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JAPAN
Oct 7, 2003

Envoy sacking allegations denied

Vice Foreign Minister Yukio Takeuchi on Monday denied an allegation that the former Japanese ambassador to Lebanon was fired because he opposed Japan's support of the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Oct 7, 2003

Russian expert holds out hope for Kyoto

The fate of the 1997 Kyoto Protocol was thrown into jeopardy when Russian President Vladimir Putin failed last month to provide any indication that his country would ratify it.
JAPAN
Oct 7, 2003

Japan Highway chief refuses to step down

Japan Highway Public Corp. President Haruho Fujii on Monday defied an order by transport minister Nobuteru Ishihara to resign, forcing Ishihara to begin the formal process of sacking him.
JAPAN
Oct 7, 2003

LDP oldsters to be odd men out come poll time?

The seniority-based ethos in the Liberal Democratic Party is under threat, with the party leaders putting an upper age limit on the selection of some candidates for the next House of Representatives election.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Oct 7, 2003

Smaller tax panel starts new term

The government's downsized tax panel embarked on a new three-year term Monday, tasked with addressing a pile of reform issues.
BUSINESS
Oct 7, 2003

Fujitsu, Seimens subsidiary tie up

Electronics maker Fujitsu Ltd. formed a partnership Monday with a subsidiary of Siemens AG of Germany in the field of global computer services.
BUSINESS
Oct 7, 2003

Record 6.15 million used Haneda in August

A record 6.15 million travelers used Tokyo's Haneda airport in August, with significant increases chalked up by smaller airlines, airport authorities said Monday.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Oct 7, 2003

Matsumoto Kiyoshi finds train stations bring in customers

Ginza, Shibuya and Tokyo's other well-known commercial districts are coveted by retailers for their ever-present shopping crowds.
BUSINESS
Oct 7, 2003

Tokyo to get world's first IP mobiles

IP Talk Corp. said Monday it will start providing Internet-protocol mobile telephone services in March, allowing free calls between subscribers and extremely low rates for calls to fixed-line numbers and overseas.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Voices / VIEWS FROM THE STREET
Oct 7, 2003

Do you think the foreign population in a major contributor to the rising crime rate?

Arisa Yokoyama Real Estate, 28
BUSINESS
Oct 7, 2003

Mizuho outlook brighter following Nikkei surge

Mizuho Financial Group Inc. said Monday it has raised its earnings forecast for the fiscal first half, citing the recent stock market advance, lower-than-expected credit costs and special tax returns.
BUSINESS
Oct 7, 2003

Fuji Heavy unveils powerful hybrid engine

Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd. unveiled a new gasoline-electric hybrid engine equipped with a more powerful motor at a technology workshop held Monday by the General Motors Corp. group in Tokyo.
BUSINESS
Oct 7, 2003

1 trillion yen cut planned for local subsidies in '04

The Finance Ministry plans to cut subsidies to local governments by 1 trillion yen in the budget for fiscal 2004, ministry officials said Monday.
BASEBALL / MLB
Oct 7, 2003

Lions ask Matsui to stay next year

Seibu Lions infielder Kazuo Matsui, who became eligible for free agency this season and has drawn the interest of several major league clubs, has already been asked to return to the Pacific League club next season, general manager Kenji Ono said Monday.
BUSINESS
Oct 7, 2003

Over-39 crowd out of luck at SMBC

Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corp. and Sumitomo Mitsui Card Co. said Monday they will jointly issue automated teller machine cards with credit functions targeting people in their 20s and 30s, starting Nov. 10.
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / A GAIJIN'S TALE
Oct 7, 2003

Taking stick

Hanging around on matsuri day in my town in Akita-ken, these two old guys invited me to a pre-matsuri party. Sensing a great opportunity to meet the locals, I sat around a table guzzling massive amounts of hot sake with about 20 old geezers.
COMMENTARY
Oct 7, 2003

Japan's diplomatic needs

In his second Cabinet reshuffle, Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi retained both Foreign Minister Yoriko Kawaguchi and Defense Agency Director General Shigeru Ishiba. This promises continuity in Japan's foreign and defense policy, at least for the next three years in which Koizumi is likely to serve as...
COMMUNITY / Issues / THE ZEIT GIST
Oct 7, 2003

Time to come clean on foreign crime wave

For those who read and watch the Japanese press, these are scary times. Foreign crime is allegedly on the rise, members of the new Koizumi Cabinet are making clear policy statements against it, and the National Police Agency is ready for a new push.
JAPAN
Oct 6, 2003

FTC to issue 'Star Wars' warning

The Fair Trade Commission is planning to issue a warning to a movie distributor for discouraging sales of discount tickets for "Star Wars Episode 2," in violation of the Antimonopoly Law, industry sources said Sunday.
JAPAN
Oct 6, 2003

Rash of rice burglaries continues

Rice was stolen in three separate incidents Sunday morning in Niigata, Ibaraki and Chiba prefectures amid a rising number of thefts following this autumn's poor harvest.
EDITORIALS
Oct 6, 2003

Can Rengo stand up for the weak?

Over the years the image of Japanese trade unions as labor's standard bearer has become steadily tarnished. Their activities no longer hit the headlines except during annual labor-management negotiations. Even the name "shunto" -- the spring labor offensive -- now seems almost irrelevant because the...

Longform

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