Japan Times :: Monday, July 27, 2009

• 3. NATIONAL NEWS
  DPJ plan could send jobs overseas
  July 27, 2009
  Bloomberg
  The Democratic Party of Japan, leading in polls for next month's election, has announced proposals to help workers but could end up sending jobs overseas, according to some economists.
  The DPJ's campaign manifesto released Thursday includes pledges to raise the minimum wage and ensure equal compensation for temporary workers, a growing group of employees who are paid about 40 percent less than full-timers. These so-called nonregular employees make up more than a third of the workforce and were the first to be fired during the current recession. continued ...


• 9. NATIONAL NEWS
  Okuyama heads to win in Sendai
  July 27, 2009
  SENDAI (Kyodo) The candidate backed by the Democratic Party of Japan was set Sunday night to win the Sendai mayoral election, according to Kyodo News projections. continued ...


• 11. NATIONAL NEWS
  U.S. urged Japan to be more flexible on whaling
  July 27, 2009
  WASHINGTON (Kyodo) The United States recently urged Japan to take a more flexible stance on whaling, according to a source close to Japan-U.S. relations.
  The pressure, which came in the form of letters from Cabinet-level U.S. officials, is apparently meant to get Japan to substantially reduce its catch for research whaling. continued ...


• 20. NATIONAL NEWS
  DPJ vows 25% CO 2 cut versus Aso's 8%
  July 27, 2009
  Kyodo News
  The Democratic Party of Japan will pledge a 25 percent cut in Japan's greenhouse gas emissions by 2020 from 1990 levels in its manifesto for the upcoming national campaign, party officials said Sunday. continued ...


• 23. SENTAKU MAGAZINE
  Mettle of 'thoroughbreds'
  July 27, 2009
  What does Prime Minister Taro Aso have in common with his immediate predecessors — Junichiro Koizumi, Shinzo Abe and Yasuo Fukuda? Each is either a son or a grandson of a well-known politician of the past.
  And they are not alone. There are a number of lawmakers in the Diet who have "inherited" their posts from their fathers. Although this may give the impression that Japan has long been ruled by political thoroughbreds, there has been a mounting call from citizens to abolish or at least place some restrictions on "hereditary" succession as the Japanese political landscape moves deeper into a state of stagnation. continued ...


• 26. EDITORIAL
  F-22 gives up ground
  July 27, 2009
  The U.S. Senate voted July 21 to hold the line on procurement of the F-22 Raptor fighter jet. The vote was a victory for U.S. President Barack Obama, his secretary of Defense, Mr. Robert Gates, and defense budgeting sanity. The move effectively forecloses the prospect of Japan's purchasing the troublesome plane. That is not a bad thing. This country has better uses for its diminishing defense funds. continued ...