2005 JANUARY 12 - JANUARY 18 NEWS

POLITICAL INTERFERENCE WITH TV PROGRAM CONDEMNED
Japanese Communist Party Chair Shii Kazuo said: The politicians who used their influence to pressure NHK and its officials who succumbed to alter the program must be held responsible for violating the Constitution and the Broadcast Law.

MEASURES NEEDED TO OFFER YOUNG PEOPLE DECENT JOBS
Young people who are not in employment, education,or in training has increased to 520,000 in 2004. The government must take steps so that large corporations fulfill their social responsibility to employ young people and train them.

10TH ANNIVERSARY OF GREAT HANSHIN-AWAJI EARTHQUAKE
"It is the responsibility of government to protect the people's lives and ensure their safety by making real efforts to establish disaster-resistant local communities and to strengthen the disaster-prevention systems, including observation, prediction, and alarm systems," JCP Executive Committee Chair Shii Kazuo said.


POLITICS
Diet

* JCP to question the way tax money is used in next Diet session (January 18)

POLITICS
Political funds

* About 600 firms donated 1.9 billion yen to parties in 2004 (January 12)

POLITICS
Election

* JCP publishes its Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly election platform (January 18)


POLITICAL FREEDOM
* A man indicted for distributing JCP flyers (January 12)


MEDIA &POLITICS
NHK

* LDP politicians admit they censored TV program on military comfort women (January 13)
* Citizens' organization criticizes political interference in media (January 13)
* Distorted NHK TV program (January 13)
* Shii: Government's tampering with TV program amounts to violating Constitution and Broadcast Law (January 14)
* Political pressure forced NHK to alter TV program: NHK producer (January 14)
* Opposition parties call for parliamentary investigation into political interference in NHK (January 15)
* LDP Abe's warning was based on his knowledge of NHK program: JCP Koike (January 17)

MEDIA &POLITICS
Fuji TV

* JCP appeals against court ruling in libel suit (January 18)


IRAQ
* 14 rockets fired at SDF base in Iraq in one year (January 17)


U.S. FORCES
* U.S. Marine allegedly threatens Japanese fisherman (January 15)


NUCLEAR WEAPONS ABOLITION
* Over 1,000 local leaders sign 'Abolition Now!' petition (January 12)


DISASTER
* JCP Shii remarks on 10th anniversary of the Great Hanshin Earthquake (January 17)
* Citizens mourn on 10th anniversary of Great Hanshin Earthquake (January 18)


ENVIRONMENT
Government must concede its second defeat in Isahaya Bay suit -- Akahata editorial, January 13 (Excerpts)


LABOR
* Unions are set to take offensive for wage increase and better working conditions (January 14)
Measures needed to offer young people decent jobs -- Aka
hata editorial, January 15 (Excerpts)


FARMERS' MOVEMENT
* Farmers to strike back at government's destructive policy in agriculture (January 15)


EMPEROR
* Emperor can be female: JCP Ichida (January 12)


INTERNATIONAL
* JCP Secretariat head on Zhao's death (January 18)





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