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December 23, 2024
 

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Masami Ito

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Masami Ito
Masami is a staff writer for the Life and Culture Division at The Japan Times. She is in charge of the weekly Sunday Timeout, covering various issues related to Japan, from alcohol/drug addiction and juvenile crime to female sushi chefs and kendama. Over her 15-year career, she has written extensively on Japanese politics, foreign policy and social issues.
JAPAN
Sep 1, 2007
Lower House might be dissolved if MSDF duty isn't extended: Ishihara
bin Laden and al-Qaida (are located), and the antiterrorism law is enabling activities to prevent narcotics from Afghanistan to be sold around the world and the money used for international terrorism," Ishihara told reporters in a group interview. "I think that the decision by the Diet (whether to extend...
JAPAN
Aug 29, 2007
'Sakura Papa' sues publisher, ex-girlfriend
Democratic Party of Japan member Yoshiro Yokomine, elected last month to the Upper House, filed a damages lawsuit Tuesday against publisher Shinchosha Publishing Co. and his former girlfriend for defamation of character over a recently published article.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Aug 28, 2007
Aso moves over to take LDP's No. 2 post
Seeking a fresh start following his party's disastrous defeat in last month's Upper House election, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who also serves as Liberal Democratic Party president, reshuffled the party's top posts Monday.
JAPAN / ANALYSIS
Aug 28, 2007
Picking faction bosses Abe's bid to show tactful maturity?
In a desperate effort to mend his and his Cabinet's damaged credibility, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe took the safe course Monday by picking a new team of mainly veteran lawmakers, including Liberal Democratic Party faction leaders.
JAPAN
Aug 21, 2007
Otsuji to head LDP Upper House ranks
Bidding for a fresh start following its crushing defeat in the last election, the ruling Liberal Democratic Party officially picked four-term lawmaker Hidehisa Otsuji to head the party's Upper House caucus Monday.
JAPAN
Aug 16, 2007
Abe expresses regret for war
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe expressed regret Wednesday for the war and Japan's past misdeeds against its neighbors.
JAPAN
Aug 10, 2007
DPJ goes on offensive with two new bills
The Democratic Party of Japan began testing its mettle Thursday as the top force in the Upper House by submitting during the Diet's extra four-day session two bills aimed at challenging ruling bloc-penned laws.
JAPAN
Aug 9, 2007
Ozawa rejects Schieffer antiterror overture
Democratic Party of Japan President Ichiro Ozawa turned down a U.S. request Wednesday to continue Japan's support for counterterrorism operations in Afghanistan, throwing the future of a special antiterrorism law into doubt.
JAPAN
Aug 8, 2007
Eda takes helm of Upper House
For the first time in nearly half a century, the House of Councilors has an opposition lawmaker as its president.
JAPAN
Aug 2, 2007
Scandal-tainted farm minister axed
Scandal-tainted agriculture minister Norihiko Akagi was sacked Wednesday for contributing to the ruling Liberal Democratic Party's historic defeat in the House of Councilors election.
JAPAN
Aug 1, 2007
Fresh off victory, Ozawa quick to go for Abe's jugular
Democratic Party of Japan leader Ichiro Ozawa appeared before the media Tuesday for the first time since his party's sweeping victory in the Upper House election, slamming Prime Minister Shinzo Abe for refusing to relinquish power despite the ruling bloc's crushing defeat.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Jul 31, 2007
Abe looks to shake up Cabinet
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said Monday he will change his Cabinet lineup sometime after an extraordinary Diet session next week, as the ruling bloc licked its wounds from its drubbing in the House of Councilors election.
JAPAN / ANALYSIS
Jul 30, 2007
Getting bills through Diet will be a lot tougher for the LDP
The clear message of dissatisfaction that voters sent Sunday to the Liberal Democratic Party will lead to a lengthy period of political instability and legislative gridlock, analysts say.
JAPAN
Jul 24, 2007
Tokyo swing voters facing a wide field
vision and (genuine attitude)," analyst Miyagawa said. Shiratori sees broader implications.
JAPAN / UPPER HOUSE SHOWDOWN
Jul 14, 2007
Constitution pushed out of campaign
The pension records fiasco and concerns about a consumption tax hike have upstaged what Prime Minister Shinzo Abe most wanted to focus on during campaigning for the July 29 Upper House poll — revising the Constitution.
JAPAN / UPPER HOUSE SHOWDOWN
Jul 13, 2007
Fans hail 'hero' Fujimori's Diet bid
Disgraced former Peruvian President Alberto Fujimori's supporters hailed him as a hero as they took to Tokyo's streets to kick off his campaign in absentia for the July 29 House of Councilors poll.
JAPAN / PARTY LINE
Jul 12, 2007
Komeito to stay firmly in coalition camp
For New Komeito leader Akihiro Ota, the priority in the July 29 election is maintaining the ruling bloc's control of the Upper House, but he won't say if he will resign if the coalition falls short.
JAPAN / PARTY LINE
Jul 11, 2007
SDP sees Upper House race as vital in protecting Article 9
The Constitution's war-renouncing Article 9 is in danger of being revised by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and the upcoming Upper House election is an opportunity to put a stop to this effort, Social Democratic Party leader Mizuho Fukushima said.
Japan Times
JAPAN / PARTY LINE
Jul 10, 2007
No tieups for Kokumin Shinto: Watanuki
Although the leader of Kokumin Shinto (People's New Party) has ruled out the possibility of forming an alliance with another party, that doesn't mean he isn't interested in cooperating on policy where possible.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Jul 10, 2007
Political funds law can stand as is: Abe
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said Monday the heavily criticized Political Funds Control Law needs no further revision and again voiced support for his new farm minister, Norihiko Akagi, who like his predecessor is under fire over reported expenditure claims.
Bankruptcies and suicides rise as Japanese struggle with mounting debt
Lawyers estimate that personal bankruptcies in Japan are on track to reach the highest since 2012 this year.
Honda and Nissan consider mutual production of vehicles, report says
Honda CEO Toshihiro Mibe at the Japan Mobility Show 2023 at Tokyo Big Sight in October 2023.
The mighty Mekong River's growing plastic problem
A group of elephant keepers in Chiang Saen, Thailand, remove plastic waste from the Ruak River, a tributary of the Mekong River, as a pair of Asian elephants bathe behind them.
Record 78% of people in Japan feel anxious, government survey finds
The public opinion survey on people's lives, conducted by the Cabinet Office, found that 28.1% of respondents think that their standard of living is at a lower-middle level among the general public — the highest percentage to give that response in 35 years.
Nippon Steel alleges undue White House influence on doomed deal review
U.S. President Joe Biden delivers remarks on the economy at the Brookings Institution in Washington on Dec. 10.
Casual workouts, cool living, ‘complete’ food: Japan’s health trends of 2024
In 2024, efficiency trumped effort among Japan's fitness-focused aspirants.
The mighty Mekong River's growing plastic problem
A group of elephant keepers in Chiang Saen, Thailand, remove plastic waste from the Ruak River, a tributary of the Mekong River, as a pair of Asian elephants bathe behind them.
Japanese officials inspect Yokota Air Base over PFAS concerns
The Yokota Air Base in western Tokyo in September 2019. An inspection of the base by Japanese government officials on Friday came amid public pressure to investigate suspected links between the use of PFAS-containing firefighting foam by the U.S. base and contamination of soil and groundwater in western Tokyo.
Crime numbers rise in Japan for second straight year
A police officer stands in front of the residence of a man alleged to have stabbed two junior high school students in Kitakyushu.
A year of Oscar wins and a quiet push for diversity
Ryusuke Hamaguchi’s “Evil Does Not Exist,” released in Japanese theaters in April, sharply dramatizes the clash between rural and urban values. The film won five awards at the 2023 Venice Film Festival, including the second-place Silver Lion prize.

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