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 Reiji Yoshida

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Reiji Yoshida
Reiji Yoshida is a staff writer and deputy manager of the Domestic News Division. Since joining The Japan Times in 1993, he has intensively covered domestic politics, diplomacy and defense issues as well as the 2011 Fukushima nuclear crisis.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Politics
Aug 26, 2015
Osaka governor demands Ishin no To secretary-general resign as party division intensifies
Ishin no To (Japan Innovation Party), the second largest opposition party, is on the brink of disintegration once again as a confrontation between its Osaka-based and Tokyo-based members intensified Wednesday.
JAPAN / Politics
Aug 26, 2015
Obama apologizes to Abe over spying allegations
Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga made the announcement, but did not say whether Obama admitted the U.S. had spied on Japanese officials and companies, as alleged by WikiLeaks.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Politics
Aug 24, 2015
Abe won't visit Beijing for WWII parade
Contrary to earlier media reports, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has decided not to visit China in early September, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga says.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Politics
Aug 21, 2015
Japan condemns North Korean border 'provocation'; experts say military escalation unlikely
After North Korean leader Kim Jong Un declared a “quasi state of war” for the nation's troops near the South Korean border, Tokyo expressed “strong concerns.”
Japan Times
JAPAN
Aug 21, 2015
Education ministry failing to address teacher shortfall at overseas Japanese schools, report finds
Despite a recent surge in the number of Japanese school-age children living abroad, the ministry has failed to dispatch enough teachers.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Politics
Aug 20, 2015
LDP lawmaker Takaya Muto quits party over money scandal
A Liberal Democratic Party lawmaker who has been accused over an alleged money scandal quit the party on Wednesday after apologizing for "causing great trouble" to the LDP.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Politics
Aug 15, 2015
Ministers visit divisive war shrine on 70th anniversary of war end
In a move likely to draw fresh criticism from China and South Korea, three members of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's Cabinet visited the war-linked Yasukuni Shrine Saturday, the 70th anniversary of Japan's surrender in World War II.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Aug 15, 2015
Emperor voices 'deep remorse' over war at 70th anniversary of surrender; ministers visit Yasukuni
In comments in Tokyo to mark the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II, Emperor Akihito refers to his u2018deep remorse' over wartime events.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Politics
Aug 14, 2015
Abe's WWII statement speaks of regret but dodges details
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, in a much-awaited statement about World War II, spoke of “deep remorse” over Japan's wartime misdeeds.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Politics / 70 YEARS AFTER THE WAR'S END
Aug 14, 2015
Abe's nationalism reflected in conservative political movement, but polls show voter dissent
The hot political season is back as the nation observes Aug. 15, which is always an emotional date as it marks Japan's surrender in World War II — and this year is the 70th anniversary of that fateful event.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Politics
Aug 6, 2015
Exclusion of nonnuclear principles from Abe's Hiroshima speech causes stir
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's failure to include a pledge to observe the country's three nonnuclear principles in the annual memorial speech on Thursday remembering the victims of the Hiroshima atomic bomb attack is causing speculation the exclusion may be political.
JAPAN / Politics
Aug 6, 2015
Abe advisory panel cites wartime 'aggression' but fails to address recent revisionism
A key advisory panel to Shinzo Abe published its report Thursday on Japan's modern history and postwar reconciliation, strongly criticizing the wartime "aggression" against other Asian countries but touching little on recent controversies over what is widely regarded as the prime minister's revisionist...
Japan Times
JAPAN / Politics
Aug 5, 2015
Japan defense chief says SDF could deal with nukes under security bills
Under the ruling bloc's security bills, the Self-Defense Forces would theoretically be allowed to transport, repair or store nuclear, chemical and biological weapons for foreign forces.
JAPAN / Politics
Aug 5, 2015
Biden calls Abe to apologize after WikiLeaks details alleged NSA spying on Tokyo
The U.S. vice president said he was sorry for the U.S. “causing trouble,” according to Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, following allegations the NSA spied on Tokyo.
JAPAN / Politics
Aug 4, 2015
Debate on anti-discrimination bill begins in Diet
The Diet starts deliberations on a bill that would ban racial discrimination, including harassment and hate speech, and oblige the government to draw up anti-discrimination programs that report every year to lawmakers.
JAPAN / Politics
Aug 4, 2015
In surprise move, government to suspend Nago construction for one month
In a surprise move, the central government will suspend for one month all ongoing construction work related to building a replacement facility for U.S. Marines Air Station Futenma.
Japan Times
JAPAN / EXPLAINER
Aug 3, 2015
Japan's security bills are tactical approach to battle
Lawmakers are due to continue debating two contentious security bills until mid-September, comprising some of the most controversial government-sponsored legislation to reach the Diet in recent years.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Aug 2, 2015
Key debris operation at Fukushima clears way for removal of still-simmering fuel rods
Tokyo Electric Power Co. succeeded Sunday in safely removing a 20-ton piece of debris from the fuel pool of the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
Jul 31, 2015
Judicial review panel votes to indict ex-Tepco execs
Three former top executives at Tokyo Electric Power Co. are set to be hauled into court over their alleged responsibility for the 2011 Fukushima nuclear crisis.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Jul 28, 2015
Ministry official quits amid Olympic stadium debacle
An official in the education and sports ministry who oversaw work on the new National Stadium will resign after costs soared with little explanation and the project was canceled.

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