Search - 2002

 
 
COMMUNITY / How-tos / LIFELINES
Mar 16, 2004

Citizenship and health insurance

Citizenship I am a holder of a valid Philippines passport and have permanent residence status here in Japan, where I have lived for at least 18 years. I would like to apply for citizenship.
JAPAN
Mar 13, 2004

Kin of abductees spooked by specter of Kerry in White House

OSAKA -- November's U.S. presidential election will be watched with great interest and concern by relatives and other supporters of Japanese nationals abducted to North Korea, who wonder what implications a Democratic victory might have for their cause.
JAPAN
Mar 13, 2004

Agency's use of pension funds for checkups raises eyebrows

The Social Insurance Agency tapped into Japan's cash-strapped, state-run pension system and health insurance plans to pay for 370 million yen in medical checkups for its own employees in fiscal 2003 and 2004, it was learned Friday.
JAPAN
Mar 13, 2004

Man tied to spy ship got mob drug funds

A South Korean man linked to a North Korean spy ship that sank off Amami-Oshima Island after a shootout with the Japan Coast Guard in December 2001 has received deposits of several million yen from people connected to gangsters, sources have said.
JAPAN
Mar 13, 2004

Cabinet Office to revoke NPO licenses for first time

The Cabinet Office said Friday it will revoke the licenses of five nonprofit organizations that have corporate status because the groups either failed to submit activity reports or because their representatives were arrested in criminal cases.
JAPAN
Mar 12, 2004

Shirakawa oft visited illegal casino but says he didn't bet

Katsuhiko Shirakawa, a former home affairs minister and ex-chairman of the National Public Safety Commission, has admitted visiting an illegal casino in Tokyo under a false name -- but has denied placing any bets.
BUSINESS
Mar 12, 2004

With Mexico FTA set, Japan turns toward Asia

Japan and Mexico are poised to give the final go-ahead Friday on a free-trade agreement that trade officials hope will smooth the way for bilateral deals closer to home in Asia.
JAPAN
Mar 12, 2004

Chinese being frozen out of student visa process

Things are looking pretty grim for Chinese students who have their sights set on pursuing their Japanese language studies here.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Mar 11, 2004

Kobe killer set free

A 21-year-old man who strangled and decapitated a boy and bludgeoned a girl to death when he was 14 in one of Japan's most notorious juvenile crimes was paroled Wednesday, having spent more than six years at a medical reformatory, the Justice Ministry announced.
JAPAN
Mar 11, 2004

Koizumi treat for English speakers

The Cabinet Office will start sending out an English version of Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's weekly e-mail magazine, beginning March 25.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Mar 11, 2004

Researcher states case against extradition

A Japanese researcher charged with industrial espionage in the United States said in court Wednesday that his actions did not constitute spying and that he should not be extradited to the U.S.
JAPAN
Mar 11, 2004

Japan, Mexico reach broad agreement on FTA

After 1 1/2 years of sometimes bitter negotiations, Japan and Mexico agreed Wednesday on a broad accord for a free-trade pact, according to Shoichi Nakagawa, minister of economy, trade and industry.
JAPAN
Mar 10, 2004

Cabinet endorses diluted bill to safeguard whistle-blowers

In response to a spate of insider revelations of corporate wrongdoing in recent years, the Cabinet endorsed a bill Tuesday to protect whistle-blowers from employer retaliation under certain conditions.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Mar 10, 2004

Under the Taliban's shadow

Osama Rating: * * * * (out of 5) Japanese title: Afghan Zero-Nen Director: Siddiq Barmak Running time: 83 minutes Language: Dari, Pashtu Opens March 13 at Tokyo Shashin Bijitsukan, Yebisu Garden Place [See Japan Times movie listings] Of all the repression that the Taliban inflicted on...
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Mar 10, 2004

Ministerial face-off fails to spark FTA joy

A face-to-face meeting Tuesday between the Mexican and Japanese agriculture ministers failed to bridge differences hindering progress toward a free-trade agreement, Japanese officials said.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Art / NEW ART SEEN
Mar 10, 2004

To view life in Lomotion, try denying the details

In photography and image processing these days, the general idea is that higher resolution and more faithful color rendition makes for better images. Of course, that is only the general idea. Thankfully, there are some creative types out there who disagree.
BUSINESS
Mar 9, 2004

Afghanistan seeks more financial aid

Visiting Afghan Finance Minister Ashraf Ghani asked Japan on Monday to offer further economic assistance during an international donors' conference in Berlin later this month.
BASEBALL / MLB
Mar 9, 2004

Yokohama inks pitcher Walker

The Yokohama BayStars announced Monday the acquisition of right-hander Pete Walker, but did not disclose information on the details of the contract after they bought the rights to the 34-year-old from the Toronto Blue Jays.
BUSINESS / JAPANESE PERSPECTIVES
Mar 8, 2004

Speed key to making most of new tax pact

On Feb. 27, a new Japanese-U.S. treaty on taxation was finally submitted to the Diet for ratification by the legislature. The treaty, if approved, will make dividends and royalties earned by U.S. subsidiaries in which the Japanese parent firm has a stake of more than 50 percent tax-free, doing away with...
JAPAN
Mar 7, 2004

Many firms cutting down on travel expenses

Almost half of the companies that responded to a survey said they have reviewed expenses for business trips by employees in the past three years, with about 40 percent reducing or abolishing daily allowances, according to a Tokyo-based private research institute on labor and industry.

Longform

Construction takes place on the Takanawa Gateway Convention Center in Tokyo, slated to open in 2025.
A boom for business tourism in Japan?