Japan

             Education in general is very important to almost every country. In politics it is always a topic that it is brought up, and that has an immense impact on so many people. The Japanese government is focusing on education Prime Minister Shinzo Abe wants children in Japan to have national pride. The focus of this was to better the kind of teachings the students are receiving.
          "We intend to implement a fundamental reform of the existing system" Mr. Abe addressed the parliamentary session. This is being done by revising manuals of teachings to both high and middle schools. The main issue with these manuals is that it includes many different things, for example Takeshima is stated as being "illegally occupied" and that Japan has "repeatedly lodge protest." The issue is that Japan is being seen in avery completely light, and many do not seem to agree with it. 

I found this next paragraph extremely important and wanted to share: 
"Mr. Abe has long called for an overhaul in Japan’s education system to revive patriotism among the Japanese. 'After the war, the Japanese have single-mindedly blamed nationalism as the cause of the war and the reason for our defeat. As a result, the notion that the state is evil has become lodged in the corners of the minds of the post-war population,' Mr. Abe wrote in his book “Towards a Beautiful Country” written in 2006 and revised last year.  'It is the failure of the post-war education that the Japanese are unable to think from the perspective of national interest or rather, avoid doing so.'"

http://blogs.wsj.com/japanrealtime/2014/01/29/abe-seeks-dose-of-pride-in-education-overhaul/

German Politics

                  "Tax evasion returns to Germans spotlight with politician Schmitz, feminist Schwarzer." This is was the title of one of Germany's news. I was drawn to this new report because taxes or anything that has to do with money are very important in many countries, and not only that but they are huge deal when it comes to politics, and are cared by not only politicians but also just any people. The article basically explains how there has been two "high profile tax evasion" cases. It continues by explaining that one involved a social democrat politician in Berlin and the other one involved the most "influential feminist" in Germany Alice Schwarzer. 

                  It was found that politician Schmitz in 2012 had a swiss bank account, where he had 425,000 euros in which today's rate would be around 575,000, without paying taxes on the interest. Then we have Alice Schwatzer, who admitted having a Swiss account since the 1980's. Schwatzer tried to solve this by paying 200,000 euros in back taxes and interest. With these cases Social Democrats are rejecting German-Swiss deal to put to a stop to tax evasion. 

French Politics

                    We are all familiar with the Tea Party here in the United States, well it seems that now a tea party is emerging in France, on the far right of French politics. This was stated by France's Interior Minister Manual Valls. This came up because of all the situations that are happening in France right now. In France there has been rallies uprising, a significant one has been the anti-gay marriage rally. "Anti-gay marriage rally scheduled to take place in Paris Sunday, Valls expressed deep concern at a society tormented by the dark forces of division' and called on what he termed 'the Republican right' of French politics, to distance itself from these groups." Valls stated that after seeing the way French politics are going and is going through that it would not be surprised that a tea party can emerged, in fact that the creation of a tea party is being witnessed. 

           '''Bound up with the crisis of leadership of the right [in French politics], and faced with the refocusing of the [far right] Front National [political party],” Valls said, “a conservative and reactionary right has come into being. With opposition to marriage for all [same-sex marriage reform], it has increased its forces tenfold. It occupies the streets as it considers that the left [Socialist Party] in power is not legitimate.''' 

http://www.allvoices.com/contributed-news/16454598-frances-interior-minister-warns-of-emerging-tea-party-of-the-french