Hatoyama formally elected Japanese PM

Yukio Hatoyama was formally elected the prime minister of Japan on Wednesday, following general elections in August.

The Japanese Parliament convened on Wednesday for a special session to formally elect Hatoyama. The former Prime Minister, Taro Aso, and his cabinet had earlier resigned.

At his first press conference as PM, Hatoyama said: “The moment I was elected prime minister, I trembled deeply when I realised that Japanese history was changing. I also felt a strong sense of responsibility knowing that I must lead the change of this country to one where the people are sovereign.”

Japan vows big climate change cut

Yukio Hatoyama, Japan’s Prime Minister-elect, has pledged that the country will reduce its greenhouse gas emisssions by 25% by 2020.

The prime minister-elect told a conference on climate change on Monday that “we can’t stop climate change just with our country setting an emissions target.

We will also aim to create a fair and effective international framework by all major countries in the world.”

The chief of the United Nations’ symposium on climate change commended Hatoyama’s plans. “With such a target, Japan will take on the leadership role that industrialised countries have agreed to take in climate change abatement,” Yvo de Boer said to the conference.

Japan has the second largest economy in the world, and is the number-five emitter of greenhouse gases. It has recently come under international pressure to implement more strict emissions policies, being sixteen percent above the Kyoto Protocol.

On this day September 5, 1905

Under the mediation of U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt, the Russo-Japanese War officially ended with the signing of the Treaty of Portsmouth at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard near New Hampshire, USA.

Treaty of Portsmouth

Delegates who signed the peace agreement were Sergei Witte and Roman Rosen for Russia, and Komura Jutaro and Takahira Kogoro for Japan.

Fyodor Martens and other diplomats from both nations stayed in New Castle, New Hampshire at the Hotel Wentworth (where the armistice was signed), and were ferried across the Piscataqua River for negotiations held on the base located in Kittery, Maine.

Landslide victory for Democrats in Japanese elections

The Democratic Party of Japan, led by Yukio Hatoyama, wins a landslide majority in the Japanese House of Representatives, ending over a half-century of near continuous LDP rule.

Democratic Party of Japan

Hatoyama, ran against now former Prime Minister of Japan and Liberal Democratic Party leader Taro Aso.

The results of the election were announced today, less that two and a half hours after polling stations closed, and end 54 years of nearly unbroken rule by the LDP. It has been estimated that roughly 30% of LDP supporters voted for the victorious DPJ, mainly due to the current economic climate.

The Liberal Democratic Party was left with just 57 of 480 total seats. Outgoing Prime Minister Taro Aso has promised to resign as party leader, saying, “I believe this is the judgement of the public and we have to accept that and reflect on what we did. The people have shown their disappointment with the party and I have to accept that as my destiny. I think I should take responsibility for the defeat.” Aso also said that he will stay on as leader until a new one is chosen.

Japan’s economy returns to growth

Japan’s economy rebounded in the latest quarter for the first time in a year, signaling the possible end of the country’s deepest recession since World War II and brightening prospects for a widespread global recovery.

The growth comes after four consecutive quarters of contraction. Correspondents say the rise is due to a huge government stimulus package and it is unclear whether the momentum will be sustained when this is concluded.

Recent figures show other economies coming out of recession, including Germany, France and Hong Kong, a sign the global slowdown is easing.

Despite Japan exiting recession, the country’s main share index, the Nikkei, fell back as the rate of growth was not as large as analysts had hoped.

On this day May 22, 1980

Pac-Man (パックマン,), an arcade game that became virtually synonymous with video games and an icon of 1980s popular culture, made its debut in Japan.

Original arcade version

Developed by Namco and licensed for distribution in the U.S. by Midway, was immensely popular in the United States from its original release to the present day, Pac-Man is universally considered as one of the classics of the medium, virtually synonymous with video games, and an icon of 1980s popular culture.

Upon its release, the game—and, subsequently, its derivatives—became a social phenomenon that sold a bevy of merchandise and also inspired, among other things, an animated television series and music.

Japan’s opposition chooses new leader

Japan’s opposition party, the Democratic Party, on Saturday chose Yukio Hatoyama as its leader for elections later this year.

Yukio Hatoyama

Hatoyama, the grandson of a former Japanese prime minister, replaced Ichiro Ozawa, who resigned from his post following a scandal over fundraising earlier this month.

Hatoyama and the Democrats have promised to reduce wasteful spending and cut bureaucracy. He has also pledged to increase domestic demand during the ongoing recession, the worst in sixty years.

The general elections are expected to be held in October. According to local opinion polls taken on Saturday, the Democrats may have an edge over Prime Minister Taro Aso’s conservative Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), which has remained in power for five decades.

Ozawa, the previous leader of elections, resigned on May 11 after an aide was accused in a fundraising fiasco in March. Prosecutors charged Ozawa had taken illegal donations totaling 21 million yen from the Nishimatsu Construction firm in the years 2003-2007.

Japan economy in biggest dive since 1974

Official figures show that Japan’s economy has shrunk by 3.3% in the last quarter of 2008—or an annualized 12.7%, the fastest decline since 1974, when the economy contracted by 3.4% in a quarter.

The decline in Japan has been sharper than in either Europe or North America, mostly because global demand for the country’s products, such as automobiles and electronics, has fallen.

The contraction was also larger than the 3.1% decline that was predicted by economists, the worst decline of any major economic power in the same quarter.