Koizumi defends winners amid debate on widening wealth gap
February 2, 2006Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi on Thursday warned against any move to hamper individual people from achieving economic success, as criticism grows about the widening wealth gap in Japan under his structural reforms. ''We have to refrain from begrudging winners (their success) or getting in the way of talented people,'' Koizumi told reporters at his official residence. ''Otherwise...it will lead to an irrational equality where efforts make no difference.''
Court cancels preferential tax measure for pro-N. Korea group's hall
February 2, 2006The Fukuoka High Court ruled Thursday that a facility owned by a pro-North Korea organization is not eligible for preferential tax treatment, reversing a lower court decision that the hall in Kumamoto could be granted tax exemptions. It is the first judicial decision in Japan to nullify the reduction and exemption of fixed property and other local taxes on Korean halls affiliated with the General Association of Korean Residents in Japan, also known as Chongryon.
Koizumi shrugs off pro-China LDP member's request over Yasukuni row
February 2, 2006Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi shrugged off a request Thursday from his pro-China party colleague to refrain from further flaring up the row over his visits to the war-linked Yasukuni Shrine. ''There is no change in my thoughts regarding Yasukuni,'' Koizumi was quoted as telling Takeshi Noda, a former home affairs minister from Koizumi's ruling Liberal Democratic Party who chairs the Japan-China Society Inc.