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Japan Times
JAPAN
Jul 2, 2007

Ozawa hits Abe over Kyuma remarks

Defense Minister Fumio Kyuma's remarks on the U.S. atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki were an easy target for Democratic Party of Japan President Ichiro Ozawa during a policy debate Sunday in Tokyo with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.
EDITORIALS
Jul 1, 2007

Passing of a statesman

Former Prime Minister Kiichi Miyazawa was a leader of postwar Japan's mainstream conservatism who strove to rebuild Japan while preventing it from retracing the militarist path. He died Thursday at 87.
JAPAN
Jun 30, 2007

Expense-reporting bill passed, slammed

The Diet on Friday enacted a revision to the Political Funds Control Law aimed at keeping better tabs on how lawmakers use their funds, though critics charge the legislation is riddled with loopholes and will not result in increased transparency.
BUSINESS
Jun 30, 2007

Mull foreign currency reserve-management fund: Yamamoto

Japan should debate setting up a fund to manage its foreign-currency reserves, Financial Services Minister Yuji Yamamoto said, a signal the nation may diversify its assets from U.S. Treasuries.
EDITORIALS
Jun 29, 2007

Jockeying for a favorable impression

The successful push by the Liberal Democratic Party and its coalition partner Komeito to extend the Diet session by 12 days to July 5 appears to represent a partisan move to change the political situation in the coalition's favor. This is the ninth extension of a regular Diet session held before a scheduled...
Japan Times
JAPAN
Jun 29, 2007

Office weighs less in the work-life balance

After his son was born last April, Hyogo Prefecture civil servant Akira Hirabayashi decided to cut back on overtime at work. He yearned for more time with little Susumu and also wanted to give his wife, Chie, a chance to return to her teaching job at an elementary school.
JAPAN
Jun 29, 2007

Pension bills rammed past panel

The ruling bloc forced three controversial bills through a House of Councilors panel Thursday night in a hasty attempt to put a lid on the nation's pension data woes.
JAPAN
Jun 28, 2007

Supporters laud U.S. motion on 'comfort women' as first step

Supporters of surviving wartime sex slaves praised a U.S. congressional committee's Tuesday approval of a resolution calling on Japan to officially apologize.
EDITORIALS
Jun 26, 2007

Low number of organ transplants

Ten years have passed since the Organ Transplantation Law was enacted, allowing organ transplants from brain-dead people. So far there have been only 56 of these organ transplants. The latest was carried out on June 14 and 15, using the heart, pancreas and kidneys from a woman in her 50s. The small number...
EDITORIALS
Jun 25, 2007

Hazy fiscal reform plan

The government has approved an economic and fiscal reform plan for 2007 that will serve as the basis for compiling the fiscal 2008 budget. It encompasses a variety of policy measures that Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's administration thinks are necessary to ensure both economic growth and financial reconstruction....
JAPAN
Jun 23, 2007

Afghan vice president seeks support, open to SDF

Japanese people should decide on, but our friend Japan's support is very important for Afghanistan's reconstruction, development, disbandment of illegal armed groups and other areas," the 57-year-old vice president told reporters at the Japan National Press Club in Tokyo. "We would very much like to...
JAPAN
Jun 23, 2007

Abe admits knowing pension problem last year

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe revealed Friday that he was aware of problems with the nation's pension premium payments by late last year, long before the government acted at the end of May.
JAPAN
Jun 20, 2007

N. Korea talks could restart next month: Hill

are very aware of the fact that this is a step-by-step process, with many steps to come," Hill said. Pyongyang agreed to abandon its nuclear program in exchange for access to frozen funds at a Macau bank. The funds were frozen after the U.S. blacklisted the bank for allegedly assisting North Korea in...
JAPAN
Jun 12, 2007

SIA probes computer glitch amid rise in queries

must be enhanced. We will strengthen manpower to respond to people's worries and complaints," Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said at a meeting involving the government and the ruling coalition. The problem hit computers Sunday at the 130 offices in 23 prefectures, including Kanagawa, Hyogo and Fukuoka, at...
JAPAN / Media / MEDIA MIX
Jun 10, 2007

Knock, knock, knockin' on heaven's door — but no answer

Two deaths made headlines on May 28. Izumi Sakai, the lead singer of the pop group ZARD, was found at the bottom of an outdoor staircase at Keio University Hospital, where she was undergoing treatment for cancer. Her management quickly released a statement to pre-empt media speculation that the death...
EDITORIALS
Jun 9, 2007

Energy savings start at home

The white paper on the environment and a recycling-based society approved by the Cabinet expresses serious concern about global warming and stresses the importance of individual citizens taking conscious action to alleviate environmental problems and to help slow global warming. The white paper comes...

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