To our readers

Due to New Year holidays, the next issue will appear on January 7, 2011.

JCP local assemblymen working for people-oriented policies

With the addition of two Japanese Communist Party representatives in 2007, a local assembly has undergone a major change in policies: luxurious overseas trips were abolished; medical fees for children under six years old have become free of charge; and tax money in the form of subsidies was returned by a big company. All these policies have been adopted by the Mie Prefectural Assembly.

Tokyo enacts tighter regulations on manga

The Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly on December 15 passed an ordinance to toughen regulations on sexual depictions in manga comics and anime films despite mounting opposition from publishers and writers.

DPJ defense guideline reveals hostility toward neighbors

The National Defense Program Guidelines, which the cabinet adopted on December 17, has moved away from the “basic defense concept” maintained by successive governments and has introduced the concept of “dynamic defense force.” It has made clear the fact that the Democratic Party of Japan’s definition of defense is more dangerous than that of the Liberal Democratic Party government.