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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
Oct 3, 2008
Kawamura under fire over office expenses
The political support groups of Chief Cabinet Secretary Takeo Kawamura logged about ¥22 million in expenditures over the past three years — with almost ¥15 million spent on office and personnel fees — even though the home of his secretary was registered as a rent-free office.
JAPAN
Sep 30, 2008
Aso goes on attack in Diet policy speech
Prime Minister Taro Aso kicked off an extraordinary Diet session Monday with a policy speech in which he challenged the Democratic Party of Japan to a political debate, consciously highlighting the ruling camp's rivalry with the largest opposition force.
Japan Times
JAPAN / CABINET INTERVIEW
Sep 29, 2008
Kawamura promises to keep Aso from tripping over his own feet
As right-hand man to the prime minister, Chief Cabinet Secretary Takeo Kawamura says his job is to make sure that Taro Aso doesn't stumble.
JAPAN
Sep 29, 2008
Gaffe-prone Nakayama quits Cabinet
Prime Minister Taro Aso's Cabinet suffered a serious blow Sunday with the resignation of transport minister Nariaki Nakayama, who was under fire for several gaffes, including saying Japan is "ethnically homogenous."
JAPAN
Sep 25, 2008
Aso gets quick start, names new Cabinet
Hawkish Liberal Democratic Party President Taro Aso was elected prime minister Wednesday and immediately formed his new Cabinet.
JAPAN
Sep 25, 2008
Aso team likened to school classroom
Prime Minister Taro Aso's Cabinet lineup may look a bit subdued, but there's good reason for that: He deliberately picked low-profile politicians instead of factional bigwigs so he can lead them around like a "school teacher," experts said Wednesday.
JAPAN
Sep 24, 2008
Komeito re-elects Ota, renews ties with LDP
New Komeito re-elected Akihiro Ota as its leader Tuesday, marking the start of a new partnership with Liberal Democratic Party President Taro Aso.
JAPAN
Sep 23, 2008
Aso elected LDP leader in landslide
The ruling Liberal Democratic Party chose Taro Aso as its 23rd president Monday, hoping to regain public popularity and win the next general election.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Sep 23, 2008
Passing supplementary budget may take priority over snap election
Newly elected Liberal Democratic Party President Taro Aso vowed Monday to do his utmost to solve problems that range from revitalizing the economy to improving the health care system.
JAPAN
Sep 20, 2008
Foreign correspondents probe LDP five on sensitive issues
The five candidates running for president of the Liberal Democratic Party were grilled Friday by foreign correspondents in Tokyo over issues ranging from Yasukuni Shrine to the possibility of having a female vice president.
JAPAN
Sep 19, 2008
Ministry received Mikasa tip in 2007, Ota admits
The farm ministry was first tipped off about Mikasa Foods' distribution of inedible tainted rice in January 2007 but was unable to uncover any wrongdoing, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Seiichi Ota told the Diet on Thursday.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Sep 19, 2008
Will open-door immigration plan die after Fukuda?
Japan isn't exactly known as an open country to foreigners, but there was a recent brief ray of hope in June.
JAPAN
Sep 18, 2008
Ainu seek law to fund support efforts
The Ainu Association of Hokkaido asked a government panel Wednesday to help establish a law to secure funding to better the lives of the indigenous group.
JAPAN
Sep 17, 2008
Top LDP faction faces crisis over Aso-Koike split
The largest faction in the Liberal Democratic Party is facing a crisis because of divisions over who to support in the presidential election next Monday.
JAPAN
Sep 13, 2008
LDP five's first public 'debate' subdued affair
The battle for the Liberal Democratic Party presidency continued Friday, but the only public debate to date ended on a subdued tone as the five candidates avoided aiming direct criticism at each other.
JAPAN
Sep 12, 2008
Five in LDP race lay out platforms
The five candidates in the Liberal Democratic Party presidential race unveiled their platforms to fellow lawmakers Thursday, stressing their experience and trying to differentiate themselves from each other.
JAPAN
Sep 12, 2008
Voters favor Obama for U.S., are fed up with Japan: poll
An overwhelming number of Japanese believe Barack Obama will win the United States presidential election in November and 90 percent are dissatisfied with Japanese politics, according to a survey released Thursday by the nonprofit Nippon Foundation.
JAPAN
Sep 11, 2008
Five start campaigns for LDP presidency
The Liberal Democratic Party officially kicked off its presidential election campaign Wednesday with five candidates angling to succeed Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda, who announced his resignation last week.
JAPAN
Sep 10, 2008
Ishihara fifth to enter race for LDP presidency
Nobuteru Ishihara on Tuesday became the fifth Liberal Democratic Party lawmaker to throw his hat in the ring for the LDP presidency in the wake of Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda's abrupt resignation announcement last week.
JAPAN
Sep 9, 2008
Koike, Yosano declare bids for LDP leadership
Former Defense Minister Yuriko Koike and Kaoru Yosano, economic and fiscal policy minister, officially announced their candidacies Monday to run in the ruling Liberal Democratic Party's presidential election.
Zelenskyy to replace Ukraine ambassador to Japan
Ukrainian Ambassador to Japan Sergiy Korsunsky delivers a speech during a handover ceremony of Self-Defense Force vehicles to Ukraine, at the Defense Ministry in Tokyo, in May last year.
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.
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.
North Korea aiding Russia where it needs it most, Canadian general says
North Korean special forces soldiers march and shout slogans during a military parade marking the 105th birth anniversary of the country's founding father, Kim Il Sung, in Pyongyang in April 2017.

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