Tom Kelly comments

I'm all for helping the starving people of North Korea but any aid sent to them would most likely end up in the mouths of the military first.

North Korea has conscription (military service) for every adult male and some women. The military are starving people of North Korea (and their families). You cannot aid one without propping up the other.

It is a dire situation but it is the responsibility of the North Korean leadership, not foreign intervention, to take action to address it. They have the means, just not the will. It is not a question of resources, it is a matter of priorities. You cannot save the people without bailing out the leadership from the ramifications of their poor judgement that are bringing them to the negotiating table. Reality is unfortunately rarely so simple.

500.000 people leave the workforce in Japan every year. It is natural that employment rates are at lows right now and will get lower. Abe is claiming credit for the sun rising in the morning. 

That’s why they need the extra tax revenue though. Someone’s got to pay for all those old folks’ pension and healthcare:

to make Japan's social welfare system more sustainable

God forbid they let some more immigrants in to do it.