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COMMUNITY / How-tos / LIFELINES
Jul 29, 2003

In search of senbei and more culture

Senbei fan Randall writes from California, reporting that around 1900 a Japanese gardener in San Francisco started serving cookies with thank you notes inside at that city's Japanese garden.
COMMENTARY
Jul 29, 2003

A turning point for ODA

Japan's ODA Charter, which sets forth the basic principles and objectives of the nation's official development assistance, is to be revised for the first time since it was established 11 years ago. The Cabinet is expected to approve an updated version in late August.
BUSINESS
Jul 29, 2003

Panel gives split opinion on bank bailout system

A government advisory panel on financial affairs approved Monday a subcommittee draft report on public fund injections for ailing banks and on banks' deferred tax assets.
BUSINESS
Jul 29, 2003

New encryption technology unveiled

Hitachi Ltd., Mitsubishi Electric Corp. and Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corp. said Monday they have jointly developed next-generation encryption technology for electronic data and document transmission.
BUSINESS
Jul 29, 2003

SARS fears still hurting flights to Asia: JAL head

Japan Airlines System Corp. President Isao Kaneko said that although flights to the United States and Europe are recovering from the effects of the Iraq war, SARS fears continue to affect flights to the rest of Asia.
JAPAN
Jul 28, 2003

Horiuchi voices conditional support for Koizumi in LDP race

Mitsuo Horiuchi, who heads one of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party's major factions, said Sunday he will support Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's re-election as party chief if Koizumi changes his economic policies.
EDITORIALS
Jul 28, 2003

Doubts linger as Iraq bill passes

The controversial bill to send Japanese troops to Iraq for humanitarian and security assistance passed the Upper House early Saturday morning despite a last-ditch attempt by the opposition parties to block the procedure. Final approval of the ad hoc measure followed a special committee vote Friday evening....
COMMENTARY / World
Jul 28, 2003

A Tibetan history lesson for China

CHIANG MAI, Thailand -- With India's recognition of the Tibet Autonomous Region as a part of China -- a corollary result of the recent talks in Beijing between Chinese and Indian leaders -- the region has ceased to be viewed as a historical buffer state between two Asian giants. This is of tremendous...
JAPAN
Jul 28, 2003

SDF troops will 'definitely' be dispatched to Iraq: Yamasaki

Japan will "definitely" send Self-Defense Forces to Iraq to take part in reconstruction efforts there, Taku Yamasaki, the ruling LDP's No. 2 official, said Sunday.
COMMENTARY
Jul 28, 2003

More transparency needed in investigations of suspects

Little progress is reported in Japan-U.S. talks on legal proceedings in the alleged rape of an Okinawan woman by a U.S. serviceman. A hitch has developed over the demand by U.S. authorities for greater protection of the suspect's rights.
COMMENTARY / World
Jul 28, 2003

Political reformers of Japan unite!

The new buzzword in Japanese politics these days is "manifesto." The Japanese language does not use capital letters, but if it did, you can be sure "manifesto" would be written with a capital M to convey the weighty tone with which it is pronounced by those who believe it is the answer to Japan's political...
COMMENTARY / THE VIEW FROM NEW YORK
Jul 28, 2003

Commodore Perry's legacy of curiosity

NEW YORK -- In the sesquicentennial of U.S. Commodore Matthew Perry's visit to Japan, I am happy to imagine that I must be one of the few owners of the original edition of his report: "Narrative of the Expedition of an American Squadron to the China Seas and Japan, Performed in the Years 1852, 1853,...
BUSINESS
Jul 28, 2003

Chinese currency system must face step-by-step liberalization

We recently hear a lot about the need for China to adjust the exchange rate of its currency, the yuan. In fact, Federal Reserve Board chairman Alan Greenspan, during the U.S. Senate Banking Committee hearing July 16, said it is "increasingly evident" that China should allow its currency to trade freely...
JAPAN
Jul 28, 2003

Japanese in Manila hotel free: ministry

The Foreign Ministry said Sunday afternoon that all Japanese who were staying at hotels inside the commercial complex in Manila at the center of rebellion there have been safely evacuated.
JAPAN
Jul 27, 2003

Crystals for lasers to be made in space

In a move that could lead to the realization of "space factories," Japan's space agency said Saturday it will make the world's first attempt to manufacture in space photonic crystals to be used in commercial laser equipment.
JAPAN
Jul 27, 2003

Rainy season ends later in west

The rainy season has apparently ended in the northern Kyushu, Chugoku, Shikoku, Kinki and Tokai regions six to nine days later than usual and between five and six days later than last year, the Meteorological Agency said Saturday.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Jul 27, 2003

Koizumi vows to consider timing of SDF dispatch to Iraq carefully

The Diet on Saturday enacted controversial legislation to dispatch the Self-Defense Forces to help rebuild Iraq, with Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi pledging to carefully study the timing for the deployment to help guarantee the troops' safety.

Longform

The volunteer lifesavers of Nishihama Surf Lifesaving Club never know what's in store at the start of their day.
It's no simple day at the beach for Japan's volunteer lifesavers