The Nikkei

[Vladilena Milizé]

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The Nihon Keizai Shimbun, internationally better known as the Nikkei and translated to English 'Japan Economics Newspaper', is one of the oldest newspapers in Japan and is considered a newspaper of record due to its high quality standards and incredible reputation. Politically the newspaper is considered centre to centre-right and has a slant towards business interests. Nikkei, Inc,the owner of amongst others The Nikkei, is an employee-owned company as under Japanese laws media companies may not be traded publicly. The Nikkei publishes the Nikkei Stock Average, also known as the Nikkei Index.

 

[Vladilena Milizé]

KASUMI MITSUBISHI'S NEW JAPAN MOVEMENT TAKES AIM AT KOIZUMI AS ECONOMY WORSENS
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TOKYO -- Things only seem to worsen for the much criticized Prime Minister Koizumi, after first having to announce that his plans are not breaking the decade long economic downturn, Kasumi Mitsubishi has now placed full blame for the economic situation at his and the LDP's feet. The popular Mitsubishi has made waves in recent months with her unfiltered criticism of the government.

Kasumi Mitsubishi, the half-Japanese half-Korean granddaughter of the current Chairman of the Mitsubishi Group, is considered a political newcomer. Despite this she has however made large waves acting as a voice for the Lost Decaders, the group of primarily young Japanese who have been disenfranchised in the decade long downturn. While many had placed their hopes in Koizumi's plans to reverse the trend, things have only gotten worse with the unemployment rate being at the highest point since the end of World War 2 and more than double the highest rate since the end of the Allied Occupation. Combined with a crash in the birth-rate and another year of GDP decline, it is clear to many that a change of course is needed.

Due to lack of faith in the existing parties, the Japanese Communist Party seemed poised initially to grow massively with some polls having it at 35% support. This trend was stopped when Mitsubishi announced the creation of the New Japan Movement. The New Japan Movement has profiled itself as a centrist party that seeks to massively transform the Japanese economy by encouraging privatization, increased trade with upcoming economies and progressive changes to Japanese society. Its intentions can perhaps be best summarized by its motto; To bring Japan into the 21st century. The party has since seen impressive growth with many members of establishment parties moving to the NJM. Even some members of the National Diet have broken with their parties and pledged allegiance to the New Japan Movement instead. Outside of politics the party has received pledges of support from academia, interest groups and several companies. However the latter part of that has also given rise to criticism of the party, with the most critical referring to the closeness of Kasumi Mitsubishi to her grandfather and the significant financial contributions to the party's war chest by not just the Mitsubishi Group but other Keiretsu as well. Some have even claimed that the NJM's plans will bring about a new age of Zaibatsus not seen since the fall of the Empire of Japan. Also controversial is the Party's stated intent to remove the pacifism requirement from the constitution, the often debated article 9.

Regardless of the criticisms, if elections were held today the New Japan Movement could secure an unprecedented 73% of the vote and as many as 321 out of 465 seats in the House of Representatives, allowing it to implement its agenda without needing support in the House of Councillors. It is no surprise then that Mitsubishi has called on Koizumi to resign and that the dissenters in the National Diet have stated their intent to prepare a vote of no confidence in the Prime Minister.

 

[Vladilena Milizé]

PRIME MINISTER KOIZUMI EMBARASSED AFTER HOT MIC INCIDENT
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TOKYO -- A conversation between Prime Minister Koizumi and the LDP's Campaign Leader has leaked due to a microphone that the University staff forgot to turn off. Our reporter at the University managed to save the recording. In the recording the Prime Minister uttered extremely racist remarks towards the Korean community in Japan and miss Kasumi Mitsubishi specifically. The incident is especially embarrassing as Prime Minister Koizumi had made developing closer ties with the Republic of Korea a vital goal of his Cabinet's agenda.

The Prime Minister was at the University of Tokyo to address students from the Economics Faculty. After a two hour lecture, he retired with the campaign leader, however the microphone had accidentally stayed on. In the conversation that followed the Prime Minister expressed anger at Mitsubishi's continued attacks and called her a 'mixed-blood brat' and an 'ugly prostitute'. The latter is considered especially heinous as Mitsubishi has often spoken about the trauma her grandmother endured as a Korean comfort woman and her own mother as the daughter of one in Japanese society. The Prime Minister went on to state that the Korean community in Japan should be thanking Koizumi and the LDP that they weren't massacred in recent decades.

Relations between the Japanese population and Korean community have always remained tense, even after initial attempts by the post-war governments to make amends for past crimes. Likewise the crimes of the past remain an ongoing problem in talks between Japan and the Republic of Korea as well as other countries once under the control of the Empire.

Mitsubishi has not yet responded to the comments, however the NLM's spokesperson Ryouta Yoshino stated that the comments once again prove that the establishment parties are stuck in the past and that national elections should be held as soon as possible. Neither the Prime Minister's Office nor the Liberal Democratic Party have commented on the controversy.

 

[Vladilena Milizé]

FIRST KOIZUMI CABINET RESIGNS, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES DISSOLVED
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TOKYO -- With mounting pressure and calls from both the opposition and within the ruling coalition, Prime Minister Koizumi has announced the resignation of his first Cabinet. The announcement came only a day after NJM members in the House of Representatives filed a motion for a vote of no confidence. This motion has now been withdrawn, allowing the Prime Minister to remain in office until the next general elections. The Prime Minister also apologized to miss Mitsubishi for the hurtful comments he made.

With the announcement the Prime Minister's impressive fall from grace has happened even quicker than his initial rise to power, with many placing their initial hopes in Koizumi's plans to break the pattern of governmental mismanagement.

New elections will be held on November 27th, however the results are all but guaranteed at this stage with a massive shift away from establishment parties expected.

 

[Vladilena Milizé]

MITSUBISHI ISSUES '10 PROMISES FOR A NEW JAPAN'
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TOKYO -- Kicking off the New Japan Movement's campaign for the upcoming elections, Kasumi Mitsubishi has issued 10 Promises for a New Japan, the NJM's first concrete pledges for what they want to do with the country. The 10 promises address a large range of issues from the economy to organized crime to the rise of new economic powers in South-East Asia. Following the announcement the Policy Director for the NJM spoke to this newspaper to elaborate on each of the promises.

1. Japan’s unemployment will drop below 3%
In the decade since the Asset Price Crisis of 90-92, unemployment has consistently increased and at its height reached 7.8% in 1998. While Cabinets since have lowered it to 6.6% today, the unemployment rate is still unacceptably high. The New Japan Movement seeks to coordinate with major employers to educate the workers needed. Concrete plans include free tuition for high demand vocational and academic programs, a 1 Trillion Yen Re-Education fund for unemployed without skills useful for the markets, and corporate commitments to establish branches in especially hard hit areas of the country. Economic experts for the NJM predict that unemployment can be below 5% before June 2003 and below 3% by 2005.

2. Japan’s total fertility rate will go and stay above the replacement threshold of 2.1
For the last several decades demographic developments have dropped the country's fertility rate well below the replacement threshold of 2.1, meaning that not enough new children are born to compensate for the dead. Combined with an ageing population, if no action is taken the total population will decrease below 100 million by 2030 and is already below the all-time high. The Lost Decade, reduced interest in traditional family structures, increased female participation in the labour force and the high economic development are blamed for this development. The NJM does not want to return to traditional family values, it does however want to bring about a culture change both within the population and among corporations where workers are encouraged to have children. Concrete proposals include free day-care, guaranteed parental leave for both parents and fertility treatments to allow the having of children at a later age. Demographic experts believe that with these measures Japan can be above the replacement threshold by 2007 again.

3. By 2004 Japan’s GDP growth rate will be above 5%
4. Japan will have the world’s largest semiconductor industry by 2010
5. The government will create a public investment bank to encourage new companies in the digital era
For much of the second half of the 20th century, Japan has consistently been the fastest growing economic power. The NJM wants to return to an annual growth rate above 5%. Global technological developments have opened a wide range of highly promising new industrial sectors. As a high tech economy Japan is uniquely placed to leverage these developments and become a dominant economic power in all of them. The NJM will encourage investment in these sectors as well as remove legal hurdles that currently restrict innovation. Like the first two promises, corporations have a major role to play in achieving this.

6. Organized crime will be expelled from all legal businesses
Organized crime continues to be a major problem. While it is no longer the case that gangs have infiltrated every major corporation, their influence is still felt in almost every industry. The NJM will pass laws that allow the courts to label organizations as criminal and outlaw their membership, the police will also receive increased funding and companies found to be involved with gangs may be shutdown forcibly.

7. Japan’s postal services will be privatized
While most of the public owned companies have been privatized in the 1980's, Japan's postal services remain under governmental control. Considered highly inefficient, several attempts have been made to spin these services off as private companies however each effort has failed to secure legislative support. Under the NJM's proposal all postal services will be merged into a single company called Japan Post. 70% of the shares in Japan Post will be sold while the government will retain 30%. In return the law allowing for the sale of these shares will require Japan Post to continue providing postal services to all addresses in Japan. The price of postage stamps will also remain fixed by law.

8. Japan will teach its children the true history of the country
Unlike other countries following World War 2, Japan has failed to properly educate its people on the crimes committed by its forces in past conflicts. The NJM will pass a law making it illegal to deny the crimes committed by the Empire of Japan against the peoples in occupied territories, and will provide guidance on educational material to properly reflect the true extent of crimes.

9. Japan will seek closer ties with traditional partners and rising powers in the Asia-Pacific
In the second half of the 20th century Japan has developed close ties with other democracies in especially North America and Europe. In addition to further fostering these ties, the NJM wants to place additional focus on developing closer ties with new rising powers in the Asia-Pacific. Additionally, to foster not just a relationship between countries but also one between peoples, English language education and training will become a priority so that every Japanese citizen can move freely within the world without fears of encountering language barriers.

10. Japan will regain its full sovereignty
While Japan is largely sovereign, it is still not allowed the full range of diplomatic tools that any other country has. While this policy was acceptable when Japan could still rely on other countries to provide its defence and in a strong organization responsible for collective security, the realities of this world are ones where each country must be able to take any action in the interest of their security. As such article 9 of the Constitution will be replaced by a new article committing the country to seek diplomacy first in all disputes, but allowing it the use of all other tools. To reflect this the Japanese Self-Defence Forces (JSDF) will be renamed to the Japanese Armed Forces (JAF).

 

[Vladilena Milizé]

NEW JAPAN MOVEMENT VICTORIOUS, SUPERMAJORITY ACHIEVED
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TOKYO -- As predicted in polls, the New Japan Movement has won the elections with a supermajority in the House of Representatives. The NJM secured 340 out of 465 seats with 83% voting for it nation-wide. The NJM was especially popular in urban areas.

Early in the night as results were counted the NJM's victory became clear. Already after the first exit poll Prime Minister Koizumi called miss Mitsubishi to congratulate her on the win.

At 22:00 Mitsubishi held her victory speech. In it she thanked the people for their trust. In the Tokyo 1st District she secured an amazing 90% vote. She went on to pledge to act on her promises and bring Japan into the new century.

It was important for the NJM to secure a supermajority in the House of Representatives as they have only 20 seats in the House of Councillors. If they lacked a supermajority important pieces of legislation could be blocked.

Mitsubishi will be appointed Prime Minister during the first session of the new National Diet. The LDP has already announced that its members in the House of Councillors will not block the appointment. This will make Mitsubishi the first female Prime Minister and the first Prime Minister with non-Japanese ancestry.

 

[Vladilena Milizé]

SAKURATECH ANNOUNCES FIRST EVER SAKURAPHONE
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TOKYO -- in a surprise announcement SakuraTech, known for their line of SakuraBook laptops with their own SakuraOS operating system, has revealed the SakuraPhone. The SakuraPhone will be the first smartphone produced in Japan.

In recent years there has been an evolution of more and more people using phones for things other than calling and texting. SakuraTech, a company that managed to grow to an unimaginable size within just 30 years from its formation, has decided to jump into this market with a truly revolutionary device. The SakuraPhone has a 5.5 inch OLED screen with a resolution of 320x480. It runs on a S1 SOC produced by SakuraTech themselves using ARM technology. The phone comes with storage options of 8, 16 and 32GB of storage, however storage can be expanded with MicroSD cards. The phone will be available in Sakura Pink, Midnight Black, Royal Gold, and Serene White. Running on this amazing leap in technology is a modified version of the same SakuraOS as the line of SakuraBook and SakuraDesk, this will allow incredible integration for owners of multiple lines of products. It has a sleek Titanium body and uses the strongest glass available to protect the screen.

What makes the SakuraPhone revolutionary is not just the built-in functions such as web-browsing, listening to music or watching video, instead it comes with SakuraStore, an integrated marketplace where developers can publish their own apps. This will in theory allow it to do everything that one can imagine and program on the hardware of the device.

The SakouraPhone will be immediately available online and in stores. The base version is available for 70,000 yen, however it can be obtained for free when bought in combination with an eligible plan from one of the providers.

 

[Vladilena Milizé]

PRIME MINISTER MITSUBISHI ANNOUNCES PROJECT OMICRON
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TOKYO -- Prime Minister Mitsubishi has today unveiled Project Omicron, a project combining investments from both the government and private sector to bring about a semiconductor revolution. The plan will see as much as 250 Billion Yen spent on the construction of new semiconductor fabrication facilities. The project will be a much needed kick for the ailing Japanese semiconductor which has slowly been losing its competitive edge.

Japan was one of the first countries to actively embrace semiconductor production as a necessity to supply microchips to the ever increasing demands from technology companies. While initially it has performed at the top of the world, it has steadily been losing ground to other countries. Under the project ten new state of the art facilities will be constructed for companies such as Toshiba, Toppan and others. These facilities will be spread all over the country but focus on areas with the highest unemployment levels. The facilities alone will provide thousands of new highly educated jobs, however tens of thousands of additional jobs will be added to support each of these facilities with the need to construct housing for new employees, stores for people to buy groceries at, schools for families to send their children to and many more.

The plan was approved by both Houses of the National Diet and has been signed by the Prime Minister and the Minister of Economy, Trade, and Industry. It is the first project meant to fulfil an NJM promise and that includes extensive cooperation with the private sector.

 

[Vladilena Milizé]

MULTIPLE CAR BOMBS EXPLODE AND HEAVY GUNFIGHT ENSUES IN ATTACK ON PRIME MINISTER'S CONVOY
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TOKYO -- Following a speech at the Mindan in Minato, the Prime Minister's Convoy was attacked by multiple car bombs and hundreds of gun men. While the attack was fended off by the Security Police, Special Assault Teams and Imperial Guard, much remains uncertain about the status of the Prime Minister or the source of the attacks. The size of the attack however limits the amount of suspects to a very small pool.

Prime Minister Mitsubishi was attending an event at the Mindan in Minato, Tokyo. The Mindan is an organization that represents the interests of Koreans living in Japan, with an emphasis on those loyal to the Republic of Korea. The Chongryon is a similar organization with an emphasis on the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. The Prime Minister spoke about her plans for Japan, especially to make amends for past crimes and to properly educate the people on what happened.

After the successful event the Prime Minister and the Chief Cabinet Secretary were set to return back to the Prime Minister's Residence for a meeting with the Joint Staff. While on the road the convoy was blocked in by two car bombs before hundreds of armed men exchanged fire. The convoy was initially only protected by the Security Police but after an emergency request the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department's Special Assault Teams and reserve Imperial Guard units entered the area. According to some reports the JGSDF's 1st Division was also in the process of being deployed to the city.

There has been no official response to the attacks yet. Due to the sophistication of the attack and the amount of individuals involved it is believed that only right wing extremists, a criminal organization or foreign agents could be responsible for the attack.

 

[Vladilena Milizé]

MITSUBISHI CABINET DECLARES WAR ON TERRORISM!
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TOKYO -- Following the attack on the Prime Minister, which she only barely survived and killed fourteen people, the Mitsubishi Cabinet has introduced a large amount of laws intended to expand the powers of the police, military and to make criminal activity impossible. The new bills are the National Security and Preparedness Act, the Cabinet Proclamation Act, the Japanese Armed Forces Act, the Financial Transactions and Monitoring Act, the Solar Guard Act, the Supreme Court Expansion Act, and the National Police Agency Enhancement and Modernisation Act. While all of these laws have easily passed in the House of Representatives, some may face opposition in the House of Councillors.

The National Security and Preparedness Act is perhaps the most far-reaching. It grants Japan's security services extraordinary authority to monitor the population and establishes a formal process for the Prime Minister to declare a State of Emergency. In many ways the law is compared to the USA Patriot Act. The Act would also allow detention without charges and suspension of several constitutional freedoms during a declare State of National Security Emergency. The law would provide a formal law for many of the actions the Cabinet has taken immediately following the terrorist attack.

The Cabinet Proclamation Act would give the Prime Minister a tool very similar to the American Executive Order. While the Cabinet already has far-reaching implied powers under the Constitution, the Prime Minister desired this law both to specify powers that can be used by the executive, but also at the same time imposes significant restrictions to avoid governmental overreach.

The Japanese Armed Forces Act is likely going to be the most controversial of the proposed changes and the most likely to be challenged in front of the Supreme Court. For decades Japan has had a careful balance between the need to protect the country and the need to adhere to pacifism under the Constitution. This was achieved by maintaining an armed force that on paper was not a regular armed force. The government, as part of a larger effort to rewrite Article 9, plans to throw that balance out of the window and instead formally establishes the Japanese Armed Forces. Beyond changing the names it would also add a Japanese Marine Corps and Japanese Space Force. The Japanese Coast Guard however will remain a policing agency under the National Police Agency. It has already been leaked that the Cabinet also plans to introduce a law that would establish the Japanese Reserve Forces and add conscription. The JRF would provide a permanent reserve capability for all branches of the JAF. That law is however not part of this proposed Act.

The Financial Transactions and Monitoring Act will give the Cabinet the ability to sanction individual persons, organizations and countries, it will also apply international sanctions in Japanese laws. All financial institutions are obligated to screen their customers for suspicious activities and to apply any sanction imposed by the government or a valid international organization.

The Solar Guard Act first renames the Imperial Guard, it will also merge the Security Police into this new organization. The new Solar Guard will be an independent agency under the Ministry of Defence. The Solar Guard will also see significant recruitment to bolster its numbers. The law comes in direct response to criticism lodged against the Security Police for being unable to guard the Prime Minister without back-up from multiple other agencies. The Solar Guard will apply the same extremely stringent requirements previously on the Imperial Guard to all members of the Solar Guard. This will provide the protected with the same level of security as the Emperor himself.

The Supreme Court Expansion Act will allow the Cabinet to nominate Supreme Court members above the current legal limit of 15. While it is no explicitly stated, this seems designed to stack the Supreme Court in the NJM's favour as it is well known that the Supreme Court of Japan has traditionally leaned very conservative. However there has been a strong response against this law by Opposition parties, legal organizations and even some members of the New Japan Movement. It is believed even two Ministers of State have expressed problems with the law. A general trend in all the criticism is the belief that the law would make the Supreme Court unreasonably political. The Prime Minister has already announced that she will meet with the Chief Justice at his request, so it is possible she may withdraw the law from consideration.

The National Police Agency Enhancement and Modernisation Act is another law that primarily deals with inefficiencies in the post-War country. Initially after World War 2 and with the end of Allied occupation the country was divided into fully independent Prefectural Police Agencies. A reform in the 50s sought to remove some of the inefficiencies by establishing the National Police Agency. The NPA however explicitly was not given its own investigative powers but rather has more of a coordinating role between Prefectural Police Departments. The new law will give the NPA its own powers to investigate crimes that have a inter-prefectural or national interest and at the same time also forms a concrete division (the National Investigative Division) to investigate these crimes and arrest those responsible. It essentially can be considered a Japanese FBI. The NPA and NPA NID will be recruiting extensively from Prefectural Police Departments and the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department in particular. A spokesperson for the NPA has also stated that they will be looking through the archives of all Police Departments for any cases that have gone cold and are believed to benefit from a more national investigation. Initially the NPA will focus on murder and rape cases, but it may expand that to other crimes if the available time and manpower allows it.

While before the terrorist attack it was impossible for any of these laws to make it through the House of Councillors, since then the leader of the Liberal Democratic Party in the House of Councillors has announced his party's intent to vote with the government on most measures. As a result of this the government is now very likely to get a majority on all of these laws, it may however also may need to give something back to the LDP for this support. While the LDP seems to profile this change in attitude as a commitment to come together in times of need, some political analysts believe that it is an opportunistic political move as most of the governmental plans are highly popular within the LDP electorate and the party already knows it would likely be decimated in House of Councillors elections much like the House of Representatives. Regardless of their intent, their stated support is undoubtedly a comfort for the Prime Minister as she seeks to bring the fight to the people who started the war.

 

[Vladilena Milizé]

PRIME MINISTER INVITES LDP, DPJ, AND NKP TO DISCUSS NEW CONSTITUTION
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TOKYO -- In a move surprising both friend and foe, the Prime Minister has invited the leadership of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ), and New Komeito (NKP) to meet with her and the leadership of the New Japan Movement. The Parties hold a total of 189 seats in the House of Councillors. Together with the 10 NJM seats this forms a voting bloc with thirty seats more than needed to amend the Constitution.

Many of the electoral promises made by the NJM require significant changes to the Japanese constitution, and even other parties have often commented that the current constitution is extremely hard to modernize and was never truly Japanese due to it being imposed by the Allied powers. The parties, beyond having an extremely large majority in both Houses of the Diet, represent a spectrum from centre-left to centre-right parties and all non-extremist voices in Japanese politics.

While Prime Minister Mitsubishi could likely wait out the House of Councillors elections and gain supermajorities for the NJM in both parties, she had previously stated that for something a important as the Constitution she wanted to involve more voices.

While far from an exhaustive list, based on previous statements the topics discussed will likely include; Pacifism and the role of the military, expanding anti-discrimination provisions, legalized same-sex marriage, recognition of gender identity, the right to abortion, the way the National Diet is formed, and even how the Constitution itself can be amended. While not explicitly stated by a member of the Cabinet, it has been suggested by the leader of the NJM that all remaining formal powers are removed from the Emperor and that these are merged with the powers of the Prime Minister in a new Office of the President. Under this plan the Emperor would be the symbol of unity of the nation and the head of the Shinto faith, while the President would be the sole Chief Executive of the State of Japan. It is believed that even the Emperor himself would prefer this over the status quo, as it would allow the Imperial family to speak more freely and assert a greater role over the Japanese diaspora and non-Japanese Shinto followers worldwide.

 

[Vladilena Milizé]

GOVERNMENT AND DEFENCE INDUSTRY JOIN FORCES
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TOKYO -- In what is without a doubt the greatest level of cooperation between the government and the Defence industry since the close integration under Imperial Japanese Army and Navy with the Zaibatsus, the government of Japan and the Defence Industry have joined forces to form Rising Sun Security and Defence. The conglomerate which is owned for 50% by the government and for 50% by all major companies involved in the Defence Industry will advertise Japanese military ingenuity to and act as a unified storefront for international customers.

Due to strict pacifism military technology could essentially only be developed for and used by the State of Japan through the Japan Self-Defence Forces. As part of the transition to the Japanese Armed Forces and a more assertive Japan on the global stage, the restrictions on the export of military technology have been significantly loosened. As a result all but a few systems manufactured by the State of Japan may be sold to other countries. This does not mean however that Japan will sell weapons to everyone, as every buyer is still vetted and no technology will be sold to countries subject to international or Japanese sanctions. Additionally any buyer must agree to a lengthy list of terms, violation of which will lead to heavy fines and the possibility of all future business being refused.

Under the model the company producing the equipment will receive full value of the item, an administrative fee is added to each order which is used to compensate the government for its activities to facilitate the sale. It is believed that this will provide a significant contribution to Japan's income.

As a result of the powerful Japanese technology sector and long expertise in advanced military technology, it is expected that a large number of international customers will be interested in buying Japanese weapons. Rising Sun Security and Defence has already announced a 10 figure sale to the Empire of Brazil. Sayana Mitsubishi, sister of the Prime Minister, has been appointed as the first President of Rising Sun Security and Defence. The President is appointed by the 12-member Board of Directors. Six members of the Board are appointed by the government and the other six by the private sector shareholders. The President acts as the thirteenth member of the Board and when a tie exists will be able to cast the deciding vote. Outside of a tie the President does not have voting power.

 

[Vladilena Milizé]

PRIME MINISTER AUTHORIZES DEVELOPMENT OF SENKAKU ISLANDS
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OKINAWA -- In a speech held when visiting Okinawa as part of her tour of the country, Prime Minister Mitsubishi announced legislation that would finally allow the development of the Senkaku Islands. The islands have been Japanese for over a century, however in the past governments were reluctant to authorize their development due to fears of upsetting other nations. The islands are believed to hold significant oil reserves. The Prime Minister concluded her speech saying 'no one can tell Amaterasu not to build on her own land'. The islands are at the moment uninhabited and have never hosted a permanent human population

Having gone unclaimed for centuries since their discovery, in 1895 Japan gained control of the Senkaku Islands, turning them into the westernmost Japanese territory. In the decades following the inclusion several economic ventures have been attempted on the islands, including a successful factory that employed 200 people at its height, however the factory was unfortunately closed in 1940. After World War 2 the islands became part of the area directly administered by the United States of America, who returned them in 1972. Around this time a report came out indicating the islands were near significant oil reserves. Upon this news the People's Republic of China and Republic of China for the first time claimed ownership. A claim that was rejected by the international community as it had no basis in history. However to avoid tensions the islands remained generally unused and no economic activity was undertaken around them.

In the speech the Prime Minister announced that the government had bought the islands from the private owners for 3 billion Yen and will begin oil exploration and other economic activities on and around them. The Japanese Coast Guard will also take over control of the light towers situated on the islands. Mitsui Oil Exploration is the first company that has secured a contract but more contracts are expected to be signed in the coming months. Plans range from resource exploitation to farm use, fishing and more. The Japanese Air Force has added the islands to their patrols and will guard them from any unauthorized air incursions.

 

[Vladilena Milizé]

THOUSANDS OF DEATH, TENS OF THOUSANDS OF INJURED IN 'NEWS YEARS MASSACRE'
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TOKYO -- It had been intended to be a joyous occasion, the celebrating in of a new year. As millions took advantage of a momentary gap in the extensive security measures, disaster struck as terrorists released a chemical weapon. While authorities have not yet confirmed the specific weapon used, the symptoms mentioned by most points to a nerve gas and more specifically Sarin. While the attack brings back memories of the Tokyo Subway Sarin Attacks, these attacks were on a much larger scale as no major Japanese city was spared.

The first reports came in shortly after midnight as people complained of trouble breathing and other symptoms. Within minutes the number of reports increased incredibly as many succumbed to the weapons used. If the gas used is Sarin, it is considered one of the most potent and deadly chemical weapons in existence. The authorities have come out in large numbers with specialized units from local and national police, as well as the Japanese Army, Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps coming out to contain the threat and treat the victims. Authorities have so far said very little, instead releasing a single statement that the authorities are currently investigating the nature of the attack and who is responsible, but that the first priority is preventing further casualties and treating the ones already there. They went on to ask everyone to cooperate with any authorities and to return home and close their doors and windows both for everyone's safety and to give emergency services the ability to move freely throughout the cities. Hospitals from smaller cities and towns have opened their doors to aid those that the medical facilities in larger cities don't have space for. The Japanese Navy has also placed its multiple Hospital ships at the disposal of the Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare, with two of them already operating in the Bay of Tokyo.

While the authorities have made no comments about who is responsible, a message has been posted on 2channel from someone claiming to be the Dragon and claiming responsibility for the attacks as well as issuing several demands. The Dragon is a name often used to refer to Ryousuke Nishiyama, a high-ranking Yakuza and the prime suspect in the attempted assassination of Prime Minister Mitsubishi. If the message proves authentic there will undoubtedly be a reckoning for him personally and the Yakuza as a whole. Experts however doubt that the Yakuza carry sole responsibility, as they would not be able to access chemical weapons.

To clear the space for air ambulances and redirecting all focus from the Armed Forces on supporting the rescue effort, the government has closed the airspace over Japan and closed all ports. These measures will apply for at least 24 hours. Any flight headed for Japanese airspace will be diverted, and any flight that does not currently have enough fuel to make it to an airport in another country will only be allowed to land in the airport closest to it.

 

[Vladilena Milizé]

DEATH COUNT PASSES 20,000, OVER 200,000 INJURED, YAKUZA AND KOREANS RESPONSIBLE
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TOKYO -- In the first official non-crisis press conference today, 18 hours after the New Years Massacre, it has been announced that as of 15 minutes prior to the press conference 20,000 deaths have been confirmed across Japan. At least another 200,000 people are injured. The death count is expected to rise as many of those in critical condition may not survive. The government has confirmed that the Yakuza are responsible for the attack and that they believe the online message to be authentic. The government has also claimed there is a link to Chongryon, the organization representing communist Koreans in Japan.

The government quoted the casualties from a report by the Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare released at 18:00. According to it 20,487 people have died due to exposure to Sarin gas and that 200,921 injured have been counted. Of these 98,381 are suffering from significant effects of exposure and 23,398 are considered critical. Tokyo, as the largest metropolitan area in the world, was the hardest hit with 6,702 deaths and 58,391 injured alone. Due to the unprecedented strain on health services the Japanese Army along with the Japanese Red Cross and foreign aid groups have set up emergency hospitals in the area and patients in stable condition have been transported to hospitals in less heavily hit areas to make space for those in the worst condition. According to reports, hospitals in some of the worst hit areas in Tokyo have even had to implement reverse triage and denied treatment to patients unlikely to survive to preserve manpower and supplies for more likely ones.

Following the Healthcare Briefing the Commissioner-General Nobuko Fujiwara of the National Police Agency has confirmed that the nerve gas used was Sarin, one of the deadliest chemical weapons known to man. She went on to state that after interrogation of some terrorists who were unable to deliver their containers before being caught by local officers and NPA NID agents, the NPA believes with 100% certainty that the Yakuza in general and Ryousuke Nishiyama in particular are responsible for the attack. Addressing questions about how the Yakuza would get access to chemical weapons the Commissioner-General stated that lab analysis of the samples from the confiscated containers traces back to a known chemical weapons factory in the former Democratic People's Republic of Korea. The NSIA has also uncovered that the Chongryon, an organization representing the Korean community in Japan who previously supported the communist government in Pyongyang provided them with these weapons.

The Commissioner-General went on to insist that they do no believe the Republic of Korea is in any way responsible as according to analysis the sample was nearing its expiry date, indicating production well before the Republic of Korea reunified the Korean Peninsula, she also insisted that only a small fraction of the Chongryon membership is believed involved and that most of the leadership and almost every remaining member had neither involvement in or knowledge of the plot. She reminded everyone that violence on account of one's ethnicity is a hate crime under Japanese law and that any such crime against Japanese Koreans or Koreans living in Japan would be prosecuted and punished to the maximum extent of the law.

The government has lifted the closure of the ports, Japanese airspace will remain closed for another 48 hours to keep air space clear for domestic rescue flights and the flow of international airspace. Japanese airlines have stated that they will not challenge the government's decision in light of the great humanitarian disaster unfolding. Both out of fear for additional attacks and to prevent a strain on infrastructure desperately needed by emergency services and other vital services, Prime Minister Mitsubishi has expanded the State of National Security Emergency to include a country-wide curfew for the next 24 hours. During that time no one will be allowed to leave their home. This is in response to reports of some citizens trying to escape the cities and in the process clogging up vital roads.

 

[Vladilena Milizé]

EXPLOSIONS IN KOBE LINKED TO JOINT MILITARY-POLICE OPERATION
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KOBE, HYOGO PREFECTURE -- At around 19:03 four explosions were reported in a compound in downtown Kobe. Immediately following the explosion several heavily armed police officers, believed to be Special Assault Teams, stormed a compound that has been linked to the Yakuza. While the government has not made any statements they have informed all Japanese tv channels to reserve air time at 22:00 for a special address to the nation by the Prime Minister. This has fuelled the rumour that there was an operation in Kobe to arrest a major target.

Even before the explosions some locals observed heavily armed police officers in the area while traffic had been diverted from the immediate vicinity of the area near the compound. Some residents in the area reported seeing an extremely fast moving fireball, all but confirming that missiles were fired at the compound. Only the Japanese Armed Forces have the ability to use these weapons. The compound was then stormed by several dozen heavily armed police officers upon which residents report numerous shots being fired. After around 20 minutes the operation seemed complete with the officers walking out with several hooded handcuffed women and children and one male figure.

The use of military weapons on Japanese soil is an unprecedented escalation not seen since the end of World War 2, and prior to recent changes to the law it was illegal. Experts believe that the Ministry of Defence would be hesitant to approve any request from the police for military back-up even with updated rules which implies that the target of the operation must be very high up the food chain. Perhaps even the dragon himself.

We will know very soon as the Prime Minister's address to the nation is scheduled to begin in one hour.

 

[Vladilena Milizé]

THE DRAGON HAS BEEN CAGED
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TOKYO -- In her official address to the nation, Prime Minister Kasumi Mitsubishi has announced that the Dragon, Ryousuke Nishiyama, has been arrested and imprisoned in an unknown location. The Prime Minister went on to state that a large part of his organization was taken down in the operation as well and that the NPA continues to move against what remains.
In her address the Prime Minister first expressed the emotions of the country, attaching words to what everyone is feeling. She also thanked the medical personnel working to save as many people as possible and in particular thanked those foreign nations that sent aid to support Japan with the unprecedented strain on the medical system in the aftermath of the attack, which by some has been compared to the aftermath of the two nuclear strikes on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

She then moved to confirm that the earlier reported operation involved both the National Police Agency and the Japanese Air Force and that the Dragon was the target of the operation. He was arrested alive and then taken to a detention facility. The Prime Minister did not reveal in which Prefecture, likely to prevent attempts by supporters to free him. The Dragon will face two terrorism charges, over 25,000 murder charges, over 200,000 attempted murder charges and an attempted assassination charge for the earlier attempt to assassinate the Prime Minister. If convicted, which is all but a certainty due to his own confession, he will almost certainly be convicted to death by hanging.

In the final part of her address the Prime Minister asked Japanese citizens to return to normal and to enable that she has announced that many of the emergency measures such as the 24/7 curfew will be lifted and that Japanese airspace and sea ports will be opened fully again, medical and emergency flights will however still have priority and a percentage of capacity will be reserved for them even if unused.

The Prime Minister has also stated that the Shizuoka Prefectural Police will be placed under direct NPA supervision. The Shizuoka Prefectural Police had previously been suspended with the Japanese Army assuming law enforcement duties inside the Prefecture. The Shizuoka Prefecture is by some considered the heart of the Yakuza and the local police are known to be incredibly corrupt. With this measure the Prime Minister has placed the leadership out of the equation so the NPA can focus on removing corruption from the force and create a new reliable police force.

 

[Vladilena Milizé]

THE DRAGON SENTENCED TO DEATH, NO MORE APPEALS
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TOKYO -- Following months of extensive court procedures Ryousuke Nishiyama, better known as the Dragon, has again been sentenced to death. As this final judgement comes from the Supreme Court, there are no further appeal possibilities. The death penalty can only be avoided if the President chooses to commute the sentence to life imprisonment. As the President already announced upon the Dragon's arrest that he should hang for what he did, she is unlikely to commute the sentence. A death day has been set for the 30th of May. Ten other co-conspirators have also been sentenced to death, fifty others who were involved in lower degrees have received sentences varying from five years to life.

The Dragon was arrested for his role in the New Years Day Massacre and the attempted assassination of then Prime Minister Mitsubishi. Both through his confession and the court proceedings it has been revealed he sought to terrorize the people and the government to force the latter's hand in reducing its efforts to combat the Yakuza. He was represented by one of the most expensive law firms in Tokyo, however the large amount of evidence and his confession made a conviction all but guaranteed. There were only doubts if the courts would issue the death penalty, as Japanese courts often show leniency to those who confess their crimes and instead sentence them to life sentences.

The Dragon will be hanged in the prison where he is currently held. On the day of the execution his family will be allowed to see him and say their goodbyes, he has also indicated his desire to meet with a Roman Catholic priest as he has converted to Christianity during his detention. After his death is confirmed by on site prison medical personnel he will be cremated upon which his ashes will be scattered over the Sea of Japan. This decision was made so that there will be no special site for his supporters to memorialize.

For a moment it was believed the Supreme Court might have returned the case to a lower court as one of the investigators had contaminated a vital piece of evidence. The Supreme Court however ruled that even without that piece of evidence, the lower courts would have likely still come to the same sentence and as such upheld the earlier conviction and appeal decision. In a message released by his attorney, the Dragon has stated his sincere shame and regret for what he has done, and that he hopes that in his death the Japanese people and especially the victims and loved ones of the victims of his crimes may gain some measure of healing.

While there have been protests at each Court day, 90% of the Japanese people want to see him dead according to recent polls.

 

[Vladilena Milizé]

AS WORLD ECONOMY CRUMBLES, JAPAN SEEKS TO ESTABLISH NEW ROLE
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TOKYO -- With the collapse of Sparrow Industries, the global economy enters an uncertain era as the world's largest company held significant stakes in the economies of numerous nations and perhaps more importantly their military sectors. While the crisis is expected to leave deep wounds in the economies of Europe and North America, Asia should largely be safe from the worst of the fallout. In anticipation of a likely global re-balancing, President Mitsubishi is introducing legislation to make Japan a much stronger home to free enterprise.

Japan has long embraced the free market, but with as many as a dozen new laws the freedom of Japanese and foreign companies to settle and participate in the Japanese economy is growing. Perhaps most critical is the Corporate-Governance Council Law. This new Law will create the Corporate-Governance Council, an advisory body where the leaders of Japan's largest companies and representatives of the Japanese national ministries meet to discuss and refine policy that would best address the needs and interests of the Japanese nation.

In addition on direct measures to further encourage corporate expansion inside Japan, the government is also seeking to reach out to governments in Europe and the Middle East to create new cooperative efforts and begin the process of increasing Japan's influence beyond East Asia.