Usui returns to cabinet as justice minister TOKYO, Oct. 5 Kyodo Former Defense Agency chief Hideo Usui, known for his affable personality, has returned to the cabinet as justice minister. Usui was first appointed to the cabinet as director general of the Defense Agency under former Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto in 1996. Despite taking up […]
Category: Japan Policy & Politics
Miyazawa favors possible LDP-LP alliance TOKYO, Nov. 18 Kyodo Finance Minister and former Prime Minister Kiichi Miyazawa said Wednesday he favors a tie-up between the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and the Liberal Party (LP). The two parties have almost identical policy goals and many Liberal members of parliament were formerly with the LDP, Miyazawa […]
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Breakthrough expected on climate change at 2009 G-8 summit: expert RUSUTSU, Japan, July 10 Kyodo Group of Eight leaders are expected to mark major progress in tackling global warming and the food crisis when they meet again in Italy next year, according to John Kirton, director of the G8 Research Group in Canada who has […]
Myanmar minister slams media for exaggeration of HIV problem YANGON, Sept. 3 Kyodo Myanmar Health Minister Maj. Gen. Ket Sein on Monday complained of exaggeration of the number of Myanmar’s HIV carriers and AIDS patients by foreign media at the opening ceremony of a regional World Health Organization (WHO) meeting. ”Contrary to the gloomy picture […]
Japan to seek acceptance of reasons behind Yasukuni visit TOKYO, July 24 Kyodo Japan will explain to its Asian neighbors the reasons behind Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi’s controversial plan to visit Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuo Fukuda said Tuesday. ”I think there will be chances for us to explain, and that we […]
FOCUS: Koizumi lacks diplomatic finesse in G-8 debut GENOA, Italy, July 22 Kyodo Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi declared Sunday that he received strong support from his Group of Eight (G-8) partners for his plans to conduct bold reforms to bring Japan out of its prolonged economic doldrums. But his performance on the world stage […]
LDP panel debates female succession to imperial throne TOKYO, Dec. 4 Kyodo A panel of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) on Tuesday debated issues pertaining to revising a Japanese law to allow women to ascend the imperial throne. The Research Commission on the Constitution held a study session at the LDP headquarters in Tokyo […]
Gov’t likely to curtail Isahaya Bay reclamation project TOKYO, Aug. 28 Kyodo (EDS: ADDING COMMENTS FROM LOCAL FISHERIES ASSOCIATION, NAGASAKI GOVERNOR) Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Tsutomu Takebe indicated Tuesday the government will likely curtail the size of a land reclamation project in Isahaya Bay, Nagasaki Prefecture, which has been stalled since February on fishermen’s […]
EU environment chief says Kyoto Protocol is up to Japan BRUSSELS, May 22 Kyodo The European Union (EU) environment chief expressed hopes that Japan will continue helping salvage the 1997 Kyoto Protocol, rejected by the United States, which is yet to show any sign of rejoining the international accord aimed at curbing global warming. ”Since […]
EU to seek closer cooperation with Japan on climate change BRUSSELS, April 5 Kyodo The European Union (EU) will step up its efforts to salvage the 1997 Kyoto Protocol environmental accord to prevent global warming by working in closer cooperation with Japan, a top EU official said Thursday. ”Japan will, of course, be crucial” to […]