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COMMENTARY
Oct 31, 2003

Economic freedom pays off

MANILA -- More than a decade ago, the global confrontation between the West and the East ended with a convincing victory for the liberal paradigm. The ideological triumph of the Western political and economic concept was so pervasive that some argued that mankind had reached the "end of history."
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink
Oct 31, 2003

The humble Pacific-Rim fruit that roared

When ripe, the tropical fruit noni turns the kind of yellow-green most people associate with nasal congestion -- and gives off an odor pungent enough to clear that congestion away. Accordingly, noni's profile has long been low compared with that of more popular Pacific Rim fruits.
BUSINESS
Oct 30, 2003

Daiei rehab plan features asset sales, banking help

The proposed rehabilitation of Daiei Inc.'s Fukuoka hotel, ballpark and baseball business will feature the sale of assets and financial assistance from the supermarket giant's six main banks, sources connected with the plan said Wednesday.
BUSINESS
Oct 29, 2003

Yahoo Japan debuts on first section

Yahoo Japan Corp., the nation's leading Internet portal site operator, drew a tepid response from investors when it debuted Tuesday on the Tokyo Stock Exchange, ending the day at 1.57 million yen after opening at 1.65 million yen.
JAPAN
Oct 29, 2003

Kan rules out specter of DPJ-JCP coalition

Naoto Kan, leader of the Democratic Party of Japan, denied Tuesday that his party plans to form a governing coalition with the Japanese Communist Party.
BUSINESS
Oct 29, 2003

Bailout of Mitsui Mining now reportedly back on

The Industrial Revitalization Corp. of Japan will make a formal decision to bail out Mitsui Mining Co. on Friday, according to informed sources.
BUSINESS
Oct 29, 2003

Matsushita Electric group net profit rises 31.5%

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co. said Tuesday its group net profit for the fiscal first half grew 31.5 percent from a year earlier to 23.15 billion yen on the back of restructuring effects and strong sales of digital home products.
BUSINESS
Oct 28, 2003

Olympus in endoscope breakthrough

Olympus Corp. has developed a high-resolution endoscope that may allow doctors to detect cancerous tissue within the body without taking samples, a company spokesman said Monday.
BUSINESS
Oct 28, 2003

Japan-U.S. trade meeting in upbeat mood

OSAKA -- The two-day 27th Annual Joint Meeting of the Japan-United States Southeast Association began here Monday with participants upbeat about recent economic trends in both countries.
COMMENTARY
Oct 27, 2003

Resuscitating Japanese labor

Following a protracted economic slowdown, the labor movement in Japan is in the doldrums. The unionization rate has fallen to about 20 percent due to stepped-up corporate restructuring and widespread worker distrust of unions. The nation's top labor federation, the Japanese Trade Union Confederation,...
JAPAN
Oct 26, 2003

Nissan set to cut sales firms to 100

Nissan Motor Co. plans to reduce the number of domestic sales companies from the current 170 to around 100 as part of the rationalization of its sales structure and cut costs, company sources said Saturday.
JAPAN
Oct 26, 2003

Winter bonuses likely to inch up

Winter bonuses at Japan's listed companies are likely to show the first year-on-year rise in six years, though by a marginal 0.7 percent, due to the improved business environment, a private think tank forecast Saturday.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY
Oct 26, 2003

The Road Ahead

The heat built up as our five-hour bus ride from Delhi took us toward the searing Thar Desert. Then, after clocking up 260 km heading south on the national highway, buildings began to grow as we approached Jaipur, capital of the state of Rajasthan. Our journey may have been equivalent to traveling between...
JAPAN
Oct 25, 2003

Nippon TV producer in ratings scam

A producer at Nippon Television Network Corp. has bribed TV viewer rating monitors in a bid to manipulate the viewer ratings of his own shows, it was learned Friday.
JAPAN
Oct 25, 2003

Diet nepotism -- birthright of passage

In Japanese politics, family ties still count a lot.
JAPAN
Oct 25, 2003

Nippon Ham padded bill by 30 million yen

Nippon Meat Packers Inc. improperly received excessive funds from the state under program to alleviate damage to the meat industry from the mad cow disease outbreak, Board of Audit officials said Friday.
COMMUNITY
Oct 25, 2003

Palette mixes people of every color and capacity

Naoko Taniguchi is a pioneer in bringing mentally handicapped individuals into the community. Thirty years ago, when she began volunteer activities, families still regarded the disabled as a source of shame. She says the situation is improving, "though there will be no major shift until companies hire...
BUSINESS
Oct 25, 2003

Leopalace21 to buy into Dia Kensetsu

Apartment rental service Leopalace21 Corp. will purchase a 37.25 percent stake in Dia Kensetsu Co. to help revive the troubled condominium builder, the two companies said Friday.
LIFE / Travel / ON THE ARCHIPELA-GO
Oct 24, 2003

Where time flows slowly

Some places really do have the image thing sorted out. Mention of the name Kurashiki generally conjures up a warm picture of traditional Japan, a town where life trundles along at a gentler pace than elsewhere. What tends not to be conjured up is that Kurashiki is a city of 450,000 people living right...
COMMENTARY / World
Oct 24, 2003

Taiwan power rivals must win or perish

TAIPEI -- With five months to go before Taiwan's presidential election, the campaign is heating up between the incumbent, President Chen Shui-bian, leader of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party, and the opposition Kuomintang's (KMT) Lien Chan.
BUSINESS
Oct 24, 2003

Kanebo, Kao plan cosmetics tieup

Kao Corp. and Kanebo Ltd. said Thursday they have agreed to integrate their cosmetics businesses by the end of March 2007.
BUSINESS
Oct 24, 2003

Nissan, Renault say alliance is producing results

MAKUHARI, Chiba Pref. -- Nissan Motor Co. and French automaker Renault SA are reaping the benefits of their partnership in technological development and businesses in overseas markets, officials of the two companies said Thursday.
BUSINESS
Oct 24, 2003

Sony second-quarter profit tumbles 25%

Sony Corp. said Thursday its group net profit fell 25.3 percent in the second quarter to 32.92 billion yen due to large research and development costs in its game division.
JAPAN
Oct 24, 2003

End of two-track system no help to women

As the protracted economic slump prompts companies to shed the time-honored practices of lifetime employment and seniority-based wages, another victim of the cost-cutting ax is the two-track hiring system that has effectively kept women's wages lower than men's.
BUSINESS
Oct 24, 2003

Mitsukoshi's group net profit falls

Department store operator Mitsukoshi Ltd. said Thursday its group net profit for the six months to Aug. 31 fell 19.5 percent from a year earlier to 2.06 billion yen.
Japan Times
JAPAN / PARTY LINE
Oct 23, 2003

JCP to stick with criticism of Koizumi, U.S. security ties

The Japanese Communist Party has no plans to change tack ahead of the upcoming general election, training its guns on the policies of Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, whom it accuses of pandering to big business and the United States.

Longform

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