National / Politics May 27, 2016
G-7 leaders reaffirm commitment to adopting Paris Agreement
Meanwhile, Japan managed to keep the Fukushima nuclear disaster from taking center stage.
Yosuke Naito
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National Jan 3, 2003
LDP eyes age limit in quest for new blood
Older lawmakers of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party may be feeling particularly jittery as speculation of an early dissolution of the Lower House for a snap election circulates in Nagata-cho. As part of efforts to rejuvenate its ranks, the LDP is mulling the introduction of ...
National / Politics Oct 31, 2002
Okinawa election again boils down to two themes
With Okinawa's Nov. 17 gubernatorial election looming, voters are gauging the progress made during the first term of Gov. Keiichi Inamine in addressing local concerns over the concentration of U.S. military bases and efforts to boost the prefecture's economy. The campaign, which officially kicks off ...
National Oct 1, 2002
Old challenge still remains: the economy
Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's new Cabinet faces immediate policy tasks that could affect the fate of the administration, from accelerating the disposal of problem loans at banks to fighting ongoing deflation. In an effort to redouble the fight against these scourges, Koizumi on Monday replaced ...
National | WEEKEND WISDOM Sep 22, 2002
Wheelchair designer hopes to get more users on the streets
Etsumi Okigawa hopes to design as many wheelchairs as possible so their users can become everyday fixtures at schools, offices and street corners. Okigawa is a researcher at Kanagawa Rehabilitation Center, a third-sector medical institution in Atsugi, Kanagawa Prefecture. The 43-year-old is one of Japan's ...
National Sep 19, 2002
U.S. seeks Japan support on Iraq, come what may
Despite Iraq's pledge Monday to grant United Nations arms inspectors unconditional access to suspected weapons sites, the international community should keep a watchful eye on Baghdad's next move, according to a U.S. expert on Middle East and Asia-Pacific security. Richard Fairbanks, counselor at the Center ...
National Aug 14, 2002
Koizumi restraint sidelines Yasukuni row
One year ago, a diplomatic row erupted over Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's visit to Yasukuni Shrine on Aug. 13 -- two days before the anniversary of Japan's surrender ending World War II -- in the face of protests from China and South Korea. This summer, ...
Business May 28, 2002
Koizumi sits while tax reform tug of war rages
As the government intensifies discussions toward compiling a fundamental tax reform blueprint next month, a new priority is emerging -- using tax breaks as a tool to revitalize the economy. The question is whether the final blueprint will really help revive the faltering economy. Tax ...
Business Apr 30, 2002
'Community currencies' seen fulfilling only half of mission
The recent boom in community "currencies" -- a virtual form of payment being used to promote exchanges of goodwill and business -- seems to have reached a turning point. Although municipalities, nonprofit organizations and local businesses throughout the country have launched some 140 kinds of ...
Business Apr 17, 2002
Japan faces tough sell at G7
Japan is expected to re-emphasize its resolve to achieve structural reforms aimed at revitalizing its economy when finance ministers and central bank governors from the Group of Seven major economic powers gather this week in Washington. The meeting, scheduled for Friday and Saturday, will take ...