* People protest at MSDF Aegis destroyer leaving for the Indian Ocean (December 17)
* Ruling parties propose amending the 'Bill to Respond to Armed Attacks' (December 11)
* Ruling parties are desperate for carrying over contingency bills to next Diet session (December 13)
* Gensuikyo submits 34,000 signatures calling for non-use of nuclear weapons (December 12)
* Call of 2002 World Conference against A & H Bombs responded to by 15
countries (December 13)
* Kobe's Hibakusha aid campaign marks 36th anniversary (December 17)
*Citizens hold rally in Tokyo against a war on Iraq (December 14)
* North Korea must immediately retract nuclear development plan: JCP Shii (December 14)
* Former 'Greeneville' captain apologizes to collision survivors (December 16)
* Former U.S. submarine commander apologizes to another family of victim (December 17)
* 155th Extraordinary Diet Session ends (December 14)
* Tax reform plan to impose heavier burdens on citizens (December 14)
Business organization's decision to tap political donations is anachronistic folly -- Akahata editorial, December 15 (December 16)* JCP comments on election of Kan as DPJ leader (December 12)
* Okinawa assembly demands thorough review of SOFA (December 11)
U.S. extra-territorial rights over Japan must end -- Akahata editorial, December 12 (excerpts)* JCP Shii gives lecture to Okinawa's economic circles (December 12)
* Married women workers win victorious settlement over discrimination (December 17)
* One hundred workers get 45-million yen back pay in overtime wages from NEC (December 11)
* Workers receive 8.1 billion yen of overtime pay (December 14)
*1.93 million more people will be forced out of jobs in the next 3 years (December 16)
* Medical associations jointly oppose government plan to increase people's payments in medical costs (December 12)
* JCP urges government to aid the homeless (December 14)
* 'Comfort women' bill by opposition parties can be first step toward solving problems (December 14)
Government should pay unpaid wages to former Japanese war captives in Siberia -- Akahata editorial, December 11 (excerpts)* Fuwa's seminar on Capital ends (December 17)
* Fuwa receives Chinese ambassador (December 13)
* JCP Shii to visit India, Sri Lanka, and Pakistan (December 13)
* Shii visits Sri Lankan ambassador (December 14)