Mori Building, a titan in urban development, famous for its pioneering projects like Toranomon Hills and Azabudai Hills, now faces critical scrutiny. Amidst impressive architectural feats, a lurking financial unease paints a different picture. The company’s accumulated debts have skyrocketed to a staggering 1.6 trillion yen, a drastic leap from 729 billion yen in 2012. Although revenue and profits show growth, they pale in comparison to the burgeoning debt. With five years of negative Free Cash Flow, the financial alarm bells are ringing loud and clear. At the helm is President Shingo Tsuji, steering a ship that seems to be navigating in the wake of its founder, Minoru Mori’s legacy,...

The recent appearance of former Bank of Japan Governor Haruhiko Kuroda in the Nikkei Newspaper’s renowned column “My Resume” raises eyebrows, especially given the controversial timing amidst the ongoing challenges of his “unprecedented monetary easing” policy. This policy, launched over a decade ago and characterized by the mantra “2 years, 2%, 2 times,” has survived numerous amendments but failed to achieve its core goal of 2% inflation. Kuroda’s successor, Kazuo Ueda, is currently grappling with the side effects of this policy, including currency devaluation and increased fiscal risks. Kuroda’s entry in “My Resume,” a column traditionally reserved for individuals with significant achievements in politics, economics, culture, and sports, seems premature....

The Constitutional Democratic Party (CDP) has unwittingly fallen into a tactical ploy by the Japanese Communist Party (JCP), as they navigate the political fallout from mixed results in two recent by-elections. Intent on reconstructing a united opposition front to make up for their own failed expansion, the JCP has cleverly capitalized on the situation. On October 23, following the by-elections in Kochi-Tokushima and the House of Representatives’ Nagasaki 4th district, CDP leader Kenta Izumi, along with other party officials, approached various opposition parties seeking policy collaboration and strategizing to maximize opposition seats in the general election—an unusual move for the main opposition party. The JCP didn’t miss this opportunity. Soon...

Yamagata Newspaper’s autocratic Chairman Hiroji Sagae has faced significant criticism for his unilateral editorial decisions. Despite announcing his resignation as President in April and moving to the Chairman position in June, Sagae retained his power as the company’s representative and chief editor, leading to claims that his dictatorship continues. One of the most controversial policies implemented under Sagae’s leadership is the “old paper collection” initiative. Launched during his presidency, this project aims to collect used newspapers from readers and recycle them into new paper, in collaboration with major paper manufacturer Nippon Paper Industries. While this appears to contribute to a sustainable society, local distributors express anger due to the increased...

Despite a confidential poll conducted by the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) in late September showing a favorable tailwind, suggesting they could secure a number of seats close to their current count… #TaxHikeGlasses#増税メガネ The hashtag emerged on X (formerly Twitter) in late August. It’s a tag associated with Prime Minister Fumio Kishida. Clicking on it reveals a series of scathing comments on Kishida’s tax hike policy. Derivatives such as “TaxHikeStupidGlasses” have been spawned and continue to spread. “The criticism about the tax hike policy is quite tough to handle…” Kishida lamented to those around him, but it’s essentially a problem of his own making. In December 2021, it was Kishida himself...

Why is the Ministry of Foreign Affairs wary of its new minister? “Difficult to handle” and “scary when angered” were the reputations she had. This summer, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs received a double shock. On September 13th, during the cabinet reshuffle, Yoko Kamikawa, former Minister of Justice (aged 70), was appointed as the successor to the Foreign Minister, Fumio Hayashi. Prime Minister Fumio Kishida served as Foreign Minister during the Abe administration for over four and a half years. Thus, there was a strong belief that Hayashi, who took office in November 2021, would continue in this role. Senior officials at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs insisted they had...

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s visit to Ukraine is moving again behind the scenes. He is negotiating with Ukrainian diplomatic authorities to leave Japan on the 31st of this month and enter the capital, Kyiv, via Poland. In addition to holding a summit meeting with President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, he is planning to visit a battleground near Kyiv to offer flowers to the victims, the official said. Prime Minister Kishida seriously considered visiting Ukraine three times, in June and December last year and in February this year, but gave up due to security and other problems. Meanwhile, U.S. President Joe Biden made a surprise visit to Ukraine in February, a year after...

The administration of Fumio Kishida is in a state of limbo. In less than a month, the Cabinet reshuffled three ministers, including Economic Revitalization Minister Daishiro Yamagiwa, Justice Minister Yasuhiro Hanashi and Internal Affairs and Communications Minister Minoru Terada, and approval ratings for the Cabinet plummeted. Prime Minister Kishida, who won the upper house election in July, has been touted as enjoying a “golden three years” until the next lower house election, but the resignation domino has dramatically shifted the political situation. Encouraged opposition parties are targeting reconstruction minister Kenya Akiba, who has been criticized for his opaque handling of office expenses. Under tense circumstances, jaw-dropping information poured in. “Kishida...

The Asahi Shimbun Company notified its labor union on June 30 of its plan to recruit “more than 200” voluntary retirees from September to November for employees aged 45 or older. Following last year’s (111 applicants) voluntary retirement program, the company aims to realize a system of 3800 employees at the end of fiscal 2023 based on the current medium-term management plan. The company posted a net profit in fiscal 21 for the first time in two years, compared with the previous year, when it posted its biggest loss since its foundation. However, while the number of copies sold has been decreasing at a pace of 400,000 copies a year,...

May 23, 2022 In Japan, the end of the ordinary Diet session is less than a month away. Meanwhile, an unprecedented scandal broke out in Nagatacho. This is a sexual harassment scandal involving House of Representatives Speaker Hiroyuki Hosoda. He is 78 years old. Hosoda has been making a lot of gaffes lately. He said that the annual expenses for House of Representatives members’ activities are 1 million yen a month, but he recognized that the amount was small, which provoked a backlash from the public, who are worried about their daily lives. Facta, a monthly magazine, reported the new allegations. That is sexual harassment. Hosoda’s actions, as well as...