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JAPAN
Apr 14, 2004

By-election races focus on Iraq, pensions

The Japanese hostage crisis in Iraq and pension reform weighed heavy on the agenda as House of Representatives by-election campaigning kicked off Tuesday in Saitama, Hiroshima and Kagoshima prefectures.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Mar 19, 2004

Sato scandal casts spotlight on nepotism

Lawmakers are imposing restrictions on the long-standing practice of hiring spouses and family members as publicly paid secretaries in response to a recent scandal among their ranks.
EDITORIALS
Jan 30, 2004

Paper chase fandango

Japanese society values diplomas -- even if not as much as before. This may be part of the reason why Mr. Junichiro Koga, an up-and-coming Lower House member of the Democratic Party of Japan, made false claims about his educational background in November's general election. The scandal broke about a...
JAPAN
Nov 6, 2003

Woman who fled to North Korea was government mole in Aum

The saga of a woman believed to be an ex-Aum Shinrikyo member who entered North Korea in August seeking asylum has taken another turn: she at one time spied on the cult for the government.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Sep 21, 2003

Party fell into line despite deep policy differences

They're sleeping in the same bed, but dreaming different dreams.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Sep 11, 2003

Hashimoto faction faces gloom, doom

Hiromu Nonaka's sudden announcement that he will leave the House of Representatives has made at least one thing crystal clear -- the largest faction in the Liberal Democratic Party is on the verge of breaking up.
JAPAN
Sep 9, 2003

Contenders for LDP president's crown

Shizuka Kamei For 66-year-old former LDP policy chief Shizuka Kamei, the past 2 1/2 years have been filled with betrayal and frustration.
JAPAN
Jun 4, 2003

Public weight to balance scales of justice?

Unlike Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's administrative and economic reform initiatives, which have seen slow going, his efforts to overhaul the judiciary have made steady progress.
JAPAN
Jun 4, 2003

Public weight to balance scales of justice?

Unlike Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's administrative and economic reform initiatives, which have seen slow going, his efforts to overhaul the judiciary have made steady progress.
BUSINESS
May 13, 2003

Nippon Keidanren to back political donations

The Japan Business Federation (Nippon Keidanren) said Monday it will resume coordinating political donations from member companies and associations beginning next year.
JAPAN
Apr 29, 2003

Coalition wins three by-elections

Candidates from the ruling bloc won three of the four Diet by-elections held Sunday, while the Democratic Party of Japan, the largest opposition force, retained a Tokyo-constituency Lower House seat left vacant by the assassination of a DPJ lawmaker last fall, final results showed Monday.
JAPAN
Apr 14, 2003

Ishihara wins in landslide as gubernatorial elections close

Tokyo Gov. Shintaro Ishihara was re-elected in a landslide in Sunday's nationwide local elections to choose governors and members of prefectural and municipal assemblies.
JAPAN
Feb 6, 2003

Transsexuals, sex-change advocates fight on against social, registry snub

Transsexuals and their supporters have teamed up to seek public acknowledgment of those who suffer from gender identity disorder and to pressure the government into allowing sex changes to be recorded in official documents.
JAPAN
Jan 23, 2003

Diet leagues serving vested interests

There are 727 lawmakers in the Diet, with 480 in the House of Representatives and 247 in the House of Councilors. Yet the number of Diet groups -- not political parties -- is said to be more than 1,000 and growing.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Jan 17, 2003

Nakamura to trade Diet seat for jail cell

The Supreme Court has turned down an appeal by former Construction Minister Kishiro Nakamura against an 18-month prison term for bribery, a decision that will remove him from his seat in the House of Representatives.
EDITORIALS
Jul 1, 2002

Foreigners in their midst

The European Union, concerned increasingly about the rising anti-immigrant sentiment among its member states, has agreed to launch a joint program to curb the influx of illegal immigrants from third countries. That is one of the most significant results of the two-day EU summit meeting held late last...
Japan Times
JAPAN
May 29, 2002

Top business lobbies tie knot, hope to better sway politics

The Japan Federation of Economic Organizations (Keidanren) and the Japan Federation of Employers' Associations (Nikkeiren) merged Tuesday to become the Japan Business Federation, hoping the more powerful business lobby can wield greater influence over government policies.
JAPAN
May 19, 2002

Japan rethinks plan for permanent U.N. Security Council seat

In the aftermath of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks in New York and Washington, Japan has been forced to review its diplomatic strategy for gaining a long-coveted permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council.
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / PERSONALITY PROFILE
Apr 6, 2002

Nora Marzuki

Of the Asia-Pacific Ladies Friendship Society, Nora Marzuki said, "One of its main objectives is to raise funds for charity, and this is very dear to my heart. . . . In this day and age, when there are so many unfortunate and disastrous events, our efforts in raising funds can go a long way towards alleviating...
COMMENTARY / World
Apr 4, 2002

U.S. lawmakers see close midterm races

While President George W. Bush continues to enjoy extremely high popular support, the U.S. midterm elections later this year will be hard-fought and could swing the narrow balance of power in Congress, according to a group of U.S. lawmakers who gathered at a March 26 symposium in Tokyo.
CULTURE / Music / PLAY BUTTON
Dec 23, 2001

Buffalo Daughter: A new addition to the family

Being in a band is like being married to more than one person simultaneously. And like any married couple, bands have their own special neuroses. The dysfunctions of any given group are compounded by long hours in the hothouse confines of a studio and even longer hours on the road.
JAPAN
May 29, 2001

Opponents pleased with anti-MOX vote

Villagers in Kariwa, Niigata Prefecture, opposed to introducing plutonium mixed oxide fuel in a local nuclear reactor expressed their happiness Monday after a majority of voters turned thumbs down on the plan in a plebiscite the day before.
JAPAN
May 1, 2001

Cabinet paving way to female prime minister?

The new Cabinet breaks with tradition in several ways -- it has a record number of women, including the first female foreign minister, and a woman is third in line to take over the prime minister's job in an emergency.
JAPAN
Apr 24, 2001

Shigenobu pleads not guilty to terrorism

Japanese Red Army founder Fusako Shigenobu on Monday pleaded not guilty to charges stemming from the 1974 seizure of the French Embassy in The Hague, Netherlands, including charges of injuring local police officers.
JAPAN
Jan 18, 2001

Opposition demands KSD probe

The Democratic Party of Japan and three other opposition parties on Wednesday asked the House of Representatives to facilitate an investigation of bribery allegations involving the Budget Committee and scandal-hit mutual aid foundation KSD and to summon three lawmakers to give sworn testimony.
JAPAN
Dec 30, 2000

Aum ranks' rights compromised by fear

NAGAREYAMA, Chiba Pref. -- As night falls, all the houses in this quiet bedroom community melt into darkness.

Longform

Growing families are being priced out of Tokyo’s condo market, forced to choose between downtown convenience and suburban space.
Is living in central Tokyo still affordable?