National / Politics | FOCUS Feb 21, 2021
Suga faces flak over decision not to live in PM's official residence
Prime minister sticks to his guns despite criticism that this could make him slow to respond crises.
National / Politics Dec 16, 2019
Japan's 2012 'comfort women' proposal included apology to victims by envoy, ex-officials say
The deal fell apart and stayed on the back burner until a new agreement was reached in 2015.
National / Politics Sep 19, 2019
Japan's opposition parties join forces in bid to counterbalance ruling bloc in Diet
Japan's two major opposition parties agreed on Thursday to join forces in both houses of the Diet in their latest bid to counterbalance the ruling bloc in an upcoming extraordinary Diet session. The agreement to integrate parliamentary groups was reached at a meeting between Constitutional ...
National / Politics Jul 25, 2017
DP's No. 2 Noda steps down to take responsibility for Tokyo election drubbing
by Tomohiro Osaki
Democratic Party heavyweight Yoshihiko Noda announced Tuesday he will step down from the main opposition party's No. 2 post to take responsibility for its crushing defeat in Tokyo's election earlier this month. Noda's resignation as the party's secretary-general represents the centerpiece of a leadership shake-up ...
National / Politics Jul 21, 2017
DP chief Renho looks likely to let Noda resign as secretary-general
Democratic Party leader Renho is leaning toward replacing Secretary-General Yoshihiko Noda after the main opposition party's lackluster showing in the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly election, a party lawmaker said Thursday. The former prime minister voiced his desire to step down to his aides after the July ...
National / Politics Dec 5, 2016
Former Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda has expressed concern over Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's negotiations with Russia for a postwar peace treaty, saying Moscow is unlikely to be very flexible. Speaking to reporters in Ishikawa Prefecture on Sunday, Noda, who is secretary-general of the Democratic Party, ...
National / Politics Sep 16, 2016
The main opposition Democratic Party's new leader Renho may appoint former Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda as the party's secretary-general, sources close to the matter said Friday. Renho, who became the first woman to head the party following Thursday's leadership election, is also thinking about picking ...
National / Politics Feb 19, 2016
Abe eschews further delays, vows to cut 10 Lower House seats in line with census
by Ayako Mie
The prime minister pledges to slash 10 seats in the Diet’s House of Representatives sooner than his LDP party has proposed.
Business / Financial Markets Sep 22, 2015
Currency intervention goals evolved in 30 years since Plaza Accord deflated dollar
Thirty years after the implementation of the dollar-weakening Plaza Accord, the purpose of joint currency interventions has shifted significantly as enormous global markets have become increasingly resistant to coordinated sovereign influences. The historic 1985 deal between Britain, France, Japan, West Germany and the United States ...
Business / Economy Jun 14, 2014
Noda says Abe buying into 'voodoo economics'
by William Pesek
Sour grapes are in season in Tokyo as Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's predecessor steps up and slams the incumbent's tax plans. However, beneath the bad feelings and twinge of regret, Yoshihiko Noda makes a very timely point when he accuses Abe of buying into former ...
Business / Economy Jun 11, 2014
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe risks triggering market turmoil should he fail to raise the consumption tax to 10 percent next year, his immediate predecessor warned. The government needs to ride out the economic fallout from the first tax increase in April and then lift it ...
Business Mar 25, 2014
Former Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda said Monday in Hong Kong that the economic stimulus package launched by his successor, Shinzo Abe, isn't strong enough and that he hopes a trans-Pacific trade deal can be reached soon. Addressing hundreds as a keynote speaker at the five-day ...