Shinzo Abe elected Japan's new prime minister
News On Japan via huffingtonpost.com -- Dec 27
Shinzo Abe took office as Japan's seventh prime minister in six years Wednesday and vowed to overcome the deep-rooted economic and diplomatic crises facing his country.
Abe was elected as Japan's leader hours earlier Wednesday, bringing back to power the conservative, pro-business Liberal Democratic Party that governed for most of the post-World War II era. It replaces the liberal-leaning government of the Democratic Party of Japan that lasted three years.
"A strong economy is the source of energy for Japan. Without regaining a strong economy, there is no future for Japan," Abe told his first news conference after becoming prime minister for the second time.
Calling his administration a "crisis breakthrough Cabinet," Abe promised to launch bold economic measures to pull Japan out of deflation. He also vowed to step up an alliance with the United States to stabilize Japan's diplomacy shaken by increasing territorial threats from its neighbors.
安倍総理大臣は、就任後初めての記者会見に臨み、「危機突破内閣」として経済再生や被災地の復興などに全力であたると決意を示しました。
Source: huffingtonpost.com, ANNnewsCH
| Jun 19 | Beauty scams on Mixi just one fraud reeling in gullible women |
 Revelations earlier this month that a beauty salon scammed hundreds of women met on social-networking site Mixi has Shukan Jitsuwa (June 27) convinced that the alleged crimes represent the type of the iceberg when it comes to frauds pulled on females. (Tokyo Reporter) |
| Jun 19 | ‘Abenomics’ not raising low-end prostitution prices in Tokyo |
 In May, Akira Ikoma, the editor of a guide to men’s entertainment called Ore no Tabi (My Journey), said that “Abenomics” had caused a spike in prices at high-end soapland bathhouses in Tokyo. However, the same editor tells Shukan Post (June 28) that the initiative is not impacting the low-end market in the same way. (Tokyo Reporter) |
| Jun 19 | Over 1,000 people hospitalized in Japan for heatstroke |
 Almost 1,500 people were transported to hospitals by ambulance due to heatstroke last week, up sharply from 942 in the preceding week, the Fire and Disaster Management Agency said Tuesday. (Japan Times  ) |
| Jun 19 | Mummified remains found in restaurant in Morioka |
 Police said Tuesday that a mummified body was found earlier this month in a storage cabinet in a restaurant in Morioka, Iwate Prefecture. (Japan Today ) |
| Jun 19 | Local govts wary of Mt. Fuji 'traffic jam' |
 Mt. Fuji, the tallest mountain in Japan, will likely see its summer "traffic jam" of climbers worsen this year thanks to its expected addition to the UNESCO World Heritage List. (Yomiuri ) |
| Jun 19 | Traffic lights on the blink / Many too old for use; some even collapse |
 Among about 200,000 traffic signals nationwide, 16 percent are being used beyond the end of the expected lifetime of their electrical systems and some have even toppled over due to age, according to the National Police Agency. (Yomiuri ) |
| Jun 18 | Best biwa selected as gift for Imperial Household |
 A competition has been held near Tokyo to choose the season's best loquats, or biwa fruit, to be presented to the Imperial Household. (NHK ) |
| Jun 18 | 64-year-old woman arrested for stabbing 59-year-old boyfriend |
 Police said Monday they have arrested a 64-year-old woman in connection with the murder of her 59-year-old partner in Seki, Gifu Prefecture. (Japan Today ) |
| Jun 18 | Tokyo cops bust Gotanda massage parlor for prostitution, arrest 7 |
 Tokyo Metropolitan Police on Monday announced the bust of a massage parlor in the Gotanda area of Shinagawa Ward on charges of prostitution. (Tokyo Reporter ) |
| Jun 18 | Ex-Aum death-row inmates to testify in open court |
 Tokyo District Court decided on Monday to open planned examinations of three witnesses who are former senior members of the Aum Shinrikyo doomsday cult and now death-row inmates, during an upcoming trial of another former senior Aum member. (Jiji Press ) |