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DIET

Japan Times
JAPAN / Politics
Feb 23, 2016
JCP offers to cut Upper House candidates if opposition camp presents unified front
The Japanese Communist Party is willing to withdraw some of its candidates from this summer's Upper House election as part of efforts with other opposition parties to field unified candidates in single-seat electoral districts to take on the ruling coalition.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Politics
Feb 22, 2016
Lawmakers can't break logjam over Japan's unequal voting districts
One month after an expert panel proposed key electoral reforms to correct wide vote-value disparities between urban and less-populated areas, major political parties remain divided on the issue.
JAPAN / Politics
Feb 19, 2016
Abe eschews further delays, vows to cut 10 Lower House seats in line with census
The prime minister pledges to slash 10 seats in the Diet's House of Representatives sooner than his LDP party has proposed.
Japan Times
JAPAN / EXPLAINER
Feb 8, 2016
Glass ceiling yet to be broken in Japan politics
Japan will this year mark 70 years since the nation saw women win Lower House seats for the first time in April 1946.
JAPAN / Politics
Feb 1, 2016
Diet deliberations to resume after resolution of Akira Amari policy speech deadlock
Opposition and ruling-party lawmakers overcame a deadlock Monday by agreeing to resume Diet deliberations, which had ground to a halt when Akira Amari quit his Cabinet post last week over a graft scandal.
JAPAN / Politics
Jan 29, 2016
Rules fixed for new voters deprived of chance to cast ballot due to changes of address
A law addressing a flaw in Japan's voting rules was enacted in the Diet Thursday ahead of the lowering of the voting age to 18 from 20, ensuring new voters will not miss the chance to cast ballots just because they have changed their addresses before an election.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Politics
Jan 26, 2016
DPJ chief blasts Abe over Amari's money scandal
With allegations of corruption against economic minister Akira Amari showing no signs of abating, opposition leader Katsuya Okada accuses Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of sharing 'grave responsibility' over the scandal.
JAPAN / Politics
Jan 23, 2016
Japanese Upper House members to visit China in February to resume regular parliamentary exchanges
A cross-party group of members of the House of Councilors is making final arrangements to send a delegation to China in late February and resume regular parliamentary exchanges with the Chinese for the first time in four years, sources close to the group said Friday.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Politics
Jan 22, 2016
Abe indicates pivot toward reduction of wage disparities in policy speech
In a key policy speech for 2016, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe pledges to promote measures to reduce wage disparities.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Jan 22, 2016
Aso claims 2017 tax hike will 'certainly' go through
Finance Minister Taro Aso said in his new year policy speech Friday that he will "certainly" go through with the second stage of the consumption tax hike to 10 percent in April 2017 to secure international trust in Japan's efforts to return to fiscal health.
JAPAN / Politics
Jan 21, 2016
Lower House passes bill to preserve voting rights for new electors
The Lower House on Thursday passed a bill to enable people aged 18 or 19 to vote in the upcoming Upper House election even if they change their address shortly before the ballot.
JAPAN / Politics
Jan 20, 2016
Japanese government doubles estimated tax-hike burden, stokes opposition anger
Tokyo suddenly raises its estimated per capita burden from next year's consumption tax hike, drawing protest from opposition lawmakers.
BUSINESS
Jan 20, 2016
Diet enacts extra budget through March, prioritizes welfare, farming
Lawmakers activate a u00a53.32 trillion extra budget for fiscal 2015 to bolster the economy through greater social support and other means.
JAPAN / Politics
Jan 19, 2016
Abe Diet speech to focus on balancing tax hike exemptions with fiscal reforms
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's policy speech to the full Diet this Friday will stress his administration's ability to balance exemptions to the planned consumption tax hike with fiscal reform goals, according to political sources.
BUSINESS / Economy
Jan 16, 2016
DPJ set to block Abe government's push to ratify TPP in current Diet session
The main opposition Democratic Party of Japan is considering blocking moves by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's government to ratify the Trans-Pacific Partnership free trade pact during the current Diet session, a senior DPJ lawmaker said Friday.
JAPAN / Politics
Jan 14, 2016
Panel calls for cuts in Lower House seats, reallocation of others to correct vote-value disparities
The reform would rectify gaps in the weight of votes between constituencies, and also cut the total number of seats to a postwar low of 465.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Politics
Jan 13, 2016
Abe eyes using boosted tax revenue to cover food exemption shortfall
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe indicated Wednesday that the higher tax revenues — which he attributed to Abenomics — may be used to cover a shortfall when food is exempted from the coming tax hike.
COMMUNITY / Issues / THE FOREIGN ELEMENT
Jan 13, 2016
Mothers want a word with the LDP's old guard over paternity leave slap-down
After LDP bigwigs took a young politician to task over his intention to take paternity leave, mothers vent their anger.
JAPAN
Jan 13, 2016
Japan's labor ministry to investigate why 2 million workers are on wrong pension program
The labor minister pledges to look into why around 2 million firm employees are members of a pension program for the self-employed.
JAPAN / Politics
Dec 15, 2015
Regular Diet session to convene Jan. 4
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's Cabinet on Tuesday approved a plan to convene the Diet on Jan. 4 for a 150-day regular session.

Longform

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