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Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / CLOSE-UP
Apr 3, 2005

Ryu Murakami: Straight-talking wordsmith wields his pen like a sword

For nearly three decades since his seismic debut with "Almost Transparent Blue," which delved into the sex- and drug-fueled lives of Japanese youths in a town hosting a huge U.S. military base, author Ryu Murakami has often used his trademark explicit, offensive and guiltlessly cheerful language to dig...
OLYMPICS
Apr 2, 2005

JOC wants Japanese metropolis to bid for major multisport event

The Japanese Olympic Committee will urge big Japanese cities to consider bidding to host a major international multisport event in the near future, JOC President Tsunekazu Takeda said Friday.
BUSINESS
Feb 17, 2005

DHL poised to grab ever-increasing share of Asia-Pacific mart -- especially China

DHL, the world's leading international express and logistics company, is flying high over China, stepping up infrastructure investment geared to capitalize on fast-growing intra-Asia/Pacific trade, in particular Japan-China trade.
COMMENTARY
Dec 29, 2004

Turkey's long march to an EU wedding

PARIS -- Although a wedding date has yet to be set between the European Union and Turkey, the two parties managed to conclude what several participants at the Dec. 17 European summit have called a formal "engagement."
BUSINESS
Nov 20, 2004

Fiscal panel calls for tax increases

An finance advisory panel Friday recommended the government drastically cut spending and increase revenue by raising taxes in order to restore Japan's fiscal health -- a prerequisite to ensuring a sustained domestic demand-led economic recovery.
BUSINESS
Sep 3, 2004

Fresh JGBs draw strong demand

An auction for a fresh batch of 10-year Japanese government bonds drew strong demand Thursday, with investors filing the most bids on record amid growing jitters over a slowdown in the U.S. and Japanese economies.
COMMENTARY
Jul 12, 2004

EU visions go head to head

LONDON -- At the final summit of the Irish presidency of the European Union in Brussels late last month, European heads of government agreed on the text of a European constitution for the enlarged group of 25 states that came into being at the beginning of May. Representatives of the 10 new states were...
Japan Times
Features
Jun 20, 2004

Japan's war machine that isn't

In March 1999, when P-3C Orion aircraft from the Maritime Self-Defense Force dropped warning bombs near two suspicious trawlers in the Sea of Japan, it was the first time weapons had been used "in anger" by any SDF unit. The action followed the MSDF receiving its first-ever Cabinet order permitting it...
JAPAN
Apr 11, 2004

Energy to peak earlier than expected

Progress in a range of energy-conserving technologies will move the peak in Japan's energy demand forward by eight years to fiscal 2014, according to a government report made available Saturday.
JAPAN
Jan 29, 2004

Japan to offer compromise on ITER fusion project, but only up to a point

Technology minister Takeo Kawamura said Wednesday that Japan is ready to compromise in the battle to host an international nuclear fusion project -- but said it will stick to its position that the reactor itself should be based in Japan.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Dec 31, 2003

Affluence of retirees makes them targets

After losing his wife six years ago, the retired realtor decided to spend the rest of his life in pursuit of his passions.
Japan Times
JAPAN / INTERNATIONAL RATIONALE
Oct 25, 2003

Narita airport prepares for battle with Asian hubs

NARITA, Chiba Pref. -- When Masatoshi Uchida joined New Tokyo International Airport Authority, the quasi-governmental organ that operates Narita airport, in 1977, he never dreamed he'd end up selling Hermes goods.
JAPAN
Oct 16, 2003

Keidanren to hold parties to campaign pledges

The Japan Business Federation (Nippon Keidanren) plans to keep tabs on the pledges made by major political parties and hold them accountable to the promises they make, according to its president, Hiroshi Okuda.
JAPAN
Sep 20, 2003

Mizuho, nine others cut back projections

Mizuho Financial Group Inc. and nine other banks responded to business-improvement orders Friday by cutting their projected fiscal 2003 earnings.
JAPAN / AFTER 2 1/2 YEARS
Sep 2, 2003

Koizumi's failings linked to inflexible fiscal policy

Some economists compare it to trying to lose weight by fasting when the real solution is exercise, while others talk about repairing an airplane's altimeter when it's the engine that needs attention.
BUSINESS
Aug 2, 2003

FSA kicking banks out of bed, demands results

In a move suggesting further deterioration in the cozy relations between banks and regulators, the Financial Services Agency slapped banks with a business improvement order Friday for failing to meet pledged targets in fiscal 2002.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Jul 23, 2003

Top lobby set to restart party donations

The Japan Business Federation (Nippon Keidanren) hopes to restore its political influence by encouraging member firms to pay donations to parties and by evaluating how the parties measure up.
JAPAN
Jul 10, 2003

Firms required to have child-care facilities

The Diet, in a bid to encourage working women to have children, enacted legislation Wednesday requiring employers to provide child-care facilities and programs.
BUSINESS
May 30, 2003

Nippon Keidanren urges gradually raising sales tax to 18%

The Japan Business Federation (Nippon Keidanren) proposed Thursday that the consumption tax be raised gradually from the current 5 percent to an upper limit of 18 percent by 2025.
BUSINESS
Feb 21, 2003

Keidanren calls for hike in sales tax

Senior members of the Japan Business Federation (Nippon Keidanren) called for a hike in the consumption tax in a meeting Thursday with New Komeito executives.
BUSINESS / JAPANESE PERSPECTIVES
Jan 20, 2003

Hike in consumption tax center of lobby's vision

The Japan Business Federation (Nippon Keidanren) on Jan. 1 released a grand vision aimed at reviving Japan into a vigor- ous and attractive nation.
BUSINESS
Jan 18, 2003

Clamor for consumption tax hike getting louder

Cabinet ministers and business leaders have begun calling for a consumption tax hike to cover rising social security costs stemming from the aging population.
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 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.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Nov 27, 2002

Business chief proposes hike in consumption tax

Hiroshi Okuda, chairman of the Japan Business Federation (Nippon Keidanren), on Tuesday proposed hiking the rate of the consumption tax 1 percentage point per year beginning fiscal 2004 until it reaches 16 percent in 2014 to stabilize Japan's finances.
JAPAN
Sep 15, 2002

One in every 5.4 Japanese is 65 or older

The number of Japanese aged 65 or older will on Sunday reach a record-high of an estimated 23.62 million -- roughly one out of every 5.4 people -- according to a government survey released Saturday.
JAPAN
Jun 15, 2002

Report to put heavy pressure on airport execs

OSAKA — The Land, Infrastructure and Transport Ministry's downward revision Friday of the projected number of takeoffs and landings at Kansai International Airport is likely to increase pressure on officials here to postpone the completion date for the second runway beyond 2007.

Longform

Professional cleaner Hirofumi Sakurai takes a moment to appreciate some photographs in a Gotanda apartment whose occupant died alone.
The last cleanup: Life and death in a lonely Japan