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Thursday, August 13, 2026
News and Views from the Global South
JAPAN: Koizumi at Yasukuni Shrine Again
Ignoring the sentiments of neighbouring countries, Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi observed the 61st anniversary of Japan's surrender to Allied forces on Tuesday by paying his respects to the war dead at the controversial Yasukuni shrine.RIGHTS-JAPAN: Pay For Disastrous War Policy, Citizens Tell Gov’t
For years Hiroshi Hoshino, 75, bottled up the pain and suffering he, his two sisters and their mother suffered when Japan was at war with the Allied powers.JAPAN: Tackling Depression to Curb Suicide Rates
For years Mariko, 61, has suffered from depression. Her crushing sense of loss, following the death of her only son, has forced her to shut herself in her apartment for weeks together at a time.DEATH PENALTY: Japan Needs Public Debate
A rare essay posted on the web by a crime victim who does not call for the death penalty for the culprit has become a potent symbol for activists who face an uphill battle to abolish Japan's capital punishment laws.JAPAN: Free Trade Deal With Manila Stumbles Over Labour
While Sunday marked the 50th anniversary of bilateral friendship between Japan and the Philippines, Tokyo has decided not to use the occasion to conclude a long-awaited free trade agreement (FTA) with a fellow Asian country.JAPAN: ‘Shrinking Population Increases Happiness Quotient’
When Hideya Tanaka, 66, retired from his job as a manager at a trading firm in Kobe five years ago, he finally found time to fulfill an old dream - to launch a non-profit organisation to help disaster survivors.POLITICS-JAPAN: N. Korean Missiles Tense Up Neighbourhood
While North Korea's missile launches this week were not targeted at any particular country, analysts say the reactions in neighbouring countries have been such as to sow the seeds of tension that will linger on.JAPAN: Soft Policy on Burma Under Fire
Japan's refusal to join the West in slapping sanctions against the Burmese military junta, responsible for gross human rights violations, has disappointed activists and development experts who say Tokyo's continued foot-dragging on Burma is wrong.LABOUR-JAPAN: Immigrants Needed but Face Insularity
Because the cramped Mundo de Alegria school in Hamamatsu city offers Spanish and Portuguese curricula, Latin American immigrants in the area regard it as a godsend for their 120 children.LABOUR-JAPAN: Pay Now Linked to Performance, Not Seniority
Hiroo Nishimura, 57, head of dining room services with a large restaurant chain, is bitterly opposed to moves by the management to adopt a salary system that is based on performance rather than seniority.ENVIRONMENT: Japan Exults Over Pro-whaling Votes
A closely contested vote on Sunday that gave whaling countries led by Japan, an edge over opponents has been hailed here as a landmark in turning the tide against an international ban and boosting the domestic fisheries industry.EAST ASIA: ‘Koizumi’s Exit Good for Regional Relations’
Analysts believe that when Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi demits office in September it will open the door for improved relations with China and a better overall environment in the region.JAPAN: U.S-India Nuclear Deal Shakes Pacifist Position
A controversial agreement on nuclear energy between Washington and Delhi is proving to be a diplomatic headache for Japan, say analysts here.ENVIRONMENT: Japan Spites Whaling Ban With Gourmet Offerings
Japan is defiantly preparing for the annual meet of the International Whaling Commission (IWC), in the West Indies this month, by going on a promotion drive for whale meat and other products.JAPAN: Education Bill Sets Patriotism Over Individualism
Hiroo Miyamoto, 60, a retired businessman, follows with keen interest the ongoing debate on revising Japan's post-war education policy that emphasises individual rights and democracy over patriotism.JAPAN: Rabbis Recognised for Rights Effort in Palestine
At a time when the recognition of human rights is high on the international agenda it is significant that Japan's 23rd Niwano peace award has gone to a group of rabbis, focused on bringing better understanding in Israel and the Occupied Territories.JAPAN: Museum Helps Ethnic Koreans Gain Acceptance
Poignant artifacts, remnants of traditional clothing made from silk and cotton, and large photographs that depict the hard lives of Koreans who arrived in Japan in the mid-20th century, are displayed in a new museum dedicated to preserving the history of Japan's largest ethnic community.NORTH KOREA: Focus Shifts From N-Bombs to Human Rights
For all the enormous attention that is being paid to the abductions of Japanese and South Korean nationals by North Korea, decades ago, it would seem that the nuclear threat over East Asia has vanished.ENVIRONMENT-JAPAN: Minamata Victims Seek Help, 50 Years On
Fifty years after Japan's worst industrial pollution disaster, the Minamata mercury poisoning tragedy, victims say they are still awaiting redressal.JAPAN: Quarrels Galore With China, South Korea
East Asian regional politics, complex at the best of times, is turning even more tense say analysts, commenting on new movements on the North Korean abduction issue, the ongoing territorial dispute with South Korea and the China-United States summit that concluded on Apr. 20.JAPAN: Women Juggle Careers and Caregiving With Cell Phones
Mobile phone technology is helping many Japanese career women cope with a traditional role they are unable to shake off - that of providing care for the elderly.« Previous Page — Next Page »
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