Voices | COMMUNITY CHEST Feb 23, 2017
In case you missed them: a year of responses to Community stories, part 1
The first in a series of selections of unpublished letters about Community stories from the year just passed.
National Feb 18, 2017
Defense chief Inada confirms all of GSDF's daily activity logs from South Sudan mission exist
Copies of last year’s Self-Defense Force logs citing the deadly combat that prompted the Japanese evacuation from South Sudan last year exist, Defense chief Tomomi Inada confirms.
National Feb 11, 2017
Law professor proposes Japan switch to republicanism to end discrimination posed by emperor system
by Tai Kawabata
The Japanese people and their lawmakers should start discussing whether Japan should abolish the emperor system and become a republic because it legitimizes discrimination based on social status, a law professor said Saturday at an event to oppose National Foundation Day. Masahiko Shimizu, a professor ...
National / Politics Feb 9, 2017
Smoking ban in public facilities would infringe on constitutional rights, say LDP lawmakers
by Tomohiro Osaki
Members of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party lash out at the health ministry’s proposed smoking ban for public facilities, complicating the nationwide effort to stamp out secondhand smoke.
Issues | LAW OF THE LAND Feb 5, 2017
by Colin P.A. Jones
Brushing over precedents and kicking looming threats down the line, a government-appointed panel has dutifully paved the way for a politically convenient one-off abdication.
National / Politics Jan 19, 2017
Abe to pursue contentious law against criminal conspiracies from outset of Diet session
by Tomohiro Osaki
As this year's ordinary Diet session kicks off Friday, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is set to make waves yet again. His newest goal is to make conspiracies to commit crimes a punishable offense. The ruling Liberal Democratic Party's renewed push for an anti-conspiracy law looks ...
National / Politics Jan 18, 2017
Abe to kick off Diet speech with call for talks on amending Constitution
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe plans to call for concrete discussions on revising the Constitution in his policy address before the Diet later this week, according to an outline of his planned speech made available to Kyodo News. Abe, a longtime advocate of amending the Constitution, ...
National Jan 12, 2017
1970 recording of Mishima released showing his thoughts on death, Constitution
An unreleased recording of late novelist Yukio Mishima has been found in which he discusses death and the Constitution just nine months before his sensational suicide, it was learned Thursday. The roughly 80-minute recording of Mishima's conversation with British translator John Bester in Japanese is ...
National Jan 7, 2017
In rare move, court suspends publication of best-seller on Abe-linked conservative lobby group
Sales of book detailing links between Japan Conference (Nippon Kaigi) and religious group halted in libel case.
National / Politics Jan 5, 2017
Day after 'economy first' comments, Abe promotes revising postwar Constitution to LDP
by Reiji Yoshida
A day after stressing that the economy will be his top priority this year, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe sent a different message to members of his party on Thursday, saying he will promote discussion on revising the postwar Constitution. "This year is a milestone that ...
National Dec 14, 2016
Osaka kindergarten teaches prewar ideals, Imperial Rescript
by Kwiyeon Ha
At first glance, the Tsukamoto kindergarten looks like any other school in Japan, but its unique curriculum is reminiscent of the prewar era. The private school, which has been visited by Akie Abe, wife of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, aims to instill in its 3- ...
Issues | LAW OF THE LAND Dec 4, 2016
Japan's Board of Audit: unlikely guardians of the Constitution?
by Colin P.A. Jones
As well as uncovering government waste, the bean counters have pushed back — politely — over state secret exemptions.