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April 11, 2025
 

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Kanako Takahara

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Kanako Takahara
Kanako Takahara is a staff writer who has covered national politics, diplomacy, business and the economy at The Japan Times. A graduate of Sophia University, she is currently a national news editor.
JAPAN / Q&A
Dec 15, 2010
Testimony at ethics panel not under oath
The Democratic Party of Japan's internal rift is widening by the day on whether DPJ heavyweight Ichiro Ozawa should be summoned to give unsworn testimony before the Lower House Council on Political Ethics about the money scandal for which he faces indictment.
JAPAN
Dec 7, 2010
Kan won't rule out LDP option
Prime Minister Naoto Kan on Monday left open the possibility of a grand coalition with the opposition Liberal Democratic Party, although he added that the idea won't easily be accepted without good reason.
JAPAN
Dec 4, 2010
Sengoku backtracks on exit hint
Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshito Sengoku, considered the most influential politician in Prime Minister Naoto Kan's administration, created a stir Friday when he hinted he may step down.
JAPAN
Dec 3, 2010
Nakaima presses Kan to move U.S. Marine base out of Okinawa
Okinawa Gov. Hirokazu Nakaima, who was re-elected Sunday, urged Prime Minister Naoto Kan Thursday to relocate the U.S. Marine base at Futenma outside the prefecture, rather than to the Henoko district of Nago as agreed upon by the U.S. and Japan in May.
JAPAN
Nov 27, 2010
Stimulus budget wins Diet passage
The Diet late Friday enacted the supplementary budget to fund a ¥5.1 trillion stimulus package even though the opposition rejected the package in the Upper House.
JAPAN
Nov 25, 2010
Kan confers with Lee on North threat
Prime Minister Naoto Kan and his Seoul counterpart, Lee Myung Bak, agreed Wednesday their countries and the United States must work closely to confront any provocations by North Korea, which the previous day shelled a South Korean island in the Yellow Sea, causing four confirmed deaths.
Japan Times
JAPAN / EXPLAINER
Nov 17, 2010
Kindergartens, day care centers may merge
When it comes to finding a place to park the kiddies for the day, working parents generally have two options: kindergartens and day care facilities.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Nov 14, 2010
TPP signals commitment to Asia: Obama
YOKOHAMA — The Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement will give Washington a strong presence in Asia and an opportunity to increase trade, U.S. President Barack Obama said Saturday in Yokohama.
BUSINESS
Nov 11, 2010
Ministers unite against new trade barriers
YOKOHAMA — Foreign and trade ministers meeting in Yokohama on Wednesday agreed to fend off protectionism by extending an existing ban on new trade barriers among member states by at least three years, until 2013.
JAPAN
Nov 2, 2010
Diet panels view Senkaku run-in video, fault trawler
Lawmakers who saw video footage Monday of the collisions between a Chinese trawler and two Japan Coast Guard cutters near the Senkaku Islands in early September said it proved the fishing boat rammed the Japanese vessels.
JAPAN
Oct 27, 2010
Cabinet OKs ¥5.1 trillion extra budget
Prime Minister Naoto Kan's Cabinet on Tuesday endorsed an extra budget for this fiscal year to fund a ¥5.1 trillion emergency stimulus package aimed at fighting deflation and the surging yen.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Oct 25, 2010
Eda urges stronger ties with China to handle disputes
Fresh from a four-day trip to China that ended Thursday, Satsuki Eda, former president of the House of Councilors, said the Democratic Party of Japan needs to work harder to create stronger lines of communication with China to avoid future diplomatic spats with the neighboring giant.
JAPAN
Oct 23, 2010
Sengoku's growing influence causes a stir
On the first day of the Lower House Budget Committee session last week, Nobuteru Ishihara, secretary general of the Liberal Democratic Party, chose to deride the growing power of Yoshito Sengoku, chief Cabinet secretary of the ruling Democratic Party of Japan.
JAPAN
Oct 19, 2010
Keep companies, citizens safe, Kan tells Beijing
The demonstrations against Japan staged over the weekend in China were very unfortunate and both sides must exercise calm, Prime Minister Naoto Kan said Monday as the protests dragged on for a third consecutive day.
JAPAN
Oct 16, 2010
Ozawa sues government over indictment process
Democratic Party of Japan kingpin Ichiro Ozawa sued the government Friday, claiming a judicial panel's move to indict him for falsifying political funds reports is illegal and invalid.
BUSINESS
Oct 9, 2010
Cabinet endorses ¥5 trillion stimulus
The Cabinet of Prime Minister Naoto Kan endorsed a ¥5.05 trillion stimulus package Friday aimed at propping up an economy hampered by deflation and the surging yen.
JAPAN
Oct 7, 2010
LDP pressures Kan for Ozawa Diet testimony
Prime Minister Naoto Kan should make every effort to persuade Democratic Party of Japan bigwig Ichiro Ozawa, who is facing indictment over alleged political funding improprieties, to give sworn testimony before the Diet, Liberal Democratic Party leader Sadakazu Tanigaki said Wednesday.
JAPAN
Oct 6, 2010
Panel's decision on Ozawa flawed: professor
The decision by an independent judicial panel to indict Democratic Party of Japan kingpin Ichiro Ozawa has crucial procedural flaws that could damage its credibility, Meiji University professor Nobuo Gohara said Tuesday.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Oct 6, 2010
New center provides day care for Diet mothers
On a sunny September day, a nurse held a 3-month-old baby while another fed a hungry 7-month-old. Outside, two boys played in a sandbox in a spacious yard, where in the summer a wading pool will be set up so the children can splash about.
JAPAN
Oct 5, 2010
Ozawa's long career over, experts say
The political career of Democratic Party of Japan heavyweight Ichiro Ozawa, who has been at the center stage of politics for more than 20 years, was effectively crushed Monday when the Tokyo No. 5 Inquest Committee decided to indict him over falsified political funds reports, political observers said....
Takayasu’s latest heartbreak makes sumo history
Takayasu during the one-day Annual Sumo Tournament at the Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo on Feb 9, 2020
Trump's tariff gambit leaves Asia stunned and scrambling
U.S. President Donald Trump speaks as he attends the National Republican Congressional Committee dinner in Washington on Tuesday. Trump allowed new tariffs — including a 24% levy on Japan — to go into effect as scheduled on Wednesday.
Tokyo cheers Trump’s tariff U-turn with second-biggest market gain ever
U.S. President Donald Trump looks on after signing an executive order in the Oval Office of the White House on Wednesday in Washington.
Banks freeze withdrawals for foreign nationals upon expiration of visas
Foreign residents who fail to renew their residential statuses before their expiry may find that they won’t be able to withdraw cash from their bank accounts.
Japanese badminton ace Shida blasts 'stalker' Chinese fans
Chiharu Shida of Japan in action during the bronze medal match with Nami Matsuyama against Pearly Tan and Muralitharan Thinaah of Malaysia at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, France on Aug. 03, 2024
Who is Ryosei Akazawa, Japan's tariffs negotiator?
Economic revitalization minister Ryosei Akazawa, who Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba has appointed Japan's tariff negotiator, is one of his closest allies and busiest ministers.
After a tumultuous buildup, a first look at the Osaka Expo
A large statue of Osaka Expo mascot Myaku Myaku sits near the east entrance of the event's venue in Yumeshima island, Osaka, on Wednesday.
Japan gets a new U.S. ambassador — and he has his work cut out for him
George Glass, U.S. President Donald Trump's pick to be ambassador to Japan, attends a Senate Foreign Relations Committee confirmation hearing in Washington on March 13.
Online art scene eager to go offline, at least for the moment
Digital artist Polygon1993 revels in the physicality of nostalgic technology, making art out of materials such as miniature CDs, holographic prints layered with plexiglass shards and a giant custom-made floppy disk.
Tottori takes a bold leap forward in the arts
The city of Kurayoshi in Tottori Prefecture celebrated the opening of its public art museum with festivities such as a parade that drew 1,000 revelers.

Podcast

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

Longform

An ongoing shortage of rice has resulted in rising prices for Japan's main food staple.
Why Japan is running out of rice — and farmers to grow it
By Alex K.T. Martin

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