InfoAnda - Rising poverty looms large in Japan's election

Pakistanis angry over detentions in Times Sq. case
Monday, May 24, 2010
ISLAMABAD – Relatives of three men detained by Pakistan for alleged links to the suspect in the attempted Times Square bombing say the men are innocent.
They

Taiwan denies boycotting Australian film festival
Thursday, August 6, 2009

AFP - Thursday, August 6TAIPEI (AFP) - - Taiwan's Beijing-friendly government on Wednesday denied boycotting an Australian film festival amid a row over the e

Merkel's support dips, regional ally resigns International
Thursday, September 3, 2009

By Sarah Marsh and Noah Barkin

BERLIN (Reuters) - Chancellor Angela Merkel suffered a double blow on Thursday as a senior party ally in east German

Minister seeks closure of anti-Berlusconi websites
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
ROME (AFP) - – The Italian government moved Tuesday to close down Internet sites encouraging further violence against Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, who

Asian markets mixed after Wall Street rally
Wednesday, March 18, 2009

By ELAINE KURTENBACH,AP Business Writer AP - Wednesday, March 18SHANGHAI - Asia's stock market rally seemed to be running out of steam Wednesday, despite an

The nation's weather | 26 January 2010
Croats start voting for new president | | 10 January 2010
What "True Grit" has in common with "The Blind Side" | 10 January 2011

Chinese newspaper attacks West over detained artist | | 6 April 2011

Forum Views () Forum Replies ()

Read more with google mobile : Rising poverty looms large in Japan's election

Yahoo! My Yahoo! Mail Yahoo! Search Search: Sign InNew User? Sign Up News Home - Help Navigation Primary Navigation Home Singapore Asia Pacific World Business Entertainment Sports Technology Top Stories Most Popular Secondary Navigation Singapore Asia Pacific World Search Search: Rising poverty looms large in Japan's election AFP - Sunday, August 23 KITAKYUSHU, Japan (AFP) - - Tomoshi Okuda is a man of faith, not politics. But the Japanese pastor has seen enough new faces on his nightly rounds feeding the homeless to persuade him that something needs to change. ADVERTISEMENT He's not the only one eager for a fresh start. With unemployment rising in the wake of the worst recession in decades, voters appear to be deserting Prime Minister Taro Aso's long-ruling party ahead of an August 30 election. It's a far cry from the 2005 lower house vote when premier Junichiro Koizumi won by a landslide on a platform of harsh economic reforms. These days many people blame his measures for a growing rich-poor divide. "I'm watching who will offer the most drastic change to the course of Koizumi's structural reform," Okuda told AFP during his rounds on a rainy evening in Kitakyushu, an industrial city in southwest Japan. The 45-year-old Baptist pastor hands out bananas and rice meals to people sleeping on the streets, including one 68-year-old woman sheltering from the downpour on a flattened cardboard box in a shopping arcade. "I want to start working again, but I can't with my broken leg," she said. Thousands of workers have been laid off in the local area, home to plants run by major firms including Nissan, Toshiba and Canon -- which have all been hit hard by slumping exports and Japan's worst post-war recession. "In April alone, we saw 69 new faces on the street, three times more than in the same month last year. One young man, only 29, was a temporary worker at a Nissan auto parts factory who was laid off in December," Okuda said. "Another 27-year-old man lived homeless with his wife, 24, and a four-year-old girl. Her apparently pink shoes were black with dust." Some people are even believed to have starved to death after being refused welfare benefits. In the latest case here, a 39-year-old man was reportedly found dead with nine yen (9.5 US cents) in his wallet and an unposted note saying "help." Across the country almost 230,000 temporary workers have lost their jobs since the recession began last year, pushing the jobless rate up to a six-year high of 5.4 percent -- within striking distance of its post-war peak. Although Japan's economy rebounded in the second quarter of 2009, there has been little sign of a bounce in the polls for Aso, whose Liberal Democratic Party has ruled almost uninterrupted for more than half a century. "Voters are totally fed up with the one-party LDP rule. Nobody believes in it any more and people are really desperately wanting to see a change," said Noriko Hama, a professor of economics at Doshisha Business School in Kyoto. The LDP and the opposition Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) have both pledged to roll back some of Koizumi's reforms, which were aimed at slimming down the public sector and reducing the huge national debt. Aso has pledged to break away from "excessive market capitalism," while the DPJ wants to boost spending on child support, education, healthcare and employment measures, and restrict the use of temporary job contracts. The DPJ's agenda mirrors US President Barack Obama's efforts to increase public spending to boost the economy and medical care, said Yoshinobu Yamamoto, professor of politics at Aoyama Gakuin University in Tokyo. "What the DPJ is trying to do seems similar to the old style of government intervention in the economy," he said. Japan once took great pride in having an egalitarian society and life-time employment following its rise from the ashes of World War II. But many people now fear for the future and are relying on handouts or working longer to make ends meet. The number of households on welfare benefits hit a record high of 1.2 million in April, according to the most recent data. "The LDP and (its coalition partner) New Komeito have been in government for too long, and look what happened. Things are not good," said 66-year-old Tokyo resident Shigeo Utsumi, who wants to work but cannot find a good job. "It's probably a good idea to let the DPJ take over, at least once. We're heading for disaster if nothing changes." Email Story IM Story Printable View Blog This Sign in to recommend this article » 0 users recommend Related Articles: Business Saudi and UAE border in dispute over ID cardsReuters - 2 hours 17 minutes ago UBS chairman says clients "not harmless victims": reportReuters - 2 hours 34 minutes ago Jordan cbank offers 3 year bonds worth $141 mlnReuters - 2 hours 40 minutes ago Aramco's JV refinery sees maintenance in 2011Reuters - Monday, August 24 Bahrain's Ahli United Bank cleared to raises stakesReuters - Monday, August 24 Enlarge Photo Rising poverty looms large in Japan's election Most Popular – Business Viewed Egypt warns pharaohs' tombs could disappear Homes of former Porsche executives searched: report Ramadan begins on Saturday amid swine flu worries Triple gold for Bolt as Kenya trump Ethiopia New economic data set to test Wall Street bull run View Complete List » Search: Home Singapore Asia Pacific World Business Entertainment Sports Technology Top Stories Most Popular Copyright © 2009 Yahoo! Southeast Asia Pte Ltd. (Co. Reg. No. 199700735D). All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy - Terms of Service - Community - Intellectual Property Rights Policy - Help

Other News on Sunday, 23 August 2009
Iran clerics oppose Ahmadinejad on women ministers
Russia dam disaster death toll rises to 66
Homes of former Porsche executives searched: report
Reporter's family reunion in Iraq is reality check
More relay woe for United States
Iraq's Maliki pledges victory amid criticism
Iran clerics oppose Ahmadinejad on women ministers | International |
Long's sportsmanship was not case of race, says son
South Sudan accuses north of arming southern civilians, militias
Iraq's Maliki pledges victory amid criticism | International |
Iraq minister suspects security forces role in blasts
Nigeria rebel group to resume attacks, ends talks | International |
Venezuelans march over schools law, police use gas | International |
Pakistan suicide bomber blows self up during raid
Official says Iranian guards kill 2 Pakistanis
Report: Pakistani Taliban choose new leader
North Korean envoys to meet South's President Lee
Report: Hakimullah new head of Pakistani Taliban
Urban schools use marketing to woo residents back
Obama to health care critics: end `phony claims'
AP NewsAlert
Post-affair Ensign gets mixed results in Nevada
4 dead in latest violence in southern Thailand
India to let landlocked Nepal use second port
Gay clergy: Where large Protestant churches stand
Prosecutor: Neb. man stole painting for abortion
China says 2 environment officials investigated
Rioting inmates set central Ky. prison ablaze
Tips for reducing the chance a dog will bite
Change of venue court cases are extremely rare
Lutheran gay clergy vote tests mainline churches
Ga. dog pack shows fine line between pet, predator
Rival Koreas meet ahead of state funeral | International |
Russia dam disaster death toll up to 69: rescuers
Smartphones drive language learning innovation
Swiss size up hole in iconic banking secrecy
Afghan polls lay hope for power of ballot box
Triple gold for Bolt as Kenya trump Ethiopia
Vatican deplores indifference to migrants after more deaths
Japan opposition wary of polls showing a landslide | International |
US notifying Red Cross of jailed militants: report
Australia sprays oil slick amid wildlife fears | International |
King calls for unity in polarized Thailand | International |
Iraqis facing more deadly attacks says foreign minister
Weaker Hurricane Bill moves towards eastern Canada | International |
Iraqis begin restoring concrete walls in Baghdad
Argentine outrage as Iran names terror suspect as minister
Apple says Google Voice app alters iPhone | Technology |
Sean Kingston album gets fans online with karaoke | Technology |
Weaker Hurricane Bill heads for US, Canada coasts
China drought leaves 5 million short of water
CIA report has new details of prisoner abuse
HK protesters demand release of Chinese dissident
N. Korea delegation meets with S. Korean president
Lawyers can question 9/11 suspect in writing
World economy on rebound, but future uncertain
State funeral for ex-SKorean President Kim begins
Water project adds to Taiwan leader's typhoon woes
FBI director outraged by Lockerbie bomber release
US military deaths in Iraq war at 4,334
China arrests 15,000 drink-drivers in a week: report
Elizabeth Edwards opens furniture store in NC
King calls for unity in polarised Thailand
Global Weather-Celsius
AP sources: Internal report tells of CIA methods
NKorea leader Kim sends message to SKorea president
Weather forecast for the Asia-Pacific region
Swine flu looms over global economic recovery
Global brands turn to China's young amid slump
Robin Williams says he is a work-in-progress dad | Entertainment |
Sean Kingston album gets fans online with karaoke | Entertainment |
Police scour Canada for millionaire murder suspect
Porn makers challenged for not mandating condoms
Guitarist James Burton fails to set world record
Europe's biggest jackpot finds a winner
US Evangelical Lutherans accept 'committed' gay clergy
Israel pushes Sweden to condemn 'anti-Semitic' story
Italian, French aircraft to join Greek fire effort
Germany ramps up pressure on GM over Opel
Afghan challenger says election widely rigged | International |
Pakistan Taliban name new leader but doubts remain | International |
More than 200 claims of irregularities in Afghan vote
Proud Scots feel heat over Libyan bomber's release | International |
Fresh attack hits northern Afghanistan: govt
Cuba publishes photo of fit-looking Fidel Castro | International |
Report: No sign of West Bank settlement slowdown
British military procurement flawed: report
Greek wildfire near Athens spreads, thousands flee | International |
Iraq intelligence chief retired before major blasts | International |
Settlements seen clouding Netanyahu Europe trip | International |
Egypt tries 26 men seen with Hezbollah links | International |
Madagascar's leaders committed to power-sharing | International |
South Korea holds state funeral for Kim Dae-jung
McCain refuses to consider taxes to reduce deficit
Dispute threatens talks to end Filipino rebellion
McCain: Obama must drop 'public option'
McCain: Health debate hurt by Kennedy's absence
Rare tiger killed, body stolen from Indonesian zoo
Obama vacation takeoff delayed by Hurricane Bill
US notifying Red Cross of jailed militants: report
Japan PM says forecast of election loss premature
Excited locals await Obamas at vacation spot
China legal activist freed, but may face tax case
Afghan commission: fraud filings could sway vote
Australian oil well to gush for nearly two months
New Pakistan Taliban leader ruthless
Japan PM frontrunner vows to cut public debt
Japan opposition wary of polls showing a landslide
Foreign direct investment plans in S. Korea jump
Rising poverty looms large in Japan's election
Bangladeshi firms seek to shed 'sweatshop' label
Diamond mining is not forever, SAfrica learns
Suspicion undermines DR Congo relief workers
New York painter barks for art
Europe's top tourist venues hit by economic crisis
The charm of the Mini rolls on at 50
Greece at new risk of being pushed off euro
Bodies of missing Tenn. mom, Jo Ann Bain, and daughter found
Female Breasts Are Bigger Than Ever
AMD Trinity Accelerated Processing Units Now in Volume Production
The Avengers (2012 film), made the second biggest opening- and single-day gross of all-time
AMD to Start Production of piledriver
Ivy Bridge Quad-Core, Four-Thread Desktop CPUs
Islamists Protest Lady Gaga's Concert in Indonesia
Japan Successfully Broadcasts an 8K Signal Over the Air
ECB boosts loans to 1 trillion Euro to stop credit crunch
Egypt : Mohammed Morsi won with 52 percent
What do you call 100,000 Frenchmen with their hands up
AMD Launches AMD Embedded R-Series APU Platform
Fed Should not Ignore Emerging Market Crisis
Fed casts shadow over India, emerging markets
Why are Chinese tourists so rude? A few insights

USD EUR - 1 year graph	VPN on MacOSX	BlogMeter 1.01