Japan Times -- Nov 20
The Lower House signed off Tuesday on a trade deal with the United States that cuts tariffs on farm and industrial products, taking a step toward its entry into force next year.
The approval means the agreement, reached by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and U.S. President Donald Trump in late September, now moves to the Upper House.
The ruling Liberal Democratic Party and coalition partner Komeito are aiming to ratify the trade deal before end of the current Diet session on Dec. 9.
That would allow them to accommodate Washington’s push for it to enter into force on Jan. 1.
Under the deal, Japan will gradually lower its 38.5 percent tariff on U.S. beef to 9 percent, and remove or reduce its tariffs on U.S. pork.
Other American products, including cheese, wine and wheat, will also gain greater access to the Japanese market.
The United States, for its part, will remove or reduce tariffs on some types of manufacturing equipment as well as for other industrial products, including parts for air conditioners and trains from Japan.
News source: Japan Times
Sep 19
A member of the House of Representatives has tested positive for the novel coronavirus and was admitted to a hospital, the Lower House’s secretariat said Friday, the first confirmed infection of a Japanese lawmaker.
(Japan Times) Sep 19
An international research team including a Japanese scientist on Thursday won the Ig Nobel Acoustics prize after showing that an alligator’s pitch rises after it inhales helium-enriched air. (Japan Times) Sep 19
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(Japan Today) Sep 19
The Tokyo Metropolitan Government has confirmed 220 new coronavirus cases on Friday.
(NHK) Sep 19
The Japanese government has decided to set up a system to exempt athletes competing at next year's Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games from entry restrictions currently placed on 159 countries and regions due to the novel coronavirus that forced the games' postponement, sources familiar with the matter said Friday.
(Kyodo) Sep 19
Japan's new prime minister will pursue economic structural reforms through a mixed bag of policies that target specific industries, rather than a grand strategy to reshape society and boost long-term growth.
(Japan Today) Sep 18
Tourism businesses in Japan are starting to sell travel packages to and from Tokyo under the government's "Go To Travel" campaign to stimulate domestic tourism.
(NHK) Sep 18
Tokyo Disneyland's new area with attractions featuring characters and sets from 'Beauty and the Beast' will welcome the public starting Sept. 28, operator Oriental Land Co. said Thursday. (Japan Times) Sep 18
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(NHK) Sep 17
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(NHK) Sep 17
More than half of Suga Yoshihide's cabinet ministers were part of an Abe government -- a reflection of the new leader's intentions to continue his predecessor's policies.
(NHK) Sep 16
A government survey shows that the number of centenarians in Japan has exceeded 80,000 for the first time ever.
(NHK) Sep 16
Japan's Hayabusa2 space explorer will aim to probe the asteroid "1998KY26" located between the orbits of Earth and Mars in 2031 after completing its current mission of collecting samples from another asteroid, the country's science minister said Tuesday. (Kyodo) Sep 16
Fraudulent e-money withdrawals in Japan have expanded to five other service operators in addition to NTT Docomo Inc, internal affairs minister Sanae Takaichi said Tuesday.
(Japan Today) Sep 14
Japan's main ruling party has elected Chief Cabinet Secretary Suga Yoshihide its new leader.
(NHK) Sep 13
Japanese tennis star Osaka Naomi has won the women's singles title at the US Open.
(NHK) Sep 13
Japanese director Kurosawa Kiyoshi has won the Silver Lion for best director at the 77th Venice Film Festival.
(NHK) Sep 12
Japan and Britain have reached a broad agreement on a new economic partnership.
(NHK) Sep 12
The Tokyo Metropolitan Government says it confirmed 226 new cases of the coronavirus in the capital on Saturday.
(NHK) Sep 12
Gunma Prefectural Police launched a murder case after the female manager of a love hotel in Maebashi City was fatally stabbed on Thursday, reports Jiji Press (Sept. 10). (tokyoreporter.com)