Tag - ldp

 
 

LDP

The Lower House Budget Committee vote to summon Jun Matsumoto, a former LDP faction's accountant, in Tokyo on Thursday.
JAPAN / Politics
Jan 30, 2025
Budget Committee votes to summon former LDP faction accountant
The move ends a stalemate between the LDP and opposition parties, the latter of which had conditioned the start of budget deliberations on the inquiry.
Nippon Ishin no Kai leaders Hirofumi Yoshimura (left) and Seiji Maehara attend the party's executive meeting in the city of Osaka in December.
JAPAN / Politics
Jan 30, 2025
Shared concerns could bring LDP and Nippon Ishin together on 2025 budget
Nippon Ishin's challenge is to get the LDP to secure free high school education and ensure support for the financially troubled Osaka Kansai Expo.
Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and members of the Liberal Democratic Party take a group photo at the party's headquarters in Tokyo during the Oct. 27 Lower House elections.
COMMENTARY / Japan
Jan 30, 2025
Adjusting to the new normal in Japanese politics
The upheaval of the past year has forced a fundamental rethinking of how political watchers must observe things in Tokyo
Daisuke Komatsu (center), who heads the Liberal Democratic Party group in the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly, bows at a news conference in Tokyo on Jan. 17 after the group's accountant was slapped with summary indictment.
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
Jan 29, 2025
Tokyo Assembly LDP accountant fined ¥1 million over slush funds
LDP accountant Hidekatsu Yajima had been summarily indicted by Tokyo prosecutors for violating the political funds control law.
Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba attends an ordinary session of parliament along with his Cabinet ministers on Friday. Ishiba has toned down his stance on legally allowing married couples to have separate surnames.
JAPAN / Politics / FOCUS
Jan 28, 2025
Ishiba tones down stance on dual-surname debate
While previously being all in favor of a dual-surname system, the prime minister has recently suggested considering a "compromise" of legally expanding the use of maiden names.
Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba answers questions during a Lower House plenary session on Monday. Ishiba needs to secure passage of the annual budget to demonstrate he can run policy effectively with his minority government.
JAPAN / Politics
Jan 28, 2025
Japan's opposition DPP to block budget without higher tax allowance
The ruling LDP and Komeito are also negotiating with Nippon Ishin no Kai, who want the government to make school education free for all students.
Constitutional Democratic Party head Yoshihiko Noda (right) at a plenary session in the Lower House in Tokyo on Monday
JAPAN / Politics
Jan 27, 2025
Constitutional Democratic Party head grills Ishiba on diplomacy with Trump
The CDP leader raised concerns about the United States' decision to withdraw from the World Health Organization and the Paris agreement on climate change.
Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba enters the Prime Minister's Office in Tokyo on Friday.
JAPAN / Politics
Jan 27, 2025
Ishiba carefully considering release of war anniversary statement
Conservative members of the prime minister's ruling Liberal Democratic Party oppose releasing such a statement.
Daisuke Komatsu (left), who heads the Liberal Democratic Party's group in the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly, and others bow in apology during a news conference at the Tokyo Metropolitan Government building on Thursday.
JAPAN / Politics
Jan 24, 2025
LDP Tokyo assembly members to correct funds reports
Some LDP members of the assembly kept some revenues from fundraising parties held in 2019 and 2022 for themselves and did not declare the income.
Imperial family members wave to well-wishers during a public appearance in Tokyo on Jan. 2.
JAPAN / Politics
Jan 23, 2025
Parliament to resume discussions over imperial family succession this month
The two chambers of parliament plan to resume talks Jan. 31 on measures to secure a sufficient number of imperial family members.
A business district in Tokyo. Japan plans to strengthen pre-screening measures for overseas investors that could potentially cooperate with foreign intelligence gathering efforts, addressing rising national security concerns.
BUSINESS
Jan 23, 2025
Japan to tighten investment pre-screening amid security concerns
While the updated regulations will impose an additional step for a broader range of investors, those who pass the screening can still invest in Japanese companies.
Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba delivers a policy speech at the Lower House of the parliament in Tokyo last November.
JAPAN / Politics / FOCUS
Jan 23, 2025
As parliament opens, ruling coalition enters uncharted territory
For the Liberal Democratic Party, the days of pushing through bills on the back of an overwhelming majority in both chambers of parliament are over.
Komeito leader Tetsuo Saito answers questions from reporters after meeting with Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba at the Prime Minister's Office on Wednesday.
JAPAN / Politics
Jan 22, 2025
Ruling parties agree to discuss dual surname system
Party leaders stopped short of deciding when to begin discussions on the issue.
Seiji Maehara, co-leader of Nippon Ishin no Kai, is interviewed in Tokyo on Thursday. The party is calling for a ban on political donations from firms and organizations.
JAPAN / Politics
Jan 19, 2025
Nippon Ishin stresses need for corporate donation ban
Nippon Ishin has also called for making high school free, eliminating nursery fees for kids up to 2 and realizing tuition-free higher education.
Liberal Democratic Party Secretary-General Hiroshi Moriyama speaks to reporters after meeting with Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba on Friday.
JAPAN / Politics / FOCUS
Jan 19, 2025
LDP heavyweight Moriyama boosting profile within party
Moriyama's increased presence within the Ishiba administration has failed to shore up low levels of public support.
The Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly. Tokyo prosecutors on Friday indicted an accountant of the Liberal Democratic Party’s bloc in the assembly for underreporting over ¥60 million ($386,000) of the group’s income and expenditure.
JAPAN / Politics
Jan 17, 2025
Accountant for LDP bloc in Tokyo assembly accused of underreporting funds
Hidekatsu Yajima, 72, is alleged to have underreported over ¥60 million ($386,000) of LDP assembly members’ income and expenditure.
Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba
JAPAN
Jan 16, 2025
Ishiba Cabinet approval inches up to 28.2%
The Democratic Party for the People led the opposition camp in public support for the first time in the January poll.
Shinji Ishimaru announces details of his new regional party at a news conference in Tokyo on Wednesday.
JAPAN / Politics
Jan 15, 2025
With new regional party, Shinji Ishimaru touts rebirth
The former mayor of Akitakata in Hiroshima Prefecture aims to field candidates in July's Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly election.
Chinese Premier Li Qiang (center) with Komeito Secretary-General Makoto Nishida (left) and Liberal Democratic Party Secretary-General Hiroshi Moriyama in Beijing on Wednesday
JAPAN / Politics
Jan 15, 2025
Japan ruling party execs and Chinese premier agree to seek stable ties
Chinese Premier Li Qiang said that China-Japan relations are currently in a critical period for improvement and development.
Yuichiro Tamaki, currently the suspended leader of the Democratic Party for the People
JAPAN / Politics
Jan 15, 2025
Tamaki vows support for government budget if three-party pact implemented
The suspended leader of the Democratic Party for the People voiced support for the budget bill if the items in the pact with the ruling parties are carried out.

Longform

Professional cleaner Hirofumi Sakurai takes a moment to appreciate some photographs in a Gotanda apartment whose occupant died alone. 
The last cleanup: Life and death in a lonely Japan