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JAPAN
May 23, 2009

Flu policy given more flexibility

The government adopted a new policy Friday that designates infected regions under one of two categories so local governments, hospitals and schools can react with greater flexibility.
BUSINESS
May 23, 2009

BOJ sees recession starting to level out

The Bank of Japan on Friday raised its view of the economy for the first time in almost three years on signs that the record-setting contraction suffered in the first quarter was probably the worst of the recession.
Japan Times
JAPAN
May 22, 2009

Principal apologizes for letting students go to New York

Takayoshi Maeda, principal of Senzoku Gakuen's junior and senior high schools, apologized Thursday for letting a group of students go to New York, where two of them contracted swine flu, but said he thought he lacked the authority to cancel the special trip.
JAPAN
May 22, 2009

Lawmakers question 'saibanin' system

A group of nonpartisan lawmakers gathered Thursday, the first day of the new lay judge system, to call for a moratorium on the new criminal trial system that every political party voted unanimously to institute five years ago.
Japan Times
JAPAN
May 21, 2009

Flu infiltrates Tokyo as patient tally leaps to 267

Two female high school students who live in Hachioji, western Tokyo, and Kawasaki were confirmed Wednesday as having H1N1 swine flu — the first people in the Tokyo area to catch the contagion.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
May 19, 2009

Toyota debuts new Prius hybrid

Toyota Motor Corp. on Monday launched its much-awaited new Prius gasoline-electric hybrid to face off against rival Honda Motor Co.'s Insight hybrid released in February.
Japan Times
BASKETBALL
May 18, 2009

Ryukyu wins league crown

The Ryukyu Golden Kings have established a new standard of excellence in the bj-league this season.
BASEBALL / BASEBALL BULLET-IN
May 17, 2009

NPB commissioner wanted to ban foreign players 25 years ago

There are 66 foreign players currently registered in Japanese pro baseball, along with two foreign managers, a farm team manager and three coaches. But, 25 years ago this month, the commissioner of Japanese baseball wanted to ban non-Japanese from playing in the Central and Pacific Leagues.
Japan Times
JAPAN
May 17, 2009

Hatoyama elected head of DPJ

Democratic Party of Japan chose Yukio Hatoyama as its new president Saturday by a relatively large margin over Katsuya Okada, who was the more popular candidate among the public in opinion polls.
Japan Times
JAPAN
May 17, 2009

Kobe officials start limited measures to halt flu spread

KOBE — As Kobe confirmed the nation's first domestic swine flu infections, city officials instituted a limited number of measures to prevent further infections from developing, prompting Kansai-area residents to prepare for further possible outbreaks.
JAPAN
May 17, 2009

Hatoyama must unite party quickly

After taking the helm of the Democratic Party of Japan, Yukio Hatoyama will have no breathing space at all as he attempts to lead the main opposition party back into position to take the pivotal Lower House election it had been favored to win.
JAPAN
May 16, 2009

Quarantined students, teacher target of ill will

Three high school students and a teacher from Osaka who were the first people in Japan confirmed to have the new flu have become the target of malicious phone calls and e-mails, local board of education and municipal officials said Friday.
Japan Times
BASKETBALL
May 16, 2009

Apache must neutralize Gardener

Despite the fact that the Hamamatsu Higashimikawa Phoenix rely on Michael Gardener to carry the offense, coach Kazuo Nakamura's team had multiple scoring options this season, including a 236-cm center named Sun Ming Ming, who can dunk without jumping, and Marcus Morrison, who averaged 17.8 points per...
Japan Times
JAPAN
May 16, 2009

Lack of fireworks as DPJ rivals' debate ends in a tie

Yukio Hatoyama and Katsuya Okada, the two candidates in the Democratic Party of Japan's presidential election Saturday, both stuck to the party line in a public debate in which the only way they seemed to differentiate themselves from each other was in their choice of ties.
JAPAN
May 15, 2009

DPJ members slam rush poll

The Democratic Party of Japan's decision to hold the presidential election Saturday is prompting members to question why it must be held so soon and why the voting is being restricted to those with Diet seats.
JAPAN
May 15, 2009

Ozawa to still play key role, rivals vow

Democratic Party of Japan Secretary General Yukio Hatoyama and deputy chief Katsuya Okada, the two candidates running in Saturday's DPJ presidential race, said Thursday resigning President Ichiro Ozawa will still serve in a key post.
BUSINESS
May 15, 2009

Record 16% dip forecast for quarterly GDP

The economy shrank by a record amount last quarter amid an unprecedented collapse in exports and a drawdown of inventories, but there could be a recovery later this year, according to a Bloomberg estimate of the government's gross domestic product report due out next week.
Japan Times
BASKETBALL / HOOP SCOOP
May 15, 2009

Kobe Bryant says series should decide title

A veteran coach, a voice of reason, a passionate advocate for a better and stronger bj-league, Tokyo Apache floor boss Joe Bryant has plenty of suggestions on how to improve the hoop circuit in the future.
Japan Times
JAPAN
May 14, 2009

Cabinet member exits after tryst

Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshitada Konoike resigned Wednesday for "personal reasons" after a magazine hit newsstands with a full account of a trip he and a lover took to a hot-spring resort, during which he used a special JR pass that lets Diet members ride shinkansen for free.
Reader Mail
May 14, 2009

Could do without vivid details

Regarding the May 10 article "Office workers out in front in demand for men's bras" and related Timeout articles: It is hard to know which is more disturbing, the "demand for men's bras" or the "Angel-lap Pillow." What "psychological" purpose and what "calming effects of a bra" could there possibly be...

Longform

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