Editorials Jul 11, 2016

Abe's new voter mandate

Prime Minister Abe should use his coalition's bolstered Diet majority to more effectively implement economic reforms, not to amend the Constitution.

National / Politics Jul 7, 2016

Support rate for ruling LDP up 2.6 points to 33.5%: poll

The support rating for Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's Liberal Democratic Party stood at 33.5 percent, up 2.6 percentage points from the previous poll conducted immediately after official campaigning kicked off last month for the July 10 House of Councilors election, a survey showed Wednesday. Meanwhile, ...

National / Politics Jul 6, 2016

Sunday's election likely to result in majority needed for constitutional revision: poll

Sunday's election may put Japan in a position to rewrite its Constitution, as lawmakers who support revising the contentious document are likely to win the required two-thirds majority in the Upper House, a Kyodo News survey has found. Released Tuesday, the survey showed Prime Minister ...

National / Politics | FOCUS Apr 5, 2016

Abe to face possible $54 billion GPIF loss, but only after election

by Isabel Reynolds, Shigeki Nozawa and Yuji Nakamura

The government will escape a piece of bad news until after this summer's election. On July 29 the $1.3 trillion Government Pension Investment Fund will announce what may be its worst annual loss since the global financial crisis — about three weeks later than usual ...

National / Politics Jan 29, 2016

Rules fixed for new voters deprived of chance to cast ballot due to changes of address

A law addressing a flaw in Japan's voting rules was enacted in the Diet Thursday ahead of the lowering of the voting age to 18 from 20, ensuring new voters will not miss the chance to cast ballots just because they have changed their ...

National / Politics Jan 20, 2016

Diet OK looms on bill to rectify rules that currently would prevent some young people from voting

Ruling and opposition parties agreed Tuesday to pass a bill soon to enable people aged 18 or 19 to vote in the House of Councilors election this summer even if they change their address shortly before the election. Japan is set to lower the voting ...

National / Politics Jan 12, 2016

Mayoral candidates in Okinawa face off over U.S. base

by Eric Johnston

Less than two weeks remain until a local election that may influence both the planned relocation of the Futenma military base and Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's effort to secure a two-thirds majority in this summer's Upper House election. The Jan. 24 mayoral election in Ginowan, ...

National / Politics Jan 11, 2016

Abe goes home to meet with supporters

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe went home Monday to Yamaguchi Prefecture to whip up support from his base, telling them he plans to win the Upper House election this summer and underscored the importance of the Trans-Pacific Partnership. "In order to achieve results, we need a ...

National / Politics Jan 6, 2016

DPJ to submit bill to lower minimum age of election candidates

Democratic Party of Japan leader Katsuya Okada said Tuesday the main opposition party plans to submit to the regular Diet session a bill to lower the minimum age of people running for elections. Speaking at a news conference a day after the Diet convened the ...