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JAPAN
Sep 6, 2006

Abe expresses intent to revise Constitution to exercise collective defense

Chief Cabinet Secretary Shinzo Abe, all but certain to be the next prime minister, again expressed on Tuesday his strong ambition to revise the pacifist Constitution and maintain the right to exercise collective defense on specific occasions.
JAPAN
Sep 6, 2006

Private firms OK'd for public services

The Cabinet approved plans Tuesday to allow both private and public entities to bid for public services projects, officials said.
BUSINESS
Sep 6, 2006

Tax panel scraps report that takes Tanigaki's tack

Ignoring the objections of some members, the government's Tax Commission canceled publication of a midterm report on tax issues for the first time since the tax panel was launched in the late 1950s, admitting Tuesday the decision was influenced by political considerations.
COMMENTARY
Sep 6, 2006

Japan fishing for trouble with Russia

In a recent Sunday TV talk program, commentator, writer and former Japanese Cabinet minister Taiichi Sakaiya queried Foreign Minister Taro Aso about the recent incident involving the Russian capture of a Japanese fishing boat. The boat was caught poaching in Russian-controlled waters near the Habomai...
BUSINESS
Sep 5, 2006

Capital spending up 16.6% in April-June quarter

Companies' capital spending rose 16.6 percent in the April-June quarter on an all-industry basis from a year earlier, marking the sharpest expansion since comparative data became available in July-September 2002, according to a Finance Ministry survey released Monday.
EDITORIALS
Sep 5, 2006

What is expected of Mr. Abe

With Chief Cabinet Secretary Shinzo Abe's formal announcement of candidacy in the ruling Liberal Democratic Party's presidential election, the tripartite race between Mr. Abe, Foreign Minister Taro Aso and Finance Minister Sadakazu Tanigaki has heated up. Given Mr. Abe's great popularity, it is likely...
JAPAN
Sep 4, 2006

Seoul willing to resume summits with Abe

South Korean Foreign Minister Ban Ki Moon has told Chief Cabinet Secretary Shinzo Abe, the front-runner to become Japan's next prime minister, of Seoul's readiness to resume summit talks, sources close to the bilateral relationship said Sunday.
JAPAN
Sep 4, 2006

China summit possible this year: Machimura

Former Foreign Minister Nobutaka Machimura said Sunday that a Japan-China summit may be possible by the end of the year if Chief Cabinet Secretary Shinzo Abe becomes the next prime minister.
COMMENTARY / COUNTERPOINT
Sep 3, 2006

Toeing the line may take a name-change for the LDP

It's September, and Japan is in the grips of selection fever. This month Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi steps down, and the ever-ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) will choose a new president. To all intents and purposes, due to the party's parliamentary dominance, selection of an LDP leader is...
JAPAN
Sep 3, 2006

Crime victims may get voice in parole decisions

The Justice Ministry plans to launch a system in October 2007 that would allow crime victims to express their opinion on whether the perpetrators should be released on parole, government sources said Saturday.
BUSINESS
Sep 2, 2006

Postal privatization details eyed by April

The postal privatization headquarters will ask Japan Post Corp. to provide details by the end of April on how it intends carry out its privatization, officials said Friday.
JAPAN
Sep 2, 2006

Government conducts disaster drills nationwide

The government staged earthquake drills Friday involving about 800,000 people across the country in a bid to improve disaster preparedness, and the U.S. frigate USS Gary also took part.
JAPAN
Sep 1, 2006

Abe mulls school-year shift, forced volunteerism

Chief Cabinet Secretary Shinzo Abe, the front-runner in the prime minister's race, wants to make state universities start classes in September instead of April and demand six months of volunteer work as a prerequisite for enrollment, sources close to him said Wednesday.
JAPAN
Aug 31, 2006

Abe states he'll declare on Friday

Chief Cabinet Secretary Shinzo Abe has moved closer to throwing his hat into the ring for the Sept. 20 Liberal Democratic Party presidential election, announcing he will publicly declare his candidacy Friday for the race, the winner of which becomes the prime minister.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Aug 31, 2006

M.crew offers work in the day, cheap bed at night

Three years ago, a 19-year-old man arrived in Tokyo from Kyushu to work at a security company.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Aug 31, 2006

New tours with military theme score direct hit for Hato Bus

Travel agents are always looking for new ways to entice the fickle Japanese customer, and Hato Bus Co. has landed a direct hit with a set of new military-themed tours.
JAPAN
Aug 31, 2006

Welfare recipients will need more than Abe's helping hand

Chief Cabinet Secretary Shinzo Abe's pledge to create a society in which struggling people can receive second chances, while being assured of a public safety net, isn't getting through to those living on assistance.
BUSINESS
Aug 31, 2006

Debt-servicing to lift '07 budget to 82.73 trillion yen

Japan's fiscal 2007 general account budget is expected to total 82.73 trillion yen, based on requests from government ministries and agencies, up 3.04 trillion yen from the initial budget for the current fiscal year, Finance Ministry officials said Wednesday.
EDITORIALS
Aug 29, 2006

Pay that keeps morale up

Salaries of central government workers have been criticized for exceeding those of workers performing related duties in the private sector, which has undergone drastic restructuring in recent years. So, the National Personnel Authority, in its report to the Cabinet and the Diet, recommends no change...
JAPAN
Aug 28, 2006

Abe mulling harder line against North Korea

Chief Cabinet Secretary Shinzo Abe is considering tougher measures against North Korea than those adopted by Junichiro Koizumi if he becomes prime minister next month, hoping to help settle the issue of Japanese abductions, government sources said Sunday.
Japan Times
LIFE / DISABILITY IN JAPAN
Aug 27, 2006

Is 'disability' still a dirty word in Japan?

Mainstream society is slowly, but slowly, opening up to the physically ormentally impaired, as officialdom appears happy with a 'steady' approach
BUSINESS
Aug 26, 2006

Ministry to seek 20.16 trillion yen for '07 welfare budget

The Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare said Friday it will ask for 20.16 trillion yen in social security outlays in the fiscal 2007 budget.
BUSINESS
Aug 26, 2006

45% say it's OK to buy fake-brand goods

About 45 percent of Japanese said it was acceptable to buy fake brand products and pirated music compact discs or movie DVDs for reasons such as their cheap prices, according to a recent survey conducted by the Cabinet Office.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Aug 25, 2006

Aso bucking odds in LDP race

Nobody likes to lose and there may still be a chance to win, Foreign Minister Taro Aso said Thursday of his hope to emerge victorious the Sept. 20 Liberal Democratic Party presidential election.
JAPAN
Aug 24, 2006

Ota to be next New Komeito leader

New Komeito acting Secretary General Akihiro Ota is set to replace Takenori Kanzaki as party head, New Komeito members said Wednesday.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Aug 24, 2006

Political internships gaining a foothold

They may not all be dreaming about making the big time as a politician, but an increasing number of students are working as interns for elected officials.
JAPAN
Aug 23, 2006

Abe vows amendment

YOKOHAMA -- Chief Cabinet Secretary Shinzo Abe, the front-runner in the race to become the next prime minister, said Tuesday he would push ahead with contentious efforts to amend the Constitution if he is chosen to succeed Junichiro Koizumi.

Longform

Visitors walk past Sou Fujimoto's Grand Ring, which has been recognized as the largest wooden structure in the world.
Can a World Expo still matter? Japan is about to find out.