Abe Faction: A Struggle For Leadership? Abe’s sudden death did not allow him to name a successor for his position as head of the LDP’s largest faction – Seiwa Seisaku Kenkyuukai, commonly referred to as the “Abe Faction”. Factions within the LDP are a relic of the 1955 amalgamation of the Liberal and the Democratic …
Tremendous change is in the air — the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) will hold a leadership election for Sept. 29. What will happen?
We are pleased to announce the launch of our new biweekly video series, “Ask Langley.” With this new initiative, we will answer your questions about business and politics in Japan in quick, bite-sized episodes.
Japan’s Ministry of Finance will soon release the budget for the fiscal year that begins next April. The spending package has taken on added significance with the new coronavirus pandemic weighing on the economy. The budget will also offer a look at how seriously the Suga administration is pursuing its stated priorities, such as advancing digitization and advanced communications.
Suga to have a digital agency up and running by the end of 2021. Each ministry previously tackled digitization independently, leading to varying levels of success and end products, and no standardized administrative framework. The new agency will coordinate and unify efforts to modernize government services.
In June the Japanese Diet passed legislation governing the creation and management of smart cities — urban centers that use cutting-edge technology to improve livability and convenience.
International travel has ground to a standstill because of the COVID-19 pandemic. To slow the spread of the virus, since April 2020 Japan, more than other G7 nations, has implemented stringent entry requirements for foreign nationals.
The new cabinet was formed by Prime Minister Suga Yoshihide on September 16, 2020. With a lot of familiar faces at familiar posts, the Suga cabinet contains few surprises. It is a clear indication of Suga’s commitment to maintain Abe-era policies and priorities.
Despite his victories, Abe’s success could never match his ambition, and he leaves office with several objectives unfulfilled. Nonetheless, he leaves Japan changed in ways both big and small.
Langley Esquire Vice President Yutaka Matsuzaki reflects on more than 20 years’ experience as a policy secretary in the Diet, with lawmakers that include former Minister of Justice Yasuoka Okiharu and former Representative Koike Yuriko, currently the Tokyo Metropolitan Governor.
Understanding and accessing the civil service is crucial to successful government relations in Japan. Career bureaucrats at the government agencies and ministries are among the most influential policymakers in the country.
Langley Esquire’s CEO & representative director Timothy Langley reflects upon his experience in the Japanese National Diet working alongside former Foreign Minister Taro Nakayama.
Even as Tokyo and its surroundings face a steady increase in cases, there is little indication from either the national or prefectural government that another state of emergency is imminent.
This year, the 201st Diet Session will convene on January 20th, and is scheduled to finish on June 17th. This month’s edition of Policy Radar focuses on incentives for the development of technology, policy developments in the Finance Ministry, and regulatory changes for integrated resorts.
This year’s Diet session has seen the ratification of the new U.S. trade agreement, amendments to the National Strategic Zone Law, sustainable whaling, and labor laws.
