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BUSINESS
Sep 20, 2002

Koizumi backs BOJ bad-loan disposal measures

Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi said Thursday the government will take every possible measure in cooperation with the Bank of Japan to accelerate the disposal of nonperforming loans and prevent a financial crisis.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Sep 20, 2002

Court dismisses inventor's patent claim but will consider reward

The Tokyo District Court on Thursday acknowledged Nichia Corp.'s ownership of the patent for a key semiconductor device, rejecting a suit filed by the inventor, now a professor at the University of California, Santa Barbara.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Sep 20, 2002

Three Kyushu assemblies agree to request probe into abductions

Three local assemblies in Kyushu separately adopted written opinions Thursday pressing the central government to fully investigate North Korea's abductions of Japanese citizens.
COMMENTARY
Sep 20, 2002

Political lull comes to an end

This past summer was rather quiescent both politically and economically. About the only big story was former Foreign Minister Makiko Tanaka's resignation from the Diet over allegations that she misused the state-funded pay of her legislative secretaries.
SOCCER / PREMIER REPORT
Sep 20, 2002

Ronaldo's greed becoming legend indeed

LONDON -- Next Wednesday -- thighs, hamstrings, knees and transfer request permitting -- Ronaldo will make his belated debut for Real Madrid when the European Champions play Belgium's KRC Genk in a Champions League tie at Santiago Bernabeu Stadium.
BUSINESS
Sep 20, 2002

Nissan formally announces alliance with Chinese auto giant Dong Feng

Nissan Motor Co. formally announced Thursday that it has formed a comprehensive alliance with Chinese auto giant Dong Feng Automobile Co. to set up a joint venture in China next spring that will produce a full range of cars and commercial vehicles.
MORE SPORTS
Sep 20, 2002

Life is good in Serena's world

Closing in on her 21st birthday, Serena Williams seems to have it all: No. 1 in the world in women's tennis, four Grand Slam singles titles to her credit, 17 victories on the WTA Tour, an Olympic gold medal (in doubles with sister Venus), over $9 million in prize money (plus who knows how much in lucrative...
JAPAN
Sep 20, 2002

NPA establishes system to tackle child porn on Net

The National Police Agency has set up an automated system to find child pornography on the Internet.
Japan Times
LIFE / Lifestyle / JET STREAM
Sep 20, 2002

Life lessons learned in a township dojo

In August this year, over 3,100 young people from 28 countries gathered at the Keio Plaza Hotel in Tokyo to participate in a Japan Exchange and Teaching orientation program. There to welcome the new JET recruits was Thabiso Kgosana, a South African working in his third year as an assistant language teacher...
MORE SPORTS
Sep 20, 2002

Sugiyama crashes out

Local favorite and fifth seed Ai Sugiyama was one of two major casualties of the second round of singles at the Toyota Princess Cup at Tokyo's Ariake Colosseum on Thursday, after crashing out to unseeded Australian Nicole Pratt 6-3, 4-6, 6-3.
BUSINESS
Sep 20, 2002

Yamaha raises profit forecast to 17 billion yen

Yamaha Corp., a major maker of musical instruments and special semiconductor chips, said Thursday it has revised upward its group profit forecast for the 2002 business year, citing personnel-cost cuts and brisk sales of mobile phone chips.
BUSINESS
Sep 20, 2002

OPEC leaders defy demands for oil production increase

OSAKA -- OPEC oil ministers rebuffed calls from Western countries and Japan to increase oil production at their meeting here Thursday, deciding to keep its official crude oil output intact for the October-December quarter.
BUSINESS
Sep 20, 2002

Auto lobby urges pressure on Hanoi

The Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association urged the government Thursday to press Vietnam to lift its restrictions on imports of motorcycle parts.
BUSINESS
Sep 20, 2002

BOJ fears repercussions of stock turbulence on economy

The nation's financial system remains vulnerable to slumping stock prices, the Bank of Japan said in its monthly assessment of the economy released Thursday.
JAPAN
Sep 20, 2002

State may cut retirement pay of public servants

The government will consider cutting the retirement pay of public servants for the first time in 21 years to rectify the gap in pay between the public and private sectors, government officials said Thursday.
Japan Times
ENVIRONMENT / ANIMAL TRACKER
Sep 20, 2002

Japanese oakblue

* Japanese name: Murasaki shijimi * Scientific name: Narathura japonica * Description: If you catch sight of a butterfly flitting through the trees, it is likely to be an oakblue. The oakblue is a small (14-22 mm long) butterfly. Its black-bordered wings have beautiful, iridescent blue patches. It...
EDITORIALS
Sep 19, 2002

The Pyongyang achievement

Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi and North Korean leader Kim Jong Il on Tuesday achieved a breakthrough, although a qualified one, in ending decades-long mutual enmity between Japan and North Korea. In fact, the outcome of the talks between the two leaders at the historic summit in Pyongyang was more...
JAPAN
Sep 19, 2002

Pro-Pyongyang residents receive death threats

The National Police Agency on Wednesday ordered police nationwide to prepare for possible attacks by ultranationalists against facilities related to North Korea in the wake of the signing the previous day of an agreement between Tokyo and Pyongyang to resume normalization talks, NPA officials said.
BUSINESS
Sep 19, 2002

Association helps end the health insurance limbo

Pressed by an ever-increasing number of people working as temps, both the government and temp agencies are trying to increase measures to make life more secure for the workers in this category.
BUSINESS
Sep 19, 2002

BOJ eyes unprecedented purchase of stocks from ailing banks

In a surprise break with market principles, the Bank of Japan said Wednesday that it is considering purchasing stocks held by the nation's most troubled banks, effectively bolstering their financial standing and stock prices at its own expense.
JAPAN
Sep 19, 2002

Trucker not guilty in cyclist's death

OSAKA -- The Osaka District Court found a truck driver not guilty Wednesday of causing the death of a cyclist in a traffic accident in February last year.
JAPAN
Sep 19, 2002

Teikyo CEO resigns over student donations scandal

The chief executive officer of Teikyo University in Tokyo has resigned to take responsibility over allegations that questionable donations were taken from students seeking admission to its medical school, Teikyo officials said Wednesday.
JAPAN
Sep 19, 2002

Families of abductees vow to keep up pressure

OSAKA -- Family members and supporters of Japanese abducted to North Korea vowed Wednesday to continue pressing the Japanese and North Korean governments for a full account of the kidnappings.
Japan Times
JAPAN / BABY BUST
Sep 19, 2002

Birthrate suffers as women face unattractive choices

Mayumi Shinde, 40, has worked for seven years as a system engineer at a Tokyo firm, at one stage attaining a job capability assessment of S -- one special level higher than A, the normal top ranking.

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’