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JAPAN
Dec 11, 1997

Japan ripe for opening to foreign investment, Foley says

The time is right for Japan to implement policy changes to eliminate barriers to foreign investment and encourage more cross-border mergers and acquisitions, U.S. Ambassador Thomas Foley said Thursday in Tokyo.
JAPAN
Dec 11, 1997

Dashed merger plan likely to delay Shinshinto election

Shinshinto, the largest opposition party, may postpone its scheduled Dec. 18 election to select a new party leader as negotiations with the Komei group remain stalled over Komei's decision to cancel its earlier plan to merge with Shinshinto, party sources said Thursday.
JAPAN
Dec 11, 1997

Performance-based wage plan shown to Labor minister

An advisory panel on Thursday presented Labor Minister Bunmei Ibuki with a final report calling for the introduction of a system under which wages are determined in accordance with work achievements rather than working hours.
JAPAN
Dec 11, 1997

Cabinet withstands no-confidence motion

Claiming that Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto is incapable of running the government, Shinshinto introduced a no-confidence motion Thursday to the Diet.
JAPAN
Dec 11, 1997

Plan for new government bond issue wins tentative approval

A Liberal Democratic Party task force expressed its support Thursday for the principles of a plan to set up a 10 trillion yen fund through bond issues to help protect depositors.
JAPAN
Dec 11, 1997

Sakura Bank exec, realtor imprisoned for fraud

The Tokyo District Court on Thursday sentenced a deputy manager of the Sakura Bank branch in Tsunashima, Yokohama, to seven years in prison for defrauding clients out of about 1.85 billion yen by fabricating lucrative investment programs.
JAPAN
Dec 11, 1997

Nine companies get licenses for taxi services in Tokyo

Nine companies received licenses Thursday from the Transport Ministry to start taxi service in the Tokyo area, the first such permission granted in more than three decades.
JAPAN
Dec 10, 1997

Opposition parties ready no-confidence motion

As confusion lingers in the Diet over procedures for revising the Deposit Insurance Law, the opposition camp is poised to submit a no-confidence motion today against the Cabinet of Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto.
JAPAN
Dec 10, 1997

Japan backs Vietnam's reform efforts

Japan will continue to support Vietnam's "doi moi" economic reform policy by boosting assistance in such areas as human resource development, Foreign Minister Keizo Obuchi told Nguyen Manh Cam, Vietnam's deputy prime minister and foreign minister, on Wednesday, according to ministry officials.
JAPAN
Dec 10, 1997

Chinese laborers lose suit over forced wartime labor

The Tokyo District Court dismissed on Wednesday a lawsuit filed by Chinese forced to work at a copper mine in Akita Prefecture during the last years of World War II.
JAPAN
Dec 10, 1997

Workers sue contractors for 'black lung' disease

A group of 72 former tunnel workers and family members of workers who have died joined about 180 others from two other groups Wednesday to demand a total of 2.3 billion yen in damages from their employers for a work-related lung disease.
JAPAN
Dec 10, 1997

Current account surplus expands 220.2%

The nation's current account surplus for October rose 220.2 percent from the same period in 1996 to 1.08 trillion yen, marking the seventh consecutive month of growth, provisional figures released Wednesday showed.
JAPAN
Dec 10, 1997

The Asahara Trial: Aum doctor breaks down on stand

Aum Shinrikyo's former chief doctor, Ikuo Hayashi, weeped bitterly Wednesday at the Tokyo District Court as he testified on the 1995 gas attack on the Tokyo subway system.
JAPAN
Dec 10, 1997

Outline of financial stability plan addresses DIC, liquidity

A Liberal Democratic Party subcommittee debating steps to stabilize the financial system basically agreed Wednesday on a broad outline that includes galvanizing Deposit Insurance Corp. and increasing the liquidity of financial institutions.
JAPAN
Dec 10, 1997

Most civil servants receive bigger bonus

Most civil servants received slightly more in their yearend bonuses this month. But the pay slips handed to Cabinet ministers and some others were unchanged from last year as administrative and fiscal reform began to take hold.
JAPAN
Dec 10, 1997

SESC says Nikko, Daiwa should be punished over 'sokaiya'

The Securities and Exchange Surveillance Commission recommended Wednesday to the finance minister that punitive action be taken against Nikko Securities Co. and Daiwa Securities Co. for compensating a "sokaiya" corporate extortionist for his stock losses.
JAPAN
Dec 9, 1997

Business and Labor team up on call for tax cuts

The government should swiftly implement drastic tax cuts to stimulate the nation's sluggish economy, leaders of the nation's big businesses and labor unions agreed Tuesday.
JAPAN
Dec 9, 1997

Shinshinto slates no-confidence motion against Cabinet

In response to the weakened state of the economy, the main opposition party Shinshinto decided Tuesday to introduce a no-confidence motion against the Cabinet of Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto.
JAPAN
Dec 9, 1997

Bill to revise Deposit Insurance law passes Lower House

After half a day of confusion, a bill to broaden the circumstances under which funds from the Deposit Insurance Corp. can aid financially troubled institutions was approved Tuesday evening by the full Lower House.
JAPAN
Dec 9, 1997

Public highway firms assessed for entertainment outlays

OSAKA -- Two affiliates of Hanshin Expressway Public Corp. spent more than 2 million yen for entertainment, accounting for it as conference expenses, and 1.5 million yen in private taxi fares for business purposes, Osaka Regional Tax Bureau sources said Tuesday.
JAPAN
Dec 9, 1997

Mitsuzuka supports proposed 10 trillion yen bond issue

Finance Minister Hiroshi Mitsuzuka indicated support Tuesday for a proposal to issue a new type of government bond to the tune of 10 trillion yen to support financial institutions and put some life back into the economy.
JAPAN
Dec 9, 1997

Yamaichi chief gives Diet testimony on 'tobashi' trades

Ten corporate customers were involved in Yamaichi Securities Co.'s dubious "tobashi" dealings to hide losses that eventually led to the collapse of the brokerage, Tsugio Yukihira, chairman of the failed firm until last August, said Tuesday in unsworn testimony in the Diet.
JAPAN
Dec 9, 1997

Toyota selects France for home of second European plant

Toyota Motor Corp. on Tuesday announced its decision to build a new car plant in the northern French city of Valenciennes.
JAPAN
Dec 9, 1997

Nonperforming assets led Takushoku's downfall

The massive nonperforming assets amassed by Hokkaido Takushoku Bank were the main factor behind both its deteriorating performance and the failure of its planned merger with Hokkaido Bank, former Takushoku President Sadamasa Kawatani told the Diet on Tuesday.
JAPAN
Dec 5, 1997

Japan offers cheap loans to ASEAN

Staff writer
JAPAN
Dec 5, 1997

Education white paper calls for creative R&D

The level of Japan's science and technology research has steadily improved in recent years to equal that of Western industrialized nations, and now creative research and development must be promoted to keep up the progress, the Education Ministry said Friday in its 1997 white paper on education.
JAPAN
Dec 5, 1997

Finance panel wants rescue body for insurance policies

A new body is needed to protect policyholders trapped at failed insurers by either taking over all the failed firm's policies itself or providing financial assistance to an insurer that offers to do so, a report released by a Finance Ministry study group suggested Friday.
JAPAN
Dec 5, 1997

Ban lifted on financial holding companies

The Diet on Friday passed two bills that remove a five-decade ban on the use of financial holding companies.
JAPAN
Dec 5, 1997

Hashimoto plan backs review of public works projects

Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto introduced plans Friday for a new system of review for public works projects designed to reduce government spending and suspend or terminate projects that no longer meet public needs, government officials said.
JAPAN
Dec 5, 1997

Defense Agency seeks more worthy English title

Even though the Defense Agency failed to win ministerial status under Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto's new administrative reform plan, agency chief Fumio Kyuma says his agency at least deserves a more worthy English title to allow him to save face when meeting foreign counterparts.

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