Kyodo : December 23, 2008

China says anti-piracy mission aimed at fulfilling int'l role
Kyodo : Dec 23 06:46 AM US/Eastern
BEIJING, Dec. 23 (AP) - (Kyodo)—China emphasized Tuesday it is sending navy ships to tackle piracy off the coast of Somalia to do its part in maintaining international peace, at a time when the expansion of its military capability is being watched with caution by its neighbors. continued ...

Fukuda's abrupt resignation voted top Japan story in 2008
Kyodo : Dec 23 04:07 AM US/Eastern
TOKYO, Dec. 23 (AP) - (Kyodo)—Former Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda's abrupt resignation was voted the top domestic news story of 2008, according to a Kyodo News poll released Tuesday. continued ...

Last batch of main ASDF troops return home after ending Iraq mission
Kyodo : Dec 22 10:37 PM US/Eastern
NAGOYA, Dec. 23 (AP) - (Kyodo)—About 140 Air Self-Defense Force troops stationed in Kuwait for Japan's airlift mission for Iraq returned to Japan on Tuesday. continued ...

LDP, New Komeito agree to specify FY 2011 for sales tax hike
Kyodo : Dec 22 01:28 PM US/Eastern
TOKYO, Dec. 23 (AP) - (Kyodo)—The ruling Liberal Democratic Party and its junior coalition partner, the New Komeito party, conditionally agreed in the early hours of Tuesday to specify fiscal 2011 as the year for raising the nation's consumption tax in the government's medium-term fundamental tax reform program. continued ...