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JAPAN
Jan 20, 2011

Key ministers meet to weigh tax hike

Key Cabinet ministers agreed Wednesday to map out comprehensive proposals on social welfare and tax reforms, with an eye to hiking the sales levy, by June as they met for the first time to explore ways to cope with the problems of a rapidly aging society and mounting government debt.
COMMENTARY / World / SENTAKU MAGAZINE
Dec 14, 2010

Splits, rumors of splits, and the hole if Kan splits

With its rate of approval dwindling fast, the administration of Prime Minister Naoto Kan has fallen into a "lame-duck" status, and the resultant "political vacuum" is likely to linger on for some time to come, as there is no clear prospect as to what kind of political landscape will emerge in the event...
JAPAN
Sep 2, 2010

Kingpin win would delay charges

Now that Ichiro Ozawa has made it official and will run for president of the Democratic Party of Japan, a key question is whether he can be indicted over his alleged financial illegalities should he win and become prime minister.
JAPAN / Media / MEDIA MIX
Jun 20, 2010

Government policy of cash gifts to journalists rolls on

In late April, about a month before Naoto Kan took over as prime minister from Yukio Hatoyama, a hand-written note was taped to the intercom outside Kan's home in the Kichijoji district of Tokyo. It read, "No press meetings," and was signed "Kan," but it wasn't written by the current Democratic Party...
JAPAN
Apr 24, 2010

Hatoyama's grip weakens but DPJ short of alternatives

During a news conference in Tokyo earlier this month, veteran Democratic Party of Japan lawmaker Kozo Watanabe touched on the possibility of Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama stepping down if his team fails to solve the relocation conundrum involving U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma by the end of May....
JAPAN
Jan 7, 2010

Clash with Ozawa said behind resignation

Finance Minister Hirohisa Fujii's resignation Wednesday is a cause of serious concern for Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama's Cabinet, experts said, noting discord with ruling party kingpin Ichiro Ozawa may have influenced the veteran lawmaker's decision to exit.
EDITORIALS
Dec 26, 2009

Mr. Ozawa is out of line

Ripples from the controversy over Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping's exceptional audience with the Emperor on Dec. 15 have not died down. Statements on the relationship between the Cabinet and the Emperor made by Democratic Party of Japan Secretary General Ichiro Ozawa raise serious concerns.
EDITORIALS
Nov 17, 2009

Enhancing the Diet's performance

Aprivate sector group known as Niju-isseiki Rincho (21st Century Ad-Hoc Study Group) has handed Democratic Party of Japan secretary general Ichiro Ozawa a set of proposals to enhance the performance of the Diet. Mr. Ozawa also has his own ideas and prepared a bill.
JAPAN
Nov 3, 2009

Undeclared income haunts Hatoyama

Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama faced a new scandal Monday when it was revealed he failed to declare income from stock sales, giving the opposition ammunition heading into a three-day Lower House Budget Committee session.
JAPAN
Oct 3, 2009

DPJ power rift nonsense: Hirano

Speculation that the Democratic Party of Japan is being criticized for obscuring the roles of the Cabinet and influential DPJ Secretary General Ichiro Ozawa is groundless, Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirofumi Hirano said Friday.
COMMENTARY
Oct 3, 2009

Hopes and tasks for the DPJ

In a Yomiuri Shimbun opinion survey conducted just after the election, 72 percent of those polled had an optimistic view of the Democratic Party of Japan, reflecting a favorable popular response to the outcome of the Aug. 30 general election.
EDITORIALS
Sep 17, 2009

New government out of the blocks

Democratic Party of Japan leader Yukio Hatoyama became Japan's new prime minister Wednesday as the Diet voted him in to the post, ending the long rule by the Liberal Democratic Party, which has been in power almost continously since late 1955. In an interesting historical twist, the new prime minister's...
Japan Times
JAPAN
Sep 17, 2009

Hatoyama ushers in new era in politics

Japan saw the dawning of a new political era Wednesday as Democratic Party of Japan President Yukio Hatoyama became prime minister, ending five decades of almost unbroken rule by the conservative Liberal Democratic Party.
JAPAN
Jul 22, 2009

Aso pulls plug on Lower House

Prime Minister Taro Aso played his ultimate trump card Tuesday and dissolved the Lower House, turning a deaf ear to vociferous opponents of the move from within his own party.
JAPAN
Jul 14, 2009

Aso to call Lower House election Aug. 30

Just one day after a crushing defeat in the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly race, Prime Minister Taro Aso played his ultimate trump card Monday and announced the Lower House election will be held Aug. 30 under his leadership.
JAPAN
Jul 1, 2009

LDP leaders scramble to end disarray

The Liberal Democratic Party fell into further disarray Tuesday, with party executives scrambling to stop the movement to oust Prime Minister Taro Aso from spreading as some LDP lawmakers grew louder in their calls to replace the unpopular party chief ahead of the Lower House election.
JAPAN
Mar 7, 2009

LDP members to return Nishimatsu cash

Two ruling party lawmakers who received political funds from scandal-tainted Nishimatsu Construction Co. denied any wrongdoing Friday but said they have decided to return the money for ethical reasons.
JAPAN
Jan 19, 2009

Bureaucratic reform on the line

Former administrative reform minister Yoshimi Watanabe's resignation from the Liberal Democratic Party highlights a growing rebellion against Prime Minister Aso Taro, who has been struggling to steer the nation amid sagging public support.

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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