Who gets the cash handouts, and how?
The Liberal Democratic Party-New Komeito ruling bloc rammed legislation related to the fiscal 2008 second extra budget through the Diet Wednesday amid strong protests from the opposition parties. With...
View ArticleCultural monument or replaceable relic?
Debate is heating up between Japan Post Holdings and the internal affairs ministry over whether to raze or preserve a landmark building in front of JR Tokyo Station. The building is the five-story...
View ArticleHand-wringing over fund scandal
The political fund scandal involving Nishimatsu Construction Co. has brought to light once again the unhealthy relationship between politics and money. This time, prosecutors went straight to the top...
View ArticleRoad-toll cuts take effect Saturday
Motorists across the nation this Saturday, if they have an Electronic Toll Collection device, will start feeling the effects of Prime Minister Taro Aso’s economic stimulus measures. The maximum fee on...
View ArticleWhat did Japan’s response to the North’s rocket prove?
When North Korea sent what it claims was a rocket carrying a satellite over the Tohoku region Sunday, the Self-Defense Forces units deployed to possibly intercept it held their fire because the craft...
View ArticleTips to prepare for influenza outbreak
Concern about the new flu, called a type H1N1, is spreading in Japan as global alert levels have been raised regarding a possible pandemic. Although no cases of infection has been confirmed in Japan,...
View ArticleHistoric change puts justice in public hands
With the “saibanin” lay judge system set to take effect May 21, Japan is gearing up for an important transition in its judicial system, in which citizens begin serving as de facto jurors in district...
View ArticleList of goods qualified for Eco-points now out
The government revealed a list of products and services Friday that can be exchanged for Eco-points, a type of currency to stimulate consumption and promote use of energy-efficient goods. The campaign...
View ArticleUltimately, it all comes down to numbers
All signs seem to indicate Prime Minister Taro Aso and his Liberal Democratic Party-New Komeito ruling coalition face a tough battle in trying to hold onto their Lower House majority in the Aug. 30...
View ArticleDetails on how Japan’s dolphin catches work
Dolphin slaughters in Taiji, Wakayama Prefecture, have drawn strong protests from animal rights groups, their supporters and foreign media over what they call the brutality of the traditional hunt. In...
View ArticleDevil’s in the details on debt relief
To rescue cash-strapped small firms and households, financial services minister Shizuka Kamei is preparing to submit a bill at the extraordinary Diet session this month that will pressure financial...
View ArticleCustody laws force parents to extremes
The high-profile case of Christopher Savoie, a Tennessee man who was arrested in Fukuoka Prefecture for snatching his two children from his Japanese former wife and now faces kidnapping charges,...
View ArticleCan Narita, Haneda live in harmony?
Transport minister Seiji Maehara’s controversial proposal floated this week to turn Tokyo’s Haneda airport into a 24-hour international hub caused a firestorm of anger in Chiba Prefecture, where Narita...
View ArticleLowdown on H1N1 vaccinations
With swine flu inoculations now under way for medical workers, other people may be anxious about when it will be their turn. As cooler weather sets in, and with it higher risks of contracting the new...
View ArticleJapan Post, with new boss, returning to public roots
Bowing to calls to resign, most adamantly by Shizuka Kamei, state minister in charge of postal services, charismatic former banker Yoshifumi Nishikawa officially stepped down Wednesday as president of...
View ArticleNever a dull moment when U.S. presidents come calling
U.S. President Barack Obama will make his first Japan visit Friday and exchange views with the new Democratic Party of Japan administration of Yukio Hatoyama on global concerns. During his two-day stay...
View ArticleHow the monetary easing measure will work
The Bank of Japan plans to pump around ¥10 trillion into the banking system to rein in deflation and the surging yen. Here are some questions and answers about the ramifications: Why has the BOJ...
View ArticleBankruptcy would be bitter medicine for JAL
Enterprise Turnaround Initiative Corp. of Japan, a state-backed body tasked with Japan Airlines Corp.’s rehabilitation, is expected to decide within this month whether and how it will save the nation’s...
View ArticleWhat bankruptcy means for JAL
The government has effectively gotten Japan Airlines Corp.’s main creditor banks to agree to let JAL file for bankruptcy under the Corporate Rehabilitation Law, and the carrier may do so Tuesday. It...
View ArticleMileage members fret over their points earned on JAL, credit cards
With Japan Airlines filing for bankruptcy and undergoing court-led rehabilitation, consumers are worried about how this may affect their mileage points and points they have saved by using JAL credit...
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