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JAPAN
Jan 15, 2003

Crested ibis may be freed into wilds of Sado by '07

After a comeback from the brink of extinction, Japan's crested ibis is being prepared to be reintroduced into the wild in four years, an official said.
EDITORIALS
Jan 15, 2003

Sidetracking the territorial issue

Japan and Russia remain far apart on the territorial dispute over the Northern Territories, a group of northern Pacific islands known to the Russians as the Southern Kurils. The meeting over the weekend in Moscow between Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi and Russian President Vladimir Putin produced no...
MORE SPORTS
Jan 14, 2003

JBA set to sack national coach

The Japan Basketball Association will sack men's national head coach Kenji Yoshida after a string of poor results in international tournaments, basketball sources said Sunday.
JAPAN
Jan 14, 2003

Campaign cooperation elusive for DPJ, Liberals

The Democratic Party of Japan and the Liberal Party remain at odds over how they might pursue campaign cooperation in the next general election of the Lower House, as speculation continues to grow that it will be held sometime this year.
JAPAN
Jan 14, 2003

Moscow summit a ratings winner for Koizumi

The public approval rating for Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi now stands at 54.6 percent, up 4.6 percentage points from December, according to the results of a Kyodo News survey released Monday.
COMMUNITY / How-tos / LIFELINES
Jan 14, 2003

Pension posers, recycling visas, and a re-entry tip-off

New year, new faces Happy New Year from Tokyo. Congratulations to two new leaders in the community; Mr. Lance Lee, the new president of The American Chamber of Commerce in Japan, and Mr. Larry Blagg, the new president of The Tokyo American Club. They don't come any better. We wish them the best. Also,...
JAPAN
Jan 13, 2003

State eyes cutting tax breaks for richer pensioners

The Finance Ministry might reduce tax breaks for pensioners in response to public criticism that the upper-class elderly are unduly benefiting, ministry sources said Sunday.
COMMENTARY / World
Jan 12, 2003

Closest point to bridging an ethnic divide

PYLA, Cyprus -- Maksim Restaurant sits on the United Nations "green line," which separates the Greek and Turkish sides of this divided island, but it's a popular stop for members of both ethnic groups.
JAPAN / Media / MEDIA MIX
Jan 12, 2003

It's no joke scripting a sitcom in Japan

When the six cast members of the hit American comedy series "Friends" recently agreed to a 10th season, no one was really surprised, even though the six had implied that the present season would be their last.
BASKETBALL / NBA / NBA REPORT
Jan 11, 2003

Hawks want to trade Terry before he bolts; Isiah appologizes

NEW YORK -- Two weeks after replacing coach Lon Kruger with assistant Terry Stotts, the Hawks are trying to arrange a trade involving restricted free agent-to-be Jason Terry. According to sources, the Blazers and Heat are ardently interested in acquiring Atlanta's assist leader (7.4 per game) and its...
EDITORIALS
Jan 10, 2003

A shot in the arm or in the foot?

The economic package unveiled by U.S. President George W. Bush on Tuesday, coming on top of a huge tax cut announced last summer, is proof that the Bush administration is determined to revive the U.S. economy, which is still ailing from the collapse of a stock-market bubble. The stimulus plan is also...
BUSINESS
Jan 10, 2003

Asahi Mutual may abandon tieup plans

Struggling Asahi Mutual Life Insurance Co. may scrap plans to team up with nonlife insurer Millea Holdings Inc. in 2004, Asahi officials said Thursday.
JAPAN
Jan 10, 2003

DPJ, Liberal Party eye game plan

The Democratic Party of Japan and the Liberal Party will soon discuss electoral cooperation in a bid to avoid fielding overlapping candidates in some single-seat constituencies in the House of Representatives, DPJ leader Naoto Kan said Thursday.
MORE SPORTS
Jan 9, 2003

Takahashi taking life in stride

First of two parts
JAPAN
Jan 9, 2003

New system to facilitate closer flying

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport plans to more than halve the minimum separation distance between commercial aircraft flying over the busy North Pacific and polar route between Japan and the U.S. East Coast.
JAPAN
Jan 8, 2003

Court-ordered property auctions moving to Net

Information on properties up for public auction, currently only accessible at individual courthouses arranging the sales, will be posted on the Internet, Supreme Court officials said Tuesday.
JAPAN
Jan 8, 2003

Chinatown to be more tourist-friendly

Yokohama Chinatown, proud of its 140-year history as a symbol of the city since the early days of the port's opening, is gearing up for a makeover that it hopes will draw tourists back to its streets.
BUSINESS
Jan 8, 2003

Takenaka to keep close eye on bank restructuring moves

Financial Services Minister Heizo Takenaka said Tuesday he intends to keep a strict watch on the restructuring plans of major banks to ensure they produce favorable results in reviving the nation's banking sector.
BUSINESS
Jan 8, 2003

Consumption tax may be raised

The government will consider raising the consumption tax to secure revenues, even though its priority remains the elimination of unnecessary spending, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuo Fukuda said Tuesday.
JAPAN
Jan 7, 2003

No plan for snap election, Koizumi says

Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi said Monday he has no plan to dissolve the House of Representatives and call a snap election this year, and pledged to employ all possible measures to fight deflation.
BUSINESS
Jan 7, 2003

Matsushita eyes new pay system

OSAKA -- Matsushita Electric Industrial Co. plans to introduce a new pay system in which division managers conduct wage talks with their respective workers rather than the company doing it as a whole, company sources said Monday.
COMMENTARY
Jan 4, 2003

Pluses and minuses of 2002

LONDON -- "It could have been worse!" say the pundits. There was no repeat of Sept. 11, and there has not been a major conflict. Nor has there been a world-shaking financial crisis. But 2002 was not a good year for many people, and 2003 may not be any better. The balance sheet is not easy to calculate,...
JAPAN
Jan 4, 2003

Business chiefs gloomy on future

More than 90 out of 100 business leaders polled by Kyodo News in December are gloomy about the nation's future, saying the economy has either stalled or is deteriorating.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Jan 3, 2003

LDP eyes age limit in quest for new blood

Older lawmakers of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party may be feeling particularly jittery as speculation of an early dissolution of the Lower House for a snap election circulates in Nagata-cho.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Jan 1, 2003

Okuda offers economic solution: substantially raise sales tax

Hiroshi Okuda, chairman of the Japan Business Federation (Nippon Keidanren), thinks he has a cure for the sick economy, but consumers aren't likely to enjoy his bitter medicine.
COMMENTARY
Dec 30, 2002

Missiles challenge diplomac

Defense chief Shigeru Ishiba's rash remarks regarding a joint Japan-U.S. missile defense project deviate from Tokyo's official defense policy and could give the impression that Japan is advancing the bilateral initiative beyond research to the development stage.
MORE SPORTS
Dec 27, 2002

New league to start in September

A new Japan rugby league featuring 12 corporate teams will kick off in September next year, Japan Rugby Football Union officials said Wednesday.

Longform

Visitors walk past Sou Fujimoto's Grand Ring, which has been recognized as the largest wooden structure in the world.
Can a World Expo still matter? Japan is about to find out.