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JAPAN / CABINET INTERVIEW
May 1, 2001

Kawaguchi optimistic on climate change talks

Climate change negotiations are steadily progressing behind the scenes and some subtle changes could portend breakthroughs, reappointed Environment Minister Yoriko Kawaguchi said.
BUSINESS
May 1, 2001

Katayama against privatizing posts, favors stronger NTT

Junichiro Koizumi's inauguration as prime minister might have lifted the hopes of those who seek the privatization of the nation's postal services.
JAPAN
Apr 30, 2001

Official Yasukuni visit requires coalition approval: Yamasaki

The No. 2 leader of the Liberal Democratic Party on Sunday said the agreement of the LDP and its two coalition partners is required before new Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi can visit Yasukuni Shrine, which honors about 2.5 million Japanese who have died in wars since the mid-19th century.
JAPAN
Apr 29, 2001

Former senator from U.S. among award recipients

Japan will present the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun, one of the country's top honors, to a former U.S. senator for improving bilateral ties, the government said in announcing a list of 28 foreign nationals to be decorated this spring.
JAPAN
Apr 29, 2001

Koizumi bids to win over members of unions at May Day rally in Tokyo

In an apparent attempt to win the support of union members for his Liberal Democratic Party in the Upper House election in July, Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi joined opposition leaders in attending a May Day rally in Tokyo on Saturday.
BUSINESS
Apr 28, 2001

Companies predict 1.3% economic growth: survey

Major Japanese companies have predicted 1.3 percent real growth for the economy in fiscal 2001, topping 1 percent for the first time in four years, the government said Friday in releasing results of an annual survey.
JAPAN
Apr 28, 2001

State held liable for Minamata disease

OSAKA -- The Osaka High Court on Friday ordered the central and Kumamoto Prefectural governments and a chemical company to pay 320 million yen in damages to people recognized as suffering from Minamata disease and the families of victims who have died.
BUSINESS
Apr 28, 2001

Hiranuma reiterates themes toward economic revitalization

Reappointed Economy Minister Takeo Hiranuma said a comprehensive approach of combining the disposal of problem loans and assets, creating new businesses and implementing regulatory reforms is needed to revitalize the economy.
COMMENTARY / World
Apr 28, 2001

Jospin still far from the top

PARIS -- Created 43 years ago by Gen. Charles de Gaulle, France's Fifth Republic has had 14 prime ministers but only five presidents. Most of these premiers have harbored an ambition to become head of state, but only two of them managed to fulfill this dream. Will Lionel Jospin be the third?
BUSINESS
Apr 28, 2001

Retail prices off a record 0.5%

Consumer prices dropped a record 0.5 percent in fiscal 2000 for the second successive year of decline, led by lower prices of fresh vegetables and industrial products, the government said Friday.
COMMENTARY
Apr 27, 2001

Calls for change heeded

In his year as prime minister, Yoshiro Mori caused public disillusionment with the Liberal Democratic Party through his gaffes and incompetence. The LDP's presidential election Tuesday, in which former Health and Welfare Minister Junichiro Koizumi beat former Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto by a wide...
BUSINESS / ON THE FRONT LINE
Apr 27, 2001

New York upturn positive news for Japan

The recent upturn in New York share prices could presage a more stable market in Japan, too.
JAPAN
Apr 26, 2001

Koizumi dons many hats, fancies a good hairdo, too

Junichiro Koizumi, the Liberal Democratic Party's new president, has been dubbed by fellow lawmakers a maverick, an eccentric, a heretic and "the Don Quixote of the political world."
JAPAN
Apr 26, 2001

Fresh fraud charges leveled against logistics chief Matsuo

The Tokyo District Public Prosecutor's Office on Wednesday indicted Katsutoshi Matsuo, a former Foreign Ministry logistics chief, on fresh charges of swindling the government out of 119 million yen.
JAPAN
Apr 26, 2001

Ill economy, July election may dilute new leader's reform goals

Junichiro Koizumi, the newly elected Liberal Democratic Party president who is set to become prime minister, faces a rough road in trying to deliver the economic reforms he promised in his campaign.
JAPAN
Apr 25, 2001

Foreign Ministry panel urges discretionary funds be reduced, monitored

A Foreign Ministry panel of outside experts on Tuesday urged the ministry to reduce the amount of secret diplomatic funds and strengthen its inspection system in order to regain public trust in the wake of a fraud scandal involving a former ministry official.
JAPAN
Apr 25, 2001

Koizumi takes LDP helm

Junichiro Koizumi was elected Tuesday as the 20th president of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, gaining 298 votes in the initial balloting of the party's lawmakers.
COMMENTARY
Apr 23, 2001

Signs of political upheaval on the horizon

A preliminary election tomorrow for the new president of the Liberal Democratic Party will decide how a total of 141 votes cast by representatives of the party's local blocs will be shared among the four candidates. Final results will be determined by the election in which 246 LDP Diet members will cast...
JAPAN
Apr 22, 2001

Support for road construction down

Those in favor of constructing new highways in Japan were outnumbered for the first time by those who believe it unnecessary, according to a government survey released Saturday.
JAPAN
Apr 21, 2001

Terms of Lee trip agreed upon

Japan and representatives of former Taiwanese President Lee Teng-hui have agreed on the terms of Lee's trip to Japan, paving the way for the issuance of an entry visa, a top-ranking Japanese government official said Friday.
BUSINESS
Apr 21, 2001

Small firms failing to expand through IT

Despite the steady spread of information technology among smaller companies, firms are failing to utilize IT to expand their business and create new opportunities, according to a government report released Friday.
JAPAN
Apr 21, 2001

Compensation deal reached with incinerator firm

The government has agreed to pay an industrial waste disposal company near the U.S. Atsugi Naval Air Facility in Kanagawa Prefecture some 5.2 billion yen in compensation for halting the operations of its incinerators, which have been linked to high levels of dioxin, officials said Friday.
JAPAN
Apr 21, 2001

Diet members, proxies visit Yasukuni Shrine

Tokyo's Yasukuni Shrine hosted 86 Diet members and 97 proxies for other legislators Friday during a special memorial service dedicated to Japan's war dead.
COMMENTARY
Apr 21, 2001

Koizumi takes an early lead

Political turmoil is brewing as the governing Liberal Democratic Party gears up to elect its next president April 24. Whoever is elected will replace the unpopular Yoshiro Mori as prime minister.
JAPAN
Apr 21, 2001

'Metal fatigue' threatens LDP's power: Nakasone

The decline in the power of the Liberal Democratic Party is a key reason behind the string of short-lived administrations over the past decade, according to former Prime Minister Yasuhiro Nakasone.
JAPAN
Apr 20, 2001

LDP's Tokyo politicians voice dissent

They are closely watching the Liberal Democratic Party presidential race. In fact, they will be the first to receive the verdict of voters on the party under its new leader.
JAPAN
Apr 20, 2001

Japan set to issue visa to Lee if he pledges to avoid politics

Japan is likely to issue an entry visa to former Taiwan President Lee Teng-hui if he agrees to a condition set by Tokyo that the visit be solely for medical treatment, government sources said Thursday.
JAPAN
Apr 20, 2001

Video testimony in court approved for sex cases

A draft government ordinance was adopted at a meeting of top bureaucrats Thursday to allow video monitoring in courts from June 1 to protect sex crime victims and others giving testimony, government officials said.

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.