Japan still haunted by idea of militarism

A new day is dawning in Japanese politics, or so its next prime minister, the nationalist Shinzo Abe, whose grandfather-in-law served in the Hideki Tojo war cabinet, would have us believe.

Park makes history in ROK

In a closely contested presidential elec-tion held on Wednesday in the Republic of Korea, Park Geun-hye, the conservative ruling New Frontier Party candidate, beat her liberal rival Moon Jae-in to make history as the country's first female leader. How she will deliver her pre-election promises and create "a new era" for Asia's fourth-largest economy will have far-reaching significance for the 29th-richest country in the world and beyond.

Rein in housing prices

The recent rise in domestic housing prices in defiance of real estate regulations highlights the need for the authorities to take more forcible and targeted measures to tame the speculation-prone housing market.

Avoid detailed reporting on violence

Do newspapers, TV channels and new media know that their vivid coverage of the knife attack in a school could instigate another Min Yongjun to target children?

Syrian crisis could push Mideast into chaos

The Syrian crisis has turned into a civil war. The Syrian Free Army, the main armed opposition in Syria, has launched consecutive attacks on the suburbs of Damascus and even plans to shell the presidential residence. So bloody has been the recent violence that on Sunday UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon expressed alarm at the situation in Syria.

Letters

Love is the most vital thing in life

From the chinese press

Drivers need medical lessons

Speed up structural changes

The Federal Open Market Committee, a monetary decision-making body within the US Federal Reserve Board, announced on Wednesday, after a two-day meeting, that the benchmark interest rate of 0 to 0.25 percent will remain unchanged if unemployment in the United States stays above 6.5 percent.

Cartoon

China's investment in the US benefits both

Leaders of the United States and China have repeatedly stated that the bilateral relationship between the world's two largest economies will shape the 21st century. When Vice-President Xi Jinping visited Washington D.C. in February, he was quoted as saying that the economic relationship between the two nations constitutes the "ballast and propeller" for bilateral ties.

End violence in Iraq

It is not enough to feel pity after a wave of deadly attacks hit a dozen Iraqi cities and towns on Monday, killing at least 47 people and leaving more than 110 wounded. More should be done to dig into the root cause of the Iraqi people's plight today, and prevent the violent reality in Iraq from repeating itself elsewhere.

Drain of money and talent

The country's first yearly migration report, released on Monday, reveals that 150,000 Chinese citizens emigrated to the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand in 2011, and of them some 87,000 gained permanent residency in the United States. But what is noteworthy is the fact that 27 percent of entrepreneurs whose wealth has exceeded 100 million yuan ($16.4 billion) have already emigrated and another 47 percent are considering following suit.