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JAPAN / Politics
Jun 22, 2017

Opposition parties compel Abe to reopen Diet for Kake probe, invoking Article 53

Invoked Article 53 obliges Abe convene an extraordinary Diet session to deliberate on the brewing scandal, but still leaves room for the Cabinet to delay.
COMMUNITY / Issues / LAW OF THE LAND
Jan 15, 2017

Examining a year in the life of the country's Diet

When not trying to get elected, Japan's 700-plus Diet members (475 in the House of Representatives, 242 in the House of Councilors) conduct the weighty business of the nation. With the 193rd session of the national legislature under the current Constitution scheduled to commence on Jan. 20, let's look...
JAPAN / EXPLAINER
Feb 15, 2011

Secret funds shadowed by abuse

Paying ransom to win the release of kidnapped Japanese, buying off foreign dignitaries to reach backdoor deals and giving cash in exchange for secrets.
EDITORIALS
Jan 16, 2011

Reshuffle under opposition pressure

The lineup of Prime Minister Naoto Kan's new Cabinet, which emerged Friday after a minor reshuffle, underscores his hope for a smooth start to the Diet's ordinary session later this month and for progress in bringing about Japan's financial reconstruction and its participation in the Trans-Pacific Partnership...
JAPAN
Jun 8, 2010

Kan's picks for DPJ limit Ozawa's role

Members of the ruling Democratic Party of Japan approved on Monday the selection of new Prime Minister Naoto Kan's DPJ executives, with the influence of party kingpin Ichiro Ozawa conspicuously absent.
EDITORIALS
Feb 26, 2010

Central control over bureaucrats

The Hatoyama Cabinet on Feb. 19 endorsed a bill to revise the law governing national public servants and submitted it to the Diet. It aims to enable the Prime Minister's Office to centralize control of personnel affairs related to high-ranking bureaucrats. The administration hopes to implement the new...
JAPAN / ELECTION 2009
Aug 15, 2009

Civil servants uneasy as DPJ plots change in power game

When vice farm minister Michio Ide in June criticized the Democratic Party of Japan's plans to subsidize farmers' income as unrealistic, DPJ President Yukio Hatoyama quickly fired back.
COMMENTARY
Dec 5, 2001

Koizumi and LDP square off

With the government's decision to scrap or privatize seven key public corporations, including four highway corporations, Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi has cleared a major hurdle on the road to "structural reform with no sanctuary." Now his battle against the "resistance forces" -- the old guard of...
COMMENTARY
Jun 1, 2001

Koizumi's moment of truth

Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's administration is enjoying record high public-approval ratings of more than 80 percent. Television news-programs report daily on the activities of Koizumi as well as Foreign Minister Makiko Tanaka, who has caught the public's fancy as the top female member of his Cabinet....
COMMENTARY
Jan 12, 2001

Still waiting for real reform

A slimmed-down national government debuted Jan. 6, when Japan's central bureaucracy was reorganized. The realignment cut the number of ministries and agencies, under the Cabinet Office, to 12 from the previous 22.
COMMENTARY
Dec 8, 2000

Mori's prospects remain dim

Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori Tuesday inaugurated his new Cabinet, which includes two former prime ministers. Mori retained Kiichi Miyazawa as finance minister and named Ryutaro Hashimoto as special minister for administrative reform and chief of the Okinawa Development Agency. Effective Jan. 6, Hashimoto...
JAPAN
Aug 12, 1997

Administrative reform debate intensifies as 11th hour nears

Staff writer
COMMENTARY / Japan
Jul 30, 2019

Factional politics remain a force in Japan

With critical leadership positions and policy agendas being influenced by these formal groups, it is important to recognize the continued relevance of factions in Japanese politics today.
EDITORIALS
Oct 6, 2015

Legislation Bureau misconduct

The Cabinet Legislation Bureau's failure to keep records of its internal discussions leading up to the Abe administration's reinterpretation of Article 9 only deepens suspicions about the legal legitimacy of the Cabinet decision and the subsequent security legislation.
COMMENTARY / Japan
Jun 12, 2015

Media should stop legitimizing Abe's Article 9 'reinterpretation'

The media should stop giving the Abe administration's 'reinterpretation' of Article 9 a legitimacy and validity that it does not enjoy under Japan's constitutional system.
EDITORIALS
Jul 15, 2014

The blowback from Shiga

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe should realize that the defeat of the Liberal Democratic Party-backed candidate in the Shiga gubernatorial election Sunday is part of the price his administration pays for pushing to widen the scope of Japan's military role without seeking a mandate from voters.
COMMENTARY / Japan / SENTAKU MAGAZINE
Apr 22, 2014

Anti-Abe forces emerging

Little was heard from Yasuo Fukuda, nor was much said about him, after he stepped down as prime minister in 2008. In recent months, though, he has been sought out by some LDP leaders to help repair the damage to relations with South Korea and China, which Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's style of diplomacy is said to have caused.
JAPAN / Politics / ANALYSIS
Jun 27, 2013

Abe closes out uneventful legislative session unscathed

This year's 150-day Diet session closed Wednesday in turmoil as opposition parties started blocking deliberation procedures and submitted a censure motion against Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in an apparent effort to show off their presence ahead of the Upper House election next month.
EDITORIALS
Mar 23, 2011

Streamline relief operations

As more than 10 days have passed since the magnitude-9.0 earthquake and subsequent tsunami devastated northeastern Japan, the government should quickly review its setup so that it can carry out its relief operations as efficiently and effectively as possible.
JAPAN
Oct 27, 2009

By-election wins keep DPJ sails full

The Democratic Party of Japan's victories Sunday in two Upper House by-elections indicate Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama's new administration is still on its honeymoon since the DPJ's landslide victory in the Aug. 30 general election.
JAPAN / ANALYSIS
Aug 28, 2007

Picking faction bosses Abe's bid to show tactful maturity?

In a desperate effort to mend his and his Cabinet's damaged credibility, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe took the safe course Monday by picking a new team of mainly veteran lawmakers, including Liberal Democratic Party faction leaders.
JAPAN
Sep 20, 2003

Fukuda's position looks safe despite reshuffle speculation

Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi strongly suggested Friday that he will retain Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuo Fukuda as his top spokesman if, as expected, he is re-elected president of the LDP this weekend.
COMMENTARY
May 6, 2002

Koizumi must focus or fail

Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's administration, which marked its first anniversary April 26, stands at a crossroads. Its future hinges on whether his "no pain, no gain" reform initiative will produce tangible results. Thus far his administration has made no substantial achievements to speak of. Its...
EDITORIALS
Apr 27, 2001

Koizumi's uphill battle begins

Quixotic or not, Mr. Junichiro Koizumi, the newly elected prime minister of Japan, has largely succeeded in sticking to his maverick goal of forming a Cabinet untainted by factional politics. Both in his selection of executive officers of the Liberal Democratic Party on Wednesday and in his appointments...
COMMENTARY
Oct 16, 2000

Reorganization isn't reform

Japan's central bureaucracy will be reorganized, effective Jan. 6, to mark the start of a new administrative system. The reform will have significant influence on local governments and the public, too. It is part of efforts to restructure Japanese society, which has been bound by webs of restrictions...
JAPAN / Society
Jul 24, 2023

Japan prepares for an evacuation scenario involving residents on remote islands

Commercial airplanes and ships are supposed to be used for an evacuation, but weather and other conditions could make it difficult.
JAPAN / Politics
Jul 26, 2023

My Number woes put digital minister Taro Kono under pressure

Another misstep could deal a further blow to the administration of Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and jeopardize the political standing of Kono.
JAPAN / Politics
Sep 4, 2023

LDP and Komeito patch up rift over Tokyo candidacies

Whether the agreement can heal the growing rift between the two parties and lead to support at the polls is still unclear.
Thailand's new Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin (center) with members of his Cabinet at Government House in Bangkok on Tuesday.
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics
Sep 6, 2023

Thailand’s new Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin sworn in

Srettha was elected prime minister last month after Pheu Thai reached an agreement with with military-backed and pro-royalist parties.
U.S. Ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel eats a peach as he visits Hamanoeki Fish Market and Food Court, as part of his trip to Soma, Fukushima Prefecture, on Aug. 31.
JAPAN / Politics
Sep 9, 2023

Rahm Emanuel's protocol-busting China swipe stirs controversy

The comments conflict with the commonly observed practice of U.S. diplomats staying away from speculation on other countries’ domestic politics.

Longform

Ichiro Suzuki, one of the most iconic players in NPB and MLB history, was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame with 99.7% of the vote.
With Hall of Fame induction, Ichiro makes himself heard loud and clear