In Japan, US soldiers commit crimes with complete impunity
In Japan, Abe Still Wants to Repeal the Peace Constitution
"The Catastrophe at Fukushima Has Launched a Series of Democratic Movements"
In Fukushima, Life Remains a Daily Combat
The Catastrophe at Fukushima: TEPCO Begins its Confession
Five innocents condemned to death
Albert Camus on Hiroshima. War journal of 8 August 1945
The Choice Between "Hell and Reason"
At Fukushima, a Serious Radioactive Leak
Fukushima, Fears are Confirmed
"To Work at Fukushima, You Have to Be Ready to Die"
Death Still Hangs Over Fukushima
Venezuela: coup d’État scenario too perfect
HAITI. Wave of Protests Against Miserable Living Conditions
Michel Mujica: “It’s up to the Venezuelan people to resolve these problems”
Apocalypse Brazil
Asia : The Koreas forge ahead
Brazil, Year 1 of the Bolsonaro Regime
Mumia Abu-Jamal — A Formidable Success, But ...
The Cubans Will Have the Last Word
Latin America: Brazil - Under the control of extreme-right authoritarianism
YEMEN. WASHINGTON WANTS TO END THE WAR
TAX EVASION. 55 BILLION EURO STOLEN FROM THE EUROPEAN MEMBER STATES BY THE BANKS
Scandal surrounding the sale of 36 French fighter jets to India.
ORIGINAL FRENCH ARTICLE: Moody’s baisse la note de crédit du Japon
Moody’s lowers Japan’s credit rating
Translated Saturday 27 August 2011, by and reviewed by Henry Crapo
With their rating brought down to Aa3, three notches below AAA, Japan has been placed under increased pressure. In spite of the difficulties the country faces, the markets want to submit it to greater austerity.
The ratings agency justifies its decision as follows: “Over the past five years, frequent changes in administrations have prevented the government from implementing long-term economic and fiscal strategies as effective and durable policies”.
In response, the Japanese government has announced a series of measures to counter the strength of the yen, one of which is a 100 billion dollar (69 billion euro) credit facility, over one year, to encourage Japanese businesses to make foreign investments, and an increased surveillance of the foreign exchange market. Finance Minister Yoshihiko Noda hopes to thus curb the rise of the yen, seen as a safe investment in the context of investors’ distrust of any risky assets.
