Koike’s Crushing “Proxy War” Victory
Good news for the Tokyo governor in her struggle against the local chapter of the ruling party
Category Archives: Politics
The Mountain Fortress of the Japan Communist Party
The unique history of the Izu Gakushu Kaikan
Rengo Obstructing Opposition Alliance
The Democratic Party’s labor union backers are throwing a wrench into political strategy.
Candidate Takashi Uesugi on the Rise of New Media
Tokyo gubernatorial candidate Takashi Uesugi stops on the campaign trail to give an exclusive interview to the SNA.
Infringing the Freedom to Hate
The ruling party makes belated and unconvincing efforts to legislate against the rise of hate speech.
Red-Baiting in 2016
A recent attempt by the Liberal Democratic Party to brand the Japan Communist Party as violent has sparked a new debate on the political history of Japan, but it seems to be primarily a cynical political ploy.
Shinzo Abe and the Yakuza
The crackdown on yakuza, including the group called the Kudokai, which is registered as an especially dangerous criminal gang under Japanese law, has recently reached abnormal levels. However, the fact that the Kudokai is also an organization reported to have once had connections with Shinzo Abe before he became prime minister eludes most people.
The Dippy Opposition
Well, they’ve done it again. Just when you see glimmers of hope that Japan’s opposition parties might just be getting their acts together, they go and show you once again just how incompetent they really are.
Uniformed Officers Gaining Control of Defense Ministry
Uniformed Self-Defense Forces officers are currently demanding a larger role in setting military policies, which will for the first time utilize the security legislation forced through the Diet by the ruling coalition last September. Civilian defense bureaucrats have so far rejected the demands of the uniformed officers, fearing that acquiescing will decisively tilt the power balance between the two sides within the ministry.
Timeline of Hashimoto Parties in National Politics
Osaka Mayor Toru Hashimoto was still near the peak of his popularity when he announced in September 2012 that he would be moving into national politics. Simply by putting out the call, enough lawmakers gathered to his banner to establish a new political party meant to represent the Osaka Restoration Association’s interests at the national level. Today, in an echo from three years ago, Osaka Mayor Toru Hashimoto is once again signalling his intention to launch a new political party meant to represent the Osaka Restoration Association’s interests at the national level.
