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Okinawa governor race begins

NAHA, Japan - Mikio Shimoji, 53, former state minister in charge of the privatization of postal services, who is running for governor of Okinawa, makes a speech in Naha, the capital city of Japan's southernmost prefecture on Oct. 30, 2014, the first day of official campaigning for a closely watched election on Nov. 16, in which the controversial transfer of a key U.S. military base will take center stage.

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Candidates for Okinawa gubernatorial race hold debate

NAHA, Japan - Candidates for the Okinawa gubernatorial election pose after an open debate in Naha, Japan, on Oct. 17, 2014. From L: Former Naha Mayor Takeshi Onaga, Mikio Shimoji, former minister in charge of privatization of postal services, Shokichi Kina, a former House of Councillors member, and incumbent Okinawa Gov. Hirokazu Nakaima.

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Japan Post new president

TOKYO, Japan - File photo shows Taizo Nishimuro. Japan Post Holdings Co. on May 22, 2013, announced a plan to appoint former Toshiba Corp. Chairman Nishimuro, who currently serves as chairman of a committee to oversee progress in the privatization of the postal system, as its president to replace Atsuo Saka.

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Group of nonpartisan lawmakers visits Yasukuni Shrine

TOKYO, Japan - Postal privatization minister Mikio Shimoji (C back) is pictured at Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo on Oct. 18, 2012. Lawmakers of a nonpartisan group, including Shimoji and another Cabinet minister, visited the Shinto shrine dedicated to the war-dead on the occasion of its fall festival.

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Japan Cabinet reshuffle

TOKYO, Japan - Mikio Shimoji, Japan's new postal privatization minister, enters Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda's office in Tokyo on Oct. 1, 2012, as Noda reshuffled his Cabinet.

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Noda to reshuffle Cabinet

TOKYO, Japan - Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda (R) and Shozaburo Jimi, head of the ruling coalition the People's New Party, meet in Tokyo on Sept. 28, 2012. Jimi is expected to be postal privatization minister as Noda plans to reshuffle his Cabinet soon.

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Japan Postal union demands passage of postal reform bill

CHIBA, Japan - Japan Post Holdings Co. President Jiro Saito (R) and Japanese Trade Union Confederation President Nobuaki Koga attend a national convention of the Japan Postal Group Union in the city of Chiba on June 9, 2010. The postal union called for the enactment of the postal reform bill to scale back postal privatization during the current Diet session.

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Japan Postal union demands passage of postal reform bill

CHIBA, Japan - The Japan Postal Group Union begins a three-day national convention in the city of Chiba on June 9, 2010. The union called for the enactment of the postal reform bill to scale back postal privatization during the current Diet session.

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JP to make 65,000 nonregular employees into full-time workers

TOKYO, Japan - Japan Post Holdings Co. President Jiro Saito speaks about the company's plan to award regular-worker status to some 65,000 of 200,000 nonregular employees during a press conference in Tokyo on May 7, 2010. Saito said the plan is aimed at helping to stabilize employment in line with a bill to scale back the planned privatization of state-backed postal services.

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Gov't to make major changes in Japan Post privatization plans

TOKYO, Japan - Financial Services Minister Shizuka Kamei (L) speaks at a news conference, also attended by Internal Affairs and Communications Minister Kazuhiro Haraguchi (R), to reveal an outline of a bill to make major changes in the nation's postal privatization plans at the Diet building on March 24, 2010. (Pool photo)

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Gov't to make major changes in Japan Post privatization plans

TOKYO, Japan - Financial Services Minister Shizuka Kamei speaks at a news conferenc to reveal an outline of a bill to make major changes in the nation's postal privatization plans at the Diet building on March 24, 2010. (Pool photo)

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Gov't to make major changes in Japan Post privatization plans

TOKYO, Japan - Financial Services Minister Shizuka Kamei (L) speaks at a news conference, also attended by Internal Affairs and Communications Minister Kazuhiro Haraguchi (C), to reveal an outline of a bill to make major changes in the nation's postal privatization plans at the Diet building on March 24, 2010. (Pool photo)

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Gov't draft bill would realign Japan Post group into 3 firms

TOKYO, Japan - Shizuka Kamei, state minister in charge of postal and financial affairs, briefs reporters on the government draft bill to review the postal privatization process at the Financial Services Agency in Tokyo on Feb. 8, 2020. The draft proposes a realignment of the Japan Post group into three companies from the current five.

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Takenaka raps nomination of ex-bureaucrat to head Japan Post

TOKYO, Japan - Former economic and fiscal policy minister Heizo Takenaka, the main architect of postal privatization under former Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, speaks in an interview with Kyodo News in Tokyo on Oct. 22, 2009. Takenaka criticized the government's naming of a former bureaucrat to head Japan Post Holdings Co.

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Japan Post head Nishikawa announces resignation

TOKYO, Japan - Japan Post Holdings Co. President Yoshifumi Nishikawa looks glum during a news conference at the company's head office in Tokyo on Oct. 20, 2009. Nishikawa announced his intention to step down amid calls for his resignation from the new government, which has adopted a policy to overhaul Japan's postal privatization.

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Japan Post head Nishikawa announces resignation

TOKYO, Japan - Japan Post Holdings Co. President Yoshifumi Nishikawa speaks at a news conference at the company's head office in Tokyo on Oct. 20, 2009. Nishikawa announced his intention to step down amid calls for his resignation from the new government, which has adopted a policy to overhaul Japan's postal privatization.

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Cabinet shifts from Koizumi's postal privatization scheme

TOKYO, Japan - Financial and postal services minister Shizuka Kamei speaks during a press conference after the Cabinet meeting on Oct. 20. 2009, over the government's basic policy for reviewing the postal privatization scheme launched in 2007.

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Aso's cash handout plan now on the line

TOKYO, Japan - Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso heads for a Cabinet meeting in the parliament building on Feb. 13. Aso's pet project of giving people a cash handout to prop up the declining economy is now on the line, after his recent negative comments about privatization of postal services angered one of Japan's most influential lawmakers -- former Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, who spearheaded the privatization.

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Koizumi criticizes Aso over postal privatization remarks

TOKYO, Japan - Former Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi speaks at a meeting of ruling Liberal Democratic Party lawmakers at the LDP headquarters in Tokyo on Feb. 12. At the meeting of the lawmakers, who promote postal privatization, Koizumi criticized Prime Minister Taro Aso for his remarks showing willingness to review postal privatization.

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Aso willing to review split-up of postal services

TOKYO, Japan - Prime Minister Taro Aso speaks during a session of the House of Representatives Budget Committee on Feb. 5. Aso said he is willing to review a planned four-way split of Japan's postal services being considered under the postal privatization initiatives launched by former Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi.

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Japan starts 10-year postal privatization process

TAKAMATSU, Japan - A Japan Post Service staffer wearing a new uniform leaves to deliver mail in Shionoe, Takamatsu, Kagawa Prefecture, on Oct. 1 as Japan started the process of privatizing its state-run postal services.

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Japan starts 10-year postal privatization process

TOKYO, Japan - Staff (R side) at a Japan Post Bank office in Tokyo's Marunouchi district greet customers on Oct. 1 as Japan started the process of privatizing its state-run postal services.

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Japan starts 10-year postal privatization process

TOKYO, Japan - A ceremony to launch the process of privatizing Japan's state-run postal services is held in Tokyo on Oct. 1. From L to R are former Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, former Japan Post President Masaharu Ikuta, Japan Post President Yoshifumi Nishikawa, Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda and Internal Affairs and Communications Minister Hiroya Masuda.

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Japan starts 10-year postal privatization process

TOKYO, Japan - A new signboard appears at a post office in Tokyo's Chuo Ward on Sept. 30 ahead of the start on Oct. 1 of the process of privatizing Japan's state-run postal services. State-backed Japan Post will be reorganized into four firms dealing respectively with banking, insurance, mail-delivery and over-the-counter services under a holding company.

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Japan starts 10-year postal privatization process

TOKYO, Japan - People (in back) gather at the Tokyo Central Post Office on Oct. 1 to buy memorial stamps as Japan began the process of privatizing state-run postal services the same day by reorganizing Japan Post into four firms dealing respectively with banking, insurance, mail-delivery and over-the-counter services under a holding company.

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New postal bank could disturb regional economies: Ogawa

TOKYO, Japan - Tadashi Ogawa, president of the Regional Banks Association of Japan, said in a recent interview with Kyodo News that the new savings bank that will be created as part of postal privatization on Oct. 1 should be smaller than currently planned.

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Japan Post to review business ties for profitability: new chief

TOKYO, Japan - Japan Post President Yoshifumi Nishikawa said April 2 the public entity for postal services will review its business and capital relations with some 70 companies and affiliates in a bid to streamline operations before its privatization in October.

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LDP readmits unseated 'postal rebel' for upper house election

TOKYO, Japan - Seiichi Eto, a former senior vice health, labor and welfare minister, responds to questions from reporters at the ruling Liberal Democratic Party headquarters in Tokyo on March 9 after being readmitted to the party. Eto, a former House of Representatives member, lost his seat in the 2005 general election after being ousted from the party for opposing postal privatization bills. Readmission paved the way for his candidacy in the House of Councillors election this summer.

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LDP formally decides to readmit 11 'postal rebels'

TOKYO, Japan - Prime Minister Shinzo Abe (C, top of table) meets with 11 rebel Diet members who were readmitted to the the ruling Liberal Democratic Party in Tokyo on Dec. 4. The 11 Diet members were purged by former Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi last year for opposing his postal privatization scheme.

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'Postal rebels' submit petition for readmission to LDP

TOKYO, Japan - Takeo Hiranuma, who was economy, trade and industry minister in the last administration, speaks during a news conference in Tokyo on Nov. 27 after a meeting to discuss the return to the Liberal Democratic Party of independent lawmakers who were ousted from it last year for opposing the LDP's postal privatization policy. (Pool photo)

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Postal life insurance to sell other firms' products even before IPO

TOKYO, Japan - Josuke Shindo, chairman-designate of a postal life insurance firm that will emerge on the privatization of Japan's postal system in October 2007, speaks during an interview with Kyodo News in Tokyo. He said that the firm, tentatively called Kampo Life Insurance, will seek to sell other insurers' products even before its initial public offering.

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Japan Post plans service expansion after privatization

TOKYO, Japan - Japan Post Corp. President Yoshifumi Nishikawa (R) and Internal Affairs and Communication Minister Heizo Takenaka (L) hold a news conference in Tokyo on July 31 after Nishikawa handed Takenaka an outline of its 10-year postal privatization road map.

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Japan Post plans service expansion after privatization

TOKYO, Japan - Japan Post Corp. President Yoshifumi Nishikawa (R) hands an outline of the company's 10-year postal privatization road map to Internal Affairs and Communication Minister Heizo Takenaka on July 31.

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Businessmen to head 4 postal entities after privatization

TOKYO, Japan - Internal Affairs and Communications Minister Heizo Takenaka (L) speaks at a press conferemce after announcing the appointment of private-sector businessmen as chief executive officers of the four companies to be created through the privatization of postal services in October 2007.

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Postal privatization planning firm begins operations

TOKYO, Japan - Yoshifumi Nishikawa (L), president of Japan Post Corp., a new stock company set up by the public corporation Japan Post, speaks during a news conference in Tokyo on Jan. 23 after a ceremony to begin operations of the new company in the buildup to Japan's postal privatization from October 2007.

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Postal privatization planning firm begins operations

TOKYO, Japan - Yoshifumi Nishikawa (L), president of Japan Post Corp., a new stock company set up by the public corporation Japan Post, and Internal Affairs and Communications Minister Heizo Takenaka (R) cut the tape in a ceremony in Tokyo on Jan. 23 as the new company began operations the same day in the buildup to Japan's postal privatization from October 2007.

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Planning firm for postal privatization selects president, directors

TOKYO, Japan - Internal Affairs and Communications Minister Heizo Takenaka addresses an inaugural meeting of a company to prepare for Japan's postal privatization in 2007 held at a Tokyo hotel on Jan. 20. The meeting chose former Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corp. President Yoshifumi Nishikawa as its president. Takenaka said, ''Postal privatization will have the historic meaning of creating Japan's new market economy for the 21st century.''

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Planning firm for postal privatization selects president, directors

TOKYO, Japan - A company to prepare for Japan's postal privatization in 2007 held its inaugural meeting at a Tokyo hotel on Jan. 20. The meeting named former Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corp. President Yoshifumi Nishikawa as its president.

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Koizumi picked as politician of year

MOSCOW, Russia - Major Russian economic daily Vedomosti carries on its front page on Dec. 29 a story on its selection of Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi as the politician of the year. Koizumi ''refused to compromise with the opposition bloc (in his postal privatization drive) and won a landslide victory after dissolving the House of Representatives,'' it said. ''He showed the qualifications that are required of a capable politician.''

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Ex-top banker Nishikawa to head key firm for postal system privatization

TOKYO, Japan - Former Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corp. President Yoshifumi Nishikawa speaks at a press conference at the internal affairs and communications ministry on Nov. 11 after being named to head a holding firm which will be founded in October 2007 for the privatization of Japan's postal system.

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Ex-top banker Nishikawa to head key firm for postal system privatization

TOKYO, Japan - Heizo Takenaka (L), minister of internal affairs and communications, and former Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corp. President Yoshifumi Nishikawa smile at a question from one of reporters during a press conference on Nov. 11. The government has picked Nishikawa as president of a holding firm to be founded in October 2007 for the privatization of Japan's postal system.

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Ex-top banker Nishikawa to head key firm for postal system privatization

TOKYO, Japan - File photo shows former Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corp. President Yoshifumi Nishikawa, who was picked by the government on Nov. 11 as president of a holding firm to be founded in October 2007 for the privatization of Japan's postal system. Nishikawa accepted the post in a meeting with Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi.

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LDP to expel ex-minister Norota, recommends 26 to leave party

TOKYO, Japan - Senior Liberal Democratic Party member Mayumi Moriyama (R) presides over the party's discipline committee to discuss how to cope with party members who voted against Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's postal privatization bills in Diet in August.

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LDP expels 9 as punishment for voting against postal bills

TOKYO, Japan - Tamisuke Watanuki, former House of Representatives speaker, speaks with reporters after being expelled by the governing Liberal Democratic Party on Oct. 21 for voting against Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's postal privatization bills during the previous Diet session ended Aug. 13.

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LDP expels 9 as punishment for voting against postal bills

TOKYO, Japan - Mayumi Moriyama, who chairs the Liberal Democratic Party's Party Ethics Committee, speaks at a press conference at the LDP Headquarters in Tokyo on Oct. 21 on her panel's decision to expel nine current and former LDP lawmakers for voting against Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's postal privatization bills during the previous Diet session ended Aug. 13.

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Bills enacted to privatize Japan Post from Oct. 2007

TOKYO, Japan - Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi (2nd from L) shakes hands with his postal privatization minister Heizo Takenaka (L) after a set of bills to privatize Japan Post were voted into laws by the House of Councillors on Oct. 14. Koizumi called the enactment of the laws a ''political miracle'' and thanked the public for supporting his drive.

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Bills enacted to privatize Japan Post from Oct. 2007

TOKYO, Japan - Heizo Takenaka (L), state minister in charge of potal privatization, bow by way of expressing appreciation after a set of bills to privatize Japan Post were approved the House of Councillors Special Committee on Postal Privatization on Oct. 14. The upper house voted the bills into laws at a plenary session later in the day.

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LDP rookies make debuts in Diet debate on postal bills

TOKYO, Japan - Yukari Sato, who was elected in the Sept. 11 general election on an LDP ticket, makes her debut in Diet deliberations in a session of the lower house Special Committee on Postal Privatization on Oct. 7.

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LDP rookies make debuts in Diet debate on postal bills

TOKYO, Japan - Satsuki Katayama, who was elected in the Sept. 11 general election on an LDP ticket, makes her debut in Diet deliberations in a session of the lower house Special Committee on Postal Privatization on Oct. 7.

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Key group of LDP upper house rebels to back postal bills

TOKYO, Japan - Hirofumi Nakasone, head of a group of 11 Liberal Democratic Party upper house members who voted against a set of bills postal services privatization, speaks at a press conference after his group decided to change its political stance. ''We respect the clear public will,'' Nakasone said, referring to the results of the Sept. 11 general election.