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November 22, 2024
 

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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
Jul 10, 2004
Is Pyongyang trying to win the election for the coalition?
North Korea's surprise live broadcast Friday of Hitomi Soga's kin at Pyongyang airport may constitute another indication that the country is apparently trying to back Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's administration ahead of Sunday's House of Councilors election, government officials claimed.
JAPAN
Jul 8, 2004
Government paints rosy picture to lure Jenkins
Charles Robert Jenkins, the American husband of repatriated abductee Hitomi Soga, would not necessarily be imprisoned if he came to Japan, even though he will probably face a U.S. court-martial for desertion, government sources claimed Wednesday.
JAPAN
Jul 7, 2004
Soga reunion may open door to fresh normalization talks
Japan might be able to resume normalization talks with North Korea this month now that they have organized a family reunion for repatriated abductee Hitomi Soga, a senior Foreign Ministry official said Tuesday.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Jul 6, 2004
Soga, family to reunite Friday in Jakarta
Hitomi Soga, one of five Japanese repatriated to Japan in October 2002 after being abducted to North Korea, will be reunited with her American husband and their two daughters this week in Jakarta, Chief Cabinet Secretary Hiroyuki Hosoda said Monday.
Japan Times
JAPAN / ELECTION '04
Jul 2, 2004
Abductions are candidate's cause celebre
Independent candidate Teruaki Masumoto, 48, hoped to keep a fire alive as he tried to get the attention of passersby outside Tokyo's Iidabashi Station on June 24, the day campaigning for July 11 House of Councilors election kicked off.
JAPAN / Politics
Jun 8, 2004
Power of LDP support groups waning
About 5,000 people gathered in Sapporo on May 23 to attend a convention of the national association of special post office chiefs, a longtime supporter of and the biggest vote-gathering machine for the Liberal Democratic Party.
JAPAN
May 29, 2004
Two Japanese reported killed south of Baghdad
Two Japanese freelance journalists died after their vehicle was attacked by unidentified assailants in the city of Mahmudiyah, about 30 km south of Baghdad, a Foreign Ministry official in Tokyo quoted Iraqi hospital officials as saying Friday.
Japan Times
JAPAN
May 27, 2004
Soga, Jenkins facing reunion delay
Repatriated abductee Hitomi Soga may have to wait several weeks to be reunited with her husband because the government needs to pick the right location for the couple to discuss their future in a "quiet environment," a top Foreign Ministry official said Wednesday.
JAPAN
May 25, 2004
Harassment issue untouched
News of the successes and failures in the reunification of the families of five Japanese who were repatriated after being abducted to North Korea have been plastered across the front pages of Japanese newspapers in the wake of Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's visit to Pyongyang on Saturday.
Japan Times
JAPAN
May 23, 2004
Jury not in yet on who came out ahead at summit
PYONGYANG -- Although Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi returned to Japan on Saturday with the offspring of four repatriated Japanese abductees, many may be wondering whether he gained enough for what he offered.
JAPAN
May 22, 2004
Nation waits as Koizumi jets to Pyongyang
Expectations are high in Japan that Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, who will visit Pyongyang on Saturday for his second summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Il, will return with the families of the five repatriated abductees.
JAPAN
May 20, 2004
State relents, allows NTV to cover Koizumi trip
The government backtracked Wednesday on its decision to ban Nippon Television Network Corp. reporters from joining the press corps for Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's visit to Pyongyang on Saturday.
JAPAN
May 19, 2004
State muzzles NTV over report it didn't like
Angered by a news report, the government has excluded Nippon Television Network Corp. reporters from a list of press corps permitted to accompany Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi on his weekend visit to Pyongyang, NTV officials said Tuesday.
JAPAN
May 19, 2004
State muzzles NTV over report it didn't like
Angered by a news report, the government has excluded Nippon Television Network Corp. reporters from a list of press corps permitted to accompany Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi on his weekend visit to Pyongyang, NTV officials said Tuesday.
JAPAN
May 19, 2004
Koizumi hopes U.S. will pardon Jenkins
Before Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi visits Pyongyang on Saturday, Tokyo hopes Washington will promise to pardon an American in North Korea wanted for desertion if he is allowed to come to Japan to reunite with his wife, who is one of the five repatriated abductees.
JAPAN
May 18, 2004
Nukes, abductions progress key
Japan will not resume normalization talks with North Korea unless there is progress on the abduction issue as well as Pyongyang's suspected nuclear weapons program, the top government spokesman said Monday.
JAPAN
May 15, 2004
Koizumi to visit Pyongyang on May 22
Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi will visit Pyongyang on May 22 for talks with North Korean leader Kim Jong Il in an effort to secure the passage to Japan of eight family members of five repatriated abductees, Chief Cabinet Secretary Hiroyuki Hosoda said Friday.
JAPAN
May 15, 2004
Koizumi to visit Pyongyang on May 22
Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi will visit Pyongyang on May 22 for talks with North Korean leader Kim Jong Il in an effort to secure the passage to Japan of eight family members of five repatriated abductees, Chief Cabinet Secretary Hiroyuki Hosoda said Friday.
JAPAN
May 14, 2004
Experts doubt merits of Koizumi Pyongyang trip
Widespread suspicion over North Korea's agenda has failed to dampen speculation that Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi may visit Pyongyang in the near future to secure the passage to Japan of the families of the five repatriated abductees.
JAPAN
May 7, 2004
Koizumi lauds abductions progress; second Pyongyang visit not ruled out
Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi said Thursday that Japan and North Korea have made progress in talks over the abduction issue, and indicated he might visit Pyongyang again to resolve the deadlock.
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

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