News Headlines - 30 March 2017
Shinzo Abe has gone from invincible to vulnerable in a mere six weeks. Earlier this year the Japanese Prime Minister enjoyed an approval rating of 66% in a Yomiuri poll and faced no credible challenges from the opposition or within his Liberal Democratic Party (LDP). Now a scandal involving his ties to Japan’s ultranationalist fringe has hurt Mr. Abe’s popularity and unsettled markets.
▽Unspoken word behind a string of Japanese scandals
Sontaku refers to the pre-emptive, placatory following of an order that has not been given. The word may not (until now) be widely used by Japanese, but everyone instinctively gets its sinuous prevalence in both government and private sectors. And while the concept is not uniquely Japanese, few terms resonate so well in explaining Japan in the era of Shinzo Abe.
▽Uniqlo threatens to pull stores if Trump demands U.S. production：The Asahi Shimbun
The head of a company that operates Uniqlo casual clothing stores on March 29 criticized President Donald Trump, threatening to shutter its U.S. operation if ordered to manufacture its products in the United States.
▽Canada expected to legalize pot by 2018
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's Liberal government will introduce legislation to legalize recreational marijuana the week of April 10th and it should become law by July next year, said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to lack of authorization to discuss the upcoming legislation.
▽Trump trades 'unsecure' Android device for shiny new iPhone
After a wealth of hacking concerns, the President has finally swapped his unsecured Android handset for a new iPhone. The White House director of social media -- Dan Scavino Jr. -- tweeted yesterday that Trump has now been using his new Apple device for the past couple of weeks. After recent tweets from the POTUS account marked as sent from an iPhone raised questions, this new information now confirms their authenticity.
