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JAPAN
Aug 15, 1997

Rain fails to dampen turnout at Yasukuni

Despite intermittent rain, thousands of war veterans and relatives of Japan's war dead visited Tokyo's Yasukuni Shrine on Friday, the 52nd anniversary of Japan's surrender at the end of World War II, to pay tribute to those who lost their lives in war.
JAPAN
Aug 12, 1997

Administrative reform debate intensifies as 11th hour nears

Staff writer
JAPAN
Aug 8, 1997

Antinuclear activists uneasy over future

NAGASAKI -- Nearly 200 activists from Japan and abroad gathered August 8 in Nagasaki for a special seminar on what citizens' groups are doing to halt nuclear weapons production.
JAPAN
Aug 1, 1997

Okinawa accepts heliport boring survey

The Okinawa Prefectural Government officially accepted a central government request August 1 to conduct borings at a site off Nago on the east coast of Okinawa Island as part of a survey for a sea-based U.S. military heliport facility, prefectural officials said.
JAPAN
Jul 29, 1997

Ota backs national plan for offshore heliport

Ending six months of silence over the issue of a sea-based heliport off the coast of Camp Schwab in Okinawa Prefecture, Gov. Masahide Ota on July 29 planted his foot on the side of the national government.
JAPAN
Jul 23, 1997

Carlsberg tapping into Japan's trendy beer market

OSAKA -- While four major domestic brewers are engaged in fierce competition to take the biggest share of the virtually zero-growth domestic beer market, the maker of Carlsberg is trying to find its own "suitable and profitable niche."
JAPAN
Jul 22, 1997

Kobe suspect sees hill, pond as 'sacred' sites

KOBE -- A local teenager who is being held on suspicion of the murder and attempted murder of five Kobe schoolchildren has said to police that a hill and a pond believed involved in the crimes are places that are "sacred" and "precious," police sources said on July 22.
JAPAN
Jul 22, 1997

Arnie flexes checkbook for kids

OSAKA -- Hollywood action film hero Arnold Schwarzenegger will donate 1.5 million yen to Osaka Prefecture for a children's recreational facility during a visit to Osaka later this week, prefectural officials said.
JAPAN
Jul 16, 1997

Open debate on disaster bills urged

KOBE -- People pushing for a disaster compensation bill, including well-known author Makoto Oda and several Diet members, visited the Hyogo governor and Kobe mayor earlier this week to explain the bill and seek support. "This is the first time we've met the governor and the mayor in this manner," said...
JAPAN
Jul 11, 1997

LDP presents plan to pare state financiers

After months of wrangling, a special task force of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party announced July 11 its final plan to streamline government-affiliated financial institutions, including abolition of the Japan Development Bank in 1999.
JAPAN
Jul 11, 1997

Agency to examine dioxin, other 'environment hormones'

The Environment Agency will launch a comprehensive fact-finding study on the effects of what are called "environmental hormones," such as dioxin and polychlorinated biphenyl, on fish, birds and other wildlife, agency sources said July 11.
JAPAN
Jul 9, 1997

Panel ready to tackle postal privatization

Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto's blue-ribbon reform panel will take up this month the highly controversial issue of privatizing the Posts and Telecommunications Ministry's postal, postal savings and postal insurance services, a high-ranking official said July 9.
JAPAN
Jul 4, 1997

Bad loans down to 28 trillion yen in March

The balance of nonperforming loans held by the nation's financial institutions came to 27.9 trillion yen as of the end of March, with 4.68 trillion yen estimated requiring disposal as losses, according to Finance Ministry figures released July 4.
JAPAN
Jul 3, 1997

Official use of 'hanko' may be coming to an end

The government started examining July 3 the possible abolition of current regulations that require the public to use "hanko" seals for administrative formalities, according to a high-ranking government official.
JAPAN
Jul 2, 1997

1996 surplus reaches 437.4 billion yen

A total surplus of 437.4 billion yen was recorded after the government settled its general account for fiscal 1996, which ended in March, the Finance Ministry announced July 2.
JAPAN
Jul 1, 1997

Ruling party wants PNC to remain

The ruling Liberal Democratic Party's special team on administrative reform decided July 1 to recommend the government streamline but not abolish the much-troubled Power Reactor and Nuclear Fuel Development Corp., or PNC.
JAPAN
Jun 27, 1997

Prosecutors widen probe into dubious DKB loans

The Tokyo District Public Prosecutor's Office questioned Tadashi Okuda, former chairman of Dai-Ichi Kangyo Bank, and former consultant Kuniji Miyazaki on June 27 over the bank's alleged loans to a "sokaiya" corporate racketeer.
JAPAN
Jun 26, 1997

Textbook screening gets ministry's special treatment

Politically biased, sometimes inconsistent and ineffective, but otherwise reasonable.
JAPAN
Jun 26, 1997

Hashimoto may visit Hong Kong in fall

Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto may visit Hong Kong in early September on his way to or from Beijing to demonstrate Japan's strong support for the British colony's continued prosperity, government sources said June 26.
JAPAN
Jun 25, 1997

NPA chief says foreigners, terrorism wrecking public safety

The head of the National Police Agency said June 24 that Japanese are becoming increasingly fearful for their safety due to a series of recent terrorist acts here and abroad, as well as an increasing number of crimes committed by foreigners living in Japan.
JAPAN
Jun 24, 1997

American Malls remains optimistic about Japan plan

Despite what appears to be firm opposition from the agriculture ministry, American Malls International, a Washington-based developer, seems hopeful of opening a huge shopping mall in Moriya, Ibaraki Prefecture.
JAPAN
Jun 24, 1997

Four nations urge U.N. to work on environment

NEW YORK -- Four countries on four continents launched a joint initiative June 23 aimed at giving the United Nations new impetus to revitalize the spirit of the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro and achieve sustainable development while tackling environmental problems.
JAPAN
Jun 24, 1997

Corporate Governance: Ethics charter just a start

There are ways to prevent corporate scandals, and the key to prevention is the attitude of corporate executives, according to an executive at Japan's largest economic organization.
JAPAN
Jun 23, 1997

Automaker Nissan turns back on failed insurer's staff

Nissan Motor Co. threw cold water June 23 on bankrupt Nissan Mutual Life Insurance Co. by saying special treatment for Nissan Mutual employees applying to the automaker would not be provided.
JAPAN
Jun 20, 1997

Insurers finalize Nissan Mutual liquidation scheme

The Life Insurance Association of Japan endorsed a liquidation scheme June 20 for Nissan Mutual Life Insurance Co. that will create a new entity to manage its policies and write off an estimated 100 billion yen worth of the failed insurer's debts over a period of five years.
JAPAN
Jun 18, 1997

Ruling alliance emerges from Diet session intact

One-hundred fifty days, some 100 laws and 16 treaties later, the ruling partnership is still intact, at least on the surface.
JAPAN
Jun 17, 1997

Japan set record for carbon dioxide emissions in '95

Japan released a record amount of carbon dioxide into the air in fiscal 1995, the Environment Agency reported to a Cabinet meeting June 17.
JAPAN
Jun 16, 1997

The pill creeps closer to contraceptive status

The Public Health Council drafted a report June 16 that effectively approves low-hormone birth control pills on condition that measures against the spread of sexually transmitted diseases be strengthened.
JAPAN
Jun 13, 1997

Top surgeon backs brain-dead transplants

Full disclosure of information, fairness and the best efforts of those involved will be crucial when the nation resumes organ transplants from brain-dead donors, a liver transplant expert told a Diet hearing June 13.
JAPAN
Jun 12, 1997

Hashimoto to announce environment plan at U.N.

Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto will formally announce an "Initiative for Sustainable Development" aimed at boosting Japan's assistance in environmental protection in developing nations, government sources said June 12.

Longform

Construction takes place on the Takanawa Gateway Convention Center in Tokyo, slated to open in 2025.
A boom for business tourism in Japan?