Search - 2003

 
 
EDITORIALS
Nov 6, 2001

Mr. Obasanjo walks the tightrope

Nigeria is once again on edge. Last week, soldiers reportedly massacred more than 200 civilians in retaliation for the killing of 19 of their comrades. The army is now engaged in the largest internal military deployment since the 1960s civil war.
JAPAN
Nov 3, 2001

Health ministry to start rubella vaccination drive

The Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry has decided to take steps to assist people who were not vaccinated against German measles, a dangerous illness for pregnant women, due to an amendment of the Preventive Vaccination Law, ministry sources said Friday.
BUSINESS
Nov 2, 2001

BOJ's Sept. 18 vote to ease monetary policy passed 8-1

The Bank of Japan decided by an 8-1 vote to ease monetary policy at its policy board meeting on Sept. 18, according to minutes of the meeting released Thursday.
BUSINESS
Oct 30, 2001

Kuwaiti Cabinet endorses new contracts for Arabian Oil

The Kuwaiti Cabinet has given the green light to its plan to map out new contracts that will allow Tokyo-based Arabian Oil Co. to continue operations in the country's Khafji oil field, Arabian Oil said Monday.
JAPAN
Oct 29, 2001

SDP picks new secretary general

The Social Democratic Party endorsed the appointment of Mizuho Fukushima, a lawyer-turned House of Councilors lawmaker, as secretary general Sunday, concluding its two-day convention in Tokyo.
BUSINESS
Oct 27, 2001

Chuo Mitsui looks for lifeline

Chuo Mitsui Trust and Banking Co. announced Friday it will reorganize its trust operations and seek capital injections of between 60 billion yen and 70 billion yen from other members of the Mitsui group.
BUSINESS
Oct 26, 2001

Volkswagen to accelerate sales promotion, presence in Asia

MAKUHARI, Chiba Pref. -- German auto giant Volkswagen AG is accelerating sales promotions to increase its presence in Asia, especially in Japan and China, according to an executive of the firm.
OLYMPICS
Oct 25, 2001

New president outlines JOC plans

New Japanese Olympic Committee president Tsunekazu Takeda said Wednesday that he would like to send Japanese athletes to the Salt Lake City Olympics in February as long as the Winter Olympic Games go ahead.
BUSINESS
Oct 25, 2001

Fuel cells, IT on stage at motor show

MAKUHARI, Chiba Pref. -- The 35th Tokyo Motor Show opened to the media Wednesday, showcasing concept cars, motorbikes and the latest auto parts at the Makuhari Messe international event hall.
ENVIRONMENT / OUR PLANET EARTH
Oct 25, 2001

Cedar cull may still leave pollen victims fuming

This week's column is about air pollution, principally emissions from diesel engines. But first, the forest and cedar trees.
BUSINESS
Oct 23, 2001

Isuzu, Toyota eye alliance on diesel engines

Toyota Motor Corp. and Isuzu Motors Ltd. are in talks over a possible tieup in the United States under which Isuzu would supply diesel engines for Toyota cars sold in North America, sources close to the talks said Monday.
BUSINESS
Oct 20, 2001

Insurer safety net in trouble

Life insurers can no longer afford to keep funding the safety net of the Life Insurance Policyholders Protection Corp., which makes payments for failed insurers, a top industry official said Friday.
BUSINESS
Oct 19, 2001

Nissan posts record half-year results

Nissan Motor Co. said Thursday it will post a record consolidated operating profit of 187 billion yen for the first half of fiscal 2001, due to continued progress in its ongoing three-year restructuring plan.
BUSINESS
Oct 17, 2001

Sharp in wireless deal with U.S. firm

OSAKA -- Sharp Corp. said Tuesday it will tie up with Soma Networks Inc. of the United States to develop next-generation high-speed wireless data communications systems and devices for households.
CULTURE / Art
Oct 17, 2001

Defining Style

In the 10,000 years since the Arctic icecap receded sufficiently to enable human inhabitation of the land we now know as Sweden, the curiously creative nation has gifted the world with the likes of Beowulf, Strindberg, Bergman and, well, Abba.
Events
Oct 16, 2001

Forum eyes water management scenarios

KYOTO -- By 2025, it is predicted that nearly 5 billion people worldwide will face a severe shortage of water. A resource people take for granted may become as precious as diamonds or gold, according to a panel of experts who took part in a symposium last week in Kyoto.
BUSINESS
Oct 13, 2001

Chinese tariffs to cost Japan's car firms 420 billion yen

Carmakers are likely to miss out on 420 billion yen in earnings in 2002 if China retains its retaliatory import tariffs on Japanese vehicles, the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association Inc. said Friday.
JAPAN
Oct 13, 2001

Kurosawa museum signs U.S. directors

U.S. film directors Steven Spielberg, George Lucas and Martin Scorsese have agreed to chip in on a project to build a museum in Imari, Saga Prefecture, for the legendary moviemaker Akira Kurosawa.
BUSINESS
Oct 13, 2001

Legal definition of post firm's role urged

Private-sector representatives urged the government Friday to define the role of a new public corporation scheduled to take over the state-run postal service system in fiscal 2003.
JAPAN
Oct 12, 2001

Kenya given terms to continue dam project

The government laid out conditions this week to Kenya for the continuation of a Japanese-funded project to expand the African country's capacity to generate electricity, Japanese officials said.
JAPAN
Oct 11, 2001

Interministerial team to target cyberterrorism

Japan will set up an interministerial team to prevent cyberterrorism and protect its planned "cybergovernment" from attack, government officials said Wednesday.
BUSINESS
Oct 9, 2001

Nation's airlines remaining steadfast in face of aftershocks from terrorism

Declines in passenger loads and increases in insurance premiums after last month's devastating terrorist attacks in the United States are threats to Japanese airlines as they are to other carriers, but reaction in Japan may not be as drastic.
BUSINESS
Oct 4, 2001

Securities tax revisions finalized

The tax panel of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party on Wednesday finalized a package of securities tax revisions it drafted the previous day in a bid to revitalize the flagging stock market.
JAPAN
Oct 4, 2001

Survey on nursing-fee reductions planned

The Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry will survey municipalities that are reducing or waiving premiums for nursing-care insurance for low-income senior citizens, ministry officials said.
BUSINESS
Oct 3, 2001

Komatsu to trim 10% of workforce

Komatsu Ltd. said Tuesday it will cut 2,200 jobs, or about 10 percent of its group domestic workforce, by March 2004.
BUSINESS
Oct 3, 2001

METI to open talks on liberalizing electricity market

The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry will discuss further liberalization of the electricity retail market, the minister said Tuesday.
BUSINESS
Oct 3, 2001

Stock market measures win LDP sanction

The ruling Liberal Democratic Party approved a set of proposals Tuesday to rev up the stock market, including one to exempt from taxation the capital gains made on shares bought in 2002 and held for two or more years, LDP officials said.
BUSINESS
Oct 2, 2001

MHI establishes power company

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. said Monday it has established a wholly owned company it will use to enter the wholesale electricity market next October.

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