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BUSINESS
Nov 12, 2002

Hitachi, IBM in PC recycle venture

Hitachi Ltd. and IBM Japan Ltd. said Monday they will jointly launch a recycling business for personal computers used by companies.
BUSINESS
Nov 8, 2002

Confidence down in second quarter

The government downgraded its assessment of domestic business confidence on Thursday, reporting that confidence deteriorated in the July-September period from the previous quarter.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Nov 4, 2002

America's way not always the best way, economists say

Although U.S. and British-style capitalism has prevailed throughout the world, Japan should fight to preserve the positive aspects of its traditional economic systems, scholars and economists said at a recent seminar in Tokyo.
BUSINESS
Sep 20, 2002

Yamaha raises profit forecast to 17 billion yen

Yamaha Corp., a major maker of musical instruments and special semiconductor chips, said Thursday it has revised upward its group profit forecast for the 2002 business year, citing personnel-cost cuts and brisk sales of mobile phone chips.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Sep 18, 2002

Trying to learn from failure suddenly all the rage

Isatsugu Sugahara, president of leading box-lunch caterer Tamagoya Co., runs his fingers across a stained, worn-out calendar, looking for a little circle he drew years ago. His fingers stop at May 12, 1982, the day his life changed forever.
Japan Times
JAPAN / THE OKINAWA FACTOR
Sep 14, 2002

Okinawans look to tackle problems on own terms

NAHA, Okinawa Pref. -- Every third Monday, members of an underground community bank gather in a bar in downtown Naha.
COMMUNITY
Sep 8, 2002

Hey Taxi!

An arm stuck out from the sidewalk and Hideaki pulled up his cab, let the customer in . . . and immediately sensed trouble.
JAPAN
Aug 30, 2002

Green tea advocates see cafes dedicated to the brew boom

A growing number of people are entering the Japanese green tea cafe business as the brew claims ground against its coffee cousin, according to the World Green Tea Association.
COMMENTARY
Aug 26, 2002

Shrinking realm of privacy

LONDON -- Privacy is now increasingly recognized as an important human right, but its limits are not easy to define. How far, for instance, should the press be prevented from intrusive photography of VIPs? The media generally argue that it is their job to report on the movements and actions of public...
BUSINESS
Aug 23, 2002

Kyoei Mutual pulls out of Millea group merger

Kyoei Mutual Fire & Marine Insurance Co. on Thursday formally announced that it will not join the Millea Insurance Group, bidding to instead strengthen its finances as a subsidiary of the National Mutual Insurance Federation of Agricultural Cooperatives (Zenkyoren).
BUSINESS
Aug 21, 2002

Employee-leasing agencies helping Chinese computer engineers to cash in

More Chinese computer engineers are coming to Japan via temporary-staff employment agencies, and some of them are finding a niche in the information technology industry, earning as much as 10 million yen a year.
BUSINESS
Aug 13, 2002

Indian software services firm seeks to defy recession

Despite a prolonged recession in Japan and a language barrier, Wipro Ltd., a major Indian software services firm, is moving aggressively to take a bigger bite of the market here.
COMMENTARY
Aug 10, 2002

Chen's contradictory roles won't work

HONG KONG -- When Chen Shui-bian ran for president of Taiwan more than two years ago, he distanced himself from his political party, the proindependence Democratic Progressive Party, promising he would be president of all the people of the island, regardless of political affiliation. But on July 21,...
BUSINESS
Aug 9, 2002

Market chaos poses danger to economy, Cabinet warns

The government on Thursday warned that downside risks are increasing for the Japanese economy due to volatility in global financial markets, but that the uptrend in Japan remains intact.
BUSINESS
Aug 8, 2002

Snow, Otsuka in baby-products deal

Snow Brand Milk Products Co. announced Wednesday it has abandoned talks with Nestle Japan Holding Ltd. over a baby-care products alliance and has instead reached an agreement with Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co.
BUSINESS
Jul 31, 2002

Electronics makers' quarterly results reflect cost-cutting, surge in demand

Japan's major electronics makers either narrowed their losses or posted profits in the April-June quarter, aided by recovering semiconductor sales and restructuring efforts, according to quarterly earnings results released Tuesday.
BUSINESS / ANOTHER LOOK
Jul 29, 2002

What businesses need to learn to become world-class players

The 2002 FIFA World Cup recently held in both Japan and the Republic of Korea was also the first held in Asia. It kept an estimated worldwide audience in excess of 1 billion riveted to match broadcasts for almost a month with the kind of exciting plays only world-class players can produce.
EDITORIALS
Jul 23, 2002

Invisible hand vs. sleight of hand

During the past few weeks, the world has rendered a verdict on U.S.-style capitalism and the results are not pretty. Markets are plunging, the dollar is shedding value against major currencies and executives have been thrown to the lions. There is a crisis of confidence in U.S. business, and rightfully...
BUSINESS
Jul 23, 2002

Publisher to acquire visual content firm

Kadokawa Shoten Publishing Co. said Monday one of its group companies will acquire the operations of visual content provider Daiei Co. to expand the group's contents business.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Jul 19, 2002

Groups rally against pro forma standard tax

The Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry and three other groups representing small and midsize firms rallied Thursday against government moves to launch a corporate tax based on criteria other than profits.
COMMENTARY
Jul 16, 2002

Mark of Koizumi's mettle

At the end of the recent Group of Eight summit in Kananaskis, Canada, Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi expressed confidence in successfully implementing his reform programs, including plans for highway administration and postal services. Koizumi said, "My G8 partners praised and encouraged me when I...
BUSINESS
Jul 13, 2002

Matsushita to cut costs with transfer

OSAKA -- Matsushita Electric Industrial Co. will transfer 1,200 clerical and other employees to an office business subsidiary as it cuts further into labor costs, company officials said Friday.
BUSINESS
Jul 6, 2002

Nissan Diesel to follow Ghosn's plan

The president of Nissan Diesel Motor Co. said Friday his company will promote team work among middle-management personnel, in line with the business strategy of Nissan Motor Co. President Carlos Ghosn.
BUSINESS
Jul 6, 2002

Farm ministry, lobby set policy talks

Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Tsutomu Takebe said Friday his ministry will meet next week with Japan's biggest business lobby to exchange views on policies.
BUSINESS
Jul 2, 2002

Hitachi group's operating balance looking better: Shoyama

Hitachi Ltd.'s group operating balance may have returned to the black in the April-June quarter of the 2002 business year, according to Hitachi President Etsuhiko Shoyama.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Jun 28, 2002

Mazda chief sees bright future

The next two years at Mazda Motor Corp. will be a period of "product-led growth," new company President and CEO Lewis Booth said Thursday.
EDITORIALS
Jun 16, 2002

Thank God it's Monday

'A good name is better than precious ointment," according to the Bible. These days, that can mean more than just a good reputation, especially in business. It can mean a snappy title, too: something that will both stick in people's minds and make them smile.
JAPAN
Jun 16, 2002

Misumi's 'management of emptiness' anything but hollow

At Misumi Corp., the president makes no beginning-of-the-year speeches. There are no long-term sales goals, praise or scoldings.
BUSINESS
Jun 8, 2002

1.4% GDP spurt fails to lift gloom

Brisk exports saw Japan's gross domestic product grow 1.4 percent in the first quarter, marking a turnaround from three straight quarters of contraction, the government said Friday.

Longform

Totopa in Tokyo’s Shinjuku Ward was picked by consultants TTNE as the best sauna of the year.
Japan’s sauna movement: Relax, refresh, repeat