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 Ayako Mie

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Ayako Mie
Ayako Mie covers Japanese politics and policies for the Japan Times. She started her career as a reporter at Tokyo Broadcasting System in 2001. In 2008, she went to journalism school at University of California, Berkeley as a Fulbright scholar. On returning to Japan in December 2010, she worked for the Washington Post as a special correspondent.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Politics
May 15, 2014
Panel lists steps for bypassing Article 9
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's security panel proposes revising Japan's interpretation of the Constitution to circumvent Article 9 and risk war in the name of collective self-defense.
JAPAN / Politics
May 15, 2014
Key Abe panel says Japan should exercise right of collective self-defense
A key security policy advisory panel to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe publicized its much-awaited final report on Thursday and — as expected — pushed for a change in the government's constitutional interpretation to allow Japan to use the right to collective self-defense, at least in some limited cases....
JAPAN / Politics
May 14, 2014
LDP, New Komeito to start talks on collective self-defense next week
Liberal Democratic Party Vice President Masahiko Komura pushes talks next week with coalition partner New Komeito on collective self-defense in hopes a decision on the issue is reflected in Japan-U.S. defense guidelines by the year's end.
JAPAN
May 13, 2014
Abe to get Article 9 proposals Thursday
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's Article 9 panel will propose its conditions for using collective self-defense under a reinterpreted Constitution on Thursday.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Politics
May 13, 2014
Activist seeks to tap power of youth for political change
The world's top economies and financial watchdogs have repeatedly warned Japan to take action against its snowballing debt, but it's the younger generations of Japanese who stand to be most affected by the repercussions as a shrinking and rapidly aging population bleeds social security dry.
JAPAN
May 7, 2014
New cybersecurity bill would require all ministries to report attacks
Japan prepares to take another step toward bolstering its cybersecurity by creating a state entity that will assess online threats and countermeasures.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Politics
May 7, 2014
Ex-leaders revive no-nukes crusade
Three months after his defeat in the Tokyo gubernatorial race, former Prime Minister Morihiro Hosokawa has teamed up once again with fellow ex-Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi to renew their effort to abolish nuclear power, even as the central government takes steps to revive it.
Japan Times
JAPAN / EXPLAINER
May 5, 2014
Silk mill took Japan to global level
The historic Tomioka Silk Mill in Gunma Prefecture and its related facilities are expected to become UNESCO World Heritage sites next month.
JAPAN / Politics
May 3, 2014
Constitution Day feted, fought over
Japan's pacifist Constitution is at a crossroads as the 67th anniversary of its taking effect is celebrated around the nation.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Apr 22, 2014
Defensive realignment with U.S. a balancing act for Abe
For Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, exercising the right to collective self-defense will help Japan become what he calls a "normal" country on a more equal footing with the United States.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Apr 22, 2014
TPP talks still on track: top Republican
U.S. House Majority Leader Eric Cantor on Tuesday said negotiations on the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade pact are still on track despite staunch opposition from both the Senate and the House to grant President Barack Obama fast-track authority.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Politics
Apr 21, 2014
Abe skips Yasukuni, sends offering
Prime Minister Abe sends a 'masakaki' tree offering to Yasukuni Shrine for its annual spring ceremony, irking old war foe South Korea just before U.S. President Barack Obama's state visit.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Politics
Apr 21, 2014
Obama's state visit comes at crucial time
With defense and trade issues still to be resolved, Thursday's U.S.-Japan summit is a high-stakes game for both sides.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Apr 18, 2014
Raise corporate profile of women, confab urges
A two-day international conference aiming to empower women kicked off Friday in Tokyo with a call for companies and the government to foster more female executives — an area of gender equality where Japan greatly lags behind the global norm.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Apr 16, 2014
Diet ranks call for whaling to continue and feast to defy ICJ ruling
The Lower House committee on agriculture and fisheries unanimously approved a resolution Wednesday to demand that the government of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe continue to allow the country to hunt whales.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Apr 15, 2014
Diet members dine on whale meat in defiance of ICJ ruling
Lawmakers across party lines hold an annual whale-meat cuisine event to celebrate the country's whaling culture in defiance of the International Court of Justice's decision to ban Japan's whale hunt off Antarctica.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Politics
Apr 11, 2014
Asao takes helm of Your Party
Your Party formally appoints Secretary-General Keiichiro Asao as its new president to replace founder Yoshimi Watanabe, who exited amid an ¥800 million loan scandal.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Politics
Apr 8, 2014
Your Party looks to pick new chief after Watanabe's exit
The embattled Your Party is set to name a new leader as early as Friday to replace Yoshimi Watanabe, who Monday expressed his intention to resign as party chief amid a money scandal.
JAPAN / Politics
Apr 8, 2014
Bill to lower referendum voting age submitted to Lower House
The ruling and opposition parties submit a bill to the Lower House to lower the age from which people can vote in a referendum to 18.
JAPAN / Politics
Apr 7, 2014
LDP gropes for clarity on collective defense rewrite
The Liberal Democratic Party is moving ahead fast in talks to lift the nation's self-imposed restrictions on collective self-defense as Prime Minister Shinzo Abe continues his quest for a more proactive role in the Japan-U.S. alliance.

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