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BUSINESS / CABINET INTERVIEW
Dec 8, 2000

Widen scope of bilateral trade talks: Hiranuma

Japan and the United States should hold regular government/private-sector meetings as part of new comprehensive discussions on economic and trade issues, International Trade and Industry Minister Takeo Hiranuma said.
BUSINESS
Dec 8, 2000

Job training urged for IT revolution

An advisory panel to the labor minister said Thursday that the government should promote job training to meet the employment needs of the industrial sector as the information technology revolution blossoms.
CULTURE / Music / PLAY BUTTON
Dec 8, 2000

Hanayo's gift wrapped in seductive complexity

With her mix of artifice, artistic discipline and sexual promise, no traditional figure is more ambiguous than the geisha.
COMMENTARY / World
Dec 8, 2000

Flood of goods from China an eye-opener for Indians

NEW DELHI -- China's invasion of India in 1962 was perhaps less of a humiliation for India than Beijing's latest attempt at capturing its market.
BUSINESS
Dec 7, 2000

Buying over Net bucks downward trend

While the downtrend in Tokyo share prices continued unabated in recent months, a growing number of individual investors stepped up purchases over the Internet.
JAPAN
Dec 7, 2000

Journalists debate role of English in Asia

English, as the dominant language in cyberspace, is becoming an indispensable communication tool for Asian people. And the increased use of English among nonnative speakers should make it more colorful as a world language.
EDITORIALS
Dec 7, 2000

New Cabinet looks familiar

As expected, Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori has completed his Cabinet reshuffle. Yet at a time of political tumult, there is much that is familiar in the new Cabinet and LDP leadership, and the means by which they were chosen. Despite being assaulted on all sides, Mr. Mori and the Liberal Democratic Party...
JAPAN
Dec 7, 2000

U.S. ties, midterm plan top new defense chief's priority list

Newly appointed Defense Agency director general Toshitsugu Saito said Wednesday that he hopes to visit the United States at the earliest opportunity to hold talks with his counterpart after the January launch of the new U.S. administration.
BUSINESS
Dec 6, 2000

World economy better than in 1998, EPA says

Despite concerns over surging crude oil prices and the weak euro, the global conomy remains in better shape now than it was in 1998, when it was hit by the Asian financial crisis that broke out the previous year, the Economic Planning Agency said Tuesday.
BUSINESS
Dec 6, 2000

Last thing bear market needs is falling yen

The yen has come under fresh downward pressure, mirroring a shift in sentiment about economic and corporate earnings prospects in Japan.
JAPAN
Dec 6, 2000

Mori names new Cabinet

Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori unveiled his new Cabinet on Tuesday evening, retaining six key ministers and making a surprise decision to appoint former Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto ahead of a major administrative realignment that will take place on Jan. 6.
JAPAN
Dec 6, 2000

New administration told to reflect views of ordinary people

Some heads of nonprofit organizations and operators of small businesses demanded Tuesday that the new Cabinet make an effort to reflect the opinions of ordinary citizens.
JAPAN
Dec 5, 2000

GDP disappoints with 0.2% growth

The nation's economy continued its slow pace of growth during the July-September period as gross domestic product expanded a seasonally adjusted 0.2 percent, the Economic Planning Agency said Monday.
JAPAN
Dec 5, 2000

SDF given role in domestic emergencies

The Defense Agency and the National Public Safety Commission on Monday revised a 1954 emergency cooperation agreement to expand the role of the Self-Defense Forces so that they can combat armed guerrilla attacks.
JAPAN
Dec 5, 2000

Use of 'absolute criteria' urged to evaluate academic standing

Elementary and junior high schools should stop evaluating students' academic performance in relation to others and instead use an "absolute criteria," an advisory panel to the education minister proposed Monday.
CULTURE / Books / THE ASIAN BOOKSHELF
Dec 5, 2000

Handful of history

COLUMBIA CHRONOLOGIES OF ASIAN HISTORY AND CULTURE, edited by John S. Bowman. New York: Columbia University Press, 2000, 752 pp., $85. Oh, "if men could learn from history, what lessons it might teach us! But passion and party blind our eyes, and the light which experience gives is a lantern on the...
JAPAN
Dec 4, 2000

Mori poised to turn to familiar old faces in Cabinet reshuffle

Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori continued tinkering with the task of matching Cabinet portfolios with names Sunday, but many of his appointments in the reshuffle expected Tuesday are likely to be old hands retained from his present administration, political sources said.
BUSINESS
Dec 4, 2000

Global economic factors paint gloomy picture for new year

Since the mid-1990s, the world economy has expanded remarkably, propelled mainly by the introduction of advanced information and communication technologies. In fact, according to the IMF's recent World Economic Outlook, global output grew 3.4 percent in 1999 and is expected to accelerate to 4.7 percent...
JAPAN
Dec 3, 2000

Fujimori agrees to testify in Japan, not Peru

Deposed Peruvian President Alberto Fujimori said Saturday he is prepared to testify in Japan to answer allegations that he amassed secret funds during his tenure as Peru's leader.
JAPAN
Dec 3, 2000

Women's groups decry foundation's demise

A recent Tokyo Metropolitan Government announcement that it plans to abolish the Tokyo Women's Foundation to save tax money has sparked protests among citizens' groups promoting gender equality.
BUSINESS
Dec 2, 2000

Mitsubishi boosts midcareer hiring

Mitsubishi Corp. said Friday it will start its first-ever large-scale midcareer recruitment campaign to inject new talent into its information technology sector.
BUSINESS
Dec 2, 2000

Osaka bourse launches OptiMark online trading system

OSAKA -- The Osaka Securities Exchange launched the OptiMark electronic trading system for institutional investors Friday morning, with an inaugural ceremony attended by top OSE officials.
CULTURE / Music
Dec 2, 2000

Concert to raise funds for seeing-eye dogs

The St. David's Welsh Society is presenting its 14th annual Christmas Charity Concert 5 p.m. Dec. 3 at the Imperial Hotel.
BUSINESS
Dec 1, 2000

Finance Ministry reveals 'mission'

The Finance Ministry published a position paper Thursday outlining its "mission" and "policy objectives" for the first time in its 131-year history, ahead of the government's major restructuring in January.
BUSINESS
Dec 1, 2000

Reform touted in new five-year action program

The government compiled a five-year action program to promote structural reform and achieve economic progress while continuing to reflect the IT revolution and environmental concerns, the Ministry of International Trade and Industry announced Thursday.
COMMUNITY
Dec 1, 2000

Holiday Happening at American School

The American School in Japan will hold its annual Holiday Happening Dec. 2, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. at its Chofu campus in western Tokyo.
COMMUNITY
Dec 1, 2000

Swedish bazaar to benefit charity

The public is invited to the Swedish Christmas Charity Bazaar Dec. 9, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. at the Embassy of Sweden in Roppongi, Tokyo.

Longform

A man offers prayers at Hebikubo Shrine in Tokyo's Shinagawa Ward. The shrine is one of several across the country dedicated to the snake.
Shed your skin and reinvent yourself in the Year of the Snake