SNA (Tokyo) — The following stories were reported today by the Shingetsu News Agency.

Politics

—Miyazaki Governor Shunji Kono indicates that he intends to run for third term when his current term ends in January 2019, more than a year away.

—Continuing the trend, the ruling party refuses to accept opposition demand that former Finance Ministry official Nobuhisa Sagawa be called as witness in Moritomo Gakuen case. No Akie, no Sagawa, no serious witnesses allowed.

—In Diet debate, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe had previously declared the land sale to Moritomo Gakuen to be “appropriate.” Now that the Board of Audit found it inappropriate, Abe still refuses to take any responsibility whatsoever.

—Rightwing Japan Innovation Party lawmaker Yasushi Adachi continues his diatribe against the Asahi Shinbun in Diet statements. Calls the Asahi “fabrication, misinformation, and a biased media organization on parade.” Adachi doesn’t cite any concrete grounds.

—Big business groups donated about US$21 million to the ruling Liberal Democratic Party last year, with the automobile lobby the single largest component.

—The two richest political parties in terms of funding last year were the ruling Liberal Democratic Party with US$219 million and the Japan Communist Party with US$196 million. The Japan Communist Party is the only party which refuses to accept taxpayer subsidies.

International

—Russia reportedly planning to deploy anti-ship missiles to Southern Kuriles-Northern Territories, a move highly likely to annoy the Abe administration. Seems the Abe-Putin bromance is still not working out so well for Shinzo.

—US President Donald Trump maintains his peculiar brand of international diplomacy by declaring to his adoring supporters that Kim Jong-Un is “a sick puppy.” Ahem.

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