Japanese parliament's lower house passes postal reform bills
(Reuters)
Updated: 2005-10-11 15:49

Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi smiles during the Lower House plenary session at the parliament in Tokyo October 11, 2005. Bills to privatise Japan's postal system, including the world's largest savings bank, were passed by parliament's lower house on Tuesday, setting the stage for Koizumi to achieve the core of his reform agenda.[Reuters]

Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi claps his hands at parliament's lower house as bills to privatise Japan's postal system, including the world's largest savings bank, were passed in the chamber in Tokyo October 11, 2005. Rejection of the bills in August by the upper house prompted Koizumi to call a September election which he cast as a referendum on privatisation, his long-held goal. [Reuters]