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JAPAN
Mar 25, 1997

Ota rejects Hashimoto's request to back lease revisions

Okinawa Gov. Masahide Ota on Mar. 25 turned down Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto's request for support for revising a 1952 special land lease law that would allow the U.S. military to legally continue using facilities in Okinawa Prefecture beyond the expiry of forced land leases.
JAPAN
Mar 25, 1997

1997 budget to be enacted Mar. 28

The 77.4 trillion yen fiscal 1997 budget is expected to be enacted Mar. 28 -- four days before the new fiscal year begins -- with the backing of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party and its small allies, the Social Democratic Party and New Party Sakigake.
JAPAN
Mar 25, 1997

No new tax hikes: Mitsuzuka

There will be no additional increases in the consumption tax before the government carries out its pledged sweeping administrative and fiscal reforms by 2005, Finance Minister Hiroshi Mitsuzuka implied Mar. 25.
JAPAN
Mar 25, 1997

New group to fight wartime revisionism

In an attempt to counter moves to "denounce descriptions of Japan's wartime misconduct in history textbooks," 26 intellectuals set up a group Mar. 25 to protect freedom of expression and ensure accurate history is disseminated.
JAPAN
Mar 24, 1997

Tax hike reports misinterpreted, Ogawa says

There have been misinterpretations of media reports that Finance Minister Hiroshi Mitsuzuka hinted at another rise in the consumption tax, Vice Finance Minister Tadashi Ogawa said Mar. 24.
JAPAN
Mar 24, 1997

Japan vying to be China's choice for high-tech railway

China has yet to decide which country's technology it will adopt for a planned new high-speed rail system between Beijing and Shanghai, and hopes to have more exchanges of technology and experts on the subject with Japan, an executive member of China's Ministry of Railways said recently.
JAPAN
Mar 24, 1997

Environmental targets must be realistic, Gore says

Japan and the United States should work together to forge a consensus on dealing with climate change and on other pressing global environmental issues, U.S. Vice President Al Gore said Mar. 24 on the closing day of an international symposium on the environment.
JAPAN
Mar 24, 1997

Tax hike may strike consumers unexpectedly March 31

The planned consumption tax increase from 3 percent to 5 percent will be put into effect at different times between midnight March 31 and April 1, and consumers could get a small surprise at the checkout counter.
JAPAN
Mar 24, 1997

Aum's Joyu gets three years on perjury, forgery

Aum Shinrikyo spokesman Fumihiro Joyu was sentenced to three years in prison Mar. 24 for his role in covering up the cult's illegal land purchase in Namino, Kumamoto Prefecture, in 1990.
JAPAN
Mar 24, 1997

Economy seen tying third-longest postwar boom

It may be hard to believe, but the nation's current economic expansion has probably lasted about 41 months and will next month match Japan's third-longest postwar boom.
JAPAN
Mar 24, 1997

Trilaterals reaffirm roles in world of change

An annual meeting of business, political and academic leaders from Japan, Europe and North America ended Mar. 24 in Tokyo with a reaffirmation of the importance of the trilateral leadership in dealing with global challenges.
JAPAN
Mar 24, 1997

Green Cross execs plead guilty in blood products debacle

OSAKA -- Three former presidents of Green Cross Corp. pleaded guilty Mar. 24 before the Osaka District Court to charges of professional negligence resulting in death because of the drug company's sale of HIV-tainted blood products.
JAPAN
Mar 24, 1997

Trilaterals explore Democracies' woes

The challenges facing industrialized democracies as they enter the 21st century may, at first glance, appear daunting -- ranging from economic stagnation to security and global political leadership -- but they cannot be allowed to become as insurmountable as they seem, according to panelists at a symposium...
JAPAN
Mar 21, 1997

Governor imprisoned for bribery, fined 120 million yen

A former governor of Miyagi Prefecture was sentenced Mar. 21 to 2 1/2 years in prison and fined 120 million yen for accepting 120 million yen in bribes from two companies while he was in office.
JAPAN
Mar 21, 1997

China WTO talks near final stage, Ruggiero says

Negotiation on China's accession to the World Trade Organization is now approaching its final stage, Renato Ruggiero, director general of the WTO, said Mar. 21 in Tokyo.
JAPAN
Mar 21, 1997

Exec tied to Tomobe scandal skips Diet testimony

Real estate company head Mamoru Saito, who is allegedly deeply involved in the Orange Kyosai Kumiai mutual aid society fraud, suddenly refused to give sworn testimony Mar. 21 before the Diet, claiming poor health.
JAPAN
Mar 21, 1997

Ainu bill approved but void of legal rights

The government on Mar. 21 officially approved a bill to create a new law on the Ainu people of Hokkaido, but failed to grant them special rights as an indigenous group.
JAPAN
Mar 21, 1997

Hong Kong's future secure as China set to return, exec says

With little more than three months to go before reverting to Chinese control, Hong Kong is confident it will maintain its economic prosperity and rule by law, Hong Kong's chief representative here said Mar. 21.
JAPAN
Mar 21, 1997

Japan-U.S. aviation talks set to start

Japan and the United States will hold a three-day preparatory meeting on bilateral aviation issues starting April 9 in Honolulu, Transport Ministry officials said Mar. 21.
JAPAN
Mar 21, 1997

Expert dismayed at Orcas' condition

Dr. Paul Spong, a Canadian specialist on killer whales, expressed concern and dismay about the condition of five whales captured in Wakayama Prefecture last month.
JAPAN
Mar 21, 1997

Tomobe denies misuse of Orange Kyosai funds

Upper House member Tatsuo Tomobe, who has been indicted on suspicion of massive fraud, denied on Mar. 21 allegations that he misappropriated funds collected by Orange Kyosai Kumiai, a mutual aid society run by his family, to buy a Diet seat.
JAPAN
Mar 21, 1997

Japan to push its position on ports

Despite U.S. dissatisfaction with an interim agreement on Japan's port practices between the Transport Ministry and three related industry groups, the Japanese government will try to make Washington understand the significance of the agreement and Japan's position, Transport Minister Makoto Koga said...
JAPAN
Mar 20, 1997

Nomura scandal won't hurt 'Big Bang,' JSDA chief says

The recent scandal surrounding Nomura Securities Co. will not affect current efforts to implement the "Big Bang" financial system reforms, the acting head of the Japan Securities Dealers Associations said.
JAPAN
Mar 20, 1997

Religious group failed to report income from 'donations'

A religious corporation based in Hakone, Kanagawa Prefecture, failed to report to tax authorities 360 million yen made on sales of Buddhist alters between fiscal 1993 and 1995, it was learned Mar. 20.
JAPAN
Mar 20, 1997

Missing Tepco woman found slain

A woman employed by Tokyo Electric Power Co. who had been missing since March 8 was found strangled in an unrented Tokyo apartment late Mar. 19, police said Mar. 20.
JAPAN
Mar 20, 1997

Bonuses of implicated officials may go out of reach

The Management and Coordination Agency will seek out laws to suspend payments of bonuses and retirement allowances to national government officials who are implicated in misconduct, agency sources said Mar. 20.
JAPAN
Mar 20, 1997

Keidanren sets up policy think tank

The Japan Federation of Economic Organizations (Keidanren) will establish a nonprofit think tank on April 1 to propose policies on such issues as international relations and taxation system reform.
JAPAN
Mar 20, 1997

DPJ can't decide where grass is greener

The Democratic Party of Japan, only six months old, continues to experience growing pains as political forces pull it in two directions.
JAPAN
Mar 20, 1997

Volunteers may get academic credit

Cabinet ministers agreed Mar. 20 on a proposed legislative measure to grant academic credit to high school students who participate in certain extracurricular activities.
JAPAN
Mar 19, 1997

Japan urges Iraq to fulfill U.N. resolutions

Iraq should completely implement United Nations resolutions, enacted as a result of the 1991 Gulf War, to return relations between Japan and Iraq to what they were before the conflict, a senior Foreign Ministry official told a special envoy from Iraq on Mar. 19, according to ministry officials.

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