NHK’s “Nichiyo Toron” Sunday debate show aired a discussion by six scholars on how to respond to the nuclear and missile threat posed by North Korea. The panelists agreed that the North Korea threat has entered a new stage on account of its accelerated development of nuclear and missile technology. Some of the scholars paid special attention to Pyongyang’s claim that….Read more

In Sunday’s NHK “Nichiyo Toron” debate program, Minister for Reconstruction Imamura and a Tohoku Gakuin University professor joined the governors of Miyagi, Iwate, and Fukushima Prefectures to discuss the progress in the past six years and additional efforts that need to be made to rebuild the communities devastated by the 3/11 triple disasters. The cabinet minister pledged to redouble the….Read more

NHK’s “Nichiyo Toron” Sunday debate show aired a discussion by House of Councillors members representing ruling and opposition parties. The Democratic Party panelist criticized the 2017 GOJ budget for being insufficient to support the young generation, and the discussants from the Japanese Communist Party and the Social Democratic Party insisted that the defense budget should be reduced to increase spending for social….Read more

On NHK’s “Nichiyo Toron” Sunday debate, five diplomatic and national security specialists exchanged views on North Korea, including its recent missile test and the murder of Kim Jong Nam, which is suspected to be the work of the DPRK government led by his half-brother Kim Jong Un. While agreeing that the assassination was ordered by the DPRK strongman to “neutralize”….Read more

NHK’s “Nichiyo Toron” Sunday debate show aired a live discussion by six experts on the first summit meeting between President Trump and Prime Minister Abe. All of the panelists agreed that the summit was a great success for Japan because the President confirmed the United States’ commitment to its security alliance with Japan. The panelists also shared the view that….Read more

NHK’s “Nichiyo Toron” Sunday debate show aired an interview with Defense Minister Inada. Concerning her first meeting with Secretary of Defense Mattis on Saturday in Tokyo, Inada stated that she confirmed with the Secretary that the U.S.-Japan alliance will continue to be strong under the new U.S. administration and that the strengthened alliance between the two nations will be important….Read more

NHK’s Sunday talk show featured a live debate among policy affairs chiefs of ruling and opposition parties on the FY2017 budget, the inauguration of the Trump administration, and the upcoming summit on Feb. 10 between President Trump and Prime Minister Abe. Opposition representatives, including DP Policy Research Committee Chairman Ogushi, expressed concern that the premier will be pressured by the….Read more

During NHK’s “Nichiyo Toron” Sunday debate show, secretaries general of the ruling and opposition parties expressed their views about the future of U.S.-Japan relations under the Trump administration. The LDP’s Nikai and Komeito Party’s Inoue stressed the need for arranging an early summit meeting between President Trump and Prime Minister Abe to deepen the relationship of trust between the two….Read more

NHK’s Sunday morning talk show “Nichiyo Toron” aired live, one-on-one interviews with the leaders of major political parties, including LDP President/Prime Minister Abe, who dismissed speculation that he may dissolve the Lower House later this month for a snap election. Abe said: “I’m not thinking about that at all. Our first task should be to ensure economic reconstruction. Since the most….Read more

Sunday’s NHK “Nichiyo Toron” debate program featured a live discussion among top officials of the ruling and opposition parties on Japanese diplomacy. LDP Vice President Komura and Komeito Chief Representative Yamaguchi defended Prime Minister Abe’s performance in the recent summit meetings with Russia President Putin by saying that the premier was successful in establishing a “new approach” toward forging a….Read more