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JAPAN
Apr 9, 1997

Ozawa open to teamwork with LDP

Ichiro Ozawa, president of Shinshinto, the largest opposition party, said April 9 that cooperation with the ruling Liberal Democratic Party over administrative reform is possible just as the two agreed to cooperate on the issue of forced use of land for U.S. military bases in Okinawa Prefecture.
JAPAN
Apr 9, 1997

Nago support sought with heliport study

The government hopes the city of Nago, Okinawa Prefecture, will reverse its position and cooperate with the state to launch a feasibility study for the proposed relocation of the Futenma U.S. Marine heliport to a sea-based facility off Camp Schwab, Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Kaoru Yosano said April...
JAPAN
Apr 7, 1997

Dollar rises to 125 yen to hit four-year high

The dollar soared against the yen in Tokyo on April 7, briefly hitting 125 yen for the first time since February 1993 amid growing expectations of higher interest returns on U.S. securities.
JAPAN
Apr 4, 1997

Sato to take up supercomputers

Trade chief Shinji Sato said Apr. 4 that he will take up the issue of the U.S. government procurement of supercomputers when he visits the United States later this month.
JAPAN
Apr 2, 1997

Business confidence on plus side for first time since 1991

Business confidence among principal manufacturing companies has taken a turn for the better for the first time in more than five years, according to the Bank of Japan's quarterly "tankan" survey released Apr. 2.
JAPAN
Apr 1, 1997

MITI slams U.S. trade report

The Ministry of International Trade and Industry on Apr. 1 denounced the U.S. government's trade report for containing what it called a series of one-sided views, erroneous accounts and unfounded allegations.
JAPAN
Apr 1, 1997

Hokkaido banks to merge

Hokkaido Takushoku Bank, one of the nation's 10 major city banks, and the regional Hokkaido Bank announced Apr. 1 that they will merge on April 1, 1998, to cut costs ahead of the proposed "Big Bang" of financial deregulation.
JAPAN
Mar 31, 1997

Revision of base law moves to fast track

Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto on Mar. 31 announced that he will try to revise a law -- hopefully by late this month -- to enable the government to legally continue providing land for use by U.S. military bases in Okinawa after leases for some plots expire.
JAPAN
Mar 26, 1997

Fed's fund rate hike won't affect BOJ policy

The U.S. Federal Reserve Board's decision to raise its Federal Fund rate by 0.25 percentage point will not directly affect Japan's current easy monetary policy, the head of the Bank of Japan said Mar. 26.
JAPAN
Mar 25, 1997

Bankers' report calls for end to postal savings system

The nation's banking community drew up a report Mar. 25 calling for the privatization and subsequent breakup of the government's postal savings system, saying it was a barrier to full implementation of financial deregulation.
JAPAN
Mar 25, 1997

Talking about paper industry useless, Sato says

It is no use discussing with the United States new measures for paper trade, Japan's trade chief, Shinji Sato, said Mar. 25.
JAPAN
Mar 25, 1997

Land liquidity plan may use special firms, tax breaks

A comprehensive package to spur land liquidity to be drawn up Mar. 24 would include such measures as allowing thecreation of special purpose companies within Japan by fiscal 1998 to help securitize land held as loan collateral, the finance minister said Mar. 25.
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

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

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 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

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 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 19, 1997

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

The recent scandal surrounding Nomura Securities Co. will not affect current efforts to implement the "Big Bang" of financial system reforms, the acting head of the Japan Securities Dealers Associations said Mar. 19.
JAPAN
Mar 19, 1997

Reform must be gutsy to overcome less services: Mitsuzuka

Public understanding of the inevitable reduction in public services that will result from the government's drive for fiscal austerity must be won by showing a strong resolve to push forward with reform measures, Finance Minister Hiroshi Mitsuzuka said Mar. 19.
JAPAN
Mar 18, 1997

FTC investigates Hokkaido newspaper

The Fair Trade Commission visited the headquarters and Hakodate bureau of The Hokkaido Shimbun on Mar. 18 and questioned company officials about a possible violation of the Antimonopoly Law.
JAPAN
Mar 18, 1997

Hashimoto orders steps for raising land liquidity

Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto on Mar. 18 instructed Finance Minister Hiroshi Mitsuzuka to draw up by the end of the month comprehensive measures to increase the liquidity of land held as collateral for loans.
JAPAN
Mar 15, 1997

Latest scandals said litmus test for Japan's will to reform

Japan's commitment to deregulation and market liberalization may be put to the test as the government and the business community respond to the misconduct of Nomura Securities Co. and other scandal-tainted firms, observers say.
JAPAN
Mar 15, 1997

Chief of Nomura steps down . . . again

The president of Nomura Securities Co., the nation's top brokerage, resigned Mar. 14 over the widening scandal caused by the company's illicit business practices on behalf of a firm run by a relative of a former "sokaiya" corporate extortionist.
JAPAN
Mar 13, 1997

U.N. secretary general to visit Tokyo, Beijing on Asia trip

Kofi Annan, the new secretary general of the United Nations, may visit Tokyo and Beijing in May, his first trip to the two capitals since taking office Jan. 1, Japanese diplomatic sources said Mar. 13.
JAPAN
Mar 12, 1997

Telecom, ITJ announce nation's first telecom merger

To brace for competition triggered by deregulation, Japan Telecom Co. and International Telecom Japan Inc. said Mar. 12 they will merge around October. It will be the first between Japanese telecommunications firms.
JAPAN
Mar 7, 1997

English-language newspapers to be featured in exhibition

The Japan Times, with the cooperation of its competitors, will open on Mar. 9 an exhibition of Japan's English-language newspapers dating back to the 19th century. The show is part of the events celebrating The Japan Times' 100th anniversary, which falls on March 22.
JAPAN
Mar 5, 1997

Abe trial begins next week

The mother of a hemophiliac who died of AIDS after being administered HIV-tainted blood products said Mar. 5 she wants defendants in the upcoming trial over the medical scandal to offer a sincere apology.
JAPAN
Mar 3, 1997

Finance official rules stimulus measures out

A top Finance Ministry official ruled out on Mar. 3 the need for fiscal economic stimulus at this time, expressing confidence that the nation's recovery can be led by domestic demand.

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