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COMMENTARY / World
Oct 31, 2003

Australia basks in afterglow of two high-powered visits

SYDNEY -- The world's two most powerful leaders stopped by in Canberra the other day. It was a neighborly visit, all smiles and trade deals. They're home in Washington and Beijing now, leaving behind the biggest bonanza for Australia since Japan came calling a generation or so ago.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink
Oct 31, 2003

The humble Pacific-Rim fruit that roared

When ripe, the tropical fruit noni turns the kind of yellow-green most people associate with nasal congestion -- and gives off an odor pungent enough to clear that congestion away. Accordingly, noni's profile has long been low compared with that of more popular Pacific Rim fruits.
BUSINESS
Oct 31, 2003

DoCoMo operating profit slides

NTT DoCoMo Inc. said Thursday its operating profit for the fiscal first half fell 7.8 percent due to the heavy cost of incentives paid to handset vendors.
JAPAN
Oct 31, 2003

Single moms find favor with ministry

The health ministry plans to give preferential treatment to single mothers when hiring part-time workers, officials said Thursday.
BUSINESS
Oct 31, 2003

Poweredcom to buy stake in IP telephony provider

Poweredcom Inc., an affiliate of Tokyo Electric Power Co., will take a stake in major Internet Protocol telephony provider Fusion Communications Corp. with an eye toward integrating telephone operations in the future, it said Thursday.
JAPAN
Oct 30, 2003

Horse-race tipster targeted over 300 million yen tax scam

Tax authorities have filed a criminal complaint against a Tokyo firm that provides betting tips on horse races, alleging it evaded some 300 million yen in corporate taxes on 1 billion yen in income during the 18-month period to March 2002, sources said Wednesday.
JAPAN
Oct 30, 2003

Was asylum seeker once a member of Aum cult?

A Japanese woman who is believed to have entered North Korea seeking asylum in August has the same name and date of birth as a former member of the Aum Shinrikyo cult, it was learned Wednesday.
JAPAN / BULLETIN BOARD
Oct 30, 2003

Indian group to mark festival of lights in Tokyo

Indian Community Activities Tokyo will hold a gathering for Diwali, the Indian festival of lights, at St. Mary's International High School in Setagaya Ward on Saturday.
JAPAN
Oct 30, 2003

Race-car driver wins accident damages suit

The Tokyo District Court on Wednesday ordered Fuji International Speedway Co. and the organizers of a 1998 car race to pay some 90 million yen in damages to a driver who sustained serious burns in an accident during the event.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Oct 30, 2003

Dirty nails, bad breath, dandruff a sure way to lose election: DPJ

The Democratic Party of Japan, trailing in opinion polls ahead of the Nov. 9 general election of the House of Representatives, is telling its candidates to court female voters.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Oct 30, 2003

Aum member gets death for role in 24 murders

Senior Aum Shinrikyo cultist Tomomasa Nakagawa was sentenced to death Wednesday for his role in the murders of 24 people.
BASEBALL / MLB
Oct 30, 2003

Jojima, Igawa named MVPs

Kenji Jojima of the Japan Series champion Daiei Hawks and Kei Igawa of the Central League pennant-winning Hanshin Tigers were named the Most Valuable Players of the 2003 baseball season on Wednesday.
MORE SPORTS
Oct 30, 2003

Canada posts solid victory over Tonga

WOLLONGONG, Australia -- Following on from games in cities such as Perth, Adelaide and Townsville, the 2003 Rugby World Cup hit another non-rugby union town when the steel city of Wollongong hosted the game that decided which team would finish last in Group D.
BASKETBALL / NBA / NBA REPORT
Oct 30, 2003

Hall of Famer West regrets Riley's decision to walk away from coaching

NEW YORK -- Don't look now (you're too late, anyway, the preseason is over), but the Grizzlies were the NBA's most improved Canadian outcast during the exhibition schedule, their sole setback to the champion Spurs.
BUSINESS
Oct 30, 2003

Deflation seen continuing

Most of the Bank of Japan's Policy Board members are expected to forecast in a report due out Friday that deflation will continue into fiscal 2004.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Oct 30, 2003

Appeal a given if Asahara gets death

After a 7 1/2-year trial, the chief lawyer defending doomsday cult guru Shoko Asahara, charged with masterminding the 1995 nerve gas attack on Tokyo's subway, is about to wrap up his case and await a verdict, which may come in February.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Oct 30, 2003

Diplomats' photo show puts lens on Japan

U.S. Ambassador Howard Baker and other foreign diplomats in Japan are set to present photographs showing unique features of the country at an exhibition that begins Thursday in Tokyo and then moves to Osaka.
JAPAN
Oct 30, 2003

Suzuki's cancer surgery a success

Former lawmaker Muneo Suzuki successfully underwent surgery Wednesday to treat stomach cancer and will be discharged from the hospital within a month, his office said.
COMMENTARY
Oct 30, 2003

Europe rues decline amid shift to Asia

PARIS -- Officially, we were discussing Russia's place in Asia. It was hard to tell whether the French senator/historian on the panel was warning of Moscow's return to great-power status or urging it on. He was no crypto-communist, however: For him, Russia's resurgence would signal the return of multipolarity...

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