Japan Times :: Wednesday, July 29, 2009

• 10. ELECTION 2009 - ANTONI SLODKOWSKI
  Politicians tap Twitter to tweak profiles
  July 29, 2009
  ELECTION 2009
  Politicians tap Twitter to tweak profiles
  Inspired by Obama's Net reach, Diet ranks test the online waters
  By ANTONI SLODKOWSKI, Staff writer
  At 6:44 p.m. on July 15, Democratic Party of Japan lawmaker Seiji Osaka posed a question on his Twitter profile: "I think bringing the voting age down to 18 years old is OK. What do you think about it?" continued ...


• 14. NATIONAL NEWS
  Low flights by U.S. warplanes breach agreement
  July 29, 2009
  KAGOSHIMA (Kyodo) U.S. warplanes apparently flew low over the Yakushima airport runway in Kagoshima Prefecture in March and June in breach of an agreement, airport officials said Tuesday.
  A 1999 agreement under the Japan-U.S. Joint Committee, formed by Japanese government officials and U.S. diplomats and military personnel, requires U.S. warplanes to skirt around nuclear energy facilities and civilian airports in Japan in a safe and practical manner, the officials said. continued ...


• 17. NATIONAL NEWS
  Rakuten political donation Web site up, running
  July 29, 2009
  Kyodo News
  Rakuten Inc., the nation's largest online shopping mall operator, has launched a Web site to solicit political donations from individuals, becoming the first company to accept credit card-based donations on the Internet. continued ...


• 19. NATIONAL NEWS
  Parties take battle to the Net with video clip, game
  July 29, 2009
  Staff writer
  The Liberal Democratic Party, with its animated video clips on the Internet, isn't the only party to take its campaign into cyberspace. The Democratic Party of Japan, the largest opposition force, has responded in kind with a free action game. continued ...


• 21. PARTY POWERS - MASAMI ITO
  New Komeito chief slams DPJ policies, rules out alliance
  July 29, 2009
  By MASAMI ITO, Staff writer
  Citing the Democratic Party of Japan's "unreliable" policies, New Komeito chief Akihiro Ota says joining hands with the DPJ is unlikely even if the largest opposition force wins the Aug. 30 election. continued ...


• 23. PARTY POWERS - ALEX MARTIN
  Shii says JCP will play loyal opposition role
  July 29, 2009
  By ALEX MARTIN, Staff writer
  Japanese Communist Party President Kazuo Shii said Tuesday that if the Democratic Party of Japan takes control of the Lower House his party intends to be a "constructive opposition party" that will cooperate when policies overlap but will remain a vocal critic on points of disagreement. continued ...


• 25. NATIONAL NEWS - ERIC JOHNSTON
  Scientists laud DPJ emissions vow
  July 29, 2009
  Ambitious goal of a 25% reduction by 2020 faces stiff opposition from big business
  By ERIC JOHNSTON, Staff writer
  OSAKA — The Democratic Party of Japan's promise to pursue a 25 percent cut in greenhouse-gas emissions by 2020 compared with 1990 levels is what scientific experts recommend. continued ...


• 27. NATIONAL NEWS
  Teachers win suit vs. Prince Hotels
  July 29, 2009
  Kyodo News
  The Tokyo District Court on Tuesday ordered Prince Hotels Inc. to pay about ¥290 million in compensation to the Japan Teachers Union and its members, as sought by the plaintiffs, for canceling reservations the union made for its annual meeting in 2007. continued ...


• 31. NEWS BUSINESS - DAISUKE YAMAMOTO
  DPJ platform sidesteps financing question
  July 29, 2009
  'Ear-pleasing dole' smacks of tax hikes
  By DAISUKE YAMAMOTO, Kyodo News
  The Democratic Party of Japan's policy platform, which pledges large spending projects and an end to expressway tolls, has raised questions about exactly how such projects would be financed. continued ...


• 37. NATIONAL NEWS
  Yokohama mayor quits but rules out Diet run
  July 29, 2009
  YOKOHAMA (Kyodo) Yokohama Mayor Hiroshi Nakada submitted a letter of resignation Tuesday to cut short his second term with less than a year to go, but the former Democratic Party of Japan Lower House member does not plan to run in the Aug. 30 national election, sources close to him said. continued ...


• 38. EDITORIAL
  New ambassador ready
  July 29, 2009
  When U.S. President Barack Obama nominated Mr. John V. Roos as the next American ambassador to Japan, some Japanese were apparently perplexed because the California-based lawyer was almost unknown to them and a Washington "Beltway" outsider. continued ...


• 49. EDITORIAL
  DPJ's election promises
  July 29, 2009
  The Democratic Party of Japan has announced its manifesto for the Aug. 30 Lower House election. It has two pillars: scheduled measures to directly help households and steps to end bureaucracy-led politics. continued ...