Search - 2000

 
 
COMMENTARY / THE VIEW FROM MOSCOW
Sep 5, 1999

Yeltsin's would-be successors

In December, Russia's Parliament will hold elections. Deprived by the constitution of any true political authority, the Duma is still important as a collective opinion-maker. In 1993-1999, it became an ongoing anti-Yeltsin show, the most prominent podium for any sharp criticism of the president. As a...
CULTURE / Music
Sep 5, 1999

Is it your place or mine?

Enormous excitement was generated back in May by a trial series of creative workshops for children in English and Japanese, organized by New Order Arts at Open Studio Nope in Tokyo's Minato Ward.
JAPAN
Sep 3, 1999

Narita airport submits runway plan to state

The New Tokyo International Airport Authority applied Friday for government approval of its plan to build a shorter-than-planned second runway at the airport in Narita, Chiba Prefecture.
JAPAN
Sep 2, 1999

New Komeito drops donations plank in LDP deal

New Komeito's bid to ban political donations from companies will be excluded from its policy agreement with the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, which is due out today, officials of the two parties said Thursday.
EDITORIALS
Sep 1, 1999

A peace process without peace

There are very good reasons to be deeply concerned about the Northern Ireland peace process. The first reason is that it looks to be breaking down. Disputes over the decommissioning of weapons by the Irish Republican Army and the seating of Sinn Fein representatives on the executive council established...
JAPAN
Sep 1, 1999

Komura, Khristenko set protocols for visiting disputed isles

Foreign Minister Masahiko Komura and visiting Russian First Deputy Prime Minister Viktor Khristenko agreed Wednesday on protocols for visa-free visits to a chain of Russian-held islands off Hokkaido by former Japanese residents and their families.
JAPAN
Aug 30, 1999

New guaranteed credit near for small, midsize firms

The government is considering providing small businesses with an unspecified amount of new credit guarantees starting from the beginning of fiscal 2000 in April to promote creation of new enterprises, vice trade minister Osamu Watanabe said Monday.
JAPAN
Aug 27, 1999

Kanzaki sees September start for coalition

The coalition government of the Liberal Democratic Party, the Liberal Party and New Komeito will start as early as late September, New Komeito head Takenori Kanzaki said Friday.
EDITORIALS
Aug 26, 1999

Close the business loophole

During the last Diet session, the tripartite alliance of the Liberal Democratic Party, the Liberal Party and New Komeito voted a host of key bills into law on the back of their numerical strength. But not all major bills were cleared. Among them is a measure to ban corporate donations to politicians....
CULTURE / Music
Aug 25, 1999

Drumming up interest in traditional music

Your buddy asks if you're up for a night of dancing and you're likely to think: crowded, sweaty hall, vibrating with a booming backbeat.
EDITORIALS
Aug 24, 1999

Steps to stop the AIDS threat

With no advance warning, a team from the Health and Welfare Ministry has announced that a large-scale infection of HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, is a far greater threat in this country than the public has been led to believe. After what seems like a long ministry silence on the issue, the team estimates...
JAPAN
Aug 24, 1999

Kan announces bid for third term at DPJ helm

Naoto Kan, leader of the Democratic Party of Japan, formally announced Tuesday that he would run for a third consecutive term as head of the nation's largest opposition party.
JAPAN
Aug 24, 1999

Bank customers detail need for new deposit safety net

A safety net is needed to protect deposits in business transaction accounts and to ensure fast refunds if banks fail after fiscal 2000, a cross section of bank customer representatives said Tuesday.
JAPAN
Aug 23, 1999

Trilateral finance talks set with China, South Korea

Japan, China and South Korea have agreed to set up a forum to regularly discuss international financial issues, the Finance Ministry said Monday.
EDITORIALS
Aug 21, 1999

A super-bank in the making

A "super-bank" will soon be born in Japan. If everything goes according to plan, Dai-Ichi Kangyo Bank, Fuji Bank and the Industrial Bank of Japan will combine to create a gigantic financial group with assets that will eclipse all other banking institutions in the world. The fact that the three banks...
JAPAN
Aug 19, 1999

DKB, Fuji, IBJ plan to create world's biggest bank

Dai-Ichi Kangyo Bank, Fuji Bank and the Industrial Bank of Japan on Thursday acknowledged they are talking about forming an alliance to create the world's largest banking group in terms of assets.
JAPAN
Aug 19, 1999

Tokyo to host U.N. regional hearing

Staff writer
JAPAN
Aug 19, 1999

Nippon Life feeling assured of 401(k) role for small firms

Staff writer
JAPAN
Aug 18, 1999

Transport plans 'green tax' as bait for cleaner cars

Staff writer
JAPAN
Aug 18, 1999

Fiscal woes, controversy stop plan for air raid hall

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government has decided to scrap a plan to secure funds for construction of the Tokyo Metropolitan Peace Memorial Hall under next year's budget.
JAPAN
Aug 13, 1999

Obuchi persuades Ozawa to stay in ruling camp

Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi ended a crisis in his ruling coalition on Friday, striking an accord with Liberal Party leader Ichiro Ozawa to resolve a dispute over the proposed cutting of Lower House seats that had pushed their eight-month-old alliance to the brink of collapse.
COMMENTARY
Aug 13, 1999

Ozawa's future appears bleak

Japan is engulfed in severe political turmoil as the Diet session closes today. Things have turned out as I have been predicting since last fall regarding the coalition strategies of Chief Cabinet Secretary Hiromu Nonaka, the chief strategist in Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi's administration.
JAPAN
Aug 13, 1999

Ministry vows effort to aid duped emigrants

Foreign Minister Masahiko Komura on Friday pledged his effort to provide part of the ministry's fiscal 2000 budget for aged Japanese who emigrated to the Dominican Republic four decades ago.
JAPAN
Aug 12, 1999

Merger to create Kinki Osaka Bank

OSAKA -- A new bank to be created through a merger between Bank of Kinki and Bank of Osaka, both affiliates of Daiwa Bank, will be headed by Yasuhiro Takatani, currently president of Bank of Kinki, the two announced Thursday.
JAPAN
Aug 12, 1999

Wiretapping, numbering bills clear Diet in all-night session

In a marathon, 28-hour plenary session, the Upper House on Thursday approved two controversial bills -- one to authorize wiretapping in organized crime investigations and another to have each citizen numbered for administrative purposes.
JAPAN
Aug 11, 1999

Legislation slated to aid venture firms in autumn

The government will take legislative steps in the upcoming Diet session, expected to convene this fall, to help revitalize small and medium-size enterprises and nurture venture businesses, Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi said Wednesday.
JAPAN
Aug 9, 1999

Nomura, IBJ lead startup of joint 401(k) company

A joint venture between Nomura Securities Co. and the Industrial Bank of Japan announced Monday that it will establish a 401(k)-style pension account management company Wednesday along with 22 other firms.
JAPAN
Aug 5, 1999

Japan readies policy advice for Vietnam

Staff writer
JAPAN
Aug 3, 1999

Yasuda Kasai CIGNA eyes 5% of 401(k) market

Staff writer
JAPAN
Aug 2, 1999

Minister downplays dismal jobless figures

Vice trade minister Osamu Watanabe brushed aside concerns Monday over the nation's record-high 4.9 percent unemployment rate logged last week, reassuring that the recession touched bottom in the first quarter of the year.

Longform

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