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 Eric Johnston

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Eric Johnston
Japan Times
JAPAN
Jun 11, 2008
English guide looks to put Nara in reach
OSAKA — Those who live in Nara and welcome guests from all over the world are aware of how often arriving friends are surprised by what they see in the ancient capital, then disappointed that they hadn't budgeted enough time to explore.
JAPAN
Jun 10, 2008
Post-Kyoto regime should impose binding commitments on all: Rudd
KYOTO — On his first visit to Japan since taking office last year, Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd called Monday for an ambitious post-Kyoto Protocol in which both developed and developing countries adopt binding commitments.
JAPAN / G8 COUNTDOWN
Jun 5, 2008
Aomori G8 talks face nuclear-energy nudge
OSAKA — With oil hovering at around $130 a barrel and pressure growing on the world's major greenhouse gas emitters to forge a new climate change treaty from 2012, global energy security and fast-tracking "clean and green" alternatives to fossil fuels are expected to dominate this weekend's Group of...
Japan Times
JAPAN / MIXED MATCHES
May 31, 2008
Massage their main medium
KYOTO — Ted Taylor, 40, a native of New Mexico, was not planning on going to a farewell party held for someone he had never met. He was planning to return to Tottori Prefecture on that day in April 2006.
JAPAN / G8 SUMMIT 2008
May 27, 2008
Kobe saw discussion but no accord
KOBE — Group of Eight environment ministers held their weekend summit in Kobe hoping, in vain, to emerge with a strong commitment by developed nations to agree on greenhouse gas reduction targets by 2020.
JAPAN / G8 SUMMIT 2008
May 27, 2008
Kobe meet fails to set 2020 goals
KOBE — Environment ministers from the Group of Eight industrialized nations ended a three-day meeting in Kobe on Monday united on the need for a long-term goal of at least halving greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
JAPAN / G8 COUNTDOWN
May 26, 2008
Eat less beef and help the planet, G8 is told
KOBE — Experts gathering for the Group of Eight environment ministers meeting in the city known for its high-quality beef have a suggestion on how to reduce greenhouse gas emissions: Eat less beef.
JAPAN / G8 COUNTDOWN
May 26, 2008
G8 meet sidesteps midterm gas cuts
KOBE — Environment ministers from the Group of Eight countries meeting Sunday in Kobe apparently sidestepped the major issue of setting midterm greenhouse-gas reduction targets for 2020 due to a divide between developing and industrialized countries over specific targets.
JAPAN / G8 SUMMIT 2008
May 25, 2008
U.N. climate chief urges ministers to show their cards
KOBE — The United Nations' top climate-change official expressed concern Saturday about what Japan means by "industrial sectoral" approaches to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and warned that the concept should not replace national targets in any new environmental treaty that would take effect when...
Japan Times
JAPAN / G8 COUNTDOWN
May 25, 2008
Climate confab kicks off in Kobe
KOBE — The invention of the Gutenberg Bible in the mid-15th century revolutionized printing and led to the Renaissance, mass literacy, and the industrial revolution, leading to the development of mass production and the use of fossil fuels.
Japan Times
JAPAN / G8 COUNTDOWN
May 24, 2008
Status quo may block climate pact
KYOTO — A weak prime minister, a divided bureaucracy and opposition from big business mean Japan's ability to use the July Group of Eight Summit at Lake Toya to forge an effective global warming treaty is at risk, a leading environmental activist warns.
JAPAN / G8 COUNTDOWN
May 24, 2008
Environment summit's elusive dream: Consensus
KOBE — Environment ministers from the Group of Eight industrialized nations and 10 other countries, including China and India, will gather Saturday in Kobe for a three-day summit on climate change.
JAPAN / G8 SUMMIT 2008
May 24, 2008
NGOs call on G8 to take lead in cutting CO 2
KOBE — Major nongovernmental organizations from Japan and abroad gathering in Kobe for the Group of Eight environment ministers' summit called on the G8 Friday to lead the fight against climate change.
Japan Times
JAPAN
May 11, 2008
Hu concludes summit with Osaka, Nara events
NARA — Amid the tightest security of his trip, Chinese President Hu Jintao concluded his visit to Japan in the Kansai region this weekend, dining with Osaka political and business leaders on Friday night and seeing the sights in the ancient capital of Nara on Saturday.
Japan Times
JAPAN / G8 COUNTDOWN
May 1, 2008
U.S. looking for 'accountability' at July summit
KYOTO — The United States' agenda for the upcoming Group of Eight summit in Toyako, Hokkaido, emphasizes health and development issues, making sure previous agreements are carried out in a publicly accountable way and guaranteeing that developing nations are part of a post-Kyoto Protocol treaty, said...
JAPAN
Apr 25, 2008
NGOs rip Japan for lack of G8 leadership
KYOTO — NGO representatives clashed with officials from the Group of Eight countries at a meeting here Thursday, charging that this year's summit could be a major step backward for climate change, development and aid to Africa due to poor leadership on the part of Japan.
JAPAN
Apr 24, 2008
NGOs tell Japan to show leadership at G8 summit
KYOTO — This year's Group of Eight summit in Toyako, Hokkaido, could end up a failure unless Japan demonstrates strong leadership and the political will to forge agreements among the members on issues ranging from climate change to African development, international NGOs warned Wednesday.
Japan Times
JAPAN / EXPLAINER
Apr 22, 2008
Yellow dust storms getting worse
Each year, most of Japan's prefectures are affected by what is known as yellow dust, which appears as a yellow fog in the atmosphere for a few days, often in late winter and early spring. A mixture of des ert sand, arid topsoil and man-made pollutants from Central Asia, China and Mongolia, the annual...
JAPAN
Apr 21, 2008
China's foreign minister wraps up 'diplomatic' visit to Osaka, Nara
Politics was off the menu as Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi wrapped up his visit to Japan over the weekend with dinner Saturday in Osaka and lunch Sunday in the ancient capital of Nara.
JAPAN
Apr 8, 2008
Osaka English teachers may be cut by Hashimoto
OSAKA — Nearly three dozen native English teachers called Monday on Osaka Gov. Toru Hashimoto not to cancel an education program that places native speakers of English in the prefecture's schools and expressed concern that the teachers have only been offered four-month contracts.

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