Koizumi gives up bill for female monarchs in Japan
February 9, 2006Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi has given up a plan to submit to the current parliamentary session a bill to pave the way for female monarchs in Japan, following the news of Princess Kiko's pregnancy, Chief Cabinet Secretary Shinzo Abe indicated Friday. The decision came amid growing calls from lawmakers of the ruling coalition to freeze discussions at least for a while about a revision of the Imperial House Law.
S. Korean president appoints 5 new Cabinet ministers
February 9, 2006President Roh Moo Hyun on Friday formally appointed five new Cabinet members, including a minister in charge of North Korea issues, despite opposition parties' objections to some of his nominees. Roh's office said the newly appointed ministers are Unification Minister Lee Jong Seok, Deputy Prime Minister for Science and Technology Kim Woo Sik, Health and Welfare Minister Rhyu Si Min, Commerce, Industry and Energy Minister Chung Sye Kyun and Labor Minister Lee Sang Soo.
Japan mulling options to put pressure on N. Korea: Aso
February 9, 2006Foreign Minister Taro Aso said Friday options for putting pressure on North Korea, apparently including economic sanctions, are being mulled after bilateral talks in Beijing made little headway on the abduction and other bilateral issues. ''I believe that there are various proposals within the government,'' Aso said at a news conference.
Japan allows Myanmar woman, Japanese-fathered daughter to stay
February 9, 2006Japan's immigration authority on Friday granted a woman from Myanmar and her Japanese-fathered daughter, who is stateless, special one-year permits to stay in the country, their supporters said. The mother, a Tokyo resident identified as Soesoemin, and her 11-year-old daughter Minsoeseet, who was born in Japan, have faced the threat of deportation. The daughter has no nationality as her father, who did not formally marry her mother, went missing before her birth.
N. Korea calls on U.S. to lift financial sanctions
February 9, 2006North Korea on Thursday reiterated its call for the United States to lift ''unreasonable'' financial sanctions imposed in connection with the North's alleged money laundering and counterfeiting activities, according to the state-run Korean Central News Agency. ''The results of the past several months' investigation clearly proved that there is no evidence proving the DPRK's issue of counterfeit notes or money laundering,'' a spokesman for the North's Foreign Ministry was quoted as saying. DPRK stands for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, North Korea's official name.
Gov't denies secret pact existed on Okinawa's 1972 return from U.S.
February 9, 2006Chief Cabinet Secretary Shinzo Abe on Thursday denied a news report that Japan had secretly shouldered $4 million in costs for Okinawa's reversion to Japan from U.S. occupation in 1972. ''I have been told that such a secret pact did not exist at all,'' Abe, the top government spokesman, told a press conference.
Court dismisses 5 men's anti-communist law violation charges
February 9, 2006The Yokohama District Court on Thursday dismissed charges against five now-deceased men for their past conviction in one of the worst cases involving repression of journalists during World War II, dealing an effective loss to the five whose families had sought a not-guilty verdict for them in a retrial. Defense lawyers said they will file an appeal immediately with the Tokyo High Court against the decision that did not judge whether the accused are guilty or not in the so-called ''Yokohama Incident.''
BOJ looking at policy shift from March meeting: Fukui
February 9, 2006Bank of Japan Governor Toshihiko Fukui signaled Thursday that the central bank will enter the final stage of determining when to end its ultra-loose monetary policy from its next policy meeting slated for March 8-9. ''The year-on-year change in the core consumer price index has already been at zero percent or above for the third straight month. We believe the CPI will rise by a wider margin from January,'' Fukui said at a news conference after a two-day policy-setting panel meeting.
Japan calls China's Koizumi remark 'inappropriate'
February 9, 2006Japan's top government spokesman said Thursday that Chinese State Councilor Tang Jiaxuan's remark Wednesday that there is little chance of Japan and China improving relations while Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi is in office is ''inappropriate.'' ''If State Councilor Tang's remark is true, it is inappropriate for a remark by a state leader,'' Chief Cabinet Secretary Shinzo Abe said in a press conference.
China political crackdown prompts international hunger strike
February 9, 2006More than 100 people in China and a growing number overseas have joined a rolling hunger strike to protest a series of recent actions by the Chinese government against human rights lawyers and activists. Sparked by the beating of Guangdong Province lawyer Guo Feixiong over the weekend, suspended Beijing attorney Gao Zhisheng posted a letter in the Chinese-language Epoch Times, an overseas dissident website, calling for the strike.
Nepal gov't hails municipal elections, opposition cries foul
February 9, 2006Nepal has expressed satisfaction with Wednesday's ''free and fair'' municipal elections, the first elections to be held in the violence-plagued kingdom in seven years, in spite low voter turnout. Home Minister Kamal Thapa said in a statement late Wednesday that the elections were ''successfully held as per the commitment expressed by the king to the national and international community.''