Japan Press Weekly

  PM should follow pro-ball players’ attitude of defiance toward US

A Japanese professional baseball players’ union announced a “painful” decision that members of the association will boycott the 3rd World Baseball Classic (WBC), if it takes place under the current pro-U.S. operation policy. Japan won both the first and second tournaments, so what is the reason for the decision?

Diet surrounded by 200,000 protesters against restart of NPPs

“Stop the restart!” “Decommission all nuclear power plants!” Voices of 200,000 citizens enveloped the Diet building on Sunday night, July 29. The crowd of protesters overflowed the sidewalks and flooded all six lanes in front of the main gate of the building.

Shii visits US embassy to demand cancellation of Osprey deployment

Japanese Communist Party Chair Shii Kazuo on July 26 met with U.S. Embassy Deputy Chief of Mission Kurt Tong to protest that the U.S. military forcibly brought the tilt-rotor aircraft Ospreys to Yamaguchi in defiance of public opposition, and urged him to cancel the plan to deploy the defective aircraft to Japan.

Gov’t intends to increase burden on nursing-care service users in addition to consumption tax hike

Gov’t bill to cut public services and workers attracts criticism

Lower House passes bill to revise Labor Contract Law

Gov’t attempting to introduce ID number system

Shii visits US embassy to demand cancellation of Osprey deployment

Takae residents and JCP demand halt to forcible construction of US helipads

Workers protest against electronics companies’ massive job cuts

Shii in Zenroren convention criticizes Noda government attack on decent work conditions

Zenroren holds 26th Convention

SDF mobilizes local gov’ts for ‘emergency’ drills

PM echoes LDP call for Japan’s right to collective self-defense

Consumption tax hike will damage economy: private think tanks

Gov’t-recommended minimum wage falls short of boosting domestic demand

Akamine discusses with local gov’t issues regarding medical services on remote island

Welfare applicants concerned with requirement of kinship support

Consumption tax hike is in exchange for cuts in corporate taxes

Tax burden ratio for corporations falls 10 percentage points in 9 years

Diet surrounded by 200,000 protesters against restart of NPPs

Kokuta calls for intensive Diet debate based on all 4 reports on Fukushima accident

Keidanren Yonekura objects to government call to end dependence on nuclear power

Ban on public workers political acts approved in Osaka City

Osaka city workers sue city for mental anguish brought about by survey

PM should follow pro-ball players’ attitude of defiance toward US

Due to Japanese summer holidays, our next update will be on August 17