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COMMUNITY / How-tos / GETTING THINGS DONE
Mar 24, 1999

A downer day

A friend of mine, a medical doctor who has spent many years in this country, was here during Japan's recent press spectacular, the first official transplant operation. I asked what he thought of the frenzy surrounding this lifesaving achievement. I think his comments should have a far wider circulation...
JAPAN
Mar 24, 1999

Trade chiefs to hold WTO powwow in May

Trade ministers from four major world economies will gather in Tokyo in mid-May to hold annual trade talks aimed at kick-starting preparations for the millennium round of global free trade negotiations, the Ministry of International Trade and Industry said Wednesday.
CULTURE / Music
Mar 20, 1999

Tokyo says 'Bravo!' to tango explosion

The hottest song now in Japan is undoubtedly "Dango 3 Kyodai," which humorously depicts the story of three dumpling brothers. Though originally composed for a children's TV program, the song appealed to adults as well, and 3 million CDs have been sold so far.
COMMENTARY
Mar 17, 1999

What real bank reform means

Japan seems to like the new and shiny. Tack the word "shin" (new) onto the name of a product -- anything from a detergent to a political party -- and automatically you gain an edge over the opposition.
EDITORIALS
Mar 16, 1999

A good day for NATO

After the Cold War came to an end in 1989, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization expanded much faster than many people expected it to. Barely a decade on, Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic last week formally joined the 16-member alliance. Adding significance to the event is the fact that all three...
JAPAN
Mar 12, 1999

Diet finally takes up defense guidelines

Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi on Friday renewed calls for "quick and smooth" passage of bills covering defense cooperation with the United States, as the Diet finally began deliberating the long-simmering issue.
JAPAN
Mar 11, 1999

Obuchi pins hopes on guidelines, other matters

Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi on Thursday restated his determination to strengthen the Japan-U.S. relationship by quickly pushing through bills related to updated Japan-U.S. defense cooperation during the current Diet session.
LIFE / Digital / CYBERIA
Mar 10, 1999

And the winners aren't ...

A stunned Webmaster rises from his seat, shaking his head in disbelief. As he makes his way to the aisle, fellow programmers and designers pat him heartily on the back and shake his hand. After accepting his trophy from a cybercelebrity, he stands there speechless, and finally says with a trembling voice,...
JAPAN
Mar 9, 1999

FRC tells bank chiefs to resign if restructuring falls short

Top executives of the 15 major banks seeking public funds should step down if they fail to guide their respective institutions through sweeping restructuring programs, the head of the Financial Reconstruction Commission indicated Tuesday.
JAPAN / Media / MEDIA MIX
Mar 2, 1999

Alexei Sultanov

Not long ago a famous American classical pianist gave an interview to a Japanese newspaper in which he complained, "I can't tell if a Japanese audience is enjoying the performance or if they're bored."
JAPAN
Mar 1, 1999

Doctors complete historic transplants

Japan's first heart, liver and kidney transplant operations involving a legally declared brain-dead donor were successfully completed early Monday morning, hospital officials said.
EDITORIALS
Feb 6, 1999

Ethical standards for bankers

In a landmark suit involving a bank's responsibility for bad loans, Sumitomo Bank earlier this week agreed to pay 3 billion yen to the Housing Loan Administration Corp., the public debt-clearing body for bankrupt home-loan companies. The HLAC had initially demanded 5 billion yen in damages, saying the...
JAPAN
Feb 5, 1999

New 'Japanese way' needed, Kansai seminar says

KYOTO — A new "Japanese way" that places emphasis on greater flexibility in decision making and less bureaucratic control are necessary if Japan's corporations are to remain competitive in the next century.
EDITORIALS
Feb 4, 1999

Still waiting for a real defense debate

The debate in the current Diet session, unlike previous sessions that focused on economic problems, highlights security issues. Among the key subjects of discussion are the bills to implement the new guidelines for Japan-U.S. defense cooperation and the participation and cooperation of the Self-Defense...
JAPAN
Feb 1, 1999

Zen cowboy longs to be one with bulls

They say that in life you get 15 minutes of fame, but all Jin Shibahara needs is eight seconds — on the back of an angry, bucking bull.
JAPAN
Jan 29, 1999

Konishiki broadens kids' horizons with trek to Japan

A warm breeze blew into Tokyo last week and on its wings were 35 of Konishiki's Kids.
JAPAN
Jan 25, 1999

Osaka floods in own disaster movie

Imagine the following: During a particularly wet rainy season, runoff water flows into tributaries of the Yodogawa River faster than a series of dams, built to avoid such a problem, can handle it.
JAPAN
Jan 14, 1999

Imperial poetry reading touches on blue, youth

The Emperor and Empress took part in an annual New Year's poetry reading ceremony at the Imperial Palace Thursday where Japanese "waka" poems written by both Imperial family members and the general public were read.
JAPAN
Dec 28, 1998

LDP, Liberals aim to keep tieup afloat

The ruling Liberal Democratic Party and the Liberal Party on Monday agreed to launch five project teams on five key issues in an effort to continue their talks toward establishing a coalition government.
JAPAN
Dec 17, 1998

Court cans lawsuit against Harajuku lights

The Tokyo District Court on Thursday dismissed a plea filed by 55 Harajuku residents demanding an injunction against a local business association to force them to pull the plug on their annual Christmas light display.
JAPAN
Dec 11, 1998

KEDO deal may collapse, Komura warns

Foreign Minister Masahiko Komura expressed concern Friday that the agreement to provide North Korea with two light-water reactors may collapse unless Pyongyang cooperates to resolve suspicions about its missile and nuclear activities.
JAPAN
Dec 10, 1998

Tokyo-Pyongyang tensions elicit more Defense disclosure

Five-year-old tensions between the U.S. and North Korea are intensifying, and Japan is growing increasingly nervous about the prospects of another missile launch from its reclusive neighbor.
JAPAN
Dec 9, 1998

Masumi Hayashi held in Wakayama curry killings

WAKAYAMA -- Police served Masumi Hayashi with a warrant Wednesday, charging her with murdering four people and attempting to kill 63 others by poisoning a vat of curry served up during Wakayama's Sonobe district summer festival.
JAPAN
Nov 23, 1998

Kawasaki foreigners' panel to hold forum

KAWASAKI -- The foreign residents panel of Kawasaki will hold an open forum Sunday for foreign and Japanese residents.
JAPAN
Nov 12, 1998

NGOs main stars at Yokohama festival

The Yokohama Festival for International Cooperation '98 will be held at the Sangyo Boeki Center Building in Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture, on Saturday and Sunday.
JAPAN
Nov 4, 1998

International groups to hold joint job forum in Tokyo

Fifteen international organizations such as the World Bank, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and the World Trade Organization will hold a special forum in Tokyo on Nov. 10 to inform job-seekers of recruitment opportunities.
JAPAN
Nov 2, 1998

Obuchi reaches out in Osaka

Staff writer
JAPAN
Nov 2, 1998

New minister pushes for future financial safety net

Staff writer
JAPAN
Nov 1, 1998

Bangladesh questions Japanese aid priorities

Staff writer
JAPAN
Oct 29, 1998

Banks again asked to take public funds

OSAKA -- For the second time this week, Bank of Japan Gov. Masaru Hayami on Thursday urged Japanese banks to quickly apply for public funds to accelerate their bad-loan writeoffs.In his keynote speech at the 24th ASEAN-Japan Business Meeting here, he said that Japanese financial institutions, facing...

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