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

Politics

—Goshi Hosono says the reason why Yoshihiko Noda was excluded from joining the Party of Hope was his willingness to maintain electoral cooperation between Democratic Party and Japan Communist Party.

—Five opposition parties jointly submit bill that would require ministries to better preserve documents after serial cases of bureaucrats claiming that information embarrassing to the Abe government had disappeared.

—Rengo chief Rikio Kozu to establish a “Rengo Forum,” including lawmakers from five different opposition parties who agree on very little, in order to protect the labor union federation from having to figure out what it really stands for.

—Four opposition parties led by Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan submit bill to make null and void the Abe government’s Conspiracy Law. The conservative Party of Hope doesn’t join the other opposition parties in this initiative.

International

—Defense Ministry considering budget request for acquiring long-range missiles from the United States. This would give Japan, still supposedly governed by the Peace Constitution, the capability to carry out offensive strikes against opponents.

—Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera meets US Ambassador William Hagerty and confirms Japan’s interest in obtaining an Aegis Ashore anti-missile system as soon as possible.

Economy

—Government mulling a ten day long national holiday in the spring of 2019 as part of celebrations welcoming the anticipated enthronement of Emperor Naruhito.

—The Japan Atomic Energy Agency submits its plan to the Nuclear Regulation Authority to decommission the Monju fast-breeder reactor in Tsuruga city, Fukui Prefecture.

Society

—Journalist Shiori Ito’s civil lawsuit against Abe-friendly journalist Noriyuki Yamaguchi begins. Prosecutors had declined to pursue the rape allegations that Ito has made against Yamaguchi. It is now a high-profile case.

—In its first ruling on the subject, the Supreme Court finds it to constitutional to force people to pay NHK fees in spite of them having no choice whether or not to engage in a contract with NHK. The courts simply back the existing system, as always.

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