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DIET

JAPAN / Politics
Sep 15, 2015
Ruling bloc, three small opposition parties agree on security bills
The ruling bloc and three small opposition parties have basically agreed to have Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s national security bills accompanied by a resolution to ensure a greater role for the Diet in approving Self-Defense Forces dispatches abroad, and to vote on them, according to informed sources....
JAPAN / Politics
Sep 8, 2015
Bill easing regulations on temp workers passes key committee
The ruling bloc bulldozed a contentious bill to revise the worker dispatch law through an Upper House committee Tuesday, clearing a critical hurdle for its enactment that will enable companies to use temporary workers for as long as they wish.
JAPAN / Politics
Sep 3, 2015
My Number law revised, IDs to be linked to bank accounts from 2018
The Diet passed a bill Thursday to expand the use of a personal identification number to improve tax collection despite concerns over potential identity theft.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Politics
Aug 28, 2015
Diet passes bill aimed at boosting women in the workplace
The Diet passed a bill Friday aiming to promote the role of women in the workplace, along with greater female participation in the economy at a time when the country’s population is expected to shrink further.
JAPAN / Politics
Aug 24, 2015
Abe won’t visit Beijing for WWII parade
Contrary to earlier media reports, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has decided not to visit China in early September, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga says.
JAPAN / Politics
Aug 19, 2015
Nakatani defends Joint Staff security bills document
Defense Minister Gen Nakatani admitted Wednesday that the ministry’s Joint Staff Office created an internal document in late May about expanding overseas operations of the Self-Defense Forces, based on the assumption that security legislation currently under debate in the Upper House would be enacted....
JAPAN / Politics
Aug 5, 2015
Japan defense chief says SDF could deal with nukes under security bills
Under the ruling bloc’s security bills, the Self-Defense Forces would theoretically be allowed to transport, repair or store nuclear, chemical and biological weapons for foreign forces.
JAPAN / Politics
Aug 4, 2015
Debate on anti-discrimination bill begins in Diet
The Diet starts deliberations on a bill that would ban racial discrimination, including harassment and hate speech, and oblige the government to draw up anti-discrimination programs that report every year to lawmakers.
EDITORIALS
Jul 30, 2015
Upper House vote reform falls short
The recent changes to the Upper House districts fall far short of addressing in a meaningful way the disparity in vote values.
JAPAN / EXPLAINER
Jul 20, 2015
U.S. trans fat ban prompts call for better Japan labeling
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s move last month to phase out artificial trans fats over three years from all processed foods has made few ripples in Japan, where there are currently no regulations on the oil.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Politics
Jul 16, 2015
Lower House passes security bills amid protests
Tens of thousands of angry voters in the streets. Opinion polls recording deep-seated public unease.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Politics
Jul 14, 2015
Parody of LDP security bills video goes viral ahead of Diet vote
An animated video released by the ruling Liberal Democratic Party that attempts to explain the need for the security bills currently being debated by the Diet has spawned a scathing parody that attempts to shoot holes in the ruling coalition’s argument for the legislation.
JAPAN / Politics
Jul 10, 2015
144 local, prefectural governments release statements condemning security bills
Local opposition is growing to security bills that Prime Minister Shinzo Abe hopes to push through the Lower House next week, with 144 prefectural, municipal and town governments releasing statements condemning the legislation as of Friday.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Politics
Jul 9, 2015
LDP, DPJ take to Internet to mount security bill-related campaigns of persuasion
As Prime Minister Shinzo Abe prepares to ram through legislation that would drastically alter Japan’s security stance, both the LDP and DPJ are taking their arguments to the people — via a variety of online media.
JAPAN / Politics
Jul 8, 2015
Ruling bloc restates intention to plow security bills through Diet
The political storm over the government’s security bills is intensifying as the ruling bloc restates its plan to ram the bills through the Lower House as early as next week.
JAPAN / Politics
Jun 22, 2015
Diet session extended through September as Abe aims to pass contentious security bills
Abe and Komeito’s leader decide to extend the Diet session by the most days in postwar history in a bid to enact the controversial security bills.
JAPAN / Politics
Jun 17, 2015
Ishin no To leader lashes Abe over security bills
The ruling bloc had hoped Ishin no To would help the Cabinet enact controversial national security bills, but the party’s leader flatly denied that.
JAPAN / Politics
Jun 15, 2015
Speculation swirls over result of Abe-Hashimoto meeting
Speculation is swirling among the politically well-connected that Osaka Mayor Toru Hashimoto may have agreed to help Prime Minister Shinzo Abe pass contentious security legislation when the two met in Tokyo on Sunday.
LIFE / Language / MORNING ENGLISH
Jun 15, 2015
Let’s discuss voting age limits in the news
The move to lower the voting age will give an estimated 2.4 million people aged 18 and 19 suffrage.
JAPAN / Politics
Jun 4, 2015
Some Japanese teens welcome move to reduce voting age, others apathetic
For high school student Aine Suzuki, the Lower House’s move on Thursday to pass legislation that would reduce the voting age to 18 from the current 20 was akin to a dream come true.

Longform

The Terasaka Rice Terraces are seen with Mount Buko in the background.
What Yokoze can teach Japan about rural revival