search

 
 
JAPAN
Feb 7, 2003

Kissing not Japanese strong suit, Harlequin poll finds

The modesty widely viewed as a Japanese trademark was again apparent in a recently released survey on kissing, with only 29 percent of respondents rating their kisses an 8 or higher on a scale of 1 to 10.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Feb 7, 2003

Five prefectures call for end to casino ban

Tokyo and four prefectural governments delivered a petition to the national government Thursday calling for a ban on casinos to be lifted, saying it would generate income and create jobs amid the nationwide economic slump.
JAPAN
Feb 7, 2003

Cases of police misconduct rose sharply in 2002

Some 569 police officers and administrative employees were disciplined in 2002, an increase of 83 from the previous year, the National Police Agency said Thursday.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Feb 7, 2003

New group to study accounting plan

A working group under a governmental advisory panel on financial affairs was inaugurated Thursday to examine a controversial proposal by Financial Services Minister Heizo Takenaka to change accounting rules that would force many major banks into capital shortfalls.
EDITORIALS
Feb 7, 2003

Inaction is not an option

U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell made the case for international action against Iraq at the United Nations Wednesday. In a calm and measured presentation, punctuated with displays of audio tapes, satellite photos and other intelligence information, Mr. Powell argued that Baghdad had committed a "material...
BUSINESS
Feb 7, 2003

Broker, trust bank tie up on wills

Online brokerage house Matsui Securities Co. and Chuo Mitsui Trust & Banking Co. said Thursday they have agreed to tie up in the inheritance and testament-related business.
JAPAN
Feb 7, 2003

Fox unit raided in 'Star Wars' probe

The Fair Trade Commission searched the Japanese offices of 20th Century Fox on Thursday to probe whether it violated the Antimonopoly Law by blocking a promoter of "Star Wars Episode 2" from offering discount tickets for the science-fiction hit, industry sources said.
MORE SPORTS
Feb 7, 2003

JRA revokes trainer's license

has revoked the license of a trainer for being illegally involved in the sale of horses, JRA officials said Wednesday. Kotaro Tanaka, 62, has allegedly sold U.S.-born thoroughbreds as their breeder to owners registered with the JRA, which prohibits trainers from acting as thoroughbred breeders.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / TOKYO FOOD FILE
Feb 7, 2003

Sonamu: Fare to put some hair on your chest

You think it's been cold here this winter? You should try spending some time over on the Korean Peninsula. Those bitter gales from Siberia take no prisoners. Not to worry -- as long as you're somewhere with under-floor ondol heating and plenty of that chili-laden food, you'll survive. You may even enjoy...
COMMENTARY
Feb 6, 2003

Misperceptions fuel Korean crisis

BRUSSELS -- The crisis in Iraq overshadows everything. Yet far more dangerous is the Korean crisis. At worse, the Iraqi crisis will lead to a conventional war with tens of thousands of casualties. In contrast, millions of lives could be at risk in the Korean crisis -- triggered by U.S. revelations that...
COMMENTARY
Feb 6, 2003

Love beneath the headlines

LONDON -- France is in everybody's bad books. In Washington, France has been dismissed -- along with Germany -- as "Old Europe," paralyzed by traditional views and unable to come to terms with the security imperatives of the global age. In London, anti-French feeling has been building up in official...
JAPAN
Feb 6, 2003

Most pleasure boats moored in unauthorized sites: report

About 55 percent of pleasure boats in Japan are moored in unauthorized locations in ports and rivers, the Land, Infrastructure and Transport Ministry said.
EDITORIALS
Feb 6, 2003

Diet debates remain superficial

Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's economic policy is coming under increasing criticism from the opposition parties. They have mainly condemned him for failing to produce either reform or growth, and have pointed out that his battle against deflation is reaching deadlock. That criticism -- which is not...
BUSINESS
Feb 6, 2003

Mizuho gets OK to increase issuance of preferred shares

Mizuho Holdings Inc. held an extraordinary shareholders' meeting Wednesday in which it was given the green light to raise the ceiling on preferred share issues -- a measure aimed at bolstering its capital by 1 trillion yen to accelerate bad-loan disposal.
BUSINESS
Feb 6, 2003

Assessment of business conditions downgraded

The government on Wednesday downgraded its assessment of business conditions with the release of a key economic indicator that was below the boom-or-bust line for the second consecutive month in December, thanks to weak production and consumption indicators.
MORE SPORTS
Feb 6, 2003

Sumo exhibition set for South Korea

Professional sumo wrestlers will hold a two-day exhibition tournament in South Korea this summer, officials said Wednesday, marking the first time Japan's national sport has been performed in that country.
JAPAN
Feb 6, 2003

Iraq presents Japan with fresh headache

Although the government has declined to state publicly whether it will support a U.S.-led war on Iraq, it has recently been considering how it might help the United States in the event of a conflict and how it can assist in the postwar rehabilitation of Iraq and surrounding countries.
BUSINESS
Feb 6, 2003

Ricoh group logs 19.5% profit rise

Ricoh Co. said Wednesday its group net profit in the October-December term rose 19.5 percent over the previous year to 17.8 billion yen on strong sales of network basic input/output system (NetBIOS) devices.
BUSINESS
Feb 6, 2003

Seiko to end set annual wage hikes

Electronics maker Seiko Epson Corp. will stop giving set annual wage increases based on age to all union members in April, company officials said Wednesday. The move is aimed at enhancing the company's international competitiveness by promoting merit-based raises and reducing overall labor costs.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Feb 6, 2003

North Korea escapees form help group

A group of escapees from North Korea announced Wednesday they have formed an association to help support them in Japan.
BUSINESS
Feb 6, 2003

DPJ touts own job-friendly budget

The Democratic Party of Japan on Wednesday unveiled a draft budget for fiscal 2003 that it says would generate 1 million more jobs than the budget being debated in the Diet.
JAPAN
Feb 6, 2003

Firm suspected of illegal sales to Iran also tied to Pyongyang

Reports surfaced Wednesday that a Tokyo engineering firm, already in hot water over suspicions it illegally shipped missile-related equipment to Iran, might have also exported to North Korea.
JAPAN
Feb 6, 2003

Transsexuals, sex-change advocates fight on against social, registry snub

Transsexuals and their supporters have teamed up to seek public acknowledgment of those who suffer from gender identity disorder and to pressure the government into allowing sex changes to be recorded in official documents.
BUSINESS
Feb 6, 2003

Toyota sees 93.9% net profit growth

Toyota Motor Corp. on Wednesday reported a group net profit of 216.1 billion yen for the October-December quarter, up 93.9 percent from the same period a year earlier on brisk sales at home and abroad.
Japan Times
ENVIRONMENT / WILD WATCH
Feb 6, 2003

Delving deeper into the snows

At the end of my column last week, there I was on the Antarctic Peninsula pondering the pink hue of "watermelon snow" and wondering where had I heard about colored snow before.

Longform

Sociologist Gracia Liu-Farrer argues that even though immigration doesn't figure into Japan's autobiography, it is more of a self-perception than a reality.
In search of the ‘Japanese dream’