Secrecy bill

Secrecy bill

TOKYO, Japan - State minister Masako Mori answers a question on a controversial bill to toughen penalties for leakers of state secrets at a House of Concillors panel in Tokyo on Nov. 29, 2013.

(5)Militant group takes 3 Japanese captive

(5)Militant group takes 3 Japanese captive

TOKYO, Japan - Noriaki Imai (R), one of three Japanese taken hostage by a militant group calling itself Saraya al-Mujahideen, is seen talking with House of Concillors lawmaker Atsuo Nakamura at Nakamura's office April 2, one day before Imai left for Iraq. Photo was taken from Nakamura's Internet homepage.

Tanaka refuses to clarify reported promise over Taiwan's Lee

Tanaka refuses to clarify reported promise over Taiwan's Lee

TOKYO, Japan - Foreign Minister Makiko Tanaka responds to questions by a lawmaker at a House of Concillors Budget Committee session in the Diet in Tokyo on May 21. In the session, she refused to clarify whether she made a promise to Chinese Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan earlier this month that Japan will not issue any more entry visas to former Taiwan President Lee Teng-hui.

Upper house chief Saito says he may quit over Diet impasse

Upper house chief Saito says he may quit over Diet impasse

TOKYO, Japan - House of Concillors President Juro Saito (C) leaves the Diet Oct. 17 after ruling and opposition parties failed to reach a compromise on a bill to revise the electoral system for the upper house. Saito, who proposed an arbitration plan Oct. 16, said he will quit if the two sides cannot agree. The opposition has been boycotting almost all Diet business for two weeks, claiming the bill would make campaigning more expensive.

Japan's Diet enacts 778 bil. yen quake-linked extra budget

Japan's Diet enacts 778 bil. yen quake-linked extra budget

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe (R in front) and Finance Minister Taro Aso (C in front) bow during a plenary session of the House of Concillors at the Diet in Tokyo on May 17, 2016, after the upper house unanimously approved a 778 billion yen ($7.2 billion) supplementary budget. The budget, containing measures to support Kumamoto Prefecture and other areas affected by deadly earthquakes, was passed by the House of Representatives the previous day. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

(5)Militant group takes 3 Japanese captive

(5)Militant group takes 3 Japanese captive

TOKYO, Japan - Noriaki Imai (R), one of three Japanese taken hostage by a militant group calling itself Saraya al-Mujahideen, is seen talking with House of Concillors lawmaker Atsuo Nakamura at Nakamura's office April 2, one day before Imai left for Iraq. Photo was taken from Nakamura's Internet homepage. (Kyodo)

Tanaka refuses to clarify reported promise over Taiwan's Lee

Tanaka refuses to clarify reported promise over Taiwan's Lee

TOKYO, Japan - Foreign Minister Makiko Tanaka responds to questions by a lawmaker at a House of Concillors Budget Committee session in the Diet in Tokyo on May 21. In the session, she refused to clarify whether she made a promise to Chinese Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan earlier this month that Japan will not issue any more entry visas to former Taiwan President Lee Teng-hui.