10-15 dead in Metrolink train crash
Los Angeles Times September 12, 2008
Firefighters and emergency workers are now working in darkness as they rescue victims of a deadly Metrolink train collision that occurred in Chatsworth (see location here) this afternoon. Read the updated story (the death count has been raised to between 10 and 15) and view our photos from the scene. If you are stranded and trying to get home, see our page of resources, including a number for families to call.
Scott Glover and David Pierson's piece from Union Station includes the harrowing accounts of survivors. "It was surreal," one man said. "After the impact, it was dead quiet. Then I heard screams and moans. I couldn't believe how devastating it was. . . . I saw a lot of blood and people not moving."
Also, today in Corona, a driver died when a Metrolink train hit her car as she drove around crossing gates onto the track. At this time, the driver is still unidentified.
The Times will be working around the clock to update you on the latest developments.
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Commuter train in fatal wreck ran red light
Official says engineer failed to stop at signal; death toll at 25
msnbc Sept. 13, 2008
LOS ANGELES - A commuter train engineer who ran a stop signal was blamed Saturday for the nation's deadliest rail disaster in 15 years, a wreck that killed 25 people and left such a mass of smoldering, twisted metal that it took nearly a day to recover all the bodies.
A preliminary investigation found that "it was a Metrolink engineer that failed to stop at a red signal and that was the probable cause" of Friday's collision with a freight train in Los Angeles' San Fernando Valley, Metrolink spokeswoman Denise Tyrrell said. She said she believes the engineer, whose name was not released, is dead.
"When two trains are in the same place at the same time somebody's made a terrible mistake," said Tyrrell, who was shaking and near tears as she spoke with reporters.
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'Japanese O.J.' kills self after extradition to US
LOS ANGELES (AFP) 2008/10/12
A Japanese businessman hanged himself in a Los Angeles jail cell where he was awaiting trial for plotting his wife's murder here in 1981, prosecutors said Saturday.
Kazuyoshi Miura, 61, killed himself Friday night just hours after arriving in Los Angeles in the custody of authorities that had him extradited to face criminal charges here.
Chief of Los Angeles police detectives Charles Beck said Miura used a piece of shirt to hang himself after a jailer checked on him at 9:45 pm Friday (0445 GMT Saturday). Miura was alone in his cell.
An officer noticed Miura unconscious, hanging by the strip of cloth, about ten minutes later.
"The detention officers assigned to the portion of the jail housing Miura had conducted a required cell check, with nothing unusual to report, approximately 10 minutes prior," Beck said.
Efforts to revive Miura failed and he was pronounced dead at a local medical center, according to Beck.
Miura had been in police custody since his arrest February 21 in the US commonwealth of Saipan.
He arrived in Los Angeles early Friday under escort by police detectives and was to remain in jail until being arraigned in court next week on a charge of conspiracy to murder his wife.
Miura had been dubbed the "Japanese O.J. Simpson" because of the intense interest in his case at home.
"He was not on suicide watch, and we had no obvious evidence that he was suicidal," Beck said.
"He was extremely cooperative on the trip over. He had visitors from the (Japanese) Consulate and discussions with his attorney."
No note was found and, as is routine, the "in-custody death" is being investigated.
Miura was shot in the leg and his 28-year-old wife, Kazumi, received a bullet wound to the head in what appeared at the time to be a robbery in a Los Angeles car park on November 18, 1981.
The wife was returned to Japan by the US Air Force and died in hospital after a year in a coma. The case became notorious and reinforced Japanese perceptions of the US as a violent country.
But a series of Japanese news articles in 1984 started to change perceptions when a former mistress of Miura said he had asked her to kill his wife three months before the shooting.
In a statement released in May 1988 after murder and conspiracy charges were filed in Los Angeles, prosecutors alleged Miura collected about 750,000 dollars from life insurance policies on his wife.
Prosecutors also allege Miura "solicited five different people to murder his wife," including the person who actually shot her.
Miura was convicted of murder and assault charges by a Japanese court and served more than a decade in prison before winning his release with a successful appeal.
US judge Steven Van Sicklen ruled last month that Miura could only face conspiracy to commit murder charges in California -- rather than a count of murder -- because of double jeopardy rules.
Thursday, prosecutors in Los Angeles filed a 25-page motion asking the court to reinstate a murder charge against Miura.
Miura was scheduled to be arraigned on the conspiracy charge on Tuesday. He faced a maximum sentence of 25 years to life in prison if convicted as charged.
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Japanese anger as U.S. takes North Korea off terrorism list
Busuness Week October 12 2008
With Japan playing an important role in the current financial crisis, not least Mitsubishi UFJ’s $9 billion bailout of Morgan Stanley, one might think the U.S. government would be trying hard not to upset a key ally. Yet, the Bush administration’s decision to take North Korea off the list of nations considered to be sponsors of terrorism appears to have been done with little, if any, consideration for Japan.
Predictably, the decision was met with mixture of anger and disbelief in Japan where the fate of Japanese kidnapped by North Korea in the late 1970s and early 1980s understandably remains an emotive issue. “I cannot help feeling empty because everything is decided somewhere beyond our reach. I feel completely helpless,” said Shigeo Iizuka, 70, who leads the group which represents the Japanese abductees’ families, reported Kyodo News. Teruaki Masumoto, another member of the group, described the U.S. move as the “betrayal” of an ally.
The manner of the announcement also leaves much to be desired. While the official line is that the move won’t affect Japanese-U.S. relations, the Asahi newspaper reported that Japan had been caught hop, with Prime Minister Taro Aso only alerted by Washington thirty minutes before the announcement.
Japanese state broadcaster NHK said Japan’s Finance Minister Shoichi Nakagawa broke off from talks about rescuing the world’s financial system to press President Bush on the matter. Bush told him to speak to U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, who apparently
said the removal will not have a large impact on the kidnapping issue. Nakagawa described the move as “extremely regrettable.”
The U.S government is also receiving low marks for its handling of the financial crisis. While officials haven’t publicly criticized the U.S., economists in Japan have been dismayed at the handling of the bailout, complaining that the U.S. has been slow to learn from Japan’s mistakes during its own financial meltdown a decade ago. That ensuing upheaval contributed to the 24% fall in the Nikkei 225 Index last week—its worst ever week.
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Judges win approval
JapanTimes June 27, 2000
Coalition parties stand by Mori
Despite the setback that the ruling bloc suffered at the hands of the public in Sunday's election for the House of Representatives, top leaders of the Liberal Democratic Party and its coalition allies agreed Monday that Yoshiro Mori should stay on as prime minister.
Mori, president of the LDP, confirmed with his counterparts from New Komeito and the New Conservative Party that a special three-day Diet session to re-elect him as prime minister should be convened on July 4. Mori will form his new Cabinet the same day.
At a news conference Monday afternoon, Mori said he intends to reappoint Foreign Minister Yohei Kono and Finance Minister Kiichi Miyazawa to the Cabinet to prepare for the Group of Eight summit in Okinawa next month.
In the election, the LDP-led ruling triumvirate suffered serious losses but still managed to retain a comfortable majority in the Lower House.
One sign of the poor support for Mori's Cabinet was the LDP's inability to hold on to a simple majority; it won only 233 of the 480 seats in the Lower House, compared with the 271 it had in the 500-seat chamber before the election. The number of Lower House seats was reduced by 20 in the election, due to electoral reforms.
Its allies also suffered setbacks, with New Komeito seeing its seats cut to 31 from its pre-election strength of 42 and the New Conservative Party winning only seven seats, compared with 18 before the election.
The coalition managed to hold on to 271 seats, exceeding the 269 that would allow it to secure a majority in all the standing committees of the Lower House and simultaneously chair them, ensuring that Diet proceedings will be smooth for the alliance. It does, however, mark a serious setback from the 336-seat presence the alliance previously held.
Mori told reporters that he "naturally considers (himself) responsible" for the LDP's loss of nearly 40 seats.
But he also pointed out that he took the fact that the alliance had secured a majority as the "will of the voters that the three parties should remain at the helm of the government." He indicated that he may ask a top-ranking member of New Komeito and New Conservative Party chief Chikage Ogi to join his new Cabinet to solidify the alliance.
In a subsequent meeting with Ogi and New Komeito chief Takenori Kanzaki, Mori apologized for the poor performance of their parties, which was due largely to their failure to coordinate the campaigns of the ruling bloc.
Kanzaki and Ogi pledged their continued support for the coalition framework, as well as Mori's leadership.
"The election results showed that our coalition and solidarity are trusted by the people," Kanzaki reportedly told Mori. "In order to meet the people's expectation, we should unite even more and support the prime minister as we carry out the tasks ahead."
Ogi proposed that her party and the LDP form a united parliamentary group — a move seen as a step toward its merger with the LDP — but the proposal was immediately declined by LDP Secretary General Hiromu Nonaka, who also attended the meeting.
"There could be such an option in the future, but it's certainly not an issue we should discuss right now," Nonaka told reporters after the talks.
Later in the day, former LDP Secretary General Koichi Kato and former top police official Taku Yamasaki — two prominent senior members of the LDP who have been critical of the current alliance with New Komeito — expressed support for Mori's continued prime ministership. Kato told a meeting of his own faction within the LDP that he now approves of the current tripartite alliance.
Mori is expected to ask Kato and Yamasaki, who have detached themselves from the party leadership since they were defeated by the late Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi in the LDP presidential race last September, to cooperate in his management of the party.
In contrast with the setbacks experienced by the ruling coalition, the opposition Democratic Party of Japan boosted its seats from 95 to 127. DPJ leader Yukio Hatoyama said the result "marks a solid step in the (DPJ's) path toward becoming a governing power."
Hatoyama also told reporters Monday morning, "Is it true that the people want the Mori administration to go on? We will press the LDP to answer that question."
Most of the other opposition parties gained as well. While the Japanese Communist Party saw its seats fall to 20 from the 26 it held before the election, the Liberal Party, which left the coalition in April, improved over its pre-election strength of 18 to win 22 seats.
The Social Democratic Party, halting a long-term trend of steady decline that had continued for most of the past decade, went up from 14 to 19.
With support confirmed for Mori's continued leadership, the attention of coalition lawmakers is shifting to the lineup of his new Cabinet and LDP executive posts.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Mikio Aoki has voiced his intention to stand down, and Mori is widely expected to appoint his close aide — Hidenao Nakagawa, currently deputy LDP secretary general — to the post.
Mori will appoint one Cabinet member each from New Komeito and the New Conservative Party, party sources said.
Tamisuke Watanuki, chairman of the LDP faction formerly led by the late Keizo Obuchi, is seen as a likely candidate for Lower House speaker.
Meanwhile, senior members of New Komeito agreed that Kanzaki should remain as the party's chief, while Tetsuzo Fuyushiba should remain secretary general, despite its losses in Sunday's election.
Judges win approval
All nine judges appointed to the Supreme Court since the previous general election in October 1996 won the confidence of the voting public in a poll held in conjunction with Sunday's House of Representatives election, the Central Election Management Council said Monday.
Voters who turned out at polling stations nationwide were also asked whether any of the nine top court judges should be demoted.
For all the judges up for national review, far more voters left their ballots blank than those who wrote an "X" by the names of judges they want removed from the Supreme Court, council officials said.
Tsugio Kameyama received the most votes of disapproval at 10.29 percent, while Toshifumi Motohara had the least percentage of voters, 8.65 percent, wanting him demoted from the court, according to council officials.
The seven other judges — Takao Oide, Akira Machida, Toshihiro Kanatani, Masamichi Okuda, Shigeru Yamaguchi, Gen Kajitani and Hiroharu Kitagawa — had disapproval rates of between 8 percent and 10 percent, the officials said.
A total of 60,750,994 people, or 60.49 percent of eligible voters, cast ballots in the national review of Supreme Court judges, up 2.93 percentage points from 1996.
It marked the 18th in a series of such reviews, which started in 1949.
None of the combined 133 judges subjected to the national review has been demoted, with the highest disapproval rating to date being 15.2 percent. Demotion requires a majority of disapproval among valid votes.
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The great Japan-Mongolia love affair
Asia Times Feb 28, 2007
Japan rolled out the red carpet for Mongolian President Nambaryn Enkhbayar when, at Tokyo's invitation, he arrived on Monday for a five-day visit for talks with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and a luncheon hosted by Emperor Akihito in his honor at the Imperial Palace.
Ostensibly, the Mongolian leader's visit is to mark the 35th anniversary of the two countries' establishing diplomatic relations in February 1972. But Tokyo has another particular reason to extend the greatest possible hospitality to him. Only a month ago, Tokyo received a much-appreciated diplomatic present from Ulan Bator.
Abe and Enkhbayar agreed in a telephone conversation on January 24 that Japan will seek a non-permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council for a two-year term starting in 2009 in lieu of Mongolia. Enkhbayar conveyed to Abe Mongolia's decision to withdraw its bid for a seat to let Japan run for the post.
After the teleconference, Abe told reporters, "I thank the Mongolian president for his leadership and express my appreciation to the Mongolian people. We want to fulfill our responsibilities to live up to Mongolia's goodwill." Abe thanked Enkhbayar again on Monday for Mongolia's decision.
As part of efforts to strengthen bilateral relations, Abe's predecessor, Junichiro Koizumi, visited Ulan Bator last August, the first such trip by a Japanese premier in seven years. Unlike two of his predecessors who also visited the Mongolian capital while in office as part of their overseas tours, Koizumi just flew between the capitals of the two countries.
In Ulan Bator, Koizumi pledged new grant-in-aid worth 350 million yen (US$2.91 million). While thanking Japan for its assistance as the biggest donor, Ulan Bator asked Tokyo to consider extending yen loans for a new international-airport project.
Before the January telephone conversation between Abe and Enkhbayar, Japanese officials had been engaged in strenuous behind-the-scenes efforts to persuade Mongolia to bow out of the Security Council race, reportedly even harping on how costly it would be for the impoverished country to have its UN mission in New York sufficiently staffed to serve as a council member nation.
But perhaps the biggest factor in Tokyo's successful persuasion of Ulan Bator to drop its bid for a non-permanent Security Council seat is the particularly friendly relations between the two countries. Japan has also been Mongolia's largest aid donor for many years, and Mongolian public sentiment toward Japan is highly favorable.
Japan held a two-year rotating non-permanent council seat through the end of last year. But Tokyo has been keen on returning to the council as soon as possible to influence decisions on regional and global security concerns, especially North Korea's nuclear and missile programs. Non-permanent seats cannot be held for consecutive terms.
As a non-permanent Security Council member, Japan played a leading role in having a resolution adopted to condemn North Korea's missile launches last July. When North Korea conducted its nuclear test in October, Japan held the rotating monthly presidency and presided over the adoption of a council resolution slapping sanctions against Pyongyang.
Japan also believes that serving as a non-permanent Security Council member as many times as possible and thereby boosting its profile in the international diplomatic arena will serve as a stepping stone to realizing its long-cherished dream of obtaining permanent membership of the powerful council. At present, there are only five permanent members - the United States, Russia, China, the United Kingdom and France. Those five nations enjoy the privilege of veto power.
Of the 15 council seats, the remaining 10 are held by non-permanent members and are allotted regionally - three to Africa, two each to Asia, Latin America and Western Europe, and one to Eastern Europe. Japan, along with Brazil, has so far served on the council nine times, the most among the UN member states. Japan is also the second-largest contributor to the UN budget after the United States, accounting for close to 20% of the overall budget. Mongolia has expressed its support for Japan's bid for permanent Security Council membership.
Abe has stressed that, regardless of whether the council seat is permanent or not, it ''makes a difference being on the council because otherwise Japan cannot make any statements or learn about what is discussed. One must realize that the resolutions [in condemnation of North Korea] last year were realized because Japan took leadership as a non-permanent council member," Abe said. ''That makes a big difference.''
Non-permanent seats have staggered terms, so that the council changes five non-permanent members every year, instead of 10 non-permanent members every two years. For the 2008-09 term, Vietnam has declared its candidacy for a non-permanent council seat in an election this autumn. For the 2009-10 term, Iran has also expressed its intention to run for a non-permanent council seat, and a few other countries may emerge to seek the post as an Asian candidate.
The non-permanent members are usually chosen by regional groups and confirmed by the UN General Assembly. But if coordination fails between Asian candidates for the 2009-10 term - at this moment Japan and Iran - a decision will be left to a General Assembly vote in the autumn of 2008.
Japan is confident that it will be able to defeat Iran in a General Assembly vote because of a council resolution adopted last December imposing sanctions against the Persian Gulf nation over its failure to halt uranium enrichment. The sanctions ban the supply of nuclear-related technology and materials and impose an asset freeze on key individuals and companies.
Abe and Enkhbayar held talks on Monday evening, only hours after the Mongolian leader's arrival in Tokyo. They signed a joint statement to step up cooperation on global issues, including the North Korean nuclear and abduction issues and reform of the United Nations. The joint statement contained a basic action plan for broadening the nations' high-level political dialogue and strengthening cooperation in the areas of politics, economics, culture and education over the next 10 years.
Japan as Mongolia's staunch supporter
During the Cold War, when Mongolia was one-party state, the country relied heavily on the Soviet Union and, to a lesser extent, on other Moscow allies for trade and economic aid. But after the end of the Cold War and the subsequent demise of the Soviet Union, Mongolia began to seek increased relations with the Western camp, especially the US and Japan.
Japan spearheaded international efforts to assist Mongolia in its transition to democracy and market economy. Then-prime minister Toshiki Kaifu became the first leader of a major industrialized nation belonging to the Western camp to visit Mongolia, in 1991. Tokyo also hosted the first six meetings of aid donor nations and organizations for Mongolia from 1991 until 1997, which were co-chaired by Japan and the World Bank.
The 10th such meeting was also held in Tokyo in 2003. Japan has been Mongolia's largest single aid donor since 1991, providing a total of 140 billion yen in official development assistance, including about 75 billion yen in grants-in-aid, by the end of fiscal 2005 last March.
Soviet troops were long stationed in Mongolia, mostly on its border with China, although they were completely withdrawn at the end of 1992 amid an easing of tensions between Moscow and Beijing. Ulan Bator has since given top foreign-policy priority to developing friendly and balanced relations with its two giant neighbors - Russia to the north and China to the south. At the same time, however, Mongolia has pursued strengthened relations with what it calls "third neighbors", especially Japan, the US and Europe.
Mongolian Prime Minister Miegombyn Enkhbold chose Japan last March as the destination for his first overseas trip since taking office. During his visit, Enkhbold watched the final day of the 15-day Spring Grand Sumo Tournament and awarded Yokozuna (grand champion) Asashoryu with the Mongolian Prime Minister's Cup in person. Asashoryu is the most successful of many Mongolian wrestlers in Japan's sumo world.
In addition to continued generous economic aid, Mongolia apparently hopes for Japan's continued support in further integrating its economy into the regional - and global - economy. In 1998, Mongolia joined the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), a multilateral forum established in 1994 to discuss security issues in the Asia-Pacific region.
Last September, Mongolia was also admitted to Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM), a forum of Asian and European nations established in 1996 to discuss inter-regional cooperation in a wide range of areas. But Mongolia has no membership yet in key regional groupings mainly discussing economic cooperation, such as Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), ASEAN Plus Three (the 10 member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations plus Japan, China and South Korea) and the East Asia Summit (EAS).
Mongolia as Japan's reliable partner
Tokyo sees Mongolia as a valuable pro-Japan nation in Asia. According to an opinion poll conducted in late 2004 by the Japanese Embassy in Ulan Bator through the National University of Mongolia, more than 70% of Mongolian people polled said they felt an affinity with Japan. In addition, the largest percentage - 37.4% - of those polled cited Japan as a foreign country with which Mongolia should have the most intimate relations.
In stark contrast, Japan's relations with other Northeast Asian neighbors, except Taiwan, are tense or often uneasy at best. Japan has no diplomatic relations with North Korea. Anti-Japan feelings are still running deep among many people in China and South Korea, where Japan's wartime aggression and atrocities are still bitterly remembered.
There are other reasons for Japan to place great emphasis on relations with Mongolia.
Unlike Japan, Mongolia has diplomatic relations with North Korea. Concerns about Pyongyang's nuclear-weapons and missile programs have not abated despite recent progress on the diplomatic front.
Resource-poor Japan has recently focused its diplomatic attention on Central Asia, a region rich in oil, gas and other resources. Koizumi made a trip to the region last August, the first by a Japanese premier. Japan's diplomatic foray into Central Asia comes at a time when the US, Russia and China are all flexing their political muscles in the resource-rich but volatile region, competing in an attempt to secure energy and influence. Japan apparently desires to play a greater geopolitical role, not only in Central Asia but also in Eurasia as a whole, while countering the growing influence of Russia and China in the region.
In a development that raised eyebrows in the US, which is Japan's most important ally, China, Russia and four Central Asian countries issued a joint statement at a summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in July 2005 calling for an early withdrawal of US forces from Central Asia. The four Central Asian nations are Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. There is now only one US base in Central Asia - in Kyrgyzstan.
Mongolia joined the SCO as an observer along with India, Pakistan and Iran, but wants closer ties with the US and Japan to reduce its heavy dependence on China and Russia. Meanwhile, Japan's ties with both China and Russia, leading members of the SCO, are far from easy over a variety of issues, including nasty territorial rows. Japan has also frequently locked horns with China over natural-gas reserves in the East China Sea.
When Koizumi visited Ulan Bator last August, he proposed the establishment of a working-level "forum for dialogue" to discuss North Korea and regional and international affairs, citing Mongolia's diplomatic relations with North Korea and participation in the SCO as an observer. His Mongolian counterpart, Enkhbold, agreed to Koizumi's proposal.
Although it was probably a sheer coincidence, on the second and final day of the Japanese leader's visit to Ulan Bator, a two-week joint military exercise in peacekeeping techniques, code-named "Khan Quest 2006", kicked off in the suburbs of the capital, mainly involving US and Mongolian troops. Bangladesh, India, Thailand, Tonga and Fiji also sent troops to participate. Several countries, including the UK, France, Italy, Japan, Russia and South Korea sent observers. Fukushiro Nukaga, the then Japanese defense chief, also made a visit to Mongolia last September, the first by a Japanese defense chief.
Mongolia is rich in a variety of minerals, especially coal and copper, although these remain largely unexploited. This is another magnet for resource-strapped Japan's growing attention. The joint statement signed by Abe and Enkhbayar on Monday calls for increased cooperation in the development of Mongolia's underground resources.
The Tavan Tolgoi coal deposit in the Gobi Desert in southern of Mongolia could be the largest unmined coking-coal deposit in the world. The Oyu Tolgoi copper-gold porphyry deposit, also in the Gobi Desert, is also highly promising as it is believed be the second-largest such deposit in the world. China is also keen to exploit Mongolia's mineral and energy resources to fuel its red-hot economy.
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Japan trumps Iran to win UNSC seat
JapanTimes Sunday, Oct. 19, 2008
Nonpermanent stint key to acquiring veto power
Japan was elected Friday to a nonpermanent seat on the U.N. Security Council for a two-year term beginning in January 2009, displacing a bid by Iran to win the one seat allocated to Asia.
Austria, Turkey, Uganda and Mexico were the four other countries elected to nonpermanent seats, all receiving the minimum two-thirds majority vote of 128 required from the 192 members of the assembly. The five will fill an identical number of UNSC seats, which will be vacated at the end of December.
Iran — which is under U.N. sanctions for its nuclear program — received only 32 votes from the U.N., losing the seat designated to Asia to Japan, which received 158 votes. The seat is currently filled by Indonesia.
"We believe that this is (the) manifestation of trust and confidence member states have in Japan's role in the Security Council" in peace and security, development, the U.N. Millennium Development Goals, food crisis and climate change, Japanese Ambassador to the United Nations Yukio Takasu told reporters.
Turkey and Austria won two seats earmarked for the Western Europe and Others region, defeating Iceland by garnering 151 votes and 133 votes, respectively. Existing nonpermanent members for the category are Italy and Belgium.
Iceland, which had been considered by many to be a strong candidate until the recent economic crisis, received only 87 votes.
"It's a disappointment for us not to get more votes because like other countries, we have gotten a lot of promises that have not been kept," said Iceland's Foreign Minister Ingibjorg Solrun Gisladottir
Gisladottir said her country was going through difficult economic times, but said that no one mentioned this would affect the voting.
When asked if she thought the U.K. freeze on Icelandic banks had affected the vote, she said: "It was not helpful what the British did, enforcing and activating a kind of terrorist law toward a small nation."
Britain used antiterrorism laws to freeze the assets of collapsed Icelandic banks to protect the savings of thousands of Britons and scores of local governments.
Uganda was the sole candidate for the African seat, now held by South Africa, and Mexico was the only candidate for the Latin American seat, now occupied by Panama.
Japan defeated Iran overwhelmingly in view of the confrontation between Iran and other U.N. members, especially the United States and European countries, over its nuclear program.
Japan is also believed to have received support from other U.N. members in light of its position as the second-largest financial contributor to the world body after the United States.
Iran's U.N. Mission released a statement Friday after the election that said the voting was affected by "inadequate opportunities with intense competitions in the Asian group . . . unfair behavior and a false propaganda campaign by certain major powers."
Japan will be taking its place on the Security Council for the 10th time, the most of any U.N. member. Japan's previous stint at council duty was in 2005-2006.
Japan sees Security Council membership as vital for intensifying its bid for a permanent council seat as intergovernmental talks on the proposed expansion of the U.N. membership structure are to begin soon.
"In the course of next year, I am convinced that the momentum of Security Council reform after all so many years will be high," Takasu said.
"We hope that Japan's active participation as a nonpermanent member over the next two years will be conducive to the reform that will include expansion of permanent members and nonpermanent members," he said.
The United States welcomed the election of Japan and four other countries as nonpermanent Security Council members.
"We look forward to working with all of these countries on the most pressing issues facing the Council, including Iran's nuclear program, the situation in Darfur, and other matters related to international peace and security," Robert Wood, deputy spokesman for the State Department, said in a statement.
U.S. Deputy Ambassador Alejandro Wolff pledged to support Japan's bid for permanent membership in the council.
"Of course Japan is a country that we support for permanent membership and the fact that it was elected by such a resounding number of votes also brings us great satisfaction," said Wolff. "We expect them to be an outstanding contributor to the work of the council."
The General Assembly elects five countries each year to fill an identical number of vacated seats. The Security Council consists of five permanent veto-wielding members and 10 nonpermanent members who serve two-year terms.
Gaining permanent Security Council membership has been a long-sought goal of Japan, which has in the past lobbied for the status in partnership with Brazil, Germany and India.
In Tokyo, Foreign Minister Hirofumi Nakasone said in a statement that "Japan will play an active and constructive role at the Security Council which is tasked with maintaining peace and security of the international community."
"Japan will strive to realize Security Council reform and Japan's permanent membership at an early time," Nakasone said.
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Yamato Life customers to get help
JapanTimes Oct. 11, 2008
Yamato Life Insurance Co.'s decision to file for bankruptcy protection sent shock waves throughout the industry Friday as it became the first major victim in Japan of the global financial crisis.
But industry sources said policyholders shouldn't panic because their policies are guaranteed by an industry safety net. It is the industry's first bankruptcy in seven years.
The Tokyo District Court will appoint a group of administrators to manage the midsize insurer, which has a workforce of 1,011. The administrators will then find a sponsor to rehabilitate Yamato Life and take over its business and contracts.
Lawyers for the insurer and the Financial Services Agency said they had little information about any possible candidates.
The insurer plans to hold meetings in six cities from Saturday to Wednesday to brief creditors about the situation, the insurer said on its Web site.
"We'll try to ease the concerns of policyholders by providing explanations," said Hiroshi Kasuya, a lawyer who filed the insurer's bankruptcy application.
The administrators will also decide how much debt Yamato Life has and evaluate its assets.
Yamato Life said in a news conference earlier in the day that its total debt was estimated at ¥269.5 billion as of the end of September.
The company had 170,000 individual insurance contracts as of March 31, with its assets totaling ¥283.1 billion.
If the administrators cannot find a sponsor, the Life Insurance Policyholders Protection Corp. of Japan, an industry body funded by member insurers, can protect policyholders by either creating a subsidiary to take over its business or by directly taking over all of its policies.
In any case, LIPPC will pay up to 90 percent of the policy reserves of the insurer. As of the end of June, Yamato Life had policy reserves worth ¥255 billion.
The financial authorities said the organization had reserves of around ¥382.2 billion as of the end of September, and there will be no problem with payment.
"It is hard to expect that it will have to pay more than ¥382.2 billion," said Susumu Yamamoto, a senior FSA official. "We will appropriately cope with the situation to protect policyholders."
The insurer was originally founded as Nihon Chohei Hoken in 1911, which used to sell conscription insurance policies. The company assumed its current name in 1945.
In 2002 it became a stock company, changing its structure from a mutual company.
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Speeches and Statements by Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Japan and His Cabinet
Basic Policies
At the first Cabinet Meeting, Prime Minister Abe requested the cabinet members to perform their duties in accordance with the following Basic Policies.
I am aiming for the vision of "a beautiful country, Japan" - a country filled with vitality, opportunity, and compassion, which cherishes a spirit of self-discipline, and is open to the world. In order to realize the vision of a beautiful country, we, the member of the "Cabinet for the creation of a beautiful country," will promote following policies under the political leadership of the Prime Minister's Office.
1.Constructing an Open Economy Full of Vitality
● We will channel in new vitality to the Japanese economy through the power of innovation and openness to make economic growth possible even when faced with a declining population.
● We will promote comprehensive assistance measures to build a society of opportunity where everyone has a chance to challenge again - a society in which the efforts of people are rewarded, a society in which there is no stratification into winners and losers, and a society in which ways of working, learning, and living are diverse and multi-tracked.
● We will proceed with the decentralization of power from central government to local governments. We will initiate a "Helping Striving Regions to Help Themselves Program" next fiscal year to realize regions with an abundance of knowledge and ingenuity. We will implement measures to support small and medium-sized enterprises and to rebuild agriculture, forestry and fisheries industries.
2.Resolute implementation of Fiscal Consolidation and Administrative Reform
● Under the principle that there can be no fiscal consolidation without growth, we will reduce expenditure thoroughly and conduct zero-based review, utilizing the Council on Economic and Fiscal Policy. To achieve a surplus in the primary balance in FY2011, in budget formulation for the next fiscal year, we will hold down the issuance of new government bonds to below the level of the current fiscal year by achieving a well-modulated distribution of outlays.
● We will organize a simple yet efficient lean government by steadily promoting fundamental administrative reform, such as reduction of number and cost of civil servants, review of the entire civil service system, integration of financial policy institutions, halving the scale of government-held assets by GDP ratio, definite privatization of the postal services, active implementation of market testing, major review of special accounts.
● We will seek regional autonomy. As such, we will promote regional administrative and financial reforms, and consider legislation for the reconstruction of local governments.
● For the increase in burden caused by social security services and the declining birthrate, we will advance a drastic and comprehensive reform of the taxation system to secure a stable supply of revenue.
● We will draw a new grand design for the administrative structure as a whole such as drastic reform and reorganization of administrative institutions, and the formulation of a vision of a regional government (doshu-sei) aimed at its full-fledged introduction.
3.Realizing a Healthy and Safe Society
● We will promote a comprehensive reform of the social security system, and will reorganize the Social Insurance Agency from scratch. We will make it a priority to realize the unification of the employee's pension scheme and the mutual aid pension scheme. As for medical care and nursing, we will promote a policy aiming to extend healthy life expectancy by transferring its focus to prevention.
● We will make every effort to advance measures to address the falling birthrate and build a child-raising friendly society. In that respect, comprehensive assistance will be provided for families engaged in child-raising, including support to reduce the economic burden on families prior to and after childbirth, and during the child-raising period. We will also promote reform of working habits and styles to support child-raising. Furthermore, we will make efforts toward raising awareness so that the joys of child-raising and family values can be shared by the whole of society.
● We will do our best to restore Japan to the safest country in the world and to prevent the recurrence of incidents that threatens the safety of life. For example, we will prevent malicious incidents in which children are victims.
● We will steadily advance the Kyoto Protocol Target Attainment Plan.
4.Rebuilding Education
● We will immediately engage ourselves in rebuilding education, to nurture people who value their families, their communities, and their country, and who are filled with rich humanity, creativity and discipline. We will ensure the early enactment of the bill concerning the Fundamental Law of Education.
● We will ensure the early enactment of the bill concerning the Fundamental Law of Education.
● We will rebuild public education and will promote a program that enhances basic academic abilities. We will seek to introduce a system that requires teachers to renew their teaching licenses, and also introduce an outside assessment of schools.
5.Shift to Proactive Diplomacy
● We will demonstrate the "Japan-U.S. Alliance for Asia and the World" even further, and promote proactive diplomacy that will actively contribute to stalwart solidarity in Asia.
● We will reorganize and enhance the headquarters function and improve intelligence gathering functions of the Prime Minister's Office.
● We will put in place a framework that ensures constant communication between the Prime Minister's Office and the White House. We aim at realignment of U.S. Forces in Japan which reduces the burdens on local communities while maintaining the deterrence. We will make every effort to revitalize the local communities.
● We will strengthen bonds of trust with neighboring countries such as China (People's Republic of China), South Korea (Republic of Korea) and Russia so that we can have future-oriented frank discussions with each other.
● In order to advance comprehensive measures concerning the abduction issue, we will establish the "Headquarters on the Abduction Issue" and assign a secretariat solely dedicated to this Headquarters.
● Together with international society, we will make every effort to assist the reconstruction of Iraq and to prevent and eliminate terrorism.
● We will swiftly strengthen efforts to conclude Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) and also work towards the resumption of the WTO Doha Round negotiations.
● We will provide ODA strategically and make efforts to ensure the stable provision of energy resources.
● We will continue its efforts toward U.N. reform including its pursuit of permanent membership in the Security Council.
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Full text of Premier Zhu's government work report
Xinhuanet 2003-03-19
BEIJING, March 19 (Xinhuanet) -- Following is the full text of the Report on the Work of the Government Premier Zhu Rongji delivered at the First Session of the 10th National People's Congress on March 5, 2003:
Zhu Rongji
Premier of the State Council
Fellow Deputies,
This government took office in March 1998, and its term is about to expire. On behalf of the State Council, I now submit a report on the work of the government during the past five years tothe First Session of the Tenth National People's Congress and put forward a number of suggestions on this year's work for your examination and approval and also for comments from members of theNational Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference.
I Review of the Work of the Government in the Past Five Years
The five years since the First Session of the Ninth National People's Congress have been an extraordinary period. Soon after this government took office, the Asian financial crisis struck, and world economic growth stagnated. Domestically, irrationalitiesin the industrial structure became critical, and large numbers of workers were laid off from state-owned enterprises. Catastrophic floods struck in 1998 and 1999. Under the leadership of the Communist Party of China, our people of all ethnic groups have forged ahead, worked still harder in solidarity, surmounted numerous difficulties, and made great achievements in reform, opening up and economic and social development that have won worldwide recognition. We have attained the strategic goals for the second stage of our modernization drive and begun our march towards the third stage goals.
During the past five years, the national economy maintained good growth momentum, and important advances were made in the strategic restructuring of the economy.
-- The economy maintained a high growth rate. China's GDP rosefrom 7.4 trillion yuan in 1997 to 10.2 trillion yuan in 2002, an average annual increase of 7.7%, when calculated in constant prices. Notable results were achieved in the readjustment of the industrial structure. The supply of grain and other major agricultural products took a historic shift from chronic shortagesto an overall balance with surpluses during good years. High and new technology industries, such as the IT industry, expanded rapidly. The transformation of traditional industries was accelerated. Modern service industries developed rapidly. The quality and efficiency of economic growth improved constantly. National tax revenue grew by a large margin every year. Total fiscal revenue rose from 0.8651 trillion yuan in 1997 to 1.8914 trillion yuan in 2002, an average annual increase of 205.3 billionyuan. China's foreign exchange reserves climbed from 139.9 billion to 286.4 billion US dollars. Investment in fixed assets over the five years totaled 17.2 trillion yuan. In particular, based on the issuance of 660 billion yuan of long-term construction treasury bonds, 3.28 trillion yuan of bank loans and funds from other sources were generated for investment, allowing us to accomplish many large undertakings we had been wanting but unable to undertake for years for lack of resources. The productive forces reached a new high, and the country's economic strength and ability to withstand risks and compete internationally grew significantly.
-- Remarkable achievements were made in infrastructure development. By concentrating our resources, we completed a numberof key infrastructure projects of nationwide significance. We built water conservancy projects on a scale larger than any other time since the founding of New China. The investment in these projects nationwide totaled 356.2 billion yuan for the five years,which was equal to the total investment in this field from 1950 through 1997 after adjusting for price changes. A number of key water conservancy projects were launched or completed. Work on reinforcing 35,000 km of river embankments was started. Over 3,500km of main dikes of the Yangtze River and nearly 1,000 km of dikesof the Yellow River have been reinforced, and their capacity to withstand floods has been greatly increased. The second phase of the Three Gorges water control project on the Yangtze River, whichhas attracted world attention, will soon be completed; water control facilities such as the one at Xiaolangdi on the Yellow River became operational, and construction on the South-North Water Diversion Project was begun. Transport developed on an unprecedented scale, and a comprehensive modern transport system began to take shape. In these five years, China invested 1.2343 trillion yuan in highway building, which was equal to 170% of the figure for the period from 1950 through 1997 after adjusting for price changes. The total length of highways open to traffic increased from 1.23 million km in 1997 to 1.76 million km in 2002,of which expressways increased from 4,771 km to 25,200 km, liftingChina from the 39th to the second place in the world. Railway length increased from 65,969 km to 71,500 km. Over the past five years, construction of 5,944 km of new railway lines, of which 4,603 km are double-track and 5,704 km are electrified, was completed. A total of 50 airports were either newly built or expanded. The annual cargo handling capacity of dock berths for 10,000 ton-class or larger ships increased by 144 million tons. Construction of postal and telecommunications facilities greatly expanded. The length of installed long-distance optical cables increased from 150,000 km in 1997 to 470,000 km in 2002, and the number of fixed-line and mobile phone subscribers increased from 83.54 million to 421 million, ranking China first in the world. Construction in the energy sector was further intensified. The installed power-generating capacity increased from 254 million kw in 1997 to 353 million kw in 2002. Urban planning and public utility construction improved notably, greatly changing the appearance of many cities. The infrastructure improved remarkably,which significantly increased the capability for our future economic development.
-- The program for developing the western region made a good start. Over the past three years since the introduction of the western development strategy, the government has given a powerful push to the region's development by increasing investment, stepping up transfer payments and introducing preferential fiscal and taxation policies. Work was begun on 36 new key projects, which called for a total investment of over 600 billion yuan. Smooth progress was made on such major projects as the Qinghai-Tibet Railway, the diversion of natural gas and electricity from the western to the eastern regions, water control projects and trunk highways. Work was accelerated to ensure that every county seat is served by asphalt roads, that every township has access toelectricity, and that every village enjoys radio and television reception. Efforts were intensified to conserve and improve the ecological environment. Construction was accelerated on rural roads, small and medium-sized water conservancy projects, potable water facilities for people and livestock, as well as facilities in the fields of science, technology and education. Economic and technological cooperation between the eastern region and the western and central regions was increased.
-- Our capability for sustainable development was enhanced. The spending on environmental protection and ecological development in the five years reached 580 billion yuan, amounting to 170% of the figure from 1950 through 1997. Six forest ecological projects -- reforesting formerly cultivated land, protecting natural forests and controlling the sources of dust storms affecting Beijing and Tianjin -- were carried out in full. During these five years, an additional 27.87 million hectares of land was covered with trees; 31.53 million hectares of hills were cordoned off for afforestation, and 3.82 million hectares of formerly cultivated land were returned to forests. Soil erosion on 266,000 square km of land and desertification on 5.7 million hectares of land were brought under control. The tendency towards worsening environmental pollution has, on the whole, been arrested; the total discharge of major pollutants has decreased steadily, and the quality of the environment in key cities and areas has been improving. New progress was made in the protection of natural resources. Great successes were achieved in geological prospecting.Notable progress was made in disaster prevention and reduction. With the natural population growth rate down to 6.45, China has entered a new period of low and stable birthrate.
(The rest is omitted)
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'Manga' fans have been won over but what about the rest of Japan?
JapanTimes Sept. 23, 2008
A curious thing happened to the stock market when Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda announced Sept. 1 his intention to step down: Shares in "manga"-related companies surged.
Shares in major comic book store Mandarake Inc., which also sells secondhand animation-related merchandise, shot to the ¥50,000 limit.
The reason? Stock traders immediately thought of Taro Aso, a well-known manga enthusiast and champion of the nation's manga and animation culture, as the most likely candidate to be the next prime minister.
Indeed, lawmakers took notice of Aso as a prospective president of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party after his legendary speech in Tokyo's Akihabara district in September 2006, which drew the attention of young manga buffs.
During that appearance in the mecca of young animation and comic book enthusiasts, Aso addressed thousands of passersby with a skillful speech discussing the power of Japanese pop culture around in the world.
"When asked about my good points, I used to answer that I'm popular among geisha and old ladies," Aso wrote in his book published last year.
"(But in 2006) I discovered a new aspect of me, which I myself hadn't noticed," he wrote, touching on his apparent appeal to young people, who generally are thought to have little interest in politics.
Aso's love for comic books is now a fixture of his image. He reportedly reads about 10 manga magazines a week, a pace he kept up even during his busy days as telecommunications and internal affairs minister and LDP secretary general.
Famously sarcastic, Aso often skewers reporters from the major media outlets at news conferences, to the delight of young people who keep abreast of events on 2channel, Japan's largest Internet forum.
Thanks to his appeal among the young and his good speaking skills, many in the LDP are pinning the party's hopes in the next Lower House election on Aso.
The general public, however, has reacted less favorably than expected.
Most TV news programs reacted coolly to the LDP presidential race, which Aso won Monday on his way to becoming the next prime minister.
Fuji TV's morning news show "Toku-dane!" monitored all of the national TV news and gossip shows over the past week and found that the LDP presidential election was featured as the top news story only once.
"At the time of (former Prime Minister Junichiro) Koizumi's Lower House election (in 2005), we got good viewer ratings when we covered the election. But this time, we can't get good ratings even with a lot of coverage," popular newscaster Tomoaki Ogura of "Toku-dane!" said Monday.
Speculation has been rife that the next prime minister will soon dissolve the Lower House and call a snap election as early as Oct. 26. The launch of a new Cabinet usually boosts support rates and would benefit the LDP-New Komeito ruling bloc if an election is held immediately.
Many voters believe the next Cabinet is likely to be short-lived.
"(The LDP race) is meaningless because the Lower House will be dissolved in one month anyway," read an anonymous message posted Monday on 2channel.
Aso may realize that the way ahead for his administration may be rockier than expected.
At a news conference Sept. 12, Aso said he would decide when to dissolve the Lower House only after monitoring various factors, including the support rate for the new Cabinet in media polls.
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Shigeyoshi Matsumae, Japanese Educator, 89
The New York Times August 27, 1991
Shigeyoshi Matsumae, a prominent Japanese educator and former politician who promoted international exchanges in academics, culture and sports, died on Sunday of heart failure, a hospital official said today. He was 89 years old.
Mr. Matsumae, the president and founder of the private Tokai University and a judo expert, died at the university's hospital in Isehara, Kanagawa prefecture, just south of Tokyo.
In 1952, Mr. Matsumae, a Socialist, was elected to the lower house of Parliament and served six terms until retiring from politics in 1969.
He was president of the International Judo Federation from 1979 to 1987, when he became honorary president. Since 1966, he was president of the Japan Cultural Association, a nonprofit group promoting cultural and academic exchanges with other countries, particularly the Soviet Union and East European countries.
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Cairo Meeting
NationMaster.com Encyclopedia
November 22, 1943 - World War II: War in the Pacific - US President Franklin D. Roosevelt, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, and ROC leader Chiang Kai-Shek meet in Cairo, Egypt, to discuss ways to defeat Japan.
Cairo Declaration
Wikipedia
The Cairo Declaration was a result from Cairo Conference at Cairo, Egypt, on November 27, 1943. President Franklin Roosevelt of the United States, Prime Minister Winston Churchill of the United Kingdom, and Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek of the Republic of China were present. The Cairo Communiqué was broadcasted through radio on December 1, 1943. The Cairo Declaration is cited in Clause Eight (8) of the Potsdam Declaration, which is referred by the Japanese Instrument of Surrender.
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India 'sinks Somali pirate ship'
BBC NEWS 19 November 2008
An Indian navy warship has destroyed a suspected Somali pirate vessel after it came under attack in the Gulf of Aden.
INS Tabar sank the pirate "mother ship" after it failed to stop for investigation and opened fire instead, an Indian navy statement said.
There has been a surge in piracy incidents off the coast of Somalia.
The latest attack came days after the Saudi-owned Sirius Star supertanker and its 25 crew were seized by pirates and anchored off the Somali coast.
Vela International, operators of the Sirius Star, told the BBC no demands had yet been received from the pirates. The company also said all the crew were safe. The biggest tanker ever hijacked, Sirius Star is carrying a cargo of two million barrels of oil - a quarter of Saudi Arabia's daily output - worth more than $100m (7m).
Analysts say the pattern of other hijackings suggests a ransom request is likely to follow. Given the value of the tanker and its cargo, that is expected to be a sizeable demand.
Two of the captive crew are British. The UK Foreign Secretary, David Miliband, said the Royal Navy was co-ordinating the European response to the incident.
"The problem of piracy around Somalia is a grave danger to the stability in the region," he told the BBC.
Somalia has not had a functioning national government since 1991 and has suffered continuing civil strife.
Explosions
India is among several countries already patrolling the Gulf of Aden, one of the world's busiest shipping lanes which connects the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean.
The Indian navy said the Tabar spotted the pirate vessel while patrolling 285 nautical miles (528km) south-west of Salalah in Oman on Tuesday evening.
The navy said the pirates on board were armed with guns and rocket propelled grenade launchers.
When it demanded the vessel stop for investigation, the pirate ship responded by threatening to "blow up the naval warship if it closed on her", the statement said.
Pirates then fired on the Tabar, and the Indians say they retaliated and that there was an explosion on the pirate vessel, which sank.
"Fire broke out on the vessel and explosions were heard, possibly due to exploding ammunition that was stored in the vessel," the Indian navy said.
Some of the pirates tried to escape on two speedboats. The Indian sailors gave chase but one boat was later found abandoned, while a second boat escaped.
INS Tabar has been patrolling the Gulf of Aden since 23 October, and has escorted 35 ships safely through the "pirate-infested waters", the statement said.
Last week, helicopter-borne Indian marine commandos stopped pirates from boarding and hijacking an Indian merchant vessel.
Ransoms
On Tuesday, a cargo ship and a fishing vessel became the latest to join more than 90 vessels attacked by the pirates this year.
The first vessel, a 25-crew cargo vessel transporting wheat to Iran, was attacked in the Gulf of Aden, while contact was lost with the crew of 12 on the fishing boat.
Piracy off the coast of East Africa and the Gulf of Aden - an area of more than 1m sq miles (2.6m sq km) - is estimated to have cost up to $30m in ransoms this year, a UK think tank has said.
The hijackings account for one-third of all global piracy incidents this year and the situation is getting out of control, according to the International Maritime Bureau.
The pirates who seized the Sirius Star are a sophisticated group with contacts in Dubai and neighbouring countries, says the BBC Somali Service's Yusuf Garaad.
Much of their ransom money from previous hijackings has been used to buy new boats and weapons as well as develop a network across the Horn of Africa, he adds.
Shipping companies are now weighing up the risks of using the short-cut route to Europe via the Suez canal.
However, travelling around South Africa's Cape of Good Hope would add several weeks to average journey times and substantially increase the cost of goods for consumers.
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Tamil Eelam National leader in his annual Heroes’ Day statement on 27 November 2008
TamilVoice Danmark November 27, 2008
“We have never planned to act against the interests of any country -
We wish to renew our good relationship with India”
The leader of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), V Pirapaharan, in his annual Heroes’ Day statement said that the LTTE has never stood in the way of the national, geopolitical, or economic welfare of any other country and added that the profound aspirations of the Tamil people too are not harmful to the welfare of any country or its people. He further said that during the long struggle waged by the LTTE it has never planned to act against any country. He appealed to the countries that have banned the LTTE to remove this ban.
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Velupillai Prabhakaran
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He said that though the LTTE adopted the armed struggle, it has always wished to solve the Tamil national problem through peaceful means. He said, “We have never been against adopting peaceful means and we have never hesitated to take part in peace talks.”
He said that trials and tribulations that LTTE faces now are neither new nor insurmountable to the movement and expressed confidence that the challenges will be defeated with the overwhelming strength of the people.
He went on at length on the relationship of the LTTE with India. He said, “Great changes are taking place in India. The voices of support for our struggle that were stifled are again being heard loudly.” He expressed his desire for the renewal of good relationship with India.
Expressing his gratitude to the people of India he said, “Not withstanding the dividing sea, Tamil Nadu, with its perfect understanding of our plight, has taken heart to rise on behalf of our people at this hour of need. This timely intervention has gratified the people of Tamil Eelam and our freedom movement and given us a sense of relief. I wish to express my love and gratitude at this juncture to the people and leaders of Tamil Nadu and the leaders of India for the voice of support and love they have extended.” He also appealed to the Indian government to take constructive actions to remove the ban which remains a stumbling block for the good relationship between India and the LTTE.
My beloved people!
The land of Tamil Eelam is confronted with an intense war as never before. Rearing its head in different parts of Wanni, the war is gathering momentum. As the Sinhala state is committed to a military solution, the war is becoming intense and widespread. The underlying intent of the Sinhala state is to wipe out the national life and resources of the Tamils and subjugate the Tamil nation under alien Sinhala military despotism. With this in view, it is executing its war plan at full gallop. Pooling together all its military resources and arsenal, and with all its national wealth to buttress it, the racist Sinhala state has waged a fierce war on our land. Our freedom fighters, have dedicated themselves to unbending resistance against this war of aggression launched by the racist Sinhala state. With various countries of the world buttressing the genocidal war on the people of Tamil Eelam, we are waging a defensive war for the freedom of our people.
Today, our movement has embarked on a historic journey, hazardous and strenuous. In this historic venture, we have encountered numerous turns, twists and confrontations. We have faced forces much mightier than ours. We have had direct confrontations even against superior powers, stronger than us. We have withstood wave after wave of our enemy attacks. Standing alone, we have blasted networks of innumerable intrigues, interwoven with betrayal and sabotage. We stood like a mountain and faced all dangers that loomed like storms. When compared to these happenings of the past, today’s challenges are neither novel nor huge. We will face these challenges with the united strength of our people.
This land which the Sinhala state is trying to occupy and enslave, has never belonged to it. This land is ours. Ancient Tamil civilisation stood long and firm on this land. Our ancestors lived and belonged here. Our ancient kings built kingdoms and dynasties and ruled from here. On this land where the roots of our nation have sunk deep, we wish to live in peace and with dignity and make decisions on our lives without the intervention of foreign rulers.
From the day that British colonialism was replaced with Sinhala oppression, we have been struggling for our just rights - peacefully at first and with weapons thereafter. The political struggle for our right to self-determination has extended over the last sixty years. During this period our struggle has gone through different shapes, developments and advanced to maturity. In the beginning, it was a peaceful and democratic struggle by our people for justice. The racist Sinhala state resorted to armed and animal like violence to suppress the peaceful struggle of the Tamil people for their political rights. It was when state oppression breached all norms and our people faced naked terrorism that our movement for freedom was born as a natural outcome in history. We were compelled to take up arms in order to protect our people from the armed terrorism of the racist Sinhala state. The armed violent path was not our choice. It was forced upon us by history.
Even though the armed struggle was thrust on us by inevitable needs, yet we wish to stop the war and seek a peaceful resolution to the national question of our people. Our freedom movement is always ready for it. We are not opposed to a peaceful resolution. We have never hesitated to participate in peace talks. From Thimpu to Geneva, under diametrically varied historical circumstances, we have adopted peaceful methods and participated in talks in order to win the political rights of our people.
Although we acted honestly and whole heartedly, to find a peaceful resolution to the national question, all talks were futile. The intransigence of the Sinhala state, its dishonest approach and its faith in military solution were the cause for failure of the talks. Even at a time when we had produced spectacular achievements in battle fields and broken the back-bone of the Sinhala armed forces, we participated in the peace negotiations facilitated by Norway. Bringing the war to an end, we participated with honesty and diligence in the peace negotiations which protracted for six years.
We continued to exercise patience at the military rampages and provocations by the armed forces. It is not that we trusted the racist Sinhala state to respect our people’s fair claims and advance justice, but it was to expose the hypocrisy of the Sinhala state and at the same time to impress upon the international community our commitment to peace, that we participated in the negotiations.
During the peace talks convened in different capitals of the world, there were no attempts to resolve the day-to-day needs of the Tamil people or to negotiate a resolution to the underlying national question. Sri Lanka made use of the opportunity of the peace talks to attempt to weaken the LTTE and hoodwink the Tamil nation and the international community. Using the talks as a masquerade, the Sinhala state made preparations to wage a major war on the Tamil nation. Making use of the cease-fire and the peace environment, the Sinhala state resuscitated its devastated economy and rebuilt its military might that was in shambles. It concentrated on heavy recruitment, refurbishing its arsenal, strengthening the armed forces and conducting military exercises. While the Tamil nation was engaged in peace-building, the Sinhala nation dedicated itself to preparations for war.
Meanwhile, some countries which identified themselves as so-called Peace Sponsors, rushed into activities which impaired negotiations. They denigrated our freedom movement as a terrorist organisation. They put us on their black list and ostracized us as unwanted and untouchable. Our people living in many lands were intimidated into submission by oppressive limitations imposed on them to prevent their political activities supporting our freedom struggle. Humanitarian activities pursued by our law-abiding people in many countries, well within the purview of the law of the land, have been belittled and curtailed. These activities were aimed at providing humanitarian aid to helpless victims of genocidal attacks by the Sinhala Sri Lanka state in Tamil areas. However, these humanitarian activities were branded as criminal activities in those countries. Representatives of the Tamil people, along with community leaders were arrested, jailed and insulted. The explicit bias shown by the activities of these countries affected the talks, in its balance and in its consideration of our status as an equal partner. This further aggravated the racist attitude of the Sinhala state. Sinhala chauvinism was encouraged to raise its head with impunity and inevitably push the Sinhala state further on its war path.
The Sinhala state shut tight the gates to peace and waged its war again on the Tamil nation. The cease-fire agreement facilitated by the international community was abrogated unilaterally by Sinhala Sri Lanka. Strangely no voice of protest was registered by any peace sponsor. Not even as a formality. Nor was any concern expressed. In contrast, some countries from the international community are providing an abundant supply of war materials, military training and expert advice, all for free. This has encouraged the Sinhala state to aggravate its genocidal war against the Tamils with a terrorist audacity .
Today, the Sinhala state has, as never before, placed its trust on its military strength, on military modalities and on a military solution. Its desire to impose its military despotism over the Tamil homeland and order a stringent military rule over the Tamils, has increased. As a result, the war has gathered intensity and momentum. In truth, this is not a war against the LTTE as the Sinhala state professes. This is a war against the Tamils; against the Tamil nation. In short, a genocidal war.
This war has affected Tamil civilians more than any body else. By turning the heat of war on our people and by burdening them with immeasurable sufferings, the Sinhala state is aspiring to turn our people against the LTTE. By closing the trunk-line roads, embargoing food and medicine and by suffocating people in tight military encirclements, the government has unleashed barrages of bombardments and shelling. Having lost their private lands and the serene life on them, our people have been reduced to destitution and live as wandering refugees. They have been forced to carry the cross of eternal suffering from birth to death. Struggling with disease and misery, malnutrition, ageing and untimely death, our people are steeped in suffering. With the solitary purpose of breaking the unbending will of our people, the Sinhala state has unleashed waves of oppression on them and subjected them to grievous injustice. A huge economic war has been declared on our people, their economic life shattered and their day-to-day living impaired. In Tamil areas under military control, hundreds of people disappear or killed, every month. In Sinhala areas, disappearance and killing of Tamils have become a normal routine.
Tamil areas under military occupation are encountering an accelerated agenda of genocide, today. Death, destruction, army atrocities and open prison-life in one’s own land, are the unendurable suffering our people have to suffer, as an order of the day. Arrest, imprisonment, torture, rape, murder, disappearance and clandestine burial in unknown graves form a vicious circle in which the lives of our people is enmeshed. Yet, our people have not lost hope. No measure, however punitive, can withhold their will to resist. Their yearning for freedom remains strong. No aerial bombardment can wipe out their determination to attain their freedom. Our people are used to carrying the cross of suffering. They are used to facing destruction and loss, daily in life. This suffering has further tempered their will to be steadfast in their aspiration. With such impetus, the urge for freedom has gathered momentum as never before.
Facing a great confrontation for such a long period, we have sacrificed so much and fought for so long, for nothing else, but for our people to live in freedom; live with dignity and live in peace. We are conducting this struggle with the unrelenting support of the Tamil people, the world over. Besides, our struggle does not contravene the national interest, geo-political interest or economic interest of any outside country. The inherent aspirations of our people do not in any way hamper the national interests of any country or people. At the same time, it may be noted that during the long history of our struggle, we have not conducted any act of aggression against any member state of the international community.
Our freedom movement, as well as our people, have always wished to maintain cordiality with the international community as well as neighbouring India. With this in view, we wish to create a viable environment and enhance friendship. We wish to express our goodwill and are looking forward to the opportunity to build a constructive relationship. Cordially I invite those countries that have banned us, to understand the deep aspirations and friendly overtures of our people, to remove their ban on us and to recognise our just struggle.
Today, there are great changes taking place in India. The dormant voices in support of our struggle are re-emerging aloud again. There are also indications of our struggle becoming accepted there. The positive change in environment gives us courage to seek renewal of our relationship with the Indian super power. The earlier approach and interventions of India were injurious to the people of Tamil Eelam, as well as to their struggle. The racist Sinhala state, with its intrigues, conspired to bring enmity between our freedom movement and the earlier Indian administration. The conflict arising out of this environment aggravated into a major war.
It was because we were firmly committed to our conviction and freedom for our people, that friction erupted between our movement and India. However, at no stage did we ever consider India as an enemy force. Our people always consider India as our friend. They have great expectations that the Indian super power will take a positive stand on our national question.
Not withstanding the dividing sea, Tamil Nadu, with its perfect understanding of our plight, has taken heart to rise on behalf of our people at this hour of need. This timely intervention has gratified the people of Tamil Eelam and our freedom movement and given us a sense of relief. I wish to express my love and gratitude at this juncture to the people and leaders of Tamil Nadu and the leaders of India for the voice of support and love they have extended. I would cordially request them to raise their voice firmly in favour of our struggle for a Tamil Eelam state, and to take appropriate and positive measures to remove the ban which remains an impediment to an amicable relationship between India and our movement.
My beloved people!
No great changes have taken place in the Sinhala political panorama. Politics there has developed into the form of a demonic war. In a country that worships the Buddha who preached love and kindness, racist hatred and war-mongering vie with one another. We can listen only to the throbs on war-drums. No sane voice is being raised either to abandon war or to seek peaceful resolution to the conflict. In Sinhalam, from politicians to spiritual leaders, from journalists to ordinary people, their voice is raised only in support of the war.
The Tamil Eelam nation does not want war. It does not favour violence. It is the Sinhala nation that waged war on our nation which had earlier adopted the path of ahimsa and asked for justice through peaceful means. When the SAARC leaders of our region met in Colombo, we expressed our goodwill and declared suspension of hostility. On the contrary, it was the Sinhala nation that rejected our overture, ridiculed us and continued with the offensive. It is the Sinhala nation that has laid down unacceptable and insulting conditions. It is the Sinhala nation that is continuing with the war.
The Sinhala nation is conducting a major war of genocide against us in our land, the news about which is denied to the outside world. Successive Sinhala regimes have hoodwinked the international community with a series of deceptions. Commencing with the round table conference, the list of deceit has now stretched to include the All Party conference of late. During this period the international community remains cheated. The Tamil national question was also left to drag on with no positive resolution offered. Meanwhile, the Sinhala nation has used its armed forces to set the Tamil land, ablaze. It has wiped out peaceful life on Tamil land, making Tamils destitute, displaced and wandering. Sinhalam has refused to offer the basic rights of the Tamils, split the Tamil land into two, installed anti-Tamil armed groups in the seat of administration while conducting a tyrannical military rule. It is now continuing with the war, offering to submit its plan to offer a solution only after the LTTE is defeated. Does Sinhala nation want to offer a solution only after the Tamils are suppressed and killed? Does it want to wipe out the true representatives of the Tamils and their bargaining power before offering a solution? The Sinhala nation is refusing to acknowledge the historic homeland of the Tamils. In such a situation, how will it offer a just solution to our people?
When it comes to the Tamil national question, the Sinhala nation is adopting only one policy. It is obviously a policy of suppression. Even the tinge of hope our people had that the Sinhala nation will abandon its path of violence and offer justice, has now evaporated. No political transformation has taken place during the last sixty years in the Sinhala nation. Therefore, hoping it will happen in the future is futile. Our people are not ready to trust Sinhala nation again and get cheated.
It is true Tamil Eelam is a small nation on the globe. However it is a nation with great potential. It is a nation with a characteristic individuality. It has a distinctive language, cultural heritage and history. Sinhalam seeks with its military might to destroy all these. It seeks to destroy Tamil sovereignty and replace it with Sinhala sovereignty. As the freedom movement of the people of Tamil Eelam we will never, ever allow Sinhala occupation or Sinhala domination of our homeland.
Whatever challenges confront us, whatever contingencies we encounter, whatever forces stand on our path, we will still continue with our struggle for the freedom of the Tamil people. On the path shown by history, on the command of the circumstances of today, we will continue with our struggle till alien Sinhala occupation of our land is removed,
At this historic juncture, I would request Tamils, in whatever part of the world that they may live in to raise their voices, firmly and with determination, in support of the freedom struggle of their brothers and sisters in Tamil Eelam. I would request them from my heart to strengthen the hands of our freedom movement and continue to extend their contributions and help. I would also take this opportunity to express my affection and my praise to our Tamil youth living outside our homeland for the prominent and committed role they play in actively contributing towards the liberation of our nation.
Let us all make a firm and determined resolution to follow fully the path of our heroes, who, in pursuit of our aspiration for justice and freedom, sacrificed themselves and have become a part of the history of our land and our people.
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LTTE defences are “fast falling apart”
THE HINDU Nov 24, 2008
COLOMBO: Sri Lanka’s military on Sunday claimed to have laid “siege” to Kilinochchi and that LTTE’s defences are “fast falling apart.”
A Defence Ministry statement said the Army’s offensive divisions in Wanni are now marching towards Kilinochchi built-up area. “Army Task Force-1 and 57th Division have launched attacks on LTTE-held earth-bunds built around Kilinochchi’s outskirts. Pitched battles are going on north and south of Adampan, and Therumurikandi since early this morning [November 23],” it said.
Soldiers launched a predawn strike north of Admapan. Infantry soldiers have been able to capture LTTE strongholds at three locations after crushing stiff resistance, it added.
“Intercepted radio transmissions have confirmed heavy damages to the terrorists during these clashes. [The] Army’s 57th division troops are now fighting the terrorists in the vicinity of the LTTE-held earth-bund in Admapan area. LTTE defence in the area is fast falling apart,” it said. In areas north of Kokavil, troops are advancing towards the A-9 Road.
The Ministry said a third group of 81 civilians, who escaped from Wanni, arrived at Omanthai on Sunday. “The refugees told our correspondent that they could free themselves from the terrorists clutches because of the security forces’ operations against the LTTE. The terrorists’ ability to manhandle the civilians at gunpoint is fast dwindling… people will soon escape Wanni open prison in large numbers, they added,” said the Ministry.
Pro-LTTE TamilNet website claimed at least 43 soldiers were killed and more than 70 wounded at Nalloor. “The fighting went on amid pouring rain and floods, according to the Tigers. The stiff fighting by the Tigers pushed back the troops, the LTTE said.”
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Abducted Indian ship crew return
BBC NEWS 24 November 2008
Some members of the Indian crew of a Japanese ship who were released by Somali pirates after two months in captivity have returned home.
TV pictures showed five crew members arriving in the western Indian city of Mumbai (Bombay).
Somali pirates captured the MV Stolt Valor with 18 Indian crew members on board on 15 September.
The threat posed by pirates off the Somali coast has been causing international concern.
More than 80 ships have been hijacked there this year.
'Horrific'
The smiling Indian sailors who arrived at Mumbai's international airport from Muscat in Oman were showered with petals thrown by overjoyed relatives.
These things happen everywhere. Even on land there are terror attacks
Naveed Burondkar, crew member
They said that they were "greatly relieved" to be back home.
"It was horrific, it was scary," crew member Alistair Fernandez said shortly after landing.
He said that the hostages were held at gunpoint for 24 hours, and were monitored by their captors at all times - even on trips to the bathroom.
Another sailor, Naveed Burondkar, said that those being held feared for their lives because the pirates - in their 20s and 30s - were armed with assault rifles and grenades.
"It was mentally tortuous to have these men with rocket propelled grenades and assault rifles constantly watching you," he said. "It is a big relief being back home."
Mr Burondkar said the pirates "were firing continuously" when they took the ship.
"After they boarded we were held at gunpoint."
But he said that most of the crew would return to work again.
The rest of the Indian crew members, including the ship's captain PK Goyal, are returning home on Tuesday.
A campaign was launched by Seema Goyal, the captain's wife, who pressured the Indian government to secure the release of the crew members.
Indian media reports suggested a large ransom had been paid by the Japanese ship-owners this month. There has been no confirmation from the owners.
India is now bolstering its naval presence in the Gulf of Aden to tackle piracy off Somalia's coast.
Last week, an Indian warship sank a suspected pirate "mother ship" after it came under attack in the Gulf of Aden.
India is among several countries currently patrolling the Gulf of Aden, one of the world's busiest shipping lanes which connects the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean.
In recent weeks, there has been a growing demand for multinational efforts to fight the pirates.
Somalia has not had a functioning national government since 1991 and has suffered continuing civil strife.
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JAPAN: Support, at a Price
Steven Alan Hassan's Freedom of Mind Center
He has been called the most powerful man in Japanese politics, yet he is not even a politician. Daisaku Ikeda is the spiritual leader of the Soka Gakkai, a lay Buddhist group that can muster nearly 7 million votes - a tenth of Japan's voting population (and a fifth of those who turn out in most elections). The Soka Gakkai's political arm, the New Komeito, is the second-largest opposition party in the Diet (parliament) and is notably influential in the upper house. That is a measure of Mr. Ikeda's power.
Now he is about to have more. On June 28th, the prime minister, Keizo Obuchu, took the first steps to get the New Komeito to join his coalition government. Since January, the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) has governed with the help of Ichiro Ozawa's small right-wing group, the Liberals. But though the coalition has a majority in the lower house of the Diet, it is nine seats shy in the upper house, making it difficult to pass controversial legislation. With its 52 members in the lower house and 24 in the upper house, the New Komeito would give Mr. Obuchi a comfortable margin in both chambers -- and, in the process, allow him to ignore Mr. Ozawa's hectoring demands.
On paper, the deal makes sense for the LDP. But many within his party are queasy about Mr. Obuchi's willingness to team up with the Buddhists. The last time the Komeito tasted power -- during a brief (non-LDP) coalition government headed by Morihiro Hosokawa in 1993 -- it was quick to block efforts to enforce the separation of church and state, as required by the constitution.
Set up in 1930 by teachers who believed in "value creation" (soka) theories of education, much is made of the society's record of protecting minorities against oppression. The group's founder, Tsunesaburo Makiguchi, died in prison during the second world war after being persecuted for his opposition to state shintoism.
After the war, the group transformed itself into a lay religious organisation, adopting the name Soka Gakkai (Value-Creation Society), and embracing the faith of the 700-year-old Nichiren Shoshu sect. It won a wide following for offering practical and moral help to people who were coming off the land and out of the armed forces and trying to find work, food and a place to sleep in Japan's bombed-out cities. In 1952, the society was adopted by Nichiren Shoshu, with the job of propagating the religion and converting people to the faith. The Soka Gakkai was then little more than a Buddhist-equivalent of the Salvation Army.
Nowadays, however, the Soka Gakkai realises that it went too far in 1991 when it allowed 300 of its young zealots to storm a temple in Fukuoka and beat up a worshipper and a priest who had criticised the group. That was the start of a war between the Soka Gakkai and Nichiren Shoshu, which later severed its ties with the Soka Gakkai and excommunicated Mr. Ikeda.
Having lost its main purpose, the Soka Gakkai now stresses its good works around the world. It gives generously to charities and campaigns for "peace, culture and education". Mr. Ikeda took over the leadership in 1960 and soon formed the Komeito (Clean Government Party). He built the Soka Gakkai into the power it is today. Few demands, other than pecuniary ones, are made on Soka Gakkai's followers, who are taught to attain enlightenment and prosperity through chanting sacred phrases handed down from a 13th-century monk called Nichiren. A popular pastime is watching videos of Mr. Ikeda mingling with the good, the great and the occasionally despotic, such as Cuba's Fidel Castro.
Clearly, the society provides an attractive support system for people in need. It has around 9 million members (mostly housewives), almost 1.3 million of whom are abroad. It is particularly strong in Osaka and Tokyo. Well-informed outsiders put the group's wealth at more than 10 trillion yen ($82 billion). The money comes from donations, the sale of burial plots, rent from property, and its newspaper, Seikyo Shimbun, whose circulation is 5.5 million.
But, like many organisations that have grown fat and lost sight of their original purpose, the Soka Gakkai protects its interests with a ruthlessness that has frightened off critics and cowed the Japanese mainstream media into silence. It tolerates no criticism whatsoever of Mr. Ikeda, who elevated himself to honorary chairman after a series of scandals in the 1970s. Detractors claim that the organisation acts like a cult, threatening people with hell and damnation if they try to leave. In inviting the New Komeito into the coalition, Mr. Obuchi may find he has more on his hands than the couple of dozen upper-house votes he bargained for.
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