Shisaku

Yesterday's resignation of Democratic Party leader Renho only days after a major DP victory in the Sendai mayoral election, together with the resignation of Cabinet-support sapping Inada Tomomi as Minister of Defense opens up to Prime Minister Abe Shinzo...

Let us keep this simple: the explanations Renho has offered for her resignation as leader of the Democratic Party make zero sense.
"The very best would be for a stronger DP that can be built by a new directorate"
NONSENSE - the DP has no obvious list of successors the current leadership group. The conservative wing, which should be the logical alternative, is depleted by defections to Koike Yuriko's Tokyoites First movement. The election of a left wing leader...

Yesterday (January 5) was the last day for candidate registrations for the Yamagata Prefectural governor's race.
By the end of the workday only the incumbent, Yoshimura Mieko, had registered.
Without an opponent with whom to grapple Yoshimura immediately, without the expense and bother of an election, began her third term as governor. (Link)...

First off and foremost, my utter admiration for Prime Minister Abe Shinzo for making his lightning, naked visit to the Trump residence to meet with President-elect Donald Trump. The usual mechanisms of managing the asymmetric Japan-U.S. relationship...