The Cabinet Office will start sending out an English version of Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's weekly e-mail magazine, beginning March 25.
Officials said Wednesday that the free magazine features a column by Koizumi, the most popular section of the original Japanese version, and updated information provided by the Web site of the Prime Minister's Official Residence.
Around 1.7 million people subscribe to the Japanese version, down 25 percent from a peak of 2.27 million in January 2002.
When the Japanese version was launched in June 2000, it was touted as a symbol of the government's determination to utilize information technology.
But readers have apparently become tired of the magazine, which mainly covers hard topics concerning governmental policy measures. The Japanese version also includes messages from Cabinet members.
The Cabinet Office conducted a subscriber survey last month in response to the falling readership, and has decided to overhaul the magazine beginning in April. The English version is part of the revamp.
Register at www.kantei.go.jp/foreign/m-magazine.
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