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Japan Times
WORLD
Jul 27, 2014

Fresh fighting erupts in Gaza after Hamas rockets hit Israeli cities

A humanitarian truce in the Gaza Strip collapsed on Sunday after a barrage of rockets fired by Palestinian militants was met with fierce Israeli shelling, in a fresh setback to efforts to secure a permanent cease-fire.
JAPAN / Politics
Jul 23, 2014

Ozawa sees risk of militarism with Abe

When Prime Minister Shinzo Abe loosened the limits of the pacifist Constitution to drop a ban on the Self-Defense Forces fighting overseas, many experts said it was a step toward becoming a "normal country" able to do more in its own defense.
JAPAN / Politics
Jul 15, 2014

Abe looking at permanent law allowing dispatch of SDF overseas

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's administration will consider creating a permanent law allowing dispatch of the Self-Defense Forces overseas, a comment that could lead to a further rift between the ruling Liberal Democratic Party and its junior coalition partner, New Komeito.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Politics
Jul 14, 2014

LDP candidate flounders in Shiga governor race

In a blow to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and the ruling coalition, Shiga voters chose as their next governor Taizo Mikazuki, the designated successor to Yukiko Kada, over a candidate heavily backed by the Liberal Democratic Party and New Komeito.
COMMENTARY / Japan / COUNTERPOINT
Jul 12, 2014

Abe's constitutional putsch and U.S. security cooperation

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's putsch involves bypassing constitutional procedures to revise the Constitution because he lacks sufficient support to win two-thirds approval in both houses of the Diet and a majority in a national referendum. Instead, Abe achieved by diktat what he could not gain democratically,...
Japan Times
WORLD / Politics
Jul 10, 2014

Public workers strike across U.K. over austerity pay cuts

Public-sector workers in the United Kingdom walked out Thursday to protest pay, pensions and job cuts, closing schools, courts and libraries across the country.
Reader Mail
Jul 9, 2014

Selling out a postwar conscience

Japan's current prime minister is now officially the man who sold out Japan's postwar pacifist conscience. In his own personal second coming to the position of premiership, and surrounded by the most bellicose Cabinet in 70 years, Shinzo Abe has rammed through a pacifist-piercing package despite majority...
JAPAN
Jul 9, 2014

North Korea test-fires more missiles, but abduction talks likely to continue

North Korea's launch Wednesday morning of what appeared to be two short-range ballistic missiles prompted a fresh protest from Tokyo, but appears unlikely to derail ongoing talks over the abduction of Japanese nationals.
COMMENTARY / Japan
Jul 7, 2014

Can Japan's democracy survive Abe's designs?

Many Japanese are so happy to have a leader who's acting boldly that they seem willing to give Shinzo Abe the benefit of the doubt when he does exactly what they and others oppose.
Japan Times
WORLD
Jul 7, 2014

Israel arrests six Jews in connection with Palestinian teen's kidnap-slaying

Israel has arrested six Jewish suspects in the abduction and killing of a Palestinian teenager whose death sparked violent protests in Jerusalem and Israeli Arab towns, a security source said Sunday.
Japan Times
WORLD
Jul 6, 2014

Six Jewish suspects arrested over death of Palestinian teen

Israel arrests six Jewish suspects in the abduction and killing of a Palestinian teenager whose death sparked violent protests in Jerusalem and Israeli Arab towns.
Reader Mail
Jul 5, 2014

Reinterpretation is no suicide pact

As a scholar specializing in international law and with 10 years of experience in teaching the law, I read the July 3 editorial, titled "Abe guts Article 9," with great disappointment and dismay.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Politics
Jul 1, 2014

Thousands get behind Article 9 in last-ditch rally at prime minister's office

On the eve of a historic decision, thousands of people turned up at the prime minister's office on Monday evening to shout their opposition to his plan to reinterpret Article 9 of the Constitution to permit collective self-defense, which could pave the way for Japan to wage war.
ASIA PACIFIC
Jun 29, 2014

North fires two missiles into sea

North Korea launches two short-range ballistic missiles into the Sea of Japan ahead of another round of talks with Japan on the abduction issue.
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics
Jun 29, 2014

Indonesia candidate battles puppet image

When one of Indonesia's most powerful politicians wanted to be part of a new government, he did not approach Joko "Jokowi" Widodo, the front-runner in next week's presidential election.
JAPAN / Politics
Jun 24, 2014

Abe offers concession on collective defense

The Abe administration gave some ground Tuesday to New Komeito in the ninth round of the coalition defense talks, offering tougher conditions before Japan would be allowed to exercise the long-prohibited right to collective self-defense.
JAPAN / Politics
Jun 20, 2014

Mine-clearing in combat zones pushed for SDF

An LDP politician argues Japan can join collective-security operations after Prime Minister Abe fudges his stance on mine-sweeping, which is deemed use of force by international law.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Jun 19, 2014

Fukushima evacuees seek end to limbo

Japan's economy may be picking up, but the outlook remains bleak for an often forgotten group of people: the roughly 150,000 evacuees from Fukushima Prefecture.
EDITORIALS
Jun 18, 2014

New Komeito shouldn't cave in

New Komeito's most important party ideal — pacifism — is being tested by the Abe administration's efforts to allow Japan to engage in collective self-defense.
JAPAN / Politics
Jun 17, 2014

Abe team presents draft statement on collective self-defense

The Abe administration has tabled a draft statement that could allow Japan to effectively exercise the right to collective self-defense, but the ruling coalition remains divided.

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