Tougher prison terms for juvenile delinquents

Tougher prison terms for juvenile delinquents

TOKYO, Japan - Justice Minister Makoto Taki holds a press conference at the ministry in Tokyo on Aug. 24, 2012. The ministry is considering raising the maximum jail term for juvenile delinquents from the current 15 years, a ministry official said the same day, as crime victims and those involved in lay judge trials say the gap in punishments between adult offenders and juvenile ones is too large.

Cabinet reshuffle

Cabinet reshuffle

TOKYO, Japan - Members of Japan's reshuffled Cabinet pose in a group photo session at Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda's office in Tokyo on June 4, 2012. Noda replaced five members of the 18-strong Cabinet, newly appointing (from top R to L) Defense Minister Satoshi Morimoto, Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Minister Yuichiro Hata, (from bottom R to L) Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Akira Gunji, Justice Minister Makoto Taki and Financial Services Minister Tadahiro Matsushita.

Cabinet reshuffle

Cabinet reshuffle

TOKYO, Japan - Japan's new Justice Minister Makoto Taki enters the office of Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda in Tokyo on June 4, 2012, with Noda naming him to the post in a Cabinet reshuffle.

Cabinet reshuffle

Cabinet reshuffle

TOKYO, Japan - File photos show Yuichiro Hata (L) and Makoto Taki, both of Japan's ruling Democratic Party of Japan. Hata was tapped as land, infrastructure, transport and tourism minister, replacing Takeshi Maeda, while Taki was named justice minister, replacing Toshio Ogawa, as Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda reshuffled his Cabinet on June 4, 2012.

New party launched by LDP rebels

New party launched by LDP rebels

TOKYO, Japan - (From L to R) Hiroyuki Arai, a member of the House of Councillors, Takashi Aoyama, former House of Representatives member, Nagano Gov. Yasuo Tanaka, and former lower house members Koki Kobayashi and Makoto Taki join hands Aug. 21 to launch a new political party, named Nippon. The four lawmakers broke ranks with the Liberal Democratic Party and voted against Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's Japan Post privatization bills.

New party launched by LDP rebels

New party launched by LDP rebels

TOKYO, Japan - (From L to R) Hiroyuki Arai, a member of the House of Councillors, Takashi Aoyama, former House of Representatives member, Nagano Gov. Yasuo Tanaka, and former lower house members Koki Kobayashi and Makoto Taki join hands Aug. 21 to launch a new political party, named Nippon. The four lawmakers broke ranks with the Liberal Democratic Party and voted against Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's Japan Post privatization bills. (Kyodo)