Jun Hongo - The Japan Times

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Jun Hongo

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Jun Hongo

Jun Hongo graduated from Boston University and joined The Japan Times in 2006. He covers a wide range of domestic news, including politics and business. He is an avid Red Sox fan.

JAPAN

Nov 20, 2009

Hirano taps secret fund, remains mum

Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirofumi Hirano said Thursday he withdrew ¥120 million from the Cabinet's secretive discretionary fund but would not disclose how, or if, he used it.

JAPAN

Nov 20, 2009

Hatoyama to Obama on protracted Futenma base relocation: Just trust me

With negotiations on the relocation of a U.S. base in Okinawa snagged, Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama revealed Thursday he asked U.S. President Barack Obama for a little faith in his Democratic Party of Japan government.

Japan Times

JAPAN

Nov 19, 2009

Seven Japanese died in fire, DNA tests confirm

Local authorities investigating the deadly fire Saturday at a shooting range in Busan, South Korea, have verified through DNA tests that seven of the victims were Japanese nationals.

BUSINESS

Nov 17, 2009

Oops! Trade chief leaks GDP data

Trade minister Masayuki Naoshima jumped the gun in disclosing Japan's gross domestic product growth data early Monday, raising concerns over the rookie Cabinet's management of information.

Japan Times

JAPAN

Nov 13, 2009

Emperor marks 20th year of reign

Emperor Akihito on Thursday voiced his deep anticipation for global peace, saying new generations must not forget the sacrifices made during the war.

JAPAN / TIES IN THE BALANCE

Nov 12, 2009

Futenma's defenders stress its regional security role

Second of two parts

Japan Times

JAPAN / Q&A

Nov 11, 2009

Never a dull moment when U.S. presidents come calling

U.S. President Barack Obama will make his first Japan visit Friday and exchange views with the new Democratic Party of Japan administration of Yukio Hatoyama on global concerns.

JAPAN

Nov 6, 2009

DPJ flip-flop: Cabinet fund stays secret

The secrecy of the Cabinet's controversial discretionary fund will be maintained, Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirofumi Hirano said Thursday, contradicting the ruling Democratic Party of Japan's call to disclose the way the shady ¥1.4 billion is used.

JAPAN

Nov 5, 2009

Hatoyama hints he exceeded limit on political funds, calls it a loan

Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama indicated Wednesday he may have overbankrolled his political fund management body but claimed it was his understanding that funds in excess of the ¥10 million limit he can personally kick in constituted a loan he would later get back.

JAPAN

Nov 3, 2009

Undeclared income haunts Hatoyama

Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama faced a new scandal Monday when it was revealed he failed to declare income from stock sales, giving the opposition ammunition heading into a three-day Lower House Budget Committee session.

JAPAN

Oct 29, 2009

LDP fires salvo at Hatoyama

JAPAN

Oct 27, 2009

Rhetorical Hatoyama opens Diet

Calling his mission the "bloodless Heisei restoration," Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama kicked off a 36-day extraordinary Diet session Monday pledging to revamp postwar politics and establish a society based on his notion of fraternity.

Japan Times

JAPAN / EXPLAINER

Oct 27, 2009

File-sharing: Handle Winny at your own risk

More than a decade since the heyday of Napster shareware, peer-to-peer file distribution remains a key tool for Internet users exchanging music and movie files online. The leading program in Japan is Winny, an application distributed free of charge since May 2002 by former University of Tokyo researcher...

Japan Times

JAPAN

Oct 24, 2009

DPJ, LDP to feint, not fight for time being

A bell will sound Monday to mark the opening of the extraordinary Diet session and the legislative debut of Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama's administration.

JAPAN

Oct 22, 2009

Guam move depends on Futenma: Gates

The planned relocation of 8,000 U.S. Marines from Okinawa to Guam will suffer a setback if Tokyo does not abide by other agreements on the realignment of U.S. forces in Japan, U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates said Wednesday.

JAPAN

Oct 21, 2009

Gates: Japan must stick to Futenma deal

U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates urged Japan on Tuesday to stick with its agreements on relocating the functions of the Futenma air base in Okinawa Prefecture.

Japan Times

JAPAN

Oct 16, 2009

After fast start, it's crunch time for Cabinet

The Democratic Party of Japan-led Cabinet heads into its second month Friday, after coming out quickly to usher in a new political era in the wake of the Liberal Democratic Party's long domination.

Japan Times

BUSINESS

Oct 10, 2009

DPJ's budget-waste watchdog: ¥3 trillion in fat just a start

The Democratic Party of Japan will pare wherever possible wasteful government spending and also attempt to enhance the quality of the annual budget, state minister Yoshito Sengoku said Friday in an interview.

JAPAN

Oct 9, 2009

Trilateral meet to test Hatoyama slogans

Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama hit the ground running in the first days of his administration, traveling to New York and announcing to the U.N. General Assembly that Japan hopes to become a "bridge" between its Asian neighbors.

Japan Times

JAPAN

Oct 7, 2009

Press club faithful fight change

Since its landmark victory in the Aug. 30 general election, the Democratic Party of Japan has continued efforts to shake up the power structure to make good on its promise to create an accountable administration.

You can often see generations of families enjoying performances together at Fuji Rock Festival.

Japan’s summer music festivals are feeling the heat in more ways than one

Akiko Trush says her experience with the neurological disorder dystonia left her feeling like she wanted to chop her own hand off.

The neurological disorder that 'kills culture'

By Tomoko Otake

SUSTAINABLE JAPAN

Exploring Japanese culturevia Tohoku’s festivals

Exploring Japanese culturevia Tohoku’s festivals

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