Search

The article reexamines the generally accepted date of the expedition of Nicean Emperor John III Vatatzes which was based on the Byzantine historian Georgios Akropolites' "History." Topics covered include interpretation of the date events in chapters 49-52 of Akropolites' work, dating of John III's expedition to 1252-1253 and a proposed chronology of John III's campaign starting with his campaign to the Balkans sometime in 1251.

AS advance units of Japan's Ground Self-Defense Force (GSDF) entered Iraq, leaders of the opposition political parties attacked the deployment in a plenary session of the Diet, January 21. Kan [...]

ON November 29 of last year, the Japanese were shocked by the murder of two Japanese diplomats in Iraq. Amid worsening security, the Japanese government had been putting off making [...]

THE results of the House of Representatives election held on November 9 were truly puzzling. The Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) lost seats but retained a solid majority in its alliances […]

FOR Prime Minster Koizumi Jun'ichiro, who wants to keep structural reforms moving forward, the relationship of trust he enjoys with U.S. President George W. Bush is an important political asset […]

JUST as predicted, September's Liberal Democrat Party (LDP) presidential elections ended in an easy victory for Prime Minister Koizumi Junichiro. Because of internal divisions between supporters of pro-Koizunli members such […]

ON August 29, six-party talks about the North Korea nuclear issue (participated in by Japan, the United States, China, Russia, and North and South Korea) came to an end in […]

AS concern about North Korea's nuclear program intensifies, one hears an increasing number of opinions in Japan on the topic of the possibility of Japan's nuclear armament. The key factors […]

ON July 4, a bill supported by the three party ruling coalition to pave the way for Japan's assistance in the reconstruction of Iraq was passed by a majority vote [...]

On May 14, President of South Korea Roh Moo Hyun paid his first presidential visit to the United States. In the summit meeting with United States President George W. Bush, [...]

AT the end of April tripartite talks between North Korea, the United States and China finally got underway in Beijing, but the Japanese public was stunned at the unexpected announcement [...]

ON March 20, a coalition of mainly British and American forces launched its threatened attack on Iraq. Before military action began the coalition foresaw a quick victory, but for the […]

WITH U.S. President George W. Bush having issued a final ultimatum to Iraqi President Saddam Hussein on March 18, the Iraq standoff is reaching a denouement. The world is braced [...]

Examines public reaction to the decision of Japanese Prime Minister Koizumi Junichiro to send Self-Defense Forces (SDF) troops to Iraq. Decline in approval rate for the Cabinet; Mixed reactions to the dispatch of troops; Japanese voters' show of their intentions in November 2003; International cooperative efforts aimed at Iraq's reconstruction.

This article assesses the situation as to how Japanese politics is shaping up after the Liberal Democratic Party presidential elections in September 2003. Just as predicted, September's LDP presidential elections ended in an easy victory for Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi. Having been reelected, Koizumi set about reshuffling the Cabinet with an eye placed firmly on the probable dissolution of the House of Representatives and subsequent general election on November 9, 2003. First, Koizumi made a show of sticking firmly to his course of structural reform by retaining Takenaka Heizo in his dual role as minister of state for financial services and minister of state for economic and fiscal policy amidst strong opposition from other member of LDP. Signs of economic recovery helped support the decision.

Presents the editorials of daily newspapers in Japan concerning the nation's celebration of Constitution Day on May 3, 2003. Declaration of Prime Minister Koizumi Junichiro's support for the U.S.; Opinion on the right of collective self-defense; Impact of the turbulence in international politics on how Japanese people regard the Constitution and the United Nations.

Explains Japan's support for the U.S.-led war on Iraq in 2003. Forms of support offered by Japan to the coalition; World opinion on the war; Decline of the administration's approval rating following its announcement of support for the war.