It is imperative to reflect on the Emperor’s thoughts sincerely and use this occasion to discuss widely the role of the Emperor as the symbol of the state. The Emperor, who has indicated his desi...

We cannot overlook China’s obvious attempt to change the status quo by force. We strongly demand that China restrain itself. Around the Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea, Beijing has made dem...

It is essential to fundamentally discuss how the House of Councillors should function, without shying away from a constitutional amendment. There are growing calls to eliminate integrated constituenc...

A step forward has been taken in winning approval to extend beyond 40 years the operation period of the No. 3 reactor at Kansai Electric Power Co.’s Mihama nuclear power plant. The Nuclear Regulati...

The Olympic flame has been set alight in South America for the first time. The Rio de Janeiro Games has kicked off, with more than 10,000 athletes taking part from more than 200 countries and territ...

It has become clear what was behind Mitsubishi Motors Corp.’s long years of falsifying fuel efficiency test data to make its cars’ fuel mileage appear better than it actually was. How should progr...

Hiroshima and Nagasaki mark the 71st anniversaries of their atomic bombings this month — Hiroshima on Aug. 6 and Nagasaki on Aug. 9. This inhumane tragedy should never take place again. It is impo...

Large-scale terrorist attacks have frequently occurred around the world. Compilation of effective antiterrorism measures is an urgent matter for Japan. This year’s white paper on police highlighte...

North Korea is escalating military provocations. To avoid any untoward eventuality, all possible measures must be taken. The defense white paper for 2016 defines North Korea’s moves as “grave an...

Is this a new ace in the hole for reviving the Olympic Games’ unifying force? The 2020 Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games will set the standard in this regard. The International Olympic Committee ...

It can be considered a solid Cabinet lineup that emphasizes policy continuity and stable administration. The reshuffled Cabinet must achieve tangible results by boldly tackling various key challenges...

What is essential is to enhance the vitality of the private sector. Every item of each project must be scrutinized with this in mind. The government has adopted ¥28.1 trillion worth of economic mea...

It is an important challenge of school education to cultivate the ability to respond to the globalization of society with our children’s future in mind. The Central Council for Education released ...

Despite being the last bastion for patients with difficult conditions in its region, it must be said that Gunma University Hospital was far from being equipped with a system capable of fulfilling such...

Because of unstable political situations, Africa has been unable to utilize the potential of its rich natural resources and huge market. We should effectively support countries in Africa that are burd...

Former Defense Minister Yuriko Koike has been elected for the first time in the Tokyo gubernatorial election. Koike’s victory has made her the first woman to assume the Tokyo governorship. A pressi...

It can be said that Katsuya Okada is relinquishing his post as Democratic Party president, because the party has reached a dead end in its unified front with the Japanese Communist Party. At a press ...

In the U.S. presidential election, the difference in outlook has become clear between Republican nominee Donald Trump, who advocates an “America first” policy, and Democratic nominee Hillary Clint...

It is indispensable to raise the level of wages, a task necessary for securing an end to deflation and facilitating sustainable economic growth. The Central Minimum Wages Council, an advisory body t...

The Bank of Japan’s latest move is apparently an aim to stress its commitment to pulling the nation out of deflation in tandem with the government’s economic measures. The BOJ decided on additi...

How should the conservation of the endangered Anguilla japonica, or Japanese eel, species be promoted? As the world’s largest consumer of eel, Japan must display leadership in tackling this challeng...

The agreement reached late last year between Japan and South Korea over the so-called comfort women issue is finally to be implemented. The move toward improved bilateral relations must be cemented. ...

To restrain the actions of China, which is unilaterally ratcheting up tensions in the South China Sea, it is essential that the Philippines continues to work closely with Japan, the United States and ...

The government’s seriousness about lowering the price to be paid by future generations is under scrutiny. The government has made public an estimate that the combined primary balances of the centr...

Waste whose level of radioactivity has dropped will be swiftly disposed of. It is vital that this process becomes firmly established. The Environment Ministry has lifted the designation of “specif...

Beijing continues to reject the court of arbitration’s decision dismissing the country’s self-serving claims that its sovereignty covers almost all the area in the South China Sea. We believe such...

This is an appalling incident that will go down in the history of crime. A man armed with knives intruded into Tsukui Yamayuri-en, a welfare facility for intellectually disabled people in Sagamihara,...

It is essential that computer programming to be taught in schools will lead to improving children’s ability to think logically and creatively. The Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technolog...