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JAPAN
Nov 9, 1998

BT slates start of corporate telecom services

BT Communications Services Inc., an affiliate of British Telecommunications PLC, will launch new international services for corporate users beginning in February, officials of the BT group announced on Monday.
JAPAN
Nov 9, 1998

Coupon scheme discussion inches forward

The Liberal Democratic Party and New Komeito agreed Monday on certain terms in the distribution of coupons to boost slumping personal consumption, but remained apart on the total amount and range of recipients.
JAPAN
Nov 9, 1998

Ito-Yokado goes on nationwide tax-fighting sale

Ito-Yokado, one of the nation's leading supermarket chains, said Monday it will again offer a 5 percent discount on sales, this time for five days starting Wednesday at outlets nationwide except for Hokkaido.
JAPAN
Nov 9, 1998

Yaohan ex-chief, execs held in dividend scam

SHIZUOKA -- The ex-president of defunct supermarket chain Yaohan Japan Corp. was arrested by police Monday along with two other executives on suspicion balance sheets were falsified to pay shareholders illegal dividends.
JAPAN
Nov 9, 1998

October WPI shows deflation unarrested

Domestic wholesale prices in October dropped 0.6 percent from the previous month, after remaining unchanged in September, the Bank of Japan said Monday.
JAPAN
Nov 9, 1998

SDF poised to send rescue troops into Honduras

The government dispatched a research squad to hurricane-stricken Honduras on Monday evening in preparation for sending the Self-Defense Forces to the country for relief operations.
JAPAN
Nov 6, 1998

Pyongyang launch puts satellite plan in motion

Japan will launch by fiscal 2002 four information-gathering satellites that can also be used for reconnaissance purposes, according to a decision reached at Friday's Cabinet meeting, officials said.
JAPAN
Nov 6, 1998

Good news kids: End in sight for 'exam hell'

Japanese youngsters may no longer have to endure the ritual of "entrance exam hell" and specialize in cramming for either high school or university admissions tests if the Education Ministry's planned reforms are implemented.
JAPAN
Nov 6, 1998

New Komei aims to play pivotal role straddling the fence

Staff writer
JAPAN
Nov 6, 1998

Camps close in on merchandise coupon deal

The Liberal Democratic Party and two small opposition parties appeared close to reaching an agreement Friday on distributing merchandise coupons to the public to boost personal consumption.
JAPAN
Nov 6, 1998

Chino elected head of Asian Development Bank

Tadao Chino, former vice finance minister for international affairs, has been elected president of the Asian Development Bank, succeeding Mitsuo Sato, according to the Finance Ministry.
JAPAN
Nov 6, 1998

DKB, Fuji, Yasuda announce new trust bank

The Dai-Ichi Kangyo Bank, Fuji Bank and Yasuda Trust & Banking Co. announced on Friday they would form a new trust bank in April that will focus on corporate pension funds and investment trusts.
JAPAN
Nov 6, 1998

Mitsubishi to layoff 1,000 U.S. autoworkers

Posting huge losses in midterm earnings, Mitsubishi Motors Corp. announced plans Friday to lay off about 1,000 of the 4,600 workers at two major U.S. subsidiaries as part of restructuring efforts.
JAPAN
Nov 6, 1998

Maritime transport firms enjoy buoyant first-half sales

The country's three largest maritime transport companies reported a unconsolidated sales increase for the first half of fiscal 1998 due to the weakened yen, the carriers announced Friday.
JAPAN
Nov 6, 1998

Ikeda, IMF differ on '99 GDP projections

Yukihiko Ikeda, policy affairs chief of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, expressed confidence Friday that the economy will log growth of about 1 percent in the next fiscal year.
JAPAN
Nov 6, 1998

State, LDP tax panels cool to consumption tax cut

The government's tax commission and the Liberal Democratic Party's tax panel both voiced strong words of caution Friday over the idea of cutting the consumption tax to boost spending and thus shore up the now-moribund economy.
JAPAN
Nov 6, 1998

APEC members step up pressure against Japan

Staff writer
JAPAN
Nov 5, 1998

Sapporo joins Taiwanese group for restaurant venture

Sapporo Breweries Ltd., a major beer brewer, said on Thursday it has set up a joint venture in Taiwan with a local business group to run a beer restaurant chain featuring the company's draft beer products and non-Chinese dishes.
JAPAN
Nov 5, 1998

Astronaut launches tanka, teddy bear contests from space

A contest the National Space Development Agency of Japan launched from the U.S. space shuttle Discovery on Thursday seeks suggestions for naming a teddy bear on board the orbiting ship and for concluding a poem begun by Japanese astronaut Chiaki Mukai.
JAPAN
Nov 5, 1998

Brazil farm chief urges Japan to expand soybean buys

Francisco Turra, Brazilian minister of agriculture and supply, urged Japan Thursday to further expand its import and distribution of soybeans from his country.
JAPAN
Nov 5, 1998

Marines, GSDF begin joint drills in Kyushu

A joint military exercise between the Ground Self-Defense Force and the U.S. Marine Corps kicked off Thursday at the GSDF Kirishima Training Area on the border of Miyazaki and Kagoshima prefectures.
JAPAN
Nov 5, 1998

Government backpedals on early tax break pledge

Despite mounting expectations of consumers and businesses, it will be difficult for the government to carry out planned tax cuts in January, the top government spokesman said Thursday.
JAPAN
Nov 5, 1998

Workshop tackles Mekong infrastructure development

The Japanese government stressed a comprehensive approach to developing infrastructure in the Mekong subregion during a workshop that ended Thursday, Foreign Ministry officials said.
JAPAN
Nov 5, 1998

Kobe mayor slights call for airport plebiscite

Staff writer
JAPAN
Nov 4, 1998

Business leaders cast doubt on coupon plan, tax cuts

Top members of two powerful business organizations Wednesday poured cold water on a political initiative to issue merchandise coupons to boost consumer spending, urging the government to give top priority to implementing its tax cuts.
JAPAN
Nov 4, 1998

State management team moves into LTCB

The nationalized Long-Term Credit Bank of Japan started afresh Wednesday with a new board of directors appointed by Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi.
JAPAN
Nov 4, 1998

Government announces itinerary of Jiang visit

Chinese President Jiang Zemin will visit Japan as a state guest from Nov. 25 to 30, the government formally announced Wednesday.
JAPAN
Nov 4, 1998

International groups to hold joint job forum in Tokyo

Fifteen international organizations such as the World Bank, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and the World Trade Organization will hold a special forum in Tokyo on Nov. 10 to inform job-seekers of recruitment opportunities.
JAPAN
Nov 4, 1998

Nikkei soars 4% to close over 14,500

Stock prices soared Wednesday on the Tokyo Stock Exchange amid speculation that U.S. investment companies are increasing their Japanese portfolios.
JAPAN
Nov 4, 1998

Boy, 14, held for pimping girlfriend to teacher

Police said Wednesday they have arrested a 14-year-old Tokyo boy on suspicion of coercing his girlfriend into prostitution by assaulting her and threatening to leave her.

Longform

Dul Saroth (left) and Soeum Samrach, deminers with the Cambodian Mine Action and Victim Assistance Authority, practice using the Advanced Landmine Imaging System in Cambodia’s Siem Reap province in August.
The Japanese tech that could one day make Southeast Asia landmine-free