Search - 2003

 
 
JAPAN
Aug 29, 2002

Coast guard to build beefed-up patrol vessels

The Japan Coast Guard plans to build 11 high-speed patrol vessels that authorities hope would give the force more muscle to hunt down unidentified ships operating off the nation's coasts, officials said Wednesday.
JAPAN
Aug 29, 2002

Ministry asks for 2.49 billion yen for English lessons

The Education Ministry on Wednesday submitted a 7.01 trillion yen budget request for fiscal 2003, up 6.7 percent from its initial fiscal 2002 budget and with a major increase in funds earmarked for English teaching, ministry officials said.
JAPAN
Aug 28, 2002

Opera on exiled Christian daimyo aimed at boosting Philippine ties

An opera about the life of a daimyo who was exiled for his Christian faith will be staged next year to mark the 100th anniversary of Japanese migration to the Philippines, according to organizers.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / INDUSTRY TRENDS
Aug 24, 2002

Steep costs seen stifling market for Internet ice boxes

Imagine the convenience of a microwave oven that can download 1,000 recipes and automatically set the optimal cooking temperature for each dish, or a refrigerator whose contents you check via your cell phone.
BUSINESS
Aug 24, 2002

Labor entities to merge

The Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare plans to integrate two labor-related entities into a new institute next year to better deal with unemployment problems, ministry sources said Friday.
JAPAN
Aug 23, 2002

Ministry seeks 1.04 trillion yen for child-rearing aid

The health ministry is asking for 1.04 trillion yen in the fiscal 2003 national budget to support child-rearing in a bid to curb the declining birth rate, ministry officials said Thursday.
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).
JAPAN
Aug 22, 2002

Foreign Ministry to tighten belt, raise standards

The Foreign Ministry will raise the bar for career-track diplomats to become ambassadors and close down seven overseas missions as part of its reform package, Foreign Minister Yoriko Kawaguchi announced Wednesday.
JAPAN
Aug 22, 2002

Funds sought for Okinawa university

The Cabinet Office said Wednesday it will submit a fiscal 2003 budget request of 1.93 billion yen related to the establishment of a new university featuring a graduate school curriculum focusing on natural sciences in Okinawa in 2007.
BUSINESS
Aug 20, 2002

Nasdaq withdrawal blamed on prolonged economic slump

The head of Nasdaq's international operations reiterated Monday that the prolonged domestic slump was behind Nasdaq Stock Market Inc.'s decision to pull out of Japan.
BUSINESS
Aug 17, 2002

Local governments face increased airport cost burden

The transport ministry plans to ask local governments to shoulder more of the costs of building and expanding airports, according to an interim policy report presented to an advisory panel Friday.
SOCCER / PREMIER REPORT
Aug 16, 2002

Savage, Keane top scene as show begins

LONDON -- After almost 40 years of reporting the beautiful game nothing should come as a surprise.
BUSINESS
Aug 16, 2002

Intellectual balance of payments off

Japan's deficit in the balance of payments related to intellectual property has plummeted about 85 percent over the past decade, as more Japanese companies move to develop new technologies to enhance competitiveness.
JAPAN
Aug 15, 2002

Agency to boost movie industry, Japan films abroad

The Agency for Cultural Affairs will expand its program to finance the showing of Japanese movies overseas and the production of films at home, according to agency officials.
BASEBALL / BASEBALL BULLET-IN
Aug 14, 2002

Will 'Cro' fly to Sapporo with Fighters?

In response to my July 31 column regarding the speculation the Nippon Ham Fighters may be thinking about hiring an American manager, I received the following comment from Warren Cromarite, one of five potential candidates I listed as excellent choices to manage the Fighters or any Japanese team.
BUSINESS
Aug 13, 2002

Delivery firm to launch new unit in China

Kintetsu World Express Inc., the nation's second-largest transport and delivery firm, said Monday it will set up a distribution unit in Dalian, northeastern China, on Oct. 1.
SOCCER / PREMIER REPORT
Aug 11, 2002

Money woes carry on as season dawns

Christopher Davies of the London Daily Telegraph is one of Britain's most prominent soccer writers. He regularly covers Premier League champion Arsenal in the Champions League and the Republic of Ireland internationally. Davies has covered eight World Cups and is a former chairman of the Football Writers'...
EDITORIALS
Aug 10, 2002

Fears of an Orwellian government

The government launched a nationwide resident registry network Monday, with several municipalities refusing to join it. The controversial system, known as Juki Net, has many people wondering whether it is designed to promote convenience for residents or to tighten the government's grip on basic personal...
JAPAN
Aug 10, 2002

Ministry targets improved home security measures

The Land, Infrastructure and Transport Ministry is seeking to promote better home security, including stronger locks to deter break-ins and lights and alarms aimed at making neighborhoods safer.
JAPAN
Aug 10, 2002

Communities are offered cash to reduce pollution

The Environment Ministry plans to tackle global warming by paying community groups for their reductions in carbon dioxide emissions, ministry officials said Friday.
BUSINESS
Aug 10, 2002

Foreigners end six-month buying spree

Nonresident investors turned net sellers on the Tokyo, Osaka and Nagoya bourses in July for the first time in six months, with a record number of stocks sold.
BUSINESS
Aug 10, 2002

Bridgestone recovers from tire-recall debacle

Bridgestone Corp. said Friday it posted a consolidated net profit of 24.48 billion yen in the January-June period, marking a turnaround from the 30.57 billion yen loss it logged a year earlier.
BUSINESS
Aug 9, 2002

FSA establishes settlement stability team

The Financial Services Agency said Thursday it has set up a team under the Financial System Council to draft measures to ensure financial settlement stability before the April 1 imposition of a 10 million yen refund cap on all demand deposits.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / INDUSTRY TRENDS
Aug 9, 2002

New diet for sports club chains: yen supplements

Japan's major sports club chains have been flexing their muscle in recent years, expanding their businesses through aggressive mergers and acquisitions as well as by opening new outlets.
JAPAN
Aug 8, 2002

Achievement awards to be gender-neutral

The government said Wednesday it will simplify the ranks of honors it gives individuals for distinguished achievement and make them gender-neutral to try to improve the system.
MORE SPORTS
Aug 8, 2002

Dream Bowl to kick season off

The Dream Bowl 2002 Matchplay tenpin bowling tournament to be held at the Shin-Yokohama Prince Bowling Center from Aug. 30-Sept. 2, will kick off the United States affiliated professional bowling league for the first time.

Longform

Atsuyoshi Koike, the president and CEO of Rapidus, says there is a “sense of urgency” when it comes to Japan’s efforts in manufacturing semiconductors. “We have to make sure we are successful,” he says.
Atsuyoshi Koike’s big game: Fourth down and 2 nanometers to go