Iraqi president eyes formation of new gov't within a month
February 20, 2006Iraqi President Jalal Talabani has told the Japanese ambassador to his country that he believes a new Iraqi government can be launched in a month's time, Japanese Foreign Ministry officials said Monday. Talabani was quoted by the officials as telling Toshiro Suzuki during their meeting Sunday in Baghdad that it is possible for the various factions to agree on a new government within a month.
India, France agree to enhance cooperation in nuclear energy, defense
February 20, 2006India and France on Monday signed nine agreements amid French President Jacques Chirac's visit here, including a joint declaration on civilian nuclear cooperation and an agreement on defense cooperation. The Declaration on the Development of Nuclear Energy for Peaceful Purposes was signed by representatives of the two countries in the presence of Chirac and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
Japan to tell Germany of importance of U.S. support for UNSC reform
February 20, 2006Japan will tell Germany in foreign ministerial talks Tuesday that their plans to reform the U.N. Security Council must gain the support of the United States, Japanese Vice Foreign Minister Shotaro Yachi said Monday. Yachi thus indicated the importance of U.S. backing for the aspirations of Japan, Germany and two other countries -- or the Group of Four -- seeking permanent seats on the Security Council following their failed bid last year.
U.S. not to cut nuclear test preparation period to 18 months
February 20, 2006The administration of U.S. President George W. Bush has given up a plan to cut the preparation period to resume nuclear tests to 18 months from the current two years, according to a budgetary request document for fiscal 2007 by the U.S. Department of Energy recently made available. In the budgetary request document for the fiscal year starting in October 2006, the National Nuclear Security Administration, a body under the department, says the preparation period will remain at two years until fiscal 2011, which means it is unlikely nuclear tests would be resumed before Bush's term expires in January 2009.
Average lower house members' assets at 49 mil. yen
February 20, 2006The average value of assets held by 479 House of Representatives lawmakers elected last September is 49.78 million yen excluding equities, according to a Kyodo News survey based on their asset declarations released Monday. The figure is down 1.86 million yen from the previous survey in April 2004 involving reports by parliamentarians newly elected or who retained their lower house seats in the general election held in November 2003.
Ex-S. Korean President Kim Dae Jung postpones visit to N. Korea
February 20, 2006Former South Korean President Kim Dae Jung has decided to visit North Korea in June, instead of April as he was planning, an aide to the former president said Monday. ''The decision to postpone the visit to the North resulted from former President Kim's determination,'' Choi Kyung Hwan was quoted as saying in a report by Yonhap News Agency.
DPJ presents copy of e-mail to lower house budget committee
February 20, 2006The main opposition Democratic Party of Japan on Monday presented to a House of Representatives Budget Committee meeting a copy an e-mail it alleges was sent by Livedoor Co.'s founder Takafumi Horie to order a 30 million yen transfer to the son of Tsutomu Takebe, secretary general of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party. The DPJ called for invoking parliamentary investigation rights so that the concerned bank account can be checked to verify the allegation and for the Diet to summon Takebe and his younger son, the committee executives said.