Nikkei (Business Perspective) – The Ministry of Finance is discussing decreasing the maximum value of money allowed to be sent into North Korea. Currently transactions totaling over 1 million yen are prohibited. Businesses take note: if any transactions are not reported fully, financial penalties will incur.

NHK (Scientific Perspective)NHK this morning interviewed experts on missile behavior to analyze exactly what type of missile was launched by North Korea. If the missile was designed for launching satellites, as claimed by North Korea, then the missile would have to have gone much farther and straighter than had occurred.

Asahi (Comical Perspective) – Prime Minister Aso was asked “The long range missile fired from North Korea today traveled further than the one previously. Do you think this shows that North Korea’s ability to develop technologically is progressing? ” Aso replied: “You’re speaking to the wrong person. You should ask a technology expert.”

On North Korea’s plans to launch missiles over the Sea of Japan, the Diet voted unanimously (252 For, 0 Against) to condemn North Korea’s actions, and called for North Korea to refrain from launching.

Prime Minister Aso came out with a strong statement last night calling for reconciliation on any budget differences by the middle of April. He submitted his budget proposal for 2009 to the Diet yesterday. He stated a necessity for economic stimulus, and the opposing party’s will to agree or not agree with be judged by a snap election.

Representative Ozawa, the leader of the opposition party The Democratic Party of Japan, stated it wasn’t such a good idea to push through a budget where the exact amounts of spending had not yet been decided.