Commentary / Japan Jun 7, 2016
Women's empowerment: The time is now, Japan
by Nancy Snow
While Japan's GDP growth is declining, the country is experiencing a rise in gross domestic power of the feminine persuasion.
Commentary | COUNTERPOINT Jun 4, 2016
Under Abe, Japan gets left behind at G-7 summit
by Jeff Kingston
For Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, the best thing about the recent G-7 Ise-Shima summit was that it gave him cover to wriggle out of a planned tax increase. He could pretend postponing the tax increase is a statesman-like concession to boosting global growth, rather ...
Commentary | COUNTERPOINT May 14, 2016
G-7 venue preparation shouldn't deter Mie tourists
by Jeff Kingston
With world leaders gathering at the G-7 Ise-Shima summit on May 26 and 27, the international spotlight will briefly focus on picturesque Mie Prefecture and its considerable charms. For residents of the prefecture, however, this moment in the spotlight apparently won't be brief enough; ...
National Apr 24, 2016
Innovation, investment needed for food security, G-7 officials say
Ministers from the Group of Seven nations agree to promote agricultural innovation and investment as farmers face challenges from an aging workforce and extreme weather.
Commentary | COUNTERPOINT Apr 16, 2016
Obama has unfinished business in Hiroshima
by Jeff Kingston
Barack Obama will attend the G-7 Ise-Shima summit of leading industrial nations in Mie Prefecture next month, sparking speculation that the U.S. President might venture to Hiroshima to pay respects at the Peace Memorial Park. Obama is the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize laureate because of ...
National / Politics Mar 22, 2016
Abe denounces attacks in Belgium, hikes security as ministry warns Japanese travelers
Japan, scheduled to host the Group of Seven summit in May, will further tighten security in response to the suspected terrorist attacks on Belgium's airport and subway system, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said Tuesday. "We will do our utmost to prevent terrorism," Abe told reporters ...
National | CHUBU CONNECTION Jan 25, 2016
Ise Azuchimomoyama Bunkamura, a theme park in Ise, Mie Prefecture, that showcases traditional Japanese buildings and customs, is working on increasing the number of foreign visitors ahead of the Group of Seven summit in May. The region will be in the spotlight when the G-7 ...
National Jul 23, 2015
A government poll shows that 79.2 percent of the public feels anxiety about possible terrorism in Japan, with the fear being fueled by incidents abroad, particularly those involving Japanese.
National / Politics Jun 22, 2015
For Mie, 2016 summit chance to enhance area's tourism appeal
by Sayuri Daimon
Mie Prefecture sees next year's Ise-Shima Summit as the best opportunity to build infrastructure and nurture human resources to welcome more foreign tourists, hoping to achieve sustainable regional growth beyond 2016, Mie Gov. Eikei Suzuki said. "Foreign visitors only account for 1.8 percent of the ...
Reference | EXPLAINER Jun 22, 2015
Shima has high hopes for long-term windfall from G-7 meet
by Mizuho Aoki
Just before departing for this year's Group of Seven summit in Germany earlier this month, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe announced that Shima, situated at the end of a peninsula in Mie Prefecture, will be the main venue for next year's annual gathering. The announcement elated ...