- politics
- Japan’s Admission to the TPP Talks, Aung San Suu Kyi’s VisitShiraishi Takashi
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On April 12 the Japanese and US governments successfully concluded their bilateral consultations concerning Japan’s participation in the Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiations. In addition to confirming the objective set forth in their February 22 joint statement of “achieving a comprehensive, high-standard agreement, as described in the Outlines of the TPP Agreement,” the two governments agreed…
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- Election Campaigns Finally Enter the Internet AgeŌtani Kōta
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There is considerable interest in Japan at present in the revision of the Public Offices Election Law to lift the ban on the use of the Internet for election campaigns. On April 12 a bill to revise the law was unanimously approved at a House of Representatives (lower house) plenary session. The bill is expected to be approved by the House of Councillors (upper house) as well, paving the way for t…
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- Margaret Thatcher: The Iron Lady and JapanHosoya Yuichi
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Although Margaret Thatcher kept a low profile during her final years, as she struggled with Alzheimer’s, media fascination with her life continued to keep her name in the public eye—not least in Japan, where the Iron Lady biopic was a big hit after its release in March 2012. Her death on April 8, 2013, at the age of 87, was a major news story in the Japanese media, more than 20 years after her tim…
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- Postwar Governors of the Bank of Japan
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Newly appointed Kuroda Haruhiko is the first Ministry of Finance official to take the post of governor of the Bank of Japan for 15 years. In this article we look back at the governors of the Bank of Japan since World War II.
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- Profiles of BOJ Deputy Governors Iwata Kikuo and Nakaso Hiroshi
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We continue our look at the new team in charge at the Bank of Japan with profiles of Iwata Kikuo and Nakaso Hiroshi, the two deputy governors.
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- Profile of Kuroda Haruhiko, Governor of the Bank of Japan
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Kuroda Haruhiko became governor of the Bank of Japan on March 20, 2013. Who is the new governor and what does his appointment mean for Japanese fiscal policy?
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- Science and Technology Policy: Abe’s Bold Reform PlanShiraishi Takashi
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On March 1 the Council for Science and Technology Policy held its first meeting since the launch of the current Abe Shinzō administration. This council, which is chaired by the prime minister, is charged with formulation and overall coordination of Japan’s fundamental comprehensive policies for science, technology, and innovation. It is ordinarily expected to meet for about an hour once a month …
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- Abenomics: Changing the National MindsetAbe Junichi
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Since taking the helm as prime minister for the second time last December, Abe Shinzō has focused on economic policy, including the adoption of an inflation target. The market has responded favorably, and the national mind-set seems to be shifting. Journalist Abe Junichi assesses the first 100 days of the Abe administration.
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- The Future of the Japan-Australia PartnershipOgoura Kazuo
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In October 2012, the Australian government published a white paper outlining the country’s Asia policy for the twenty-first century. Titled “Australia in the Asian Century,” the white paper examined the policies Australia needs to adopt to make the most of the opportunities presented by the burgeoning Asian economy. The publication of the white paper is itself symbolic of the seriousness of Aus…
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- A Late Spring in Tōhoku (Part II)Kikuchi Masanori
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The coastal areas of northeast Japan devastated by the March 2011 tsunami still face the enormous task of rebuilding housing and infrastructure. Journalist Kikuchi Masanori traveled to the region to report on the current state of the recovery effort.
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