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November 22, 2024
 

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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
Dec 2, 2013
Ishiba softens criticism of bill protesters
Liberal Democratic Party Secretary-General Shigeru Ishiba remains critical of public demonstrations despite retracting part of an earlier comment likening protesters to terrorists.
BUSINESS / Economy
Dec 2, 2013
Tohoku reconstruction tax surcharge on firms to end year early but added levy on incomes to stay
The ruling bloc agrees to end the special corporate tax surcharge levied to finance the reconstruction of the disaster-hit Tohoku region one year early but will keep the levy added to personal income taxes for 25 years.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Politics
Dec 1, 2013
Secrecy law protests 'act of terrorism': LDP secretary-general
Citizens demonstrating against the controversial state secrets bill are committing “an act terrorism,” according to Liberal Democratic Party Secretary-General Shigeru Ishiba.
Japan Times
JAPAN / GENERATIONAL CHANGE
Dec 1, 2013
Crusader for social activism brings Change.org to Japan
The woman who brought Change.org to Japan says the online petition platform is just the ticket to get the normally reticent Japanese to become more active in achieving social change.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Politics
Nov 30, 2013
Skepticism engulfs secrecy bill
As Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's government rammed the controversial state secrecy bill through the Lower House last week, what seemed to become evident is that even his Cabinet ministers lack a coherent understanding of the content, breeding even more skepticism among the public.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Politics
Nov 27, 2013
Diet passes bill to create national security council
The Diet passes legislation to establish a version of the U.S. National Security Council, boosting Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's drive for tougher security laws.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Politics
Nov 26, 2013
Ruling bloc rams secrets bill through Lower House
The ruling coalition forced its contentious state secrets bill through the Lower House on Tuesday evening amid calls from all but one of the opposition forces for further deliberations on its provisions.
JAPAN
Nov 21, 2013
Ruling camp fends off rewrite of secrets bill
The ruling bloc keeps its contentious state secrets bill intact though it gives the appearance of compromising with Nippon Ishin no Kai to attach minor requirements on government bodies seeking to classify information.
JAPAN / Politics
Nov 19, 2013
Ruling bloc may yield a bit on state secrets bill
The Liberal Democratic Party-New Komeito ruling bloc is wooing the opposition camp this week to reach common ground on the contentious state secrets bill that the administration hopes the Lower House passed by Friday.
Japan Times
JAPAN / NATIONAL SPOTLIGHT
Nov 17, 2013
Abe's 'third arrow' of structural reform being deflected by vested interests
So far, so good. This is exactly how the global community and the Japanese public felt about Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's deflation-busting economic program dubbed "Abenomics" — until a few months ago.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Nov 15, 2013
Ex-Mainichi reporter blasts Abe's push for secrets bill
Takichi Nishiyama, an ex-reporter for the Mainichi Shimbun who uncovered the secret pact on the U.S. return of Okinawa, criticizes Prime Minister Shinzo Abe for trying to centralize power and control information with the state secrets bill.
JAPAN / Politics
Nov 14, 2013
Ruling bloc may yield on state secrets bill
Eager to see its state secrecy bill passed by the Lower House next week, the ruling coalition is showing signs of giving ground on the controversial legislation.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Politics
Nov 12, 2013
Koizumi calls on Abe to ditch nuclear power
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has abundant political capital and should declare an end to nuclear power, as the public mood for such a decision couldn't be better, predecessor Junichiro Koizumi said Tuesday.
JAPAN / Politics
Nov 11, 2013
FCCJ slams 'vague' state secrets bill as direct threat to journalists
The Foreign Correspondents' Club of Japan plans to lodge an official protest with the ruling LDP on Monday over a bill to protect state secrets.
JAPAN / Politics
Nov 7, 2013
Bill to set up U.S.-style security council clears Lower House
The House of Representatives passes legislation to establish a Japanese version of the U.S. National Security Council and sends it to the Upper House for ratification.
JAPAN / Politics
Nov 4, 2013
New secrecy law seen best serving bureaucrats
The secrecy bill is dangerous because Japan already has a lot of nondisclosable information and several laws to protect it, the head of an NPO warns.
Japan Times
JAPAN / EXPLAINER
Nov 4, 2013
Diet reform paralyzed by hypocritical habits
Indecision is a much-criticized feature of Japanese politics. Diet sessions are rife with unproductive wrangling as the ruling and opposition camps dispute the timing of the submission of bills while avoiding constructive discussions on them.
BUSINESS / Economy
Oct 29, 2013
IMF offers guarded praise to 'Abenomics'
"Abenomics" has brought positive results, but challenges remain as to whether Prime Minister Shinzo Abe can implement structural reform to bring about sustainable growth, the International Monetary Fund said Tuesday in its first preliminary assessment of his economic policies.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Politics
Oct 25, 2013
Talks on body to deal with security begin
The Diet started deliberations Friday on a bill to establish a Japanese version of the U.S. National Security Council, an entity designed to enhance the government's ability to deal with national security and manage crises.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Politics
Oct 24, 2013
Cabinet to OK state secrets bill
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's Cabinet is set to approve a controversial bill to protect state secrets that stops short of fully guaranteeing the public's right to know and freedom of the press.
Two of America’s biggest debt holders are dumping Treasurys
The U.S. Treasury building in Washington. Investors in Japan and China sold a pile of U.S. debt in the last quarter, just before the U.S. presidential election.
Ishiba aggravates his own political failures with diplomatic faux pas
Prime Minster Shigeru Ishiba is greeted at the APEC summit in Lima by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Friday. The Japanese leader was criticized for remaining seated while meeting several world leaders at the event.
Japan's 3.31 million visitors in October set monthly record
Kiyomizu Temple in Kyoto in December 2023. Famous autumn leaf colors contributed to increased tourism demand last month from many markets across Asia, Europe and North America, the Japan National Tourism Organization has said.
Japan ranks last in romance satisfaction for second straight year
In a survey of 31 countries, Japan ranked last in terms of those who felt loved, with just 51% of respondents saying so.
Ruling coalition and DPP strike last-minute deal over economic policy
DPP policy chief Makoto Mahaguchi speaks at the party's policy gathering in Tokyo on Wednesday.
Japan, U.K. and Italy discuss inviting more countries to joint fighter project
A new concept model of a next-generation fighter jet to be jointly developed by Japan, Britain and Italy is on display in Farnborough, Hampshire, in July.
Haruki Murakami's 'The City and Its Uncertain Walls' gives deep deja vu
For “The City and Its Uncertain Walls,” translated into English by Philip Gabriel, Haruki Murakami confronts the ghosts who won't leave him alone.
Japanese expats in Asia find community through rugby
The Taiwan Fivewoods celebrate their victory at the 2023 Asian Japanese Rugby Cup in December of last year.
In Fukushima, a weekend of prose, poetry and translation
Aomori-based writer JJ Carter presented on tabletop gaming as creative inspiration for building characters and narratives.
For Dr. Nakamats, aging is just experience in action
Though he didn't win the recent gubernatorial election in Tokyo, the 96-year-old Dr. Nakamats' run was seen as inspirational in Japan's aging society.

Podcast

One of the many entrances to the Kabukicho neighborhood in Tokyo’s Shinjuku Ward.
Kabukicho: Tokyo’s ‘stadium of desire’

Longform

Construction takes place on the Takanawa Gateway Convention Center in Tokyo, slated to open in 2025.
A boom for business tourism in Japan?
By Kathryn Wortley

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