2009 DECEMBER 16 - DECEMBER 22

Japan Press Weekly

Japan Press Service Co., Ltd. is the only news agency providing information of progressive, democratic movements in Japan

2009 DECEMBER 23 - 2010 JANUARY 5

The main issue is substance of political change
‘We will achieve a JCP advance without fail in Upper House election’
Japanese Communist Party Chair Shii Kazuo on January 4 gave a speech at the New Year Assembly at the JCP head office.

High court rules 2009 general election unconstitutional
The Osaka High Court ruled that now that the disparity in the value of votes cast in single-seat constituencies in the August 2009 House of Representatives election reached 2.3-to-1, the election was unconstitutional.

Child-rearing allowance extended to fathers with dependent children
The Hatoyama Cabinet has decided to include male-headed single-parent households as eligible recipients of the child-rearing allowance starting in August of next year.

POLITICS

JCP Koike: DPJ government also fails to cut into budget ‘sanctuaries’

High court rules 2009 general election unconstitutional

U.S. FORCES

U.S. marine arrested for trespassing armed with knife

SCANDAL

High court upholds lower court verdict that ex-vice defense chief Moriya is guilty

JCP Ichida urges Hatoyama to come clean on fund scandal

Unification Church increasing access to Democratic Party

LABOR

64% of temporary workers at Japan Post earn less than 2 million yen a year

High court says Shiseido illegally dismissed temporary workers during their contract term

Unemployment rate reaches 5.2 percent

WELL-BEING

Consumers call for cut in consumption tax on daily goods

Child-rearing allowance extended to fathers with dependent children

80% of mother-children households without welfare assistance earn less income than livelihood protection benefits

JCP

The main issue this year is substance of political change
‘We will achieve a JCP advance without fail in Upper House election’