News Story: LDP unlikely to reveal specifics on desired constitutional revisions in election pledge

The ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) will unlikely unveil any specific draft clause when the party proposes constitutional revisions as part of its election campaign pledge, including one on the Self-Defense Forces (SDF), party sources said.

Instead, the LDP will lay out intraparty discussions on the issue in its campaign pledge for a House of Representatives election likely to be held in October.

LDP legislators decided at a meeting of the party's Headquarters for the Promotion of Revision to the Constitution on Sept. 20 to leave the compilation of the party's campaign promises on constitutional revisions to the party leadership.

As part of amendments to the supreme law, the headquarters has proposed to revise war-renouncing Article 9, make education free, extend the tenure of Diet members in case of a major natural disaster and eliminate the merged constituencies in the House of Councillors. The panel will work on forming a consensus among party legislators on the plan.

Read the full story at The Mainichi

News Story: Massive protests held in Japan to mark second anniversary of controversial security laws

TOKYO, Sept. 19 (Xinhua) -- Over 10,000 people rallied here on Tuesday to protest against the controversial security laws that were enacted by the parliament two years ago and the government's attempts to revise the pacifist Constitution.

The protesters gathered in front of parliament buildings Tuesday night, holding banners written with slogans such as "Scrap the new security laws and the conspiracy laws" and "Abe shall step down."

Kazuo Shii, head of the Japanese Communist Party, said that the new security laws enacted two years ago could drag Japan into a dangerous place and shall be scrapped.

He also criticized Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's possible decision to dissolve the lower house of parliament and call a snap general election, saying that the prime minister's move was aimed at fleeing from accusations.

Read the full story at Xinhua

News Report: Roadside Bomb Kills Senior Pakistani Official, 4 Security Guards

Ayaz Gul

ISLAMABAD — roadside bomb in northwestern Pakistan Sunday killed a senior government official and at least four of his security guards.

The deadly blast took place in Bajaur, a volatile federally administered tribal district on the Afghan border.

Officials said the administrator of the Mamoond sub-district, Fawad Ali, was being driven to a border village to attend a traditional assembly of tribal elders when his vehicle struck an improvised explosive device.

A spokesman for the anti-state Pakistani Taliban claimed responsibly for planting the roadside bomb. In a statement sent to media via email, Muhammad Khurasani asserted the blast killed seven people, including Ali.

The outlawed extremist group and its breakaway factions plot attacks in the border region and elsewhere in Pakistan, saying their violent campaign is aimed at eliminating what they consider to be the current un-Islamic democratic system in the country.

News Report: Leverage in Cambodia Key Question for US, EU

David Boyle

PHNOM PENH, CAMBODIA — Radio Free Asia has joined the ranks of media outlets shuttered under the now almost blanket smothering of an independent press in Cambodia, as U.S. and European diplomatic efforts have failed, so far, to halt the county's descent into authoritarianism ahead of elections next year.

The closure of the U.S.-funded outlet, due to what it called intimidation, represents another escalation in opposition to Washington by Prime Minister Hun Sen.

Conciliatory overtones made in a news conference Tuesday by U.S. Ambassador William Heidt have failed to halt the government's campaign to paint Washington as the masterminds of a vast conspiracy involving all major opponents of the government.

"These are extraordinary allegations. The business of diplomacy is normally carried out with careful and respectful language, the kind of language I'm going to use today. Difficult messages are delivered privately first. Friendly nations seek ways to bridge differences," he told reporters.

Two days later, the government mouthpiece Fresh News posted an article declaring the United States "should take a helicopter to transport its citizens from Cambodia, as it did in April 1975."

News Report: US Envoy Criticizes Cambodia Over ‘Absurd’ Plot Claims

The U.S. ambassador to Cambodia on Tuesday described as "baseless" claims from the country’s leader that the United States was involved in an attempt to overthrow the government.

The accusation comes after Cambodian authorities arrested leading opposition politician Kem Sokha September 3 and charged him with treason in connection with an alleged plot to work with the U.S. to depose Prime Minister Hun Sen.

The government in Phnom Penh said the charges against Kem Sokha, of the Cambodia National Rescue Party, or CNRP, were based on comments he made in 2013, in which he claims to have received help from the U.S. to build a pro-democracy movement.

Ambassador William Heidt said in a statement that stories about U.S. plots involving Kem Sokha “have completely, and intentionally, mischaracterized what the United States is doing in Cambodia.”

“Honestly, the whole thing is just absurd,” he said in his statement. Heidt also called for the immediate release of Kem Sokha, adding that his arrest threatened Cambodia's fragile democracy.

News Story: Opposition whip calls on Moon to retool foreign, security policy

SEOUL, Sept. 6 (Yonhap) -- The floor leader of the minor opposition People's Party called on President Moon Jae-in on Wednesday to reshape his security and foreign policies, pointing to North Korea's escalating threats and perceived friction with the United States and China.

During his parliamentary speech, Kim Dong-cheol also demanded the "complete" replacement of Moon's security staff, which critics argue lacks expertise in military strategies and tactics.

Pyongyang's sixth and most powerful nuclear test to date Sunday has deepened skepticism over Moon's policy of rapprochement, which aims to denuclearize the communist neighbor through dialogue and sanctions.

"Now is not the time to mention dialogue (with the North). ... It is a phase that calls for stern pressure and sanctions," Kim said. "President Moon Jae-in has to acknowledge his policy failures and start anew."

Kim then proposed holding an emergency security meeting of the president and the leaders of the ruling and opposition parties.

"There is no such thing as 'again' or 'if' when it comes to security," he said.

Read the full story at YonhapNews

News Report: Cambodian Opposition Leader Formally Charged with Treason

Richard Green

Cambodian opposition leader Kem Sokha has been formally charged with treason, and is facing a jail sentence between 15 to 30 years in jail if convicted.

A court in the capital, Phnom Penh, announced Tuesday that the leader of the Cambodia National Rescue Party is accused of secretly colluding with a foreign entity to undermine the government.

Sokha was arrested Sunday during a raid on his home, along with his bodyguards, according to a tweet by his daughter, Kem Monovithya. The government said it arrested Sokha based on his comments in a video broadcast by the private Cambodian Broadcasting Network, based in Melbourne, Australia.

USA: Arrest of Cambodian Opposition Leader

We note with grave concern the Cambodian government’s arrest of Kem Sokha, respected leader of the political opposition, on a number of charges that appear to be politically motivated. Kem Sokha has a long, distinguished, and internationally recognized commitment to human rights and peaceful democracy.

This government move follows a number of troubling recent steps, including the imposition of unprecedented restrictions on independent media and civil society. These measures undercut Cambodia's progress in recent decades and raise serious questions about the government's ability to organize credible national elections in 2018 which produce an outcome that enjoys democratic legitimacy.

US State Department

News Report: Modi Appoints Woman Defense Minister as he Revamps Cabinet

Anjana Pasricha

NEW DELHI — Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi appointed a woman as a defense minister on Sunday as he reorganized his Cabinet in an effort to deliver on key pledges ahead of general elections due in a year and a half.

Nirmala Sitharaman will be the first woman to handle the important portfolio in 35 years, India’s former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi had also held charge of the defense ministry.

Sitharaman, a 58-year-old former junior commerce minister, takes charge at a time when India’s tensions with both its northern neighbors, China and Pakistan, have been running high. She is credited with being tough, efficient and articulate.

She is the second woman to hold a top post in the Cabinet, Sushma Swaraj is the country’s foreign minister.

"There is a big message to all the countries that look up to India or look at India, saying, 'What is happening to women in India?,” Sitharaman told a television channel.

News Report: Cambodia Arrests Opposition Leader, Alleges Treason

David Boyle

NEW YORK — Cambodian opposition leader Kem Sokha was arrested early Sunday on an espionage charge, accused of conspiring with a foreign power to harm the country, according to a government statement.

Kem Sokha’s daughter, Kem Monovithya, tweeted: “Kem Sokha and all bodyguards are taken away by 100-200 police without warrant after they raided his home. We don’t know where they take him.”

The Cambodian government statement said Kem Sokha, the leader of the Cambodia National Rescue Party, had been charged with espionage under Article 443 of Cambodia’s criminal code.

“The Royal Government would like to inform the public that according to a video clip broadcasted by the Cambodian Broadcasting Network, based in Australia, and other evidences collected by the competent authority, it clearly proves the conspiracy between Kem Sokha and the accomplices with foreign power, which harms the Kingdom of Cambodia,” the statement read.

News Story: Cambodian PM says U.S. behind opposition leader Sokha in anti-gov't plot

PHNOM PENH, Sept. 3 (Xinhua) -- Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen on Sunday accused the United States of staying behind an anti-government plot made by Cambodian main opposition leader Kem Sokha, government-aligned media Fresh News reported.

Sokha, president of the Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP), was caught red-handed early Sunday at his home in Phnom Penh and sent to Trapaing Thlong Prison in Tboung Khmum province, about 150 km east of Phnom Penh.

"It is the United States. The act of treason by conspiring with foreign country, betraying his own nation, requires immediate arrest," Fresh News quoted the prime minister as saying to more than 4,000 garment workers during a get-together in Phnom Penh.

Hun Sen said Sokha's arrest would not affect the national election, which is scheduled on July 29, 2018, and called on the people to keep calm and let the court proceed with the case.

Read the full story at Xinhua

News Report: 'Bloodthirsty Policies' - US Consecutively Loses Southeast Asian Allies

Following the fall out with the Philippines, the United States now has another sharp critic in Southeast Asia. The authorities of Cambodia have accused the US of "brutal and bloodthirsty" policies and "interference in other’s affairs."

The conflict is linked to aid that Washington is providing to the Cambodian opposition on the eve of the nationwide elections, RIA Novosti contributor Igor Gashkov wrote.

Relations between Cambodia and the United States have been deteriorating rapidly throughout 2017, as the nationwide elections scheduled for June next year are approaching. 

The Cambodian authorities believe that Washington is betting on the opposition, The Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP), which enjoys significant support in the cities. The municipal elections held a few months earlier brought success to opponents of the current government. 

News Report: Thousands Protest Against Political Activists Imprisonment in Hong Kong

2014 Umbrella Movement protests

Thousands of people went out onto the streets of Hong Kong to protest against prison sentences for student political activists for their role in 2014 protests, known as the Umbrella Movement, The Straits Times reported Sunday.

BEIJING (Sputnik) — On Thursday, the Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal sentenced Joshua Wong, Nathan Law and Alex Chow to 6, 8 and 7 months in jail respectively.

It's the first time since Umbrella Movement that Hong Kong's opposition groups made high-profile calls for unity, and look at the results: pic.twitter.com/BCv7KbAXDV

— Elson Tong (@elson_tong) August 20, 2017

News Report: Tillerson Visits Thailand for Trade, Security Talks

Colin Lovett

BANGKOK — U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has made a short visit to Thailand for talks on trade and regional security matters, including discussions on pressuring North Korea over its nuclear and missile programs.

Following his visit to a regional security forum in the Philippines, Tillerson, the highest ranking U.S. official to visit Thailand since a 2014 coup, arrived in Bangkok Tuesday to meet with Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha and Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai.

In a statement to VOA, a U.S. Embassy spokesperson said, “The Secretary discussed the broad range of U.S.-Thai cooperation on regional security, trade and investment, and other areas, including through regional forums like ASEAN. He also raised regional and global issues, including the security threat posed by DPRK [North Korea], as well as developments in the South China Sea."

In addition to seeking support for a U.S. policy designed to isolate North Korea for violating United Nations sanctions over its nuclear and missile programs, Tillerson discussed trade issues with his hosts.

News Story: Abe picks maverick as foreign minister in move to refresh Cabinet image

Tarō Kōno (Image: Wiki Commons)

Seeking to shift public sentiment after a string of scandals involving both himself and former Cabinet members triggered an approval numbers nosedive, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe named ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) "maverick" Taro Kono as foreign minister during an Aug. 3 Cabinet shuffle.

The appointment of a new foreign minister became a key issue in the Cabinet reshuffle as soon as it became certain that former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida, now the LDP's policy chief, would be replaced. While the names of former state minister Katsunobu Kato and former economy minister Toshimitsu Motegi -- both of whom are in the new Abe Cabinet -- had come up as post-Kishida candidates, the prime minister picked administrative reform specialist Kono.

Kono told reporters following the Cabinet's inauguration, "This is my first time working in the Foreign Ministry. I'm succeeding Mr. Kishida, and am determined to do my best."

Kono having no experience at the Foreign Ministry does not mean he has no experience in diplomacy. He studied at Georgetown University in Washington and has built his own network in the United States. Prime Minister Abe expressed high hopes for Kono on Aug. 3, saying, "He has been to the United States many times and made friends there. He has also had exchanges with American politicians. I'm sure he'll serve (as minister) with an understanding of how to strengthen the Japan-U.S. alliance."

Furthermore, Kono's father Yohei is one of the best known doves within the LDP, and has served in key posts from foreign minister and party president to House of Representatives speaker. Some Foreign Ministry officials say the appointment of Kono will be viewed favorably by China and South Korea.

Read the full story at The Mainichi

News Story: Abe's speech suggests delay to Constitution plan - LDP heavyweight

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe

TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's comments Thursday about altering the Japanese Constitution suggest he has changed his mind on a plan to get a proposed amendment submitted to parliament this fall, a senior member of his Liberal Democratic Party said.

At a press conference Thursday after reshuffling his Cabinet and key posts in the LDP, Abe said debate on the Constitution "is not dependent on any schedule."

LDP Executive Acting Secretary General Koichi Hagiuda, who was deputy chief Cabinet secretary prior to the reshuffle, told reporters later Thursday that Abe "has changed course" on his plan to submit a proposal in the next extraordinary Diet session.

Abe had said in recent months he wants his party to submit proposals on reform so they can be discussed during an extraordinary session likely to be convened in the fall, and that he hopes the resulting amendment would come into force in 2020.

Read the full story at The Mainichi

News Story: Differences emerge within LDP over specific items in constitutional revisions

Differences have emerged within the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) over specific items to be included in constitutional revisions.

The LDP intends to submit a package of revisions to multiple clauses that the party proposes for a national referendum. However, differences on what to include, along with the declining approval rating for the Cabinet of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, have cast a shadow over efforts to form an intraparty consensus during an extraordinary Diet session this coming autumn.

The LDP Headquarters for the Promotion of Revision to the Constitution on Aug. 1 ended its discussions on four themes in proposed constitutional amendments.

Headquarter members reached broad agreement on elimination of House of Councillors constituencies comprised of two neighboring prefectures and adding the definition of the Self-Defense Forces (SDF) to the war-renouncing Constitution. However, the meeting shed light on differences on the other themes.

Okiharu Yasuoka, leader of the headquarters, expressed enthusiasm about coordinating views within the party in line with the prime minister's aim to submit proposed revisions to the Diet during the extraordinary session. "We'll sort out the issues with an eye to reaching a final consensus," Yasuoka said.

However, another senior member of the headquarters pointed out that the depth of discussions at the headquarters has varied largely from theme to theme.

The headquarters had intended to resume discussions on Aug. 29 with the aim of working out drafts of clauses in these four themes, but will likely postpone it.

Following Prime Minister Abe's proposal in May to revise the supreme law to clearly define the existence of the SDF, the LDP Headquarters for the Promotion of Revision to the Constitution began discussions on four themes in June.

Read the full story at The Mainichi

News Report: Japan's Former Defense Minister to Retake Position After Cabinet Reshuffle

Itsunori Onodera (Wiki Info - Image: Wiki Commons)

Shinzo Abe is reportedly determined to appoint Itsunori Onodera, who used to serve as the Japanese Defense Minister in 2012-2014, as the new head of the Defense Ministry.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is determined to appoint Itsunori Onodera, who used to serve as the Japanese Defense Minister in 2012-2014, as the new head of the Defense Ministry after the cabinet reshuffle on Thursday, the local media reported Tuesday, citing sources close to the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP).

The Kyodo news agency also said that Olympics minister Tamayo Marukawa was likely to leave the cabinet. Besides, it was added that Bunmei Ibuki, the former Speaker of the House of Representatives, was offered a position of the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, but rejected the offer.

News Story: Pakistan's ruling party PML-N names Shehbaz Sharif as country's new PM

ISLAMABAD, July 29 (Xinhua) -- Pakistan's ruling party PML-N decided Saturday to name Shehbaz Sharif, chief minister of Punjab province, as the country's new prime minister.

The decision was announced by former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif after a meeting of the PML-N's parliamentarians, which was held here.

The meeting also decided to name former Petroleum Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi as the country's interim prime minister before the nomination of Shehbaz Sharif is approved by the National Assembly (NA), the lower house in Pakistan.

According to Pakistani laws, the prime minister must be a member of NA. Currently, Shehbaz Sharif is not a NA member and he must first contest for a seat in the NA before he can be voted by the parliament for the PM.

Read the full story at Xinhua

Related Story: 

• Pakistan's Sharifs maintain dominance in politics despite court's disqualification of Nawaz Sharif

News Story: Pakistan Interim Prime Minister To Be Elected Tuesday

Pakistan President Mamnoon Hussain has called for a session of the National Assembly on Tuesday in order to elect an interim prime minister, Dawn News reported.

Hussain’s decision follows a Supreme Court ruling on the Panama Papers case involving Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in which he was disqualified after being deemed unfit to hold office.

According to Dawn News, the National Assembly will be convened at about 3pm on Tuesday.

The Supreme Court on Friday disqualified Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif from holding public office. Within hours of the ruling Sharif stepped down as Prime Minister.

Read the full story at TOLOnews