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COMMENTARY / JAPAN IN THE GLOBAL ERA
Mar 11, 2002

Business schools buck international trend

Seventh in a series
JAPAN
Feb 28, 2002

Ministry drawing up strict auto emission standards

An Environment Ministry panel has come up with a plan that would force auto makers to reduce the diesel particulate matter their vehicles spew by up to 85 percent and nitrogen oxide emissions by 50 percent.
BUSINESS
Feb 28, 2002

Daiei to get 520 billion yen from its main creditors

Struggling supermarket operator Daiei Inc. announced Wednesday a fresh three-year restructuring program that features 520 billion yen in financial support from its three main creditor banks, up 100 billion yen from an earlier plan.
BUSINESS
Feb 27, 2002

Daiei bailout now put at 520 billion yen

The three main creditor banks of Daiei Inc. plan to increase their financial support for the troubled supermarket chain to 520 billion yen from the initially planned 420 billion yen, sources said Tuesday.
EDITORIALS
Feb 26, 2002

Constitutional reform debate low-key

The parliamentary debate on constitutional reform is making little headway two years after it formally began in both Houses of the Diet. The Constitutional Research Committee, created in both Houses in 2000 to make a comprehensive review of the national charter, is expected to submit a report in 2005....
BUSINESS
Feb 26, 2002

Daiei may slash capital by 99%

Debt-saddled retailer Daiei Inc. said Monday it may slash its capital by more than 99 percent under a three-year restructuring plan scheduled to be unveiled Wednesday.
BUSINESS
Feb 24, 2002

Daiei to get 460 billion yen to restructure

Daiei Inc. will receive a total of 460 billion yen in financial assistance from three major creditor banks, up 40 billion yen from an initial plan, to promote a new three-year restructuring program, according to the final draft of the plan made available Saturday.
BUSINESS
Feb 22, 2002

No hurry over Iran oil deal

Nearly two months after the target date passed quietly for concluding negotiations with Iran on a key oil project, Japanese government officials do not seem to be feeling pressed.
Events
Feb 19, 2002

Hard times spark rare, fiery debate at annual Kansai Economic Summit

OSAKA -- For the past four decades, the Kansai region's business leaders have gathered annually in February to discuss a variety of local economic issues.
BUSINESS
Feb 19, 2002

Kyowa Hakko to sell all liquor units to Asahi

Kyowa Hakko Kogyo Co., a major manufacturer of fermented chemicals, has agreed to sell off its alcoholic beverage operations, which have accounted for roughly a quarter of its consolidated sales, to Asahi Breweries Ltd., the two companies said Monday.
BUSINESS / JAPANESE PERSPECTIVES
Feb 18, 2002

Hopeful bond sellers should strike while the iron is hot

Long-term interest rates are on an upward trend both in Japan and the United States. The yield on the 10-year Japanese government bond has recently been in the 1.5 percent range, while market rates on 10-year U.S. government bonds have been hovering at around 5 percent — the same as at the beginning...
BUSINESS
Feb 16, 2002

Asahi Mutual to cut stock losses

Asahi Mutual Life Insurance Co. said Friday it will raise 150 billion yen and cut its shareholding losses by 400 billion yen by March 31 in a bid to regain customer trust and stop policy cancellations.
JAPAN
Feb 15, 2002

Worker spies on NASDA secrets

An employee of a satellite maker illegally accessed a National Space Development Agency computer system and spied on classified data about a rival firm's technology, NASDA officials said Thursday.
EDITORIALS
Feb 11, 2002

Space business still awaiting liftoff

The second H-2A rocket, which is touted as the leading player in Japan's space development at the beginning of the 21st century, was successfully launched last Monday, deploying one of the two probes it was carrying into orbit. Following the successful launching of the first H-2A rocket in August 2001,...
BUSINESS
Feb 5, 2002

Asian, Latin American officials ready to roll up their sleeves

A fledgling forum of 27 East Asian and Latin American countries will get down to business early next month on drafting a package of specific proposals to shore up nascent trans-Pacific cooperation in economic and social areas.
BUSINESS
Feb 1, 2002

Manufacturer overtime decreased 8.5% last year

Overtime in the domestic manufacturing sector fell 8.5 percent from the previous year to an average of 12.6 hours a month in 2001, according to a government survey released Thursday.
JAPAN
Feb 1, 2002

Union Jichiro mulls way to remove scandal taint

Jichiro, the All-Japan Prefectural and Municipal Workers' Union, opened a two-day special convention Thursday in Tokyo to discuss how to rebuild the organization in the wake of a tax evasion scandal involving former executives and the revelation of massive off-the-book debts.
BUSINESS
Jan 30, 2002

Nissho Iwai to eliminate 5,000 jobs in restructuring

Major trading house Nissho Iwai Corp. on Tuesday announced a three-year restructuring plan featuring a cut of 5,000 jobs from its current consolidated workforce of 19,000.
COMMENTARY / World
Jan 27, 2002

Globalization role of APEC's other half

SEOUL -- Earlier this month in Honolulu, parliamentarians from 25 Asia Pacific nations renewed debate over the digital divide at the annual meeting of the Asia Pacific Parliamentary Forum, headed by former Japanese Prime Minister Yasuhiro Nakasone.
Japan Times
LIFE / Travel
Jan 22, 2002

Jungle rockets in French Guiana

KOUROU, French Guiana -- It must be one of the best-protected sites in South America. To the north is the ocean, full of devious currents and deadly sharks. To the south is dense rain forest, unforgiving to those who enter unprepared. The site's most important buildings are ringed with electronic fencing...
LIFE / Travel
Jan 22, 2002

Jungle rockets in French Guiana

KOUROU, French Guiana -- It must be one of the best-protected sites in South America. To the north is the ocean, full of devious currents and deadly sharks. To the south is dense rain forest, unforgiving to those who enter unprepared. The site's most important buildings are ringed with electronic fencing...
EDITORIALS
Jan 21, 2002

Activating the Kyoto treaty

The international agreement on climate change, better known as the Kyoto Protocol, is expected to take effect later this year, perhaps in September. But the United States, the largest emitter of greenhouse gases, is conspicuously absent from the ratification process. The U.S. boycott is certainly a serious...
BUSINESS
Jan 20, 2002

Nankai to slash staff, cut pay, close units

OSAKA -- Financially ailing Nankai Electric Railway Co. has unveiled a radical restructuring program, saying it will slash more than 20 percent of its workforce, reduce pay and close down unprofitable subsidiaries.
BUSINESS
Jan 19, 2002

State expects flat growth in fiscal 2002: Shiokawa

Finance Minister Masajuro Shiokawa said Friday he expects flat economic growth in fiscal 2002, a slight improvement from the estimated 0.1 percent contraction for fiscal 2001.
JAPAN / PROTOCOL PURSUIT
Jan 18, 2002

Emissions-trading plan put on back burner

Staff writer Until recently, trading in carbon dioxide emissions seemed destined for early introduction in Japan. The launch of such a system, however, is being put off as the government postpones key policy decisions to curb global-warming emissions.

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