Search - 2005

 
 
BUSINESS
Apr 3, 2004

Itochu forecasts 32 billion yen loss due to asset write-down

Trading house Itochu Corp. said Friday it will book a 125 billion yen charge to write down the value of fixed assets for fiscal 2003, joining a growing list of companies that have front-loaded an accounting rule change scheduled for fiscal 2005.
JAPAN
Apr 2, 2004

Mori to fight monster in screen debut, but will he get lines?

Gaffe-prone former Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori, who was forced in April 2001 to bow out as his star fell among the public, hopes it rises as he takes to the silver screen to take on a monster.
BASEBALL / MLB
Apr 1, 2004

Agreement expected on World Cup tourney

Baseball's chief labor negotiator expects an agreement soon with the players' association on a World Cup tournament, putting aside for now the larger issue of drug tests during the regular season.
Events
Mar 31, 2004

South Korean economy bedeviled by serious woes: writers

While Japan's economy may finally be bidding farewell to the "lost decade" of the stagnant 1990s, growth in South Korea, once noted for its rapid recovery after the 1997 Asian crisis, is slowing down amid serious problems like mounting household debts.
JAPAN
Mar 31, 2004

Kids to learn about North Korea abductions, Sept. 11 attacks

The abduction of Japanese nationals to North Korea in the 1970s and 1980s and the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks in the United States have been included for the first time in elementary school textbooks.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Mar 31, 2004

Cabinet told to get moving, ink fresh trade pacts

Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi on Tuesday ordered his Cabinet ministers to work together to accelerate free-trade negotiations with other Asian nations.
Japan Times
JAPAN / SCHOOLS OF THOUGHT
Mar 30, 2004

Universities face brave new world of autonomy, competition

The academic year that begins Thursday will mark a new era for national universities, which will be cut loose from the fetters of the education ministry and gain independent administrative institution status.
Japan Times
Features
Mar 28, 2004

Barenboim Project to 'strip' Beethoven

The 32 piano sonatas that Beethoven composed between 1799 and 1824, including some of his most recognized works like the "Moonlight" and "Appassionata" sonatas, are often considered among the German composer's finest and most personal musical achievements.
COMMENTARY / World
Mar 27, 2004

Tony Blair loses his touch

LONDON -- When he led the reformed British Labour Party to two overwhelming general election victories in 1997 and 2001, Tony Blair epitomized a new political generation that would sweep away both the cobwebs of traditional socialist policy and the increasingly incoherent, sleaze-tainted performance...
BUSINESS
Mar 26, 2004

Net firm admits '03 data leak may affect 1.4 million clients

ACCA Networks Co., a high-speed Internet-access wholesaler, confirmed Thursday that information on some of its customers has been leaked, adding that the leak, which apparently occurred about a year ago, may involve data on about 1.4 million people.
BUSINESS
Mar 25, 2004

JAL hoping for revival with JAS under its wing

The Iraq war and the outbreak of SARS have dealt a severe blow to Japan Airlines System Corp., the holding company of Japan Airlines Co. and Japan Air System Co.
BUSINESS
Mar 25, 2004

Broadcasters set to offer digital services for mobile phones

Japan Broadcasting Corp. (NHK) and five private broadcasters said Wednesday they will start offering terrestrial digital broadcasting services for mobile phones by the end of fiscal 2005, marking the first such venture in history.
BUSINESS
Mar 24, 2004

Hitachi PDA uses five-hour fuel cell

Hitachi Ltd. said Tuesday it has developed a prototype personal digital assistant powered by a fuel cell that runs for about five hours.
BUSINESS
Mar 23, 2004

JR East Suica card now used for shopping, dining

Holders of the latest version of East Japan Railway Co.'s Suica electronic train fare cards can now use them for shopping and dining at JR stations.
EDITORIALS
Mar 18, 2004

Burden of the Kanebo bailout

Following weeks of tortuous bailout talks that put the notion of corporate governance to shame, the government's Industrial Revitalization Corp., or IRC, last week unveiled a huge rescue package for Kanebo Ltd., the troubled cosmetics firm that has looked like a rudderless ship all the while. What lies...
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Mar 18, 2004

Preventive-care firms lift operations in response to graying population

Care-related firms are trying to expand operations aimed at preventing the physical and mental deterioration of people insured for nursing care, in line with the government's plan to reform the nursing-care insurance system in fiscal 2005.
BUSINESS
Mar 18, 2004

UFJ Bank head denies data coverup

UFJ Bank President Masashi Teranishi denied Wednesday that the bank covered up the financial health of borrowers before the government launched probes into the major banking group.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Art
Mar 17, 2004

A 'kitchen sink' filled deep

Strange, but true: These days, the chance of seeing a quality Japanese "kitchen sink" (domestic) drama about ordinary people's everyday lives is rarer than the opportunity of watching yet another reworking of Shakespeare, Chekhov or Tennessee Williams. Now, though, and until the end of the month, theatergoers...
BUSINESS
Mar 17, 2004

Guinness to honor Toshiba hard drive

Toshiba Corp. said Tuesday that its 0.85-inch hard disk drive has been certified as the smallest in the world and will be included in the 2005 edition of the Guinness Book of Records to be published in September.
BUSINESS
Mar 17, 2004

Nissan sets up sales affiliate ahead of South Korea foray

Nissan Motor Co. has set up a wholly owned sales company in South Korea in preparation for its bid to enter that market in mid-2005, a Nissan spokeswoman said Tuesday.
BUSINESS
Mar 16, 2004

Ito-Yokado to open China supermarket

Ito-Yokado Co. will reportedly open a supermarket in Beijing by spring 2005 together with a local retailer and might open several more in China.
JAPAN
Mar 13, 2004

Agency's use of pension funds for checkups raises eyebrows

The Social Insurance Agency tapped into Japan's cash-strapped, state-run pension system and health insurance plans to pay for 370 million yen in medical checkups for its own employees in fiscal 2003 and 2004, it was learned Friday.
BUSINESS
Mar 13, 2004

Key business lobby floats FTA panel

The Japan Business Federation (Nippon Keidanren) proposed Friday the creation of a strategy panel headed by Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi and a special ministerial post to promote economic collaboration with East Asian economies, including the conclusion of free-trade agreements.
BUSINESS
Mar 13, 2004

Metro bank eyes nonguarantee loans

A new bank that the Tokyo Metropolitan Government plans to open next year might extend loans to small and midsize companies without requiring personal guarantees from their owners, Tokyo officials said Friday.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Mar 12, 2004

Toyota trumpets walking robots

Toyota Motor Corp. unveiled four humanoid robot prototypes Thursday, some of which can walk and play the trumpet.
EDITORIALS
Mar 11, 2004

A historic day for Iraq

After a weeklong delay, Iraq's Governing Council has agreed to a new constitution for their country. The signing of the document marks a historic moment for Iraq. It establishes a framework for democratic self-government and safeguards individual rights. The transition from dictatorship to democracy...

Longform

A man offers prayers at Hebikubo Shrine in Tokyo's Shinagawa Ward. The shrine is one of several across the country dedicated to the snake.
Shed your skin and reinvent yourself in the Year of the Snake