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 Setsuko Kamiya

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Setsuko Kamiya
Setsuko Kamiya is a staff writer and editor covering local news, including legal issues, and has been following the ongoing judicial reform. A 2005 Fulbright journalist grantee, she studied the American jury system in California.
Japan Times
JAPAN / AFRICA LIFELINE
May 24, 2008
JICA, TICAD look beyond basics to growth
When the first Tokyo International Conference on African Development was held in 1993, aid to Africa still meant providing support for social infrastructure, including water, health and education projects, because many of the countries were in civil war and their people needed basic necessities.
Japan Times
JAPAN / AFRICA LIFELINE
May 23, 2008
Africa must lay foundation for investors: Sudan
As Japan increases efforts to promote sustainable growth, African countries must create an environment suitable for attracting private investment, says Steven Kiliona Wondu, Sudan's ambassador to Japan.
JAPAN
May 21, 2008
Onus on Japan to spur African development
Given that Japan is hosting both the fourth Tokyo International Conference on African Development and the Group of Eight summit this year, the international community expects it to show leadership in promoting the sustainable development of African countries, Sadako Ogata, president of the Japan International...
JAPAN
May 9, 2008
Lawmakers form bipartisan group to back life sentence without parole
With only a year left before the public starts taking part in criminal trials as lay judges, Diet members from the ruling and opposition camps formed a new group Thursday whose aim is to get life sentences without parole into the penal code.
JAPAN
May 3, 2008
DPJ weighs voting rights for all permanent residents
A group of Democratic Party of Japan lawmakers is drafting a bill that would give foreign nationals with permanent residence status the right to vote in local elections. They plan to gear up after the Golden Week holidays and submit the bill during the current session of the Diet.
Japan Times
JAPAN
May 1, 2008
Gas tax bill is rammed through Diet
If you forgot to fill up your gas tank last night, you're out of luck.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Apr 23, 2008
Kamei seeks to undermine death penalty
Japanese politicians are generally not very vocal when it comes to their views on capital punishment, mainly because a large majority of the public supports the death penalty.
JAPAN
Apr 12, 2008
Ruling coalition agrees to free up road revenues
The government and ruling coalition said Friday revenue from gasoline and other auto-related taxes will be freed up for purposes other than road construction from fiscal 2009, which starts next April.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Apr 10, 2008
Shirakawa humbled at taking BOJ helm
Voted in as expected Wednesday by the Diet as the 30th Bank of Japan governor, Masaaki Shirakawa was quick to take a middle-of-the-road stance and note that instead of being a professor of monetary policy he is now in the position of setting it.
JAPAN
Apr 10, 2008
Fukuda, Ozawa lock horns over BOJ makeup
His frustration occasionally flashing through, the normally low-key Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda was unusually expressive Wednesday during his second one-on-one Diet debate with Democratic Party of Japan President Ichiro Ozawa.
JAPAN
Apr 9, 2008
DPJ OKs Shirakawa, says no to Watanabe
The Democratic Party of Japan said Tuesday it will approve Masaaki Shirakawa as governor of the Bank of Japan and fill the leadership vacuum at the central bank but will shoot down the government's nominee for one of the deputy governor positions.
BUSINESS
Apr 8, 2008
Shirakawa tipped as BOJ chief; No. 2 iffy
The government nominated Bank of Japan Deputy Gov. Masaaki Shirakawa as BOJ chief Monday and former Finance Ministry bureaucrat Hiroshi Watanabe as deputy governor despite widespread speculation the latter will be rejected by the Democratic Party of Japan.
JAPAN
Apr 5, 2008
Komura, Seoul's Yu meet to pave way for Lee visit
North Korea should make a complete, clear declaration of all its nuclear programs, as promised in the six-party negotiations, the foreign ministers of Japan and South Korea said Friday in Tokyo.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Apr 2, 2008
Ozawa threatens censure over pension-record mess
Democratic Party of Japan President Ichiro Ozawa said Tuesday the DPJ may submit a censure motion against labor minister Yoichi Masuzoe in the Upper House for breaking his pledge to match all 50 million unidentified pension premium payment records with their holders by the end of March.
JAPAN
Mar 20, 2008
BOJ helm left vacant as DPJ vetoes pick
In a postwar first, the Bank of Japan lacks a chief following the Upper House rejection Wednesday of the government's latest candidate to replace BOJ Gov. Toshihiko Fukui, whose five-year term ended the same day.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Mar 19, 2008
DPJ set to snub latest pick for BOJ chief
The Democratic Party of Japan said Tuesday evening that it will reject the government's latest nominee to replace Bank of Japan Gov. Toshihiko Fukui, virtually ensuring the post of central bank chief will go unfilled when Fukui's five-year term ends Wednesday.
Japan Times
JAPAN / EXPLAINER
Mar 18, 2008
Scales of justice: Legal system looks for right balance of lawyers
Judicial reform is having a quick and dramatic impact on the legal profession, not least on the number of lawyers. In March 2002, the government decided to increase the number of those who pass the bar exam to 3,000 a year by 2010. Only 1,000 were passed in 1999.
JAPAN
Mar 13, 2008
Upper House rejects Muto
The Bank of Japan is a week away from a vacuum at the top as the opposition-controlled Upper House on Wednesday voted down the government's bid to replace BOJ Gov. Toshihiko Fukui with his deputy of five years, Toshiro Muto.
JAPAN
Mar 12, 2008
DPJ officially rejects Muto as BOJ head
The Democratic Party of Japan said Tuesday that it will reject the government's nomination of Toshiro Muto for new Bank of Japan governor, even though Muto pledged to ensure the BOJ's independence during testimony to the Diet.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Mar 8, 2008
Muto nominated as BOJ chief; DPJ unsure
With Bank of Japan Gov. Toshihiko Fukui's term expiring in 11 days, the government and ruling bloc on Friday finally nominated one of his deputies, Toshiro Muto, to replace him at the central bank.

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