Commentary / Japan Sep 21, 2017

How Kake Gakuen's application process bucked the norm

by Takamitsu Sawa

School operator Kake Gakuen's application to open a new veterinary medicine department strayed from well established procedures.

National / Politics Sep 16, 2017

Ruling bloc says extraordinary Diet session to kick off Sept. 28

A package of bills related to work-life reforms, including one aimed at rectifying long working hours, are expected to be a key issue during the session.

National / Politics Aug 27, 2017

Given latest scandals, Japanese government looks to revise document-shredding rules

In the wake of several scandals, the government will launch a debate before month’s end on revising how administrative documents should be managed.

National Aug 26, 2017

State panel puts Kake Gakuen veterinary plan on pause until autumn

The decision on whether to approve Japan’s first new veterinary medicine department since 1966 is delayed as the Kake Gakuen favoritism scandal swirling around Prime Minister Shinzo Abe simmers.

National / Politics Aug 20, 2017

Government mulls plan to assign record-keeping supervisor to each ministry

Japan might install officials dedicated to supervising the management of administrative documents at each government ministry to prevent important records from being discarded, a government source said. The idea was floated Saturday after the mishandling of documents related to the influence-peddling allegations against Prime Minister ...

Commentary | COUNTERPOINT Aug 19, 2017

Abe tries to ride out storm in bid to restore trust deficit

by Jeff Kingston

A shoo-in a few months ago, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's plunge in popularity imperils his re-election to a third term as LDP president in September 2018, fueling speculation about when he will go and who will replace him. That said, it's still too soon ...

Editorials Aug 18, 2017

Decision deferred on Kake Gakuen's plan

The education ministry should make public the discussions its panel held on Kake Gakuen's plan to open a new veterinary science school.

National / Politics | CABINET INTERVIEW 2017 Aug 10, 2017

New education chief looks to repair ministry's tarnished image

by Mizuho Aoki

The new education minister says he will decide on whether to approve scandal-tainted school operator Kake Gakuen's bid to open a new veterinary department after weighing the results of an ongoing screening by the ministry's panel of experts. "I want to respect the panel's judgment," ...

Commentary | COUNTERPOINT Aug 5, 2017

Beleaguered Abe on the ropes as support weakens

by Jeff Kingston

The public has seen the true face of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and doesn't like what it sees.

Reference | FYI Jul 31, 2017

Loopholes let records pertaining to Abe's scandals slip through the cracks

by Reiji Yoshida

The Cabinet of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is in crisis, stung by scandals that have bitten into his public approval ratings in recent weeks. At a glance, these scandals look like separate events with little connecting them. But experts say they have one grave problem ...

National / Politics Jul 25, 2017

Abe revises statements on Kake scandal in Diet after opposition raises discrepancies

by Reiji Yoshida

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's struggles continued Tuesday at a special Diet session held to probe the Kake Gakuen scandal, as opposition lawmakers pointed out contradictions in his past remarks on when he learned about the school operator's plan to apply for a special government ...