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November 22, 2024
 

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Yoshio Nakamura
BUSINESS / JAPANESE PERSPECTIVES
Feb 7, 2005
Amendment must be made easier to ensure prosperity for Japan
On Jan. 18, Keidanren released a report on basic national issues including constitutional revision and diplomatic and national security policies. It was the first time this business lobby had put together a set of proposals on these matters.
BUSINESS / JAPANESE PERSPECTIVES
Dec 20, 2004
Consumption tax, reforms, incentives key to future growth
The Keidanren in September released a simulation of the medium- to longer-term prospects for Japan's fiscal policies and social security programs. The simulation made itclear that unless the fiscal structure of the Japanese government is reformed, Japan's outstanding public debt will likely expand to...
BUSINESS / JAPANESE PERSPECTIVES
Nov 22, 2004
Firms think little of government statistics, questionnaire shows
Among government statistics detailing the condition of the Japanese economy, the Cabinet Office's quarterly estimates of gross domestic product, the Finance Ministry's report on corporate activity, and the "tankan" survey by the Bank of Japan are widely known. But there are many other economic statistics...
BUSINESS / JAPANESE PERSPECTIVES
Nov 1, 2004
Antimonopoly Law reform amendment falls short of the mark
A proposed amendment to the Antimonopoly Law was submitted to the Diet on Oct. 15 -- as promised by the ruling Liberal Democratic Party.
BUSINESS / JAPANESE PERSPECTIVES
Sep 20, 2004
Despite reforms, future looks grim without consumption tax hike
In the "Okuda Vision (Japan 2025)" report released in January 2003, Keidanren used a simulation to present the medium to longer-term prospects for Japan's fiscal and social security systems. We made it clear that the measures which would be needed to maintain the sustainability of national and local...
BUSINESS / JAPANESE PERSPECTIVES
Jul 26, 2004
Despite its luck, Japan must not shirk reform
In the July 11 House of Councilors election, the main opposition force -- the Democratic Party of Japan -- made big gains while the leader of the ruling coalition -- the Liberal Democratic Party -- fell short of its modest target of a one-seat gain. Nevertheless, the LDP-led coalition government still...
BUSINESS / JAPANESE PERSPECTIVES
Jun 21, 2004
Translating laws into English would make good business sense
Japan is pushing for judicial reform, and efforts to establish a judicial system that the public can clearly understand and feel familiar with -- including the recent enactment of a law introducing the so-called citizen judge system -- are fully under way.
BUSINESS / JAPANESE PERSPECTIVES
May 24, 2004
Making the shift from 'defensive' to 'offensive' restructuring
Most of the major Japanese corporations have released their earnings results for the latest business year ended in March. Many of them reported brisk earnings, including Toyota Motor Corp., whose net profit topped 1 trillion yen for the first time. According to the Bank of Japan's "tankan" survey and...
BUSINESS / JAPANESE PERSPECTIVES
Apr 26, 2004
Antimonopoly Law must be reformed to fit 21st century
The Fair Trade Commission is contemplating making a revision to the Antimonopoly Law in hopes of being able to submit a bill to the Diet, which is now in session. However, the contents of the revision are still up in the air.
BUSINESS / JAPANESE PERSPECTIVES
Mar 8, 2004
Speed key to making most of new tax pact
On Feb. 27, a new Japanese-U.S. treaty on taxation was finally submitted to the Diet for ratification by the legislature. The treaty, if approved, will make dividends and royalties earned by U.S. subsidiaries in which the Japanese parent firm has a stake of more than 50 percent tax-free, doing away with...
BUSINESS / JAPANESE PERSPECTIVES
Feb 16, 2004
Judging our parties by policy is the best policy
In the United States, it is the routine work of think tanks and business organizations to examine the voting behavior of each legislator.
BUSINESS / JAPANESE PERSPECTIVES
Jan 19, 2004
Japan must preserve upswing by allaying public fear with reform
Expectations are growing that Japan will finally achieve a full-scale economic recovery this year.
BUSINESS / JAPANESE PERSPECTIVES
Dec 8, 2003
Think carefully before embarking on tax and pension system reforms
With the House of Representatives election over and the roster for the policy panel of the ruling coalition set, discussions on tax reform for the next fiscal year have finally gotten under way -- half a month later than average. I would like to mention some points we would like to emphasize on this...
BUSINESS / JAPANESE PERSPECTIVES
Nov 17, 2003
A proper accounting due for IASB's ways
Established in 2001, the International Accounting Standards Board is a body that is trying to develop a single set of high-quality global accounting standards, the ultimate goal being to have the world's other existing standards converge with it.
BUSINESS / JAPANESE PERSPECTIVES
Oct 20, 2003
Japan must rethink trade policy
The outcome of the World Trade Organization's ministerial conference in Cancun, Mexico, in September was extremely regrettable and damaging to multilateral trade liberalization based on rules. However, we should not simply resent past failures. We should turn them into lessons for achieving the goals...
BUSINESS / JAPANESE PERSPECTIVES
Sep 15, 2003
Antimonopoly Law faces problems with Constitution, implementation
As deregulation proceeds, a greater segment of the economy is being ruled by market principles, and this trend will accelerate with the implementation of structural reforms. Here, the Antimonopoly Law, the watchdog of market principles, will play an increasingly important role, and it must be enforced...
BUSINESS / JAPANESE PERSPECTIVES
Aug 25, 2003
What has your political party done for you lately?
The Nippon Keidanren is working on a set of guidelines aimed at encouraging member companies to donate to political parties and evaluate their policies. I would like to provide some background on the objectives of this ongoing effort.
BUSINESS / JAPANESE PERSPECTIVES
Jul 21, 2003
Will tax reform succeed at ensuring our social security?
The government has tackled tax reform as a means of beefing up Japan's economic vigor, cutting corporate tax rates and introducing cuts specifically aimed at promoting research and development projects.
BUSINESS / JAPANESE PERSPECTIVES
Jun 16, 2003
Stocks won't recover unless regulators get serious about oversight
Tokyo share prices are on shaky ground. While the Nikkei 225 Stock Average has managed to recover from the deep slump it was in from March to mid-May, spending the whole time below 8,000 but trading in the upper half of the 7,000 range -- the key index remains far below 14,000, the level it was at when...
BUSINESS / JAPANESE PERSPECTIVES
May 19, 2003
It's time to meet expectations by installing stock-market package
Japan managed to avoid the so-called March crisis as share prices picked up temporarily toward the end of the month. However, the stock market remained in a slump in April, with the Nikkei average dipping at one point to the 7,600 range.
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.
Tokyo Metro’s overseas efforts begin in earnest with London deal
Tokyo Metro will soon have a role in the running of London's Elizabeth Line, a major train route serving the U.K.’s capital city and environs.
Russia fired experimental ballistic missile at Ukraine, Putin says
Ukrainian firefighters work on a spot following an airstrike in Dnipro on Thursday.
Ex-yokozuna Kitanofuji dies at 82
Yokozuna Kitanofuji enters the ring during the May 1970 grand sumo tournament in Tokyo.
Man charged with murder allegedly made victim date other men for money
A car carrying suspect Ryotaro Masuda, who was indicted for allegedly beating his 25-year-old girlfriend to death, leaves the Shibuya Police Station in Tokyo on Thursday.
The slow-burn success of ‘A Samurai in Time’
A 19th-century warrior gets struck by lightning and wakes to find himself in 21st-century Kyoto in Junichi Yasuda’s surprise hit “A Samurai in Time.”
Around a quarter of Japan married couples in their 20s met through dating apps
A survey released by an organization promoting “Good Couples Day” shows that 24% of couples in their 20s met their marriage partner through a dating app.
'Tokyo Swindlers': Get deep into the minds of real estate con artists
In Ko Shinjo's "Tokyo Swindlers," a group of con artists manipulates real estate giants into falsified deals within the highly competitive, quick market.
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.

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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