The Asahi Shinbun reports today that a grade 1 Lieutenant at the Defence Ministry’s Information HQ is to be charged on suspicion of breaking the SDF Law (Disclosure of Defence Secrets) over an article published in the Yomiuri Newspaper in 2005 about a Chinese submarine drifting powerless in the South China sea after an accident.
Entries from March 2008
March 27, 2008
ANA to seek Compensation from Boeing
All Nippon Airways (ANA) is to seek compensation from American aircraft manufacture Boeing over the late delivery of new 787 passenger aircraft, which has forced the company to change its plans and projections, reports the Asahi Shinbun today. The exact amount of compensation to be sought will be given careful consideration when the planes have [...]
March 25, 2008
Overwhelming Support for Life-time Employment
An independent survey by the Labour Policy Research and Training Council has revealed that nearly 90% of people in Japan still support the idea of life-time employment.
March 24, 2008
Chinese and Japanese Finance Ministers Meet
On 23rd March, Japanese Finance Minister Nukaga exchanged opinions with his Chinese counterpart Hsiei at a meeting in Tokyo organized by the Sino-Japanese Finance Authority’s Executive board.
March 24, 2008
Corporate Pessimism
According to a survey into Corporate optimism, the results of which were released by the Finance Ministry and Cabinet Office today, the business outlook index (the rate for ‘pessimistic’ subtracted from the rate for ‘optimistic’) for the first 3 months of 2008 stands at -9.3%.
March 24, 2008
Tokyo – Heat Island
The Asahi Shinbun reports today on the effects on the climate of Tokyo of population density/global warming. At peak times, electricity consumption in the Tokyo area is greater than that of the entire UK or France.
March 21, 2008
Fukuda demands Defence Ministry and SDF Restructuring
The Asahi Shinbun reports today PM Fukuda’s comments to journalists this morning that, in the light of the string of recent scandals and blunders in which 88 people have been charged, “We have to reflect deeply on this. Incidents involving senior officials, leaks of sensitive information from the Defense Ministry, there are various problems here. To [...]
March 21, 2008
DPJ Backs Shirakawa for BoJ Governor
DPJ Policy Chairman for the next Diet, Ken Yamaoka, commented in the Diet on 21st March that Masaaki Shirakawa, who was in attendance to mark his inauguration as Acting Governor, had the full support of the DPJ. The DPJ’s rejection of PM Fukuda’s choice of Toshiro Mutou for BoJ Governor has meant that the [...]
March 17, 2008
Compensation for Atomic Bomb victims
In the continuing review of the government policy relating to the acknowledgement of and compensation for the effects of radiation-related illness (from Hiroshima and Nagasaki), the “LDP Atomic Bomb Victims’ Policy-related Project Team” petitioned the Labour, Health and Welfare Ministry on 15th March and received its agreement that the new assessment (of victims) policy [...]
March 14, 2008
Pfizer Japan No Smoking Stand
Pfizer Japan has requested all employees to refrain from smoking, not just in company offices and property, but even in their own homes. The company is offering to make contributions to any medical expenses that employees may incur in their effort to give up smoking. Behind this decision stands Pfizer Japan’s plan to release, within [...]
March 14, 2008
Massive Pension Cock-up
The Asahi Shinbun does not describe the situation in so many words, but explains that the Ministry for Social Welfare announced today the results of its work to clarify the status of over 50 million ‘floating in the ether’ pension records.
March 14, 2008
Dollar falls below ¥100 for first time in 12 years, etc
The dollar fell to ¥99.77 as the ‘Strong Yen, Weak Dollar’ phenomenon continued, breaking the ¥100 line for the first time since November 1995, reports the Asahi Shinbun today.
March 14, 2008
Sharp to Compete in Chinese Mobile Phone Market
Mikio Katayama, President of Sharp, revealed in an interview with the Asahi Shinbun on 13th March that the company intends to begin sales of its flagship line of ‘Aquos Mobile’ phones in China by the summer of this year.
March 13, 2008
Current Account further into Black
According to the spot report on GDP released by the Japanese Finance Ministry on 12th March, the current account balance has gone 8.1% further into the black compared to January 2007, rising to ¥1,235,800,000,000.
March 12, 2008
GDP figures revised for last quarter of 2007
According to revised figures released by the Cabinet office today, nominal (ie., excluding the effect of price fluctuations) GDP (seasonally adjusted) in the last quarter of 2007 (excluding the effect of price fluctuations) rose by 0.86% on the previous quarter; (equivalent to an increase over the year of 3.5%), reports the Asahi Shinbun.
March 12, 2008
‘Civic Legislative Committee on Age of Majority’ begins Deliberations
The Civic Legislative Committee on the Age of Majority, an advisory committee to Justice Minister Hatoyama began deliberations on 11th March on a proposal to lower the age of majority in Japan from 20 to 18 years old. Professor Kaoru Kamata of the prestigious Waseda University has been elected as Chairman of the committee. Members [...]
March 12, 2008
Opposition Parties Oppose LDP Choice for BoJ Governor
The Asahi Shinbun reports today that the DPJ has formally decided to oppose the LDP candidate for next Governor of the Bank of Japan, Toshiro Mutou (currently BoJ Deputy Governor).
March 10, 2008
J-TUC Rally Calls for Working Women’s Rights
International Women’s Day (8th March) saw a rally held in Tokyo by the Japan Trade Union Confederation calling for greater pay equality and child support for working women, the Asahi Shinbun reports today (10th March).
March 7, 2008
TV Makers Fill Their Sails with the Olympic Wind
Matsushita Denki, Sony, Toshiba and other high-quality TV makers have released new ranges of their digital and high-definition plasma and liquid crystal wide-screen displays to take advantage of the Beijing Olympics later this year.
“We’ve never failed to get bumper sales in an Olympic year”, says a Matsushita representative. The expected burst in sales will deepen [...]
March 7, 2008
Yen Strengthens in Tokyo
The yen strengthened to ¥120.75~80 by 1pm in trading today on the Tokyo Currency Exchange. This after a marked movement to sell dollars and buy yen, which started in New York yesterday and was picked up over here this morning. This is the strongest the yen has been relative to the dollar in the last [...]
March 7, 2008
Gasoline Tax, Road Maintenance Plan : call for Compromise
Secretary General Ibuki of the ruling LDP has announced that ’substantial compromises need to be made’ if agreement is to be achieved in the Diet over the extension of the Provisional Gasoline Tax and the next 10-year Road Maintenance Plan.
March 7, 2008
Airport Maintenance Law – Restrictions on Foreign Investment to be Lifted
Proposed revisions to the Airport Maintenance Law were decided by the Fukuda Cabinet on 7th March, reports the Asahi Shinbun today.
March 7, 2008
Fukuda to Japan Business Federation : “Pass the Fruits of Reform to the People”
PM Fukuda invited Fujio Mitarai (御手洗富士夫) (President of the Japan Business Federation 経団連) to his official residence to seek his cooperation in responding to demands for pay raises for company employees. (Asahi Shinbun, 7th March ‘08)
March 7, 2008
New Governor of Bank of Japan – Fukuda selects Candidate
With Toshihiko Fukui (福井俊彦) due to step down as Governor of the Bank of Japan on 19th March, and with barely enough time for the Diet to discuss and approve a new candidate, PM Fukuda has announced that he will be consulting with the DPJ leader Ozawa for approval of
March 6, 2008
Rare Okinawan Thorn-Mouse Caught in Wild
A rare Okinawan thorn-mouse has been caught in the north of Okinawa island, for the first time in 30 years, reported the WWF yesterday (5th March 2008).
March 5, 2008
Fukuda Cabinet Support Rating
The Asahi Shinbun reports on the results of this month’s (March) survey of popular support for the Fukuda Cabinet and policies.
March 5, 2008
Public-Service Corporations ‘Ama-kudari’ Un-reformed
The Asahi Shinbun reports today that 37% (total 124) of public-service corporations under the jurisdiction of government ministries are still in breach of new government standards on ‘ama-kudari’; the Minister for Internal Affairs has been pushing in Cabinet for stronger enforcement of regulations.
March 5, 2008
Mitsubishi Passenger Jet Project – Toyota on Board
Toyota Motors is in the final stages of a decision (as of 4th March) to participate in Mitsubishi Heavy Industry’s project to develop a small, Japanese passenger jet aircraft, reports the Asahi Shinbun today.
March 4, 2008
Niigata Lawyers Association Opposition to Jury System
The Niigata Lawyers’ Association has decided to proceed with the aim of canvassing support in government for the submission of a legislative bill to the Diet proposing that the introduction of a Jury system in Japan (legislated to start by May 2009) be delayed, reports the Asahi Shinbun today.
