Zenkoku Nippō

[Zabuza825]

Construction to begin on Akitsu Superexpress!
by Haruto Kirishima

---

An artists conception of what the Superexpress will look like when complete.

Construction is set to start soon on Akitsu's very-own high-speed rail project! Named the Akitsu Superexpress (秋津超特急), the project seeks to eventually connect all major Akitian cities together. It has been in the planning stages for many years now, though the government continued to withhold funding and approval for the project due to budgetary concerns. The new government has for the first time approved legislation moving the project forward, and construction is set to begin very shortly.

Sōtō Hayato Yamaguchi praised the move, stating that "a high-speed rail system that is a source of national pride is long overdue), and has pledged his full support to the product. He also announced the start of a government program to employ those who are currently unemployed in construction for the project, stating that while the pay may not be the best it will provide some relief to those in need.

Construction on the full line will not finish until several years from now (full construction is expected to take upwards to around a decade), but the first line connecting the cities of Kobara and Magawa is expected to be finished sometime late next year.

The project is expected to put Akitsu onto the same level as many other developed countries that already have high-speed rail.

---

Government Abolishes Minimum Wage!
by Haruto Kirishima

---

The government has formally abolished the minimum wage within the borders of Akitsu, according to a new bill that has just passed the National Legislature and was signed into law by the Sōtō.

The minimum wage had been described many economists had criticized as harmful to businesses and a iron weight on the Akitian economy. It was forced into law by traitorous socialist labor unions many years. However, since they couldn't convince the Nationalist Party dominated National Legislature, the traitorous unions instead turned to local governments, and local governments set minimum wages on a provincial level. Before the passage of this law the minimum wage varied from ¥725 to ¥1032, depending on the province.

This new law formally nullifies all minimum wage laws passed by all levels of local governments, and it prohibits all local governments from passing any new minimum wage laws.

The law is expected to help tackle the unemployment problem, which the Liberal Democratic Party largely ignored while in power. The passing of the law will likely lead to many new jobs being opened to young Akitians, as well as making it easier for those who want to find jobs but were unable to find any to get jobs.