for change may bring more of the same

Just last month, the opposition Conservative Party seemed as close to unbeatable in the upcoming British election as is possible in politics. But last week Gordon Brown, the usually dour prime minister, had reason to be cheerful. According to the latest polls, Brown's Labour Party could yet emerge as...
CULTURE / Books
Apr 4, 2010

Worldview colored by blood

A truly international thriller, "The Man From Beijing" moves from a hamlet in Sweden to China, Zimbabwe and Mozambique, with Copenhagen and London thrown into the mix. The novel also moves in time, from the present day back to the China and U.S. of the 1860s, where it is concerned with the travels and...
JAPAN
Apr 3, 2010

Wakabayashi exits Diet due to illicit votes

Former farm minister Masatoshi Wakabayashi resigned from the Diet Friday after coming under fire for manipulating a parliamentary vote earlier in the week.
COMMENTARY / World
Mar 28, 2010

Lifesaving dialogue past due between Islamic world and West

BEPPU, Oita Pref. — The relationship between the West and the Islamic world is worrisome. Recent events in Western and Muslim countries show the tension between these two civilizations.
COMMENTARY / World
Mar 28, 2010

The Swiss model for helping foreigners fit in

BRUSSELS — As policymakers scratch their heads and wonder how best to absorb different cultures and religions into Europe's very distinct national societies, they could do worse than consider some new ideas being developed in Switzerland.
JAPAN
Mar 24, 2010

DPJ to punish Kobayashi for inaction on scandal

The Democratic Party of Japan will discipline Chiyomi Kobayashi since she has reneged on her decision to quit the Diet over a scandal involving ¥16 million in shady funds, Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama said Tuesday.
COMMENTARY / World
Mar 21, 2010

Let 'occupation tax' make the settlers pay

CAIRO — Arab intellectuals and policymakers have often accused Europe of using financial generosity to cover up its political impotence over the Arab-Israeli conflict. If Europe is to be taken seriously as a global player, they argue, it must also flex some muscle when it delivers the money.
EDITORIALS
Mar 13, 2010

Political funding reforms

At long last, efforts have begun to resolve problems related to political donations. Despite their divergent stances on this matter, the ruling and opposition parties have in principle agreed to begin consultations on discussion of issues related to political funds.
JAPAN / ANALYSIS
Mar 10, 2010

Admitting worst-kept secrets all about timing?

The Democratic Party of Japan-led government effectively dragged the skeletons in the closet of postwar Tokyo-Washington diplomacy out into the light Tuesday, in the process exposing the hollowness of its predecessor administrations' long denials.
EDITORIALS
Mar 5, 2010

Passed budget a respite for DPJ

To the relief of the Hatoyama administration, the fiscal 2010 budget was passed by the Lower House on Tuesday. It was immediately sent to the Upper House, but it is certain to be executed from April 1, the first day of fiscal 2010. Under the Constitution, if the Upper House does not approve the budget...
JAPAN
Mar 2, 2010

Masuzoe issues reform ultimatum to ailing LDP

Veteran lawmaker Yoichi Masuzoe on Monday issued what could be taken as an ultimatum to his ailing Liberal Democratic Party, saying that a failure to restructure will not only push the public to abandon it but may force its ranks to split as well.

Longform

Bear attacks have dominated Japanese news headlines in recent months, with 13 people so far having been killed by the animals.
Japan’s bears have been on their killing spree for more than 100 years