from today's Nikkei

高齢者向け賃貸住宅　民間病院の参入解禁　厚労省　医師と連携、緊密に
The Health,Labor and Welfare Ministry has decided to lift the ban for medical corporations operating private hospitals to participate in the rental house business for the elderly.On condition that observation services in which the safety on residing people is periodically checked are provided, the ministry revises and eases the current regulation that prohibits private medical corporations to concurrently do the real estate business.The ministry has chenged its satnce and, from now on, will urge private medical corporations to provide such services in a close cooperation with doctors.

from today's Nikkei

三越　伊勢丹と資本提携交渉へ　経営統合も視野　百貨店再編が加速
It was learned that a department store operator Mitsukoshi, domestically ranked the fourth-largest in the industry, likely will start the negotiation with Isetan, also ranked the fifth in the industry, for reaching a equity tie-up.It is said that management integration would be one of options. Giben the situation that all combined sales of the established department stores has been declining for the past 10 years in a row, realignment deal movement of department stores will surely get the momentum.

from today's Nikkei

農地集約へ税制見直し　貸し出し　大規模向け減免　遊休地　「優遇せず」徹底
政府が検討
The government has begun deliberating on revising tax system for promoting agricultural farms to be more efficiently used. If a farm owner
lends a farm to a large -sacle farmer, his or her heir should be significantly reduced in paying inheritance tax. Meanwhile, if a farm owner gives up producing agricultural produce there, any priority will not be placed upon the farm owner in terms of tax payment.

from today's Nikkei

金融取引　トラブル解決へ処理機関　４大法律事務所弁護士らが検討
１－２か月で決着　裁判より迅速に
According to sources concerned, it is learned that lawyers of the country's 4 major lawyer's offices have started discussing how to set up a " trouble-shooting organization", where disputes between financial institutions and consumer customers mainly on the transactions of financial products could be solved on a out-of-the-court-settlement basis, more swiftly than in court.The expected time for the solution would be 1 month to 2 momths, according to people concerned.

from today's Nikkei

与党、過半数厳しく　参院選情勢本社調査　自民40台割れも　公明伸び悩み　民主、第一党の勢い　共社は苦戦

The Nihon Keizai Shimbun conducted a voters' opinion poll of the July 29 House of Councillors election for looking into the situation. Accpording to the poll's result, ruling parties, the Liberal Democratic Party and its coalition partner New Komeito are in a difficult position to secure majority seats in the chamber.The Liberal Democratic Party may not reach the 40 seats line and New Komeito also has lost the momentum for increasing its seats.On the other hand, the Democratic Party of Japan has the momentum for becoming the leading party in the chamber. As to the Japan Communist Party and the Socialist Party of Japan,they are both in a tough situation in securing their seats.