Search - 2000

 
 
LIFE / Digital
Apr 12, 2001

Nintendo best positioned to rule

While Sony had the head start and Microsoft the marketing millions, as the battle lines become clearer, it appears that Nintendo may be best positioned to rule over the next generation of videogames.
JAPAN
Apr 11, 2001

Cabinet approves import curbs on China leeks, shiitake, straw

The Cabinet on Tuesday approved a plan to invoke temporary import curbs on three agricultural products, mainly from China, to protect domestic farmers from a recent surge in imports.
BUSINESS
Apr 11, 2001

Quota for South Korea nori to rise

The government will increase the 2001 import quota of nori from South Korea to 150 million sheets -- an increase of 30 million sheets -- as a result of a poor seaweed harvest in Ariake, a major seaweed producing region in southern Kyushu, officials said Tuesday.
COMMENTARY
Apr 11, 2001

A turning point for the LDP

The result of the election to choose a new president of the Liberal Democratic Party will be announced today. This will end a domestic political vacuum that has persisted since Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori revealed his intention of stepping down, over a month ago.
BUSINESS
Apr 11, 2001

DaimlerChrysler to increase MMC stake

Mitsubishi Motors Corp. will allow a raise in the capital ratio of DaimlerChrysler AG because Swedish truck maker AB Volvo plans to sell its 3.3 percent stake in MMC to DaimlerChrysler to end Volvo's tieup in the truck and bus business, a top MMC official said Tuesday.
JAPAN
Apr 11, 2001

Miura plans to scale Everest in '03 at 70

Kyodo News Refusing to rest on his laurels, professional skier and adventurer Yuichiro Miura plans to scale the world's highest mountain in 2003 after turning 70.
BUSINESS
Apr 10, 2001

Jusco sees record sales, pretax profits

Jusco Co. scored record sales and pretax profits on a consolidated basis for the fiscal year that ended Feb. 20, the firm said Monday.
JAPAN
Apr 10, 2001

Shipbuilders warned against rigging defense contracts

Eight shipbuilders were warned Monday by the government's competition policy watchdog over alleged bid rigging on defense contracts.
JAPAN
Apr 8, 2001

Big tobacco stamps out antismoking campaigns

A number of prefectural governments have bowed to pressure from the tobacco industry and abandoned or downsized their antismoking campaigns, a Kyodo News poll showed Saturday.
BUSINESS
Apr 8, 2001

Major banks write off 4 trillion yen in bad loans

The country's 16 major banks are believed to have disposed of a combined 4 trillion yen in bad loans in the business year to March 31, industry sources said Saturday. The banks disposed of 4.5 trillion yen in fiscal 1999.
BUSINESS
Apr 7, 2001

Ministers back curbs on China farm imports

Eight Cabinet ministers on Friday confirmed a policy of invoking a temporary emergency import curb on three agricultural products, mostly from China, government officials said.
BUSINESS
Apr 7, 2001

More days off, less pay: NKK plan

Major steelmaker NKK Corp. plans to force managers to take two days' leave -- paid at only 65 percent of their normal daily wage -- every month in an effort to reduce labor costs, company officials said Friday.
BUSINESS
Apr 7, 2001

NTT regional units slash rates

NTT East Corp. and NTT West Corp. said Friday that they will slash their intracity call rate to 8.5 yen per three minutes from the previously planned rate of 8.8 yen.
BUSINESS
Apr 7, 2001

Doubts linger over loan disposal

The emergency economic measures unveiled Friday, which focus on reducing banks' sour loans, leave unanswered the key questions that will determine their success.
CULTURE / Books / THE ASIAN BOOKSHELF
Apr 7, 2001

Paper and gold yield a life

PAPER SON: One Man's Story, by Tung Pok Chin, with Winifred C. Chin, with an introduction by K. Scott Wong. Philadelphia: Temple University Press, 2000, pp. 184, 15 b/w photos, $15.96. In this account of his tribulations and triumphs in Gold Mountain (the Chinese immigrant's euphemism for the United...
BUSINESS
Apr 7, 2001

State to probe towel imports, decide on trade restrictions

The government will begin a formal probe later this month to decide whether to invoke curbs on surging towel imports, primarily from China, Takeo Hiranuma, minister of economy, trade and industry, said Friday.
BUSINESS
Apr 6, 2001

Imported car sales up in '00

Sales of imported motor vehicles in Japan turned upward in fiscal 2000 for the first time in four years, rising 0.8 percent to 276,999 units, the Japan Automobile Importers Association said Thursday.
BUSINESS
Apr 6, 2001

New bank group expects bigger loss

Mitsubishi Tokyo Financial Group Inc. announced Thursday it has revised downward the projected earnings of its group banks for fiscal 2000, mainly because of increased writeoffs of bad loans.
BUSINESS
Apr 6, 2001

Asia-Pacific council to gather in Tokyo

The Pacific Basin Economic Council will convene for a three-day meeting starting Sunday in Tokyo, bringing together business leaders from 20 Asia-Pacific economies.
JAPAN
Apr 6, 2001

Supreme Court report illustrates lengthy process of civil trial system

Trials relating to medical matters take an average three years to complete compared with 8.8 months for civil trials, according to a Supreme Court report released Thursday.
BUSINESS
Apr 5, 2001

Shares bought on credit up

The balance of shares bought on credit turned higher last week, snapping a five-week decline.
BUSINESS
Apr 4, 2001

Microsoft wants Xbox to be center of gaming

The launch of Microsoft Corp.'s Xbox is designed to secure a foothold in the home video-game market for the company, an area seen as critical for long-term growth, according to a top executive of the game console project.
JAPAN
Apr 4, 2001

Ministries enlisted 345 workers from private firms

Fiscal 2000 saw 345 people dispatched from private companies to work for ministries, up 16 from the previous year, according to an annual report released by the Public Management, Home Affairs, Posts and Telecommunications Ministry.
BUSINESS
Apr 4, 2001

IHI, Kawasaki Heavy to merge shipbuilding operations

Ishikawajima-Harima Heavy Industries Co. and Kawasaki Heavy Industries Ltd. said Tuesday they will integrate their shipbuilding operations into an equally owned venture to be formed on Oct. 1, 2002.
COMMENTARY / World
Apr 4, 2001

Making the case for private cosmonauts

Russia's mostly privatized space agency, Energia, like a good capitalist company, wants to make money by carrying a private paying passenger to the International Space Station. NASA, the U.S. government's space agency, opposes this procapitalist venture.
BASEBALL / MLB
Apr 4, 2001

Yoshinaga dinger powers Giants past Swallows

Veteran catcher Koichiro Yoshinaga hit a two-run homer and youngster Tsuyoshi Jobe turned in a stellar relief performance Tuesday to lead the Yomiuri Giants to a 4-3 win over the Yakult Swallows.

Longform

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