Don't Lift the International Ban on Whaling
Bonnie Erbe

The idea sounds positively loony on its face (and it is). But the hope by some anti-whaling countries is that by allowing the three nations that slaughter whales commercially to whale commercially, they can save more whales by persuading those nations to whale in lower numbers. The argument against lifting the ban is that Japan, Iceland and Norway are not trustworthy

Political Tremors in Tokyo
Sheila A. Smith

Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama's resignation after just eight months in office has triggered shock across Japan and raised new doubts about the country's political stability. The fact that a U.S. military base figured centrally in his decision has also generated concerns about the damage to the crucial relationship with Washington under his government.

The Rise of Asia's Universities
Richard C. Levin

The rapid economic development of Asia since World War II has forever altered the global balance of power. These countries recognize the importance of an educated work force to economic growth, and they understand that investing in research makes their economies more innovative and competitive.

Remember the Pacific War
Victor Davis Hanson

Sixty-five years ago, on April 1, 1945, the United States Marines, Army and Navy invaded Okinawa. The ensuing three months of combat resulted in the complete defeat and near destruction of imperial Japanese forces on the island just 340 miles from the mainland. Okinawa and the war in the Pacific are back in the news these days with the airing of a 10-part HBO series, 'The Pacific'

Tokyo's Trials: Can the DPJ Change Japan
Yoichi Funabashi

The rise to power of the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) after half a century of almost uninterrupted rule by the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) could bring profound changes to Japan. It now stands a better chance of becoming a two-party system, with real political competition, than at any time since 1890, when it held its first election. However, ...

Changes Comes to Japan but How Much
Ian Bremmer

Few recognize how historic the DPJ victory really is. Japan's Liberal Democratic Party had held power for so long that the world had come to know it as 'the ruling LDP.' But as elections approached, Japanese voters told pollsters that the party had not responded forcefully to the country's recession. LDP approval ratings had been circling the drain for months. Only the scale of the DPJ's landslide win caught anyone by surprise

Letter From Tokyo: New Regime, New Relationship
Kent E. Calder

The DPJ now holds nearly two-thirds of the 480 seats in the Japanese Diet's powerful lower house, which approves budgets, initiates most legislation, and selects the prime minister. Given such dominance, the party, however fractious, will likely remain in power for at least the four years of its new parliamentary mandate -- influencing the country's political-economic landscape during a crucial period of transition in East Asian affairs, and potentially in U.S.-Japanese relations as well.

Japan's New Leader and His Country's Fealty to Washington
William Pfaff

The landslide election of Japan's Democratic Party in last weekend's parliamentary vote parallels the election of Barack Obama to the American presidency last November. In both cases opposition parties long out of power (in the Japanese case, all but totally excluded from national power during the six decades of the postwar Japanese government's existence) have been elected at a time of crisis to change the nation's policy.

As temperatures soar, Japanese turn to ghost houses
With Japan suffering its worst heatwave since records began in 1898, haunted houses or "obake yashiki" are doing a roaring trade as the traditional summertime venues to cool off. Ghost houses are set up especially for the summer in amusements parks in Japan with the tradition linked to Japanese Buddhism which views August as the time when ancestral spirits may return for a visit and Japanese visit their elders' graves. This year ghost houses have reported dramatic increases in visitor numbers as they tap into the Japanese tradition of also telling scary stories to send shivers down people's spines and cool them down. (Reuters)

NHK to resume live broadcasts of sumo
Japan's public TV broadcaster is to resume live sumo broadcasts, after canceling coverage of July's Nagoya tournament over a betting scandal that hit the country's ancient sport. NHK officials said Thursday the station will televise the Sept. 12-26 Autumn Grand Sumo Tournament as usual. NHK did not air live broadcasts of the Nagoya tournament, saying that the betting scandal generated viewer disgust. It was the first time since 1953 that live broadcasts weren't shown on NHK. (BusinessWeek)

Police to send papers on 'thieving cop'
Police said they will send papers to prosecutors over a senior police officer who allegedly stole a bicycle because he was worried about being late for work. The Kanagawa prefectural police will punish the police officer, whose duties include preventing bicycle thefts. The policeman, 25, of Takatsu Police Station, allegedly stole a bicycle parked outside a video rental shop in Saiwai Ward, Kawasaki, on the morning of Aug. 3 and rode it two kilometers to Kashimada Station on the JR Nambu Line. The bicycle belonged to a part-time worker at the store. (Yomiuri)

Japan finds fresh suspected foot-and-mouth case
Japan discovered a suspected case of foot-and-mouth disease in a cow in its southern prefecture of Miyazaki, just days after it lifted a state of emergency, an official said. "We cancelled two auctions of cows in the prefecture after a suspected case of foot and mouth was discovered on a farm," a prefecture official told AFP. The region reported the case to the farm ministry and was awaiting the test result to determine if it is a fresh foot-and-mouth case. (AFP)

No. of Internet crime cases hits record high in 1st half
Police responded to a record 2,444 Internet crime cases nationwide in the first half of this year, a National Police Agency survey showed Thursday. The number, up 586 or 31.5 percent from a year earlier, represented a new high since the NPA started gathering statistics for Internet crimes, defined as crimes which use a computer network, on a half-year basis in 2004. Of the total, the number of fraud cases, such as swindling money from a successful bidder by posting false information in an online auction, climbed 22.8 percent to 867 cases. (AP)

Threats keep dolphin protest out of Japan village
The star of "The Cove," an Oscar-winning documentary about a Japanese dolphin hunt, is back in Japan to protest the slaughter but had to cancel his trip to the village at the center of the controversy because of threats from an ultranationalist group. Instead, Ric O'Barry, the former dolphin-trainer for the 1960s "Flipper" TV show, is playing host to a reception Wednesday for some 100 animal-lovers at a Tokyo hotel. On Thursday, he will take a petition signed by 1.7 million people from 155 nations demanding the end of the dolphin hunt to the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo, escorted by police security. (AP)

Naked romp lands man, woman before prosecutors
Police turned over to prosecutors Wednesday their case against a 21-year-old man who walked naked on a street in Yokohama last month and a 22-year-old woman who ordered him to do so, alleging they committed acts of public indecency. The woman and the man had been living together since January. She was angry with him for not paying rent and was quoted as telling him to, "Take off your clothes" and "follow my bicycle." (Japan Times)

Violence, sexual harassment on trains linked by power of anonymity
An investigation by the Association of Japanese Private Railways has shown that in fiscal 2009, there were 869 cases of violence committed against train station employees and train crew members. This marked a rise of 117 cases from the 2008 fiscal year, and the most number of cases since the association began compiling such records in fiscal 2005. In response to the recent surge in cases of violence perpetrated against railway workers, the association decided to put up posters to raise awareness and call for a stop to such violence on trains and at train stations. Violence toward station attendants tended to occur late at night on weekends, and nearly 60 percent of perpetrators were reported to have been drinking alcohol before the incidents. Considering the fact that these cases increased in the month of December -- when end-of-the-year parties take place -- the majority was likely committed by those who had been drinking. (Mainichi)

Japanese-Argentine couple win world tango championships
A Japanese-Argentine couple won the stage dancing division of the Eighth World Tango Championships held Tuesday in Buenos Aires, reports from Argentina said. The achievement by Japanese dancer Chizuko Kuwamoto and Diego Ortega from Argentina follows the victory in last year's contest by Japanese married couple Hiroshi and Kyoko Yamao in the salon dancing category. In this year's competition, in which 405 pairs from 18 countries took part, another Japanese dancer, Naoko Tsutsumizaki, and her Argentine partner, Cristian Lopez, came in third in both stage and salon dancing. (AP)

Kobe eyes tattoo ban at Suma public beach after marijuana case
The Kobe municipal government is considering banning people with tattoos from a beach in Suma Ward following the recent arrests of college students for alleged marijuana possession during a music event at the beach, city officials said. The city office intends to come up with a concrete plan during this year, including establishing the rule by ordinance, but banning tattooed people from a public beach is a rare case in Japan as most tattoo bans are for commercial facilities such as saunas. The envisaged ban may prompt controversy over its possible violation of the freedom of expression as tattoos are becoming increasingly fashionable with young people, critics say. (AP)

Woman suspected of keeping father's body in closet for 5 yrs
A 58-year-old woman is suspected of keeping her father's body inside a closet in their house in Izumi, Osaka Prefecture, after he died there five years ago, police said Wednesday. After the body of a man believed to be Asakichi Miyata -- who would be 91 years old if alive -- was found in the house, the woman told the police that her father was dead when she came home one day five years ago and that she put his body inside the closet shortly afterward, they said. Miyata, a former banker, is believed to have been receiving a pension, and the daughter may have been living off it, according to city and police officials. (AP)

Japan holds annual disaster drill, assuming 3 big simultaneous quakes
The government conducted an emergency drill Wednesday on the assumption that three major earthquakes struck a wide area along the Pacific coast simultaneously, a phenomenon experts say has occurred and could recur. Japan conducts annual antidisaster drills across the nation on Sept. 1 in commemoration of the Great Kanto Earthquake on Sept. 1, 1923, but it is the first time that the government has assumed a scenario of three major simultaneous quakes with epicenters located in a line in ocean trenches. (AP)

Japan leadership battle kicks off
Japan's Prime Minister Naoto Kan and his rival, powerbroker Ichiro Ozawa, kicked off a leadership battle Wednesday that threatens to divide the ruling party only a year after it took power. Their contest to run the governing centre-left Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) comes as its economic recovery is slowing, Japan's debt mountain is growing and exports are threatened by the yen trading near a 15-year high. The rivals, who both formally declared their candidacy for the September 14 party election, represent the two different wings of the party which a year ago ousted the conservatives after more than half as century in power. (AFP)

Fuji climbers may have to pay to reach peak
Municipalities in Yamanashi Prefecture adjacent to Mt. Fuji are considering charging visitors who climb the mountain to help cover the costs of such things as first-aid facilities, mountain toilet maintenance and garbage disposal. More and more people are trekking up Mt. Fuji every year. According to the Yamanashi and Shizuoka prefectural governments, from 2000 to 2006 about 200,000 people climbed Mt. Fuji each year. However, in 2007 the total jumped to 350,000 and in 2008 a whopping 430,000 people trekked up the famous mountain. The central government gives subsidies to private mountain lodges and local governments to build and maintain toilets in national and quasi-national parks, but the Environment Ministry has decided to abolish the system for budgetary reasons. (Yomiuri)

Heatstroke kills 158 since late May
Heatstroke has killed 158 people since late May, while 46,728 others were treated in hospitals during the same period, the Fire and Disaster Management Agency said. Between Aug. 23 and Sunday, 5,358 people were treated at hospitals for heatstroke, and 13 died, according to a survey taken by the agency. During the one-week period, those taken to hospitals for emergency treatment declined by about 4,000 from the preceding week. There were also three fewer deaths. (Yomiuri)

Language help pledged for foreigners
The government said Tuesday it will help foreign residents master the Japanese language to improve their quality of life. "Foreign residents in Japan have difficulties in finding jobs due to their insufficient language capabilities, and more people have faced hardships in their lives," a guideline compiled by a Cabinet Office panel says. As solutions, the panel proposed improving the quality of Japanese-language teachers and providing vocational training in line with residents' language capabilities. (Japan Times)

Typhoon hits Okinawa, over 190 flights canceled
A typhoon hit the northern part of the Okinawa Prefecture's main island around 5 p.m. on Tuesday and is moving northwest in the East China Sea, the Japan Meteorological Agency said. Typhoon Kompasu brought strong winds of up to 203 kilometers per hour in Izena village in the prefecture and has caused the cancellation of more than 190 flights to and from Okinawa and its vicinity, affecting about 25,000 people. The typhoon left four people injured in Okinawa and power blackouts have occurred at around 32,000 households in 15 municipalities in the northern part of the island. (AP)

Life expectancy statistics debated
After the recent revelation that the whereabouts of numerous citizens aged 100 or over are unknown, should statistics on the average life expectancy for Japanese be reassessed? The media abroad has reported on the missing centenarians with much interest, and some reports have cast doubt on the validity of statistics that famously show Japan's average life expectancy to be among the longest in the world. On July 26, the Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry announced that the average life expectancy for Japanese males born in 2009 was 79.59 years. For females born that year, it was 86.44 years. The figures set record highs for both genders for the fourth year in a row. (Yomiuri)

Over 250,000 climbers scale Mt. Fuji this year
More than 250,000 people--a record high--have climbed Mt. Fuji by the trail on the mountain's Yamanashi Prefecture side this season, according to the Mt. Fuji safety guidance center. Last year, 247,066 people--the previous record--climbed the nation's highest mountain from the Yamanashi Prefecture side. The figure is likely to reach 260,000 by Tuesday, the last day of the climbing season, which started July 1. According to the center at the 6th stage of Mt. Fuji, the season's 250,000th climber set out on the Yoshidaguchi trail at about 11:30 p.m. Saturday. (Yomiuri)

Does Japan's affair with tuna mean loving it to extinction?
Japan is known as the biggest consumer of tuna. Be it raw for sushi or sashimi or fried, broiled or canned, tuna is an important element of the food culture. But concerns are growing because tuna is disappearing, and this is putting Japan in a difficult diplomatic position. How much tuna does Japan consume annually, and how does the rest of the world feel? Japan also accounted for some 70 to 80 percent of all bluefin tuna traded internationally. (Japan Times)

Fingerprint all Japanese, for safety's sake
If you're a noncitizen and have entered or re-entered Japan in the last couple of years, you've undoubtedly been invited to participate in the wonderful, fun-filled world of biometrics. It's safe to say that many of you felt as though you were being treated like criminals - not to mention the humiliation of being discriminated against, knowing that your Japanese companions could quickly walk through immigration without having to endure the same indignities. Worse still is the fact that the foreign community of Japan worked so long and hard to finally get fingerprinting abolished - only to see it reinstated just a few years later due to pressure from the U.S. government. (Japan Times)

Japan resort a hot spot for men with virtual girlfriends
Long a favorite of lovers and honeymooners, a Japanese beach town with fading sparkle has found a new tourism niche in the wired age by drawing young men and their virtual girlfriends. One recent sweltering summer's day, a tour bus from Tokyo pulled up at a sun-kissed beach at Atami, a Pacific coast resort southwest of the metropolis, and disgorged more than a dozen excited, iPhone-clutching young men. The determined youngsters, paying scant attention to the bikini-clad girls frolicking on the sand, instead headed straight for a bronze statue that depicts Kanichi and Omiya, a couple from an old love story set in Atami. (inquirer.net)

Highly credible UFO video from Japan surfaces
Perhaps due to the fact that more people are carrying better quality camera phones or perhaps because visiting aliens are becoming more bold in terms of interacting with humanity as possible open alien contact draws nearer, the quality of new UFO footage over the last months has been better than ever. UFOs are commonly seen in Japan and interest in alien / extraterrestrial subjects widespread. No official disclosure of UFO files has, however, occurred in Japan as of yet. (allnewsweb.com)

Man in Nagano computes value of pi to 5 tril. digits
A company employee in Nagano Prefecture calculated the value of pi to five trillion digits this month using a self-made personal computer, beating the record set by a French engineer who calculated it to about 2.7 trillion digits late last year. To calculate the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter, to an undetermined number of digits, Shigeru Kondo, a 55- year-old resident of Iida, assembled a computer with 32 terabytes of hard-drive capacity and used an application made by Alexander Yee, a 22-year-old student at a U.S. graduate school. (AP)

Heat wave lingers in Japan, with temperatures over 35 C in 114 spots
A heat wave continued in Japan on Sunday, with the temperature rising to 35 C or higher at 114 observation points across the archipelago, particularly in western Japan, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency. The mercury soared to 37.4 C in Osaka, setting a new record for the longest streak of temperatures rising to 35 C or above at 14 days. The weather agency forecast the heat would continue this week and called on people to take precautions against heat stroke. (AP)

News On Japan
All the latest news on Japan

 

North Korea demands apology, reparations from Japan over colonization
North Korea is demanding reparations from Japan for colonizing the Korean peninsula for more than three decades in the early 1900s, after Tokyo once again apologized to South Korea earlier this month.

Why the U.S. may not be the next Japan
The fashionable thing for economists to worry about these days is deflation.

Stocks poised for a weak start
Stocks were poised for a slightly weaker start, as investors digested data that showed Japan's economy slowed sharply last quarter. Traders are also awaiting reports on the housing markets and regional manufacturing.

Is this finally the economic collapse?
The Great Depression. Wall Street in 1987. Japan in 1997. Points of economic collapse are generally crystal clear in the rear-view mirror. Professional politicians in Japan have been telling stories for 20 years as to why they can prevent economic stagnation. In the US, the storytelling started in 2007. All the while, stock market and real-estate prices have repeatedly rallied to lower-highs, then collapsed again, to lower-lows.

Japan apologizes again for colonial rule of Korea
Japan apologized once again to South Korea on Tuesday for colonizing the Korean peninsula for more than three decades in the early 1900s.

Sum 41 frontman hospitalized in Japan
The frontman of rock band Sum 41 was hospitalized after being attacked in a bar in Japan this week, according to postings on the band's website.

Japan carries out first executions in a year
Japan hanged two convicted killers on Wednesday -- the first executions in the country since the Democratic Party of Japan took power last September.

Japanese giant salamanders are in a fishbowl of sorts, for research
The Japanese giant salamander may hold the key to solving an extinction threat in the amphibian community, and researchers at the National Zoo in Washington are hoping a gift of five of the creatures from Japan will help them find out for certain.

Tokyo's taste sensations
You can't beat Japan for variety and quality of native cuisine. Here are some of my favorite types of restaurants, followed by a few recommended Tokyo spots.

Plane from Dallas bound for Japan diverted after fire alarm goes off
An American Airlines flight from Texas to Japan was diverted to the Aleutian islands after a fire alarm went off in the cargo compartment, the airline said Monday.

Scandal envelops sumo wrestling in Japan
The association that governs sumo wrestling in Japan plans to announce a decision Sunday involving star wrestlers and stable masters caught up in a scandal that has tarnished the country's national sport.

Can baby 'bot help Japan reproduce?
Yotaro cries, giggles, and kicks when you tickle him. He sneezes and his nose runs. When he is upset, his rattle calms him down.

Earthquake strikes near Japan
A 6.1- magnitude struck near Japan Sunday, the U.S. Geological Survey said.

11 of 17 ministers retain seat in new Japan cabinet
Japan's new Prime Minister Naoto Kan announced his cabinet Tuesday, retaining 11 of 17 ministers in his predecessor's administration.

Japan has bigger problem than revolving door PMs
Every international journalist covering Japan has been talking about the country's revolving door of prime ministers this week.

Australia heads to court over whaling dispute with Japan
Australia is asking an international court to weigh in on Japan's whale-hunting practices, officials said Tuesday.

Anti-whaling activist to go on trial in Japan
The trial of an activist accused of interfering with Japan's whaling fleet is scheduled to begin in a Japanese court Thursday.

Why cars have to go electric
It's hard to believe it's been more than a year since I stood before the audience at one of my favorite forums, TED. But a year later, our vision for an oil-free world where electric cars are more convenient and affordable than gasoline-powered cars remains the same.

Japan PM Hatoyama feels heat in Okinawa base feud
An ongoing feud with the United States over the future of an American military base in Okinawa may end up costing Japan's prime minister his job, a weekend poll shows.

Biking in Tokyo amid smoking businessmen, mamas with child
My mountain bike hasn't seen a mountain in about two years. But it has seen a lot of Tokyo's jammed roadway, which I would argue on some days provides as much of a perilous track as any rugged, unpaved trail.

Tokyo's electric energy never fades
Japan is often called a land of contradictions, and that's why CNN correspondent Kyung Lah loves working in Tokyo.

Why would 'RapeLay' thrive in Japan?
In the two days since CNN.com posted the story on hentai games (specifically, the "RapeLay" video game), there have been thousands of comments, more than a million page views and many questions about how a culture can produce this genre of games and then quietly allow the industry to thrive.

What if interest rates don't rise?
Here's a shocker: It could be years before U.S. finances are jolted by an interest rate shock.

Feds charge trendy sushi restaurant for serving whale meat
Federal authorities have charged a trendy Santa Monica sushi restaurant with serving whale meat -- an investigation that was spurred by the team behind the Oscar-winning documentary, "The Cove."

Trendy restaurant apologizes for serving whale meat
A trendy California sushi restaurant charged by federal authorities with serving whale meat offered an apology Monday, saying it "ignored its responsibilities" to endangered species.

Thousands begin evacuating in Japan as threat of tsunami nears
Tens of thousands of residents began evacuating Sunday morning from coastal Japan in anticipation of a possible tsunami following Chile's 8.8-magnitude earthquake.

Japan 'cautious' as tsunami alert is canceled
Tsunami warnings were canceled for all countries Sunday, a day after a deadly 8.8-magnitude earthquake struck Chile, forecasters said.

Japan still No. 2 economy - for now
The Japanese economy grew 1.1% in the final quarter of 2009 when compared with the third quarter, barely holding off China to remain the second-largest economy in the world, Japan's Cabinet Office reported Monday.

China to push aside Japan as No. 2 economy
China is likely to soon overtake Japan to become the world's second largest economy, a milestone that will only fuel growing fears about the economic might of the world's largest country.

Japan apologizes for colonial rule of Korea
Japanese Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada on Thursday apologized to South Korea for the more than three decades when Japan ruled over Korea, calling the time a "tragic incident."

Japan's debt at risk. Is U.S. next?
Credit rating agency Standard & Poor's raised the prospect of a downgrade in Japan's sovereign debt rating Tuesday. That's reigniting fears that the U.S. could be next.

Japanese monks serve up alcohol and hip hop music to lure in followers
The Buddhist religion has largely remained the same over the past few centuries, but a group of monks in Japan are spicing things up by turning to alcohol and rap music to lure in followers.

Buddhist monks use hip hop, alcohol to attract followers
Outside the 400-year-old Kyoouji Temple, Kansho Tagai, dressed in his traditional monk robes, paused and began a sutra. He bobbed his head and then broke into a lyrical rap.

AI: Japan's R&B princess
Is Ai Carina Uemura a Japanese Beyoncé or more an Asian Missy Elliott?

U.S. military children arrested in Japan
Four American teenagers, all children of U.S. military personnel, have been arrested on charges of attempted murder after a woman was knocked off her motorbike with rope strung across two poles, Japanese police said.

Mapping a floating swath of plastic waste
The center of the Pacific Gyre, an area of spiraling ocean currents, has accumulated large amounts of waste and debris that gets trapped by the large clockwise flow of water between North America and Japan.

Japan pledges to be more independent from Washington
U.S. President Barack Obama chose to make Japan the first stop in his first presidential visit to Asia -- a decision that Japan's new prime minister says signifies the importance Washington attaches to its alliance with Tokyo.

Charges dropped against American father in Japan custody battle
Authorities have officially dropped all charges against an American who tried to snatch back his children from his ex-wife in Japan, the Fukuoka prosecutor's office said Thursday.

Vitamin cafes: Japan's latest health injection
In trendy neighborhoods of Tokyo customers are lining up for vitamin injections that promise to improve health and beauty.

Western nations urge Japan to sign child abduction treaty
The ambassadors of eight Western nations urged Japan on Friday to consider signing The Hague Convention on international child abduction.

2 dead as Typhoon Melor lashes Japan
Typhoon Melor roared into central Japan on Thursday, leaving two people dead and lashing the region with heavy rain and gusty winds.

Group calls for release of American dad jailed in Japan
A handful of people rallied outside the Japanese Embassy on Saturday to show support for an American man who is jailed in Japan, accused of trying to kidnap his own children.

Dad in Japan custody battle thought wife would take kids
On February 12, 2009, Christopher Savoie received an e-mail from his ex-wife that he had feared would come.

American jailed in Japan for trying to reclaim his children
Had this custody drama played out in the United States, Christopher Savoie might be considered a hero -- snatching his two little children back from an ex-wife who defied the law and ran off with them.

Japan paves the way in robotic research
Japan has long been the world leader in robotics research, but in recent years it's also been leading the way when it comes to cutting-edge medical technology.

Japan prepares for new prime minister
Liberal Democratic Party Prime Minister Taro Aso resigned early Wednesday, setting the stage for Democratic Party of Japan leader Yukio Hatoyama to take over the reins of government.

Report: Death row inmates pushed to insanity in Japan
Death row inmates in Japan spend decades in isolation and face inhuman conditions that can lead to mental illness, Amnesty International said Thursday.

Plan would pay Japanese families to have kids
Yoshiko Sato would love to give her only son a brother or a sister. But money struggles and Japan's cost of living have pushed the mother to wait.

Challenges ahead for Japan's new ruling party
Now comes the hard part. Handed a sweeping mandate for change, the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) begins the formidable task of delivering on a laundry list of promises intended to lift the country after its worst recession since World War II.

Japanese opposition set for victory; PM quits as party head
Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso announced his resignation as head of the party that has governed Japan for decades following its apparent landslide defeat in elections Sunday.

Political shift likely as Japanese head to polls
Voters in Japan will turn out for parliamentary elections Sunday in what poll after poll shows will be a historic shift in political power to oust the ruling party.

Japan jobless rate hits record high
Unemployment in Japan hit 5.7% in July, the highest on record since World War II.

Disgruntled Japanese prepare to vote
The recession's latest victim in Japan may not be corporate earnings but the political careers of the ruling party in the country's parliament.

Earthquake strikes off Japan's coastline
A 6.7-magnitude earthquake hit off the shores of Japan on Monday morning, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

Magnitude 7.1 earthquake strikes Japan coast
A strong earthquake struck off the south coast of Japan on Sunday night local time, "jolting Tokyo and wide areas of eastern Japan," the country's Kyodo news agency reported.

Curbing a yen for Japanese stocks
Investors have been putting more money into Japanese equity funds than they've been taking out for four straight weeks, according to fund flow tracker EPFR. The streak is the longest since the third quarter of 2008.

Deadly Japan mudslides, floods leave 9 missing
Hundreds of rescue workers searched for missing residents Thursday -- two days after torrential rains triggered floods and mudslides in western Japan and killed eight people.

Love hotel business zooms despite downturn
Even in the midst of Japan's deepest economic recession since World War II, the country's love hotel industry is thriving.

Japan's 'herbivore men' -- less interested in sex, money
They are young, earn little and spend little, and take a keen interest in fashion and personal appearance -- meet the "herbivore men" of Japan.

Josh Gross: Is MMA in Japan sport or spoof?
There's no logic behind mixed martial arts events like last Tuesday's Dream 9 in Japan. None.

The cultural contributors to suicide in Asia
More than nuclear bomb tests, the suicide of former South Korean president Roh Moo-Hyun has stunned the South Korean public. While the news has shocked the nation, perhaps the level of surprise at the method wasn't as great.

Japan's GDP fell 4% last quarter
Japan's gross domestic product (GDP) fell 4% last quarter -- the fastest pace on record for the country, the government said Wednesday.

Commentary: Is stock rally for real?
Euphoria returns! Who could have guessed that Bank of America stock would rally 70 percent the week it learns the Feds are demanding new capital equal to nearly half the bank's market capitalization?

Japan destroyers set sail on anti-piracy mission
Two Japanese destroyers set sail Saturday on an anti-piracy mission off Somalia, the Japanese defense ministry said, marking the first policing action for the country's Maritime Self-Defense Force.

12 missing after Japanese boat capsizes
Twelve crew members were missing after a fishing boat capsized off southern Japan, the Japanese coast guard said Tuesday.

Schoolgirl told to choose: Country or parents
The clicking of dozens of news cameras drowned out the sobs of the 13-year-old girl, but her face explained what was happening in the departure hall of Japan's Narita International Airport.

Japan unveils $150 billion stimulus plan
Japan's Prime Minister Taro Aso announced a historic $150 billion stimulus package Friday aimed to turn around the recession in the world's second-largest economy.

Security Council wrestles with N. Korea launch
The five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council and Japan met Monday for a second closed-door session to hammer out a response to North Korea's weekend rocket launch in defiance of international opposition.

Japan to extend N. Korea sanctions
Japan is expected to extend economic sanctions against North Korea at a cabinet meeting later this week, a spokesman for Prime Minister Taro Aso said Monday.

Japan, Sweden may offer economic recovery lessons
As President Obama discusses the economic crisis with world leaders at the G-20 summit this week, two nations' experiences wrestling with similar financial troubles in recent history could offer recovery lessons for the United States.

U.S., Japan mobilize for N. Korean launch
Japan is mobilizing its missile defense system, and U.S. Navy ships are deploying to the Sea of Japan, as North Korea prepares to launch a rocket that is expected next month, officials said.

Tom Verducci: Japan's thrilling win a fitting final to second WBC
If you could hear yourself think at Dodger Stadium Monday -- and such an ordinary task became a downright challenge amid the 54,846 flag-waving, drum-beating, thunderstick-whacking, whistle-blowing, aisle-dancing zealots as Japan battled Korea in a final straight out of 1960s Americana -- what you understood was that the World Baseball Classic grew bigger and better in its second incarnation. An acquired taste for smug Americans, the party goes on in 2013 whether America wants to resist it or not, not unlike the soccer World Cup.

Deadly plane crash at Tokyo airport
The pilot and co-pilot aboard a FedEx cargo plane were killed when the plane burst into flames Monday while landing at Tokyo's Narita airport in Japan, airport and hospital officials said.

Tom Verducci: Japan gives USA lesson on WBC intensity, details
Five thoughts in the wake of Team USA's 9-4 loss to Japan in the World Baseball Classic semifinals.

Desperate Japanese head to 'suicide forest'
Aokigahara Forest is known for two things in Japan: breathtaking views of Mount Fuji and suicides. Also called the Sea of Trees, this destination for the desperate is a place where the suicidal disappear, often never to be found in the dense forest.

Japan threat to shoot down N. Korean satellite
Japan said Friday that it could shoot down the satellite that North Korean officials said they plan to launch.

Report: Japan to fight piracy off Africa
Japan's defense minister has ordered two destroyers to help fight piracy in the waters off Somalia, officials with the defense ministry told CNN.

Cliff Corcoran: Pool A rankings, notable names
Location: Tokyo Dome, Tokyo, Japan

Japan posts record trade deficit
Grappling with its worst economic crisis since World War II, Japan posted a record $10.1 billion trade deficit in January, the Ministry of Finance reported Wednesday.

Dice-K struggles in Japan's WBC tuneup
OSAKA, Japan (AP) -- Daisuke Matsuzaka struggled through 1 2/3 innings Wednesday but Japan recovered to defeat Australia 11-2 in a tuneup game for the World Baseball Classic.

Japan posts record trade gap
Grappling with its worst economic crisis since World War II, Japan posted a record $10.1 billion trade deficit in January, the Ministry of Finance reported Wednesday.

Dollar gains against euro
The dollar gained against the euro and the yen Monday as investors continued to worry about further danger for the economies of Europe and Japan.

Dawn of the dead banks
They walk among us. And they're a heck of a lot scarier than anything George A. Romero ever imagined.

Japan: Worst crisis since war's end
Japan is grappling with its worst economic crisis since the end of World War II, the nation's economic and fiscal policy minister said Monday.

Japan's economy 'worst since end of WWII'
Japan is grappling with its worst economic crisis since the end of World War II, the nation's economic and fiscal policy minister said Monday.

Japan's Mount Asama erupts
Japan's Mount Asama erupted early Monday, sending a plume of light ash more than a mile into the sky and prompting emergency officials to restrict travel near it.

Japan executes four convicted killers
Japan executed four convicted killers on death row Thursday, the government said, marking the first set of executions in the country since October 2008.

Japan executes four death-row inmates
Japan executed four convicted killers on death row on Thursday, the government said, marking the first set of executions in the country since October 2008.

Workers urged: Go home and multiply
Even before one reaches the front door of Canon's headquarters in Tokyo, one can sense the virtual stampede of employees pouring out of the building exactly at 5:30 p.m.

Japan launches satellite to eye greenhouse gases
The Japanese space agency launched a satellite Friday that will measure greenhouse gases from the earth's orbit.

Myths and truths about Japan's stimulus
As Barack Obama gets ready to sell his stimulus plan to the country, some critics are saying that massive government spending won't work. One big reason they're skeptical: Japan's experience in the 1990s, the country's so-called Lost Decade. But are they missing the real lessons?

Japan's industrial output sees record fall
Japan's government Friday released some key reports indicating the island nation's economy is suffering along with the rest of the world.

Japan's industry, employment weaker
Japan's government released some key reports Friday indicating the island nation's economy is suffering along with the rest of the world.

Japan mulls sending ships to Somalia to halt pirates
Japan is considering joining an international effort to protect ships from a growing threat of piracy in the Gulf of Aden near Somalia, a top official told reporters.

Report: More elderly Japanese turn to petty crime
Beset by economic worries and loneliness, elderly Japanese are turning to petty crime in increasing numbers, the nation's Justice Ministry reports.

Japan recession deepens
European markets slipped solidly into negative territory on Monday, following news of a deepening recession in Japan and slumping sales at Toyota.

Japan tries to avoid another lost decade
The 1990s are commonly known as Japan's "lost decade." Now, this decade isn't looking too good either.

Britney Spears Loves Japan for Its Tiny Cars
Spears takes time from touring to visit a Buddhist temple – and marvel at the miniature automobiles!

Japan extends Indian Ocean mission
Japan's refueling mission in the Indian Ocean has been extended for another year by the country's parliament.

Oil ends at 21-month low
Oil fell on Monday and ended at a 21-month low as fears over the global economic slowdown accelerated on news that Japan officially fell into a recession.

Japan: News & Videos about Japan - CNN.com
Find stories, videos, and photos about Japan from CNN.com.

 

DIRECTing the Fight Again....
DIRECTing the Fight Against Vision Impairment in Diabetes - Randomisation Phase of Landmark Programme of CANDESARTAN Cilexetil in Diabetic Retinopathy Completed

KDDI Releases New Line of....
KDDI Releases New Line of 3G Mobile Phones, Including First CDMA 1X WIN Model with Camera

Sony to Separate a Part o....
Sony to Separate a Part of its Business to Establish a Financial Holding Company Subject to the approval of the Financial Services Agency

Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL)....
Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) Earns High Marks from Sustainability Management Rating Institute

ALPS Electric Co., Ltd. A....
ALPS Electric Co., Ltd. Announces the Development of SPED3 Series of Push Switches (Push-Push Type) for Automobiles

Kyocera Announces the Rel....
Kyocera Announces the Release of Three New Models in the Finecam Compact Digital Camera Series

Omron Announces Transfer ....
Omron Announces Transfer of Amusement Components Business to Subsidiary

Fuji Photo Film Announces....
Fuji Photo Film Announces Newly Developed Optical Disc Technology Featuring an Organic Dye Enabling DVD Recording at 1x to 16x Speeds

Japan Corporate News
Japan Corporate News Network

 

Japan stocks decline as recession dents demand for materials
Japan stocks slumped as prospects for a prolonged recession dimmed the earnings outlook for manufacturers and commodities producers.

Aso’s latest stimulus worth ¥23 trillion
Prime Minister Taro Aso unveiled a ¥23 trillion stimulus package Friday that will allow up to ¥12 trillion in public funds to be injected into financial institutions, far more than the ¥2 trillion initially planned.

Job-reneging firms’ names to be released
Aiming to embarrass companies into better behavior, the labor ministry plans to publish the names of those that withdrew job offers made to graduating students in an attempt to discourage unilateral cancellations, sources said.

Bill to redress uninsured children to be enacted
A bill to redress the issue of children without health insurance is likely to be enacted at the current Diet session as the Liberal Democratic Party and the main opposition Democratic Party of Japan agreed Wednesday to hold talks over the bill jointly proposed by three opposition parties, parliamentary sources said.

Nippon Oil, Nippon Mining to integrate business
Nippon Oil Corp., the largest oil distributor in Japan, and major distributor Nippon Mining Holdings Inc., will integrate their business by establishing a holding company, possibly in the fall of 2009, sources familiar with the plan said Thursday.

Mental test to be conducted on alleged attacker of ex-official, kin
Police decided Wednesday to conduct a mental examination on a man who is believed to have been involved in the murder of a former vice health minister and his wife, and the assault of the wife of another former vice health minister, investigative sources said.

Gov’t to effectively halt spending cut policy to bolster economy
The government is set to effectively halt its spending cut policy in compiling the budget for fiscal 2009 starting in April, in a bid to prioritize stimulus measures over efforts to improve the nation’s fiscal health, government and ruling party sources said Wednesday.

List of 719 cases of harassment at Waseda University leaked from computer
A list of 719 cases of harassment that allegedly occurred at Waseda University in Tokyo has leaked on the Internet, university officials said.

Government panel deems 37% of spending by NPO’s wasteful
A government panel tasked with studying ways to eliminate wasteful use of taxpayers’ money has proposed a 37 percent cut, worth about 350 billion yen, in funding for government-authorized nonprofit organizations in fiscal 2009 compared with the corresponding figure in fiscal 2006.

US policy adviser predicts dollar slipping below 90 yen
Lawrence Lindsey, a former economic policy adviser to U.S. President George W. Bush, told Japanese lawmakers in Tokyo on Wednesday the U.S. dollar could slip below 90 yen, the lawmakers said.

Japan News Review
The Japanese News, in English

 

Legacy of Iraq war won't be winding down
NEW YORK — The withdrawal of U.S. forces from Iraq in what is euphemistically called the end of the Iraq war portends anything but the end of the conflict.
The consequences of the war will be felt for many years to come. Former President George W. Bush and his advisers are to blame for engaging in a war that has ravaged Iraq and cost the United States not only economically but also the lives and well-being of hundreds of thousands of its soldiers.

Failings of Indian infrastructure
NEW DELHI — New Delhi at last has its proud defining modern monument at the very point of entry to India — a massive, sparkling new Terminal 3, which alone is the sixth-largest airport in the world. Remarkably, too, it was built on time, in three years by a public-private partnership, and on a $3 billion budget.
Gone are the long snaking queues in sweaty air smelling of insecticide and worse: You can now get through immigration and customs in air- conditioned bliss at least as quickly as in Singapore, faster than in Hong Kong and far faster than in London, New York or Washington with their crumbling Third World infrastructure and officials with the charm of a fourth world dictatorship.

Mr. Kan vs. Mr. Ozawa
After some meanderings, the campaign for election of the next president of the Democratic Party of Japan officially started Wednesday, with Prime Minister Naoto Kan and former DPJ Secretary General Ichiro Ozawa vying for the post.
As Japan is facing serious problems in the economy and in other fields, and since the DPJ head becomes prime minister, the two politicians must clearly present their grand vision of the future of Japan, road maps toward that goal, and policy measures to solve the problems assailing the country in that process.

Futenma plan OK: Ozawa
Democratic Party of Japan heavyweight Ichiro Ozawa on Thursday backpedaled from his claim the previous day that he had a new, specific plan for relocating U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma and basically said the pact reached in May to move the base to Nago, Okinawa, stands.
Speaking to reporters in the first public debate with Prime Minister Naoto Kan ahead of the party's Sept. 14 presidential election, Ozawa also touched on his possible indictment over the mismanagement of his political funds, saying, "I will not evade (any charges)."

Festival of manga, 'anime' opens in Kyoto
KYOTO — An exhibition of the latest manga, "anime," art and the next generation of electronic entertainment technology from Japan and abroad opened Thursday in Kyoto.
Since 1997, the Cultural Affairs Agency has sponsored an international festival of Japanese and foreign manga and anime artists, as well as those artists working on modern designs or involved in entertainment.

Mori seeks to quit LDP faction amid Abe row
Former Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori submitted a letter of resignation Thursday to his Liberal Democratic Party faction, citing his displeasure with colleague Shinzo Abe, a former prime minister, sources said.
Mori, 73, and Abe belong to the faction led by former Foreign Minister Nobutaka Machimura.

Reportage seems source-biased
U.S. and Japanese media gave widespread but contrasting coverage of the sudden-acceleration accidents involving Toyota Motor Co. vehicles, mainly in North America, with accounts by victims and allegations of safety flaws getting greater play on the other side of the Pacific compared with a muted approach here.
U.S. reports at times cast the strong impression that Toyota design flaws were behind many of the accidents, although recent preliminary findings by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration pointed to the possibility that driver error was the cause of most of the reported deadly accidents so far investigated.

JAXA to expand Hayabusa tour
The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency said Wednesday it will allow museums to exhibit the small capsule released from the Hayabusa unmanned space probe and retrieved in June after a seven-year round trip to the asteroid Itokawa.
In an effort to accommodate growing calls for more exhibitions, JAXA will accept applications through Sept. 30 from museums and other public entities that want to display the capsule, along with other items, including its Earth-descent parachute and a model of its heat-resistant exterior.

Owada bid for ICJ re-election OK'd
A national group of judges endorsed Wednesday a bid by International Court of Justice President Hisashi Owada to seek re-election as a judge of the world court in a fall 2011 poll, the Foreign Ministry said.
The 77-year-old former diplomat and father of Crown Princess Masako who has been serving as an ICJ judge since 2003 won approval for his re-election bid by the members of the national group of the Permanent Court of Arbitration. He assumed the presidency of the international judicial body in February last year.

Six held over ¥570 million wire scheme
Six people are under arrest for suspected money-laundering involving about ¥570 million wired from a U.S. bank to Japan, police said Thursday.
The suspects are Nyeche Obeneme, 36, an auto parts dealer in Okegawa, Saitama Prefecture, who has Nigerian citizenship, two other Nigerian men, a Ghanaian man, and a man and woman from Japan.

Maruzen, China firm to sell manga e-book content
Book retailer Maruzen Co. and major Chinese information technology firm Peking University Founder Group Corp. will launch in early October a business to sell electronic versions of manga and specialized books in the two countries, Maruzen said Thursday.
Maruzen will translate manga into Chinese and provide the comics to its partner so Chinese people can read them on cell phones, while the Chinese firm will supply academic and other e-books to Maruzen.

Japan, Caribbean nations discuss climate change, assistance for Haiti
Japan and 13 Caribbean nations agreed in Tokyo on Thursday to cooperate in curbing global warming and offering support to quake-hit Haiti among other issues at their first meeting in a decade, a Japanese official said.
Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada and his Jamaican counterpart, Kenneth Baugh, cochaired the one-day gathering, the second of its kind since a Tokyo meeting in November 2000, with Okada saying at the outset of the talks that Caribbean nations are "important partners" for Japan.

Japan conspicuously absent from Forbes' top small, midsize Asia firms
SINGAPORE (Kyodo) Only two Japanese firms made it onto Forbes magazine's list Thursday of Asia's 200 top small and medium-size companies.
The number of Japanese firms dwindled from 24 last year, according to Forbes' latest annual "Best Under a Billion" list that picks 200 firms from 13,000 listed Asia-Pacific companies with sales below $1 billion.

Destruction of discarded arms begins in China
BEIJING (Kyodo) Japan has begun destroying chemical weapons abandoned in China by the Imperial Japanese Army at the end of World War II, Hideo Hiraoka, senior vice minister of the Cabinet Office, announced Wednesday in Nanjing.
Hiraoka, a Democratic Party of Japan lawmaker, said during a ceremony that the Japanese government will continue taking measures to speed up the destruction of abandoned munitions, the state-controlled Xinhua news agency reported.

NHK to resume live sumo coverage
NHK said Thursday it will resume live coverage of sumo when the Autumn Grand Sumo Tournament gets under way in Tokyo on Sept. 12.
Shigeo Fukuchi, chairman of NHK, said at a news conference that the broadcaster will resume live broadcasts because the Japan Sumo Association has pledged to sever ties with the yakuza and reform the sport, and viewers are demanding the return of live coverage.

Delta exec bullish on high-yen Japan biz
Delta Air Lines is upbeat about its business in Japan as new routes and the surging yen boost travel and help along the recovery in the industry, a top executive said Thursday.
Delta, the world's biggest airline, is investing more than $1 billion in its global operations through 2013, and the robust results from its Japan business underline the soundness of such investments, Delta President Edward Bastian told reporters at a Tokyo hotel.

Record 2,444 Internet crimes handled in first half
Police responded to a record 2,444 Internet crime cases nationwide in the first half of this year, a National Police Agency survey showed Thursday.
The number, up 586, or 31.5 percent, from a year earlier, represented a new high since the NPA started gathering statistics for Internet crimes, defined as crimes that use a computer network, on a half-year basis in 2004.

Lawson shoots for 10,000 in China
CHONGQING, China (Kyodo) Takeshi Niinami, president of Lawson Inc., said Thursday the convenience store chain operator intends to raise the number of its stores in China to as many as 10,000 from some 300 at present over the next 10 years.
The company, currently operating in Shanghai and Chongqing, hopes to expand into seven to 10 more cities, he said, citing Beijing, Tianjin and Guangzhou as possibilities.

Goldman grabs top share in underwriting
Goldman Sachs Group Inc. is capturing a record share of Japan's equity underwriting market as foreign investment banks benefit from local companies selling a greater proportion of stock overseas.
The New York-based firm has an 18.4 percent share excluding self-led offerings for the fiscal year that started April 1, its best showing since Bloomberg began compiling the data in 1999. Goldman Sachs worked on the $6 billion public offering of Inpex Corp., Japan's largest energy explorer, and Mizuho Financial Group Inc.'s $9 billion share sale.

Study: 4% of school nurses favor cervical cancer vaccination
OKAYAMA (Kyodo) Only 4 percent of about 200 school nurses think it's appropriate to inoculate girls against cervical cancer at school, an Okayama University survey showed Thursday, apparently mirroring the teachers' concerns about their ability to deal with possible side effects.
Mikiya Nakatsuka, a professor at the university and a member of the survey team, said, "I suppose many nursing teachers feel uneasy about providing explanations (about the disease or group vaccination) to parents or coping with side effects."

Taiji dolphin hunt corrals 20 on Day Two; protesters absent
SHINGU, Wakayama Pref. (Kyodo) Taiji fishermen caught the first dolphins Thursday in their annual hunt, which kicked off the previous day.
The annual hunt for dolphins, whales and other cetaceans off the Wakayama Prefecture whaling town involved a fleet of six boats, which left the port at around 5:30 a.m.

Kobe eyes tattoo ban at beach
KOBE (Kyodo) The Kobe Municipal Government man ban people with tattoos from a beach in Suma Ward following the recent arrests of college students for alleged marijuana possession during a music event at the beach, municipal officials said.
The city intends to come up with a concrete plan this year, including establishing an ordinance, but banning tattooed people from a public beach is rare though not uncommon at commercial establishments, particularly bathing facilities.

Slow response made perfect storm worse
While the intense speculation that Toyota Motor Corp. may have covered up electronic defects appears to have ebbed, Japanese experts say the world's top automaker deserves a failing grade for its risk management, and the resulting damage to its reputation was worse than it should have been.
They noted that the furor over the unintended acceleration issue may have been affected by multiple factors — overreaction by the U.S. media, a shift in the business environment, and the American political mood at the time.

Keidanren, Zapatero push EU FTA
Japan and the European Union should start talks to conclude a free-trade agreement, Hiromasa Yonekura, chairman of the Japan Business Federation (Nippon Keidanren), and Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero agreed Thursday.
Yonekura, chief of the country's most influential business lobby, called on Zapatero to support the launch of the FTA talks, to which the Spanish leader showed a positive stance.

Driver error findings valid: expert
The U.S. auto safety regulator's recent interim report that found driver error to be the probable cause of most of the sudden acceleration accidents it probed involving Toyota Motor Corp. vehicles confirms the warnings of an American psychologist and ergonomist that motorists failed to use the brakes.
Richard Schmidt, a safety expert and professor emeritus of psychology at the University of California, Los Angeles, said in a recent telephone interview with The Japan Times that an avalanche of negative media exposure about Toyota's massive recalls spurred a spike in complaints in the past several months, causing undue damage to the carmaker's reputation.

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The latest news and business stories from The Japan Times

 

 

 

 

 

Qantas to cut Japan, Southeast Asian schedules in face of high fuel costs
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Japan's No. 1 source of news in English

 

Qantas to cut Japan, Southeast Asian schedules in face of high fuel costs
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Qantas to cut Japan, Southeast Asian schedules in face of high fuel costs
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North Korea Exposes America's Weak Will
Far from being a show of strength, America’s joint military exercises with South Korea show that it will not stand up for its allies.

U.S.-Japan Security Partnership Continues to Weaken
America’s alienation from its strongest ally in Asia continues unabated.

Japan Scoots Toward China
Fears in Tokyo fuel the trend.

Thousands March in Tokyo for an End to U.S. Military Presence
The voice of opposition is growing louder.

Is the U.S.-Japan Relationship Unraveling?

China and Japan Plan First Joint Military Exercises
The militaries of China and Japan are taking the first steps toward allegiance.

Obama Takes a Bow in Asia
America’s repeated acts of conciliation are gaining nothing in return.

Nations of the East Agree to Unite
Asia made good progress toward creating an Asian trading community at the latest Asian summit.

Japan Wants East Asian Community
Japan’s new Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama is pushing for an East Asian community. This will mark a new phase for Asia.

Russia Reacts to Japanese Elections

Who's Sorry Now?
Appeasers and revisionists seek apologies for past history.

Political Upheaval in Japan

Japan Eager to Boost Ties With China

Japan's Military Looks to the Final Frontier
Japan’s newly released annual defense paper calls for an expanded military with a better reach into space.

World Prepares to Dump the Dollar
American economists think the world can’t afford to let go of the dollar’s reserve currency status. The world is about to teach them differently.

Largest Treasury Bond Caper in History?
Is someone anonymously dumping treasuries, or is it just the work of a bold counterfeiter?

Happy Memorial Day. I Have a Nuclear Bomb.
An update on the “post-American world” courtesy of Kim Jong Il

American Gold? No Thanks!
The Chinese and Japanese are falling out of love with the dollar.

Japan Warming to the Idea of Nukes
Tokyo has a unique perspective on the horror of using nuclear weapons, but that perspective is changing.

Tensions Mount in Asia
An update on North Korea

North Korea Raises Its Ugly Head
Once again, North Korea is clamoring for attention.

Japanese Opposition Wants American Troops Out of Japan

Japan to Make "Clear Shift" Away From U.S.
How much longer is Japan going to be a U.S. ally?

Is Japan Turning Its Back on Its Pacifist Constitution?
Japan moves another step away from post-World War II remorse and a step closer to a world-class military.

America Calls on Japan to Reinterpret Its Pacifist Constitution
But should Japan oblige, it would not strengthen America’s position on the world scene.

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