Editorials Nov 20, 2016
Changes to the Constitution should be made only if it's necessary, not just because Shinzo Abe has the needed votes in the Diet to call a referendum.
National Nov 20, 2016
Japan and Australia will seek to revise a bilateral pact to boost logistics cooperation between their forces, with a signing ceremony expected in late December when the two countries' ministers meet for security talks, a Japanese government source said Saturday. Through the revision of the ...
National Nov 20, 2016
A newly trained contingent of Ground Self-Defense Force troops heads to South Sudan with permission to undertake armed rescues for the first time.
National / Politics Nov 17, 2016
Diet panel resumes talks on amending Constitution
by Tomohiro Osaki
Thursday’s debate by the panel zeroed in on the long-standing assertion by conservative forces that Japan’s supreme law was “imposed” by the Allied Powers.
National / Politics Nov 16, 2016
Diet panel reopens talks on constitutional revision for first time since February
An Upper House panel reopened debate Wednesday on revising the Constitution — a move seen as an essential step in Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's quest to amend the charter for the first time since World War II's end. The debate was the first time substantial ...
National / Crime & Legal Oct 31, 2016
Fukuoka court rejects suit over vote-value gap in July Upper House election
The Fukuoka High Court on Monday rejected a suit demanding that the outcome of the July Upper House election be invalidated due to the disparity in the weight of votes. The court said, however, that the maximum disparity of 3.08 times between the most and ...
National Oct 29, 2016
Majority against constitutional changes while Abe in office: poll
While nearly 60 percent of Japanese people think the country's Constitution needs be revised, 55 percent are opposed to constitutional revisions while Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is in office, a Kyodo News survey showed Friday. On war-renouncing Article 9 of the supreme law, 49 percent ...
National / Politics Oct 26, 2016
In boon for Abe, LDP officially signs off on extending president's term
by Tomohiro Osaki
The Liberal Democratic Party changes its rules to extend the maximum tenure of its president, Shinzo Abe, to nine years.
National / Politics Oct 25, 2016
Nature of South Sudan conflict will determine if SDF peacekeeping mission is legal
by Ayako Mie
Questions of whether South Sudan is in a state of war or if the cease-fire there is still holding pose a test for the legality of the decision by the Abe administration to extend the Self-Defense Forces' peacekeeping operations there until March.
National / Politics Oct 22, 2016
LDP may lose next election if nuclear exit becomes main issue: ex-PM Koizumi
Former Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi said the pro-nuclear ruling party of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe could lose the next Lower House election if nuclear power becomes the main election issue. Citing recent gubernatorial election wins for candidates concerned about restarting nuclear power plants in Niigata ...
Commentary / World | THE VIEW FROM NEW YORK Oct 21, 2016
Anthem refuseniks, and ancient legends
by Hiroaki Sato
Japan knows all about people taking a public stand by refusing to rise for the national anthem.
National / Politics Oct 18, 2016
LDP sets aside 2012 draft constitution ahead of Diet debate on revision
by Tomohiro Osaki
As Diet debate on constitutional revision draws near, the ruling party decides to put a freeze on its draft constitution, which critics have slammed as reminiscent of Japan's wartime military government.