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COMMENTARY / World
Oct 7, 2004

Expect loose reins on Japan

LAS VEGAS -- For decades, Tokyo has wanted to be treated like a "normal" nation free from the constraints of the Occupation Era and U.S. foreign-policy dominance. Well, Japan is on the edge of realizing that dream, but the costs will be the end of the special U.S.-Japan relationship and the emergence...
JAPAN
Oct 7, 2004

Boeing lobbies Japan on proposed restart of arms sales

The head of Boeing Co.'s defense division on Wednesday welcomed recent indications that Japan is moving toward lifting its self-imposed arms export ban, saying it would help pave the way for the firm to use Japanese products worldwide.
EDITORIALS
Oct 6, 2004

The U.S. gets a real debate

Last week's debate between the U.S. presidential candidates should end any doubts about the value of such face-offs. The 90-minute encounter in Miami, Florida, did exactly what it was supposed to do: It provided U.S. voters -- and the rest of the world -- a pointed comparison of the two candidates. While...
JAPAN
Oct 6, 2004

Special Diet session to start Oct. 12

The government will convene an extraordinary Diet session on Oct. 12, Chief Cabinet Secretary Hiroyuki Hosoda said Tuesday.
JAPAN
Oct 6, 2004

LDP to raise antimonopoly surcharges

The Liberal Democratic Party plans to raise antimonopoly surcharge rates to 10 percent from 6 percent for large companies and to 4 percent from 3 percent for small firms, LDP sources said Tuesday.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Oct 6, 2004

Adopted Thai orphan, 13, again issues plea to stay

A 13-year-old Thai orphan who came to Japan to live with her grandparents following the death of her parents urged immigration authorities Tuesday to grant her a more stable status so she can stay in the country.
BASEBALL / BASEBALL BULLET-IN
Oct 6, 2004

Sapporo story: Fighters' first season in Hokkaido a big success

Stage 2 of the Pacific League playoffs begins Wednesday night in Fukuoka, with the regular season first-place finisher Daiei Hawks hosting the second-place Seibu Lions in a best-of-five series.
MORE SPORTS
Oct 6, 2004

Asagoe crashes out of Japan Open

Japan's Shinobu Asagoe crashed out of the women's singles competition after being condemned to a first-round defeat by nemesis Tamarine Tanasugarn at the Japan Open on Tuesday.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Stage
Oct 6, 2004

Poor, mad, bad king

During the five years he was Artistic Director of Setagaya Public Theatre, 61-year-old Makoto Sato began calling and e-mailing his old friend and stage colleague Renji Ishibashi, 63, in an attempt to persuade him to take the role of King Lear, with him (Sato) as director.
JAPAN
Oct 6, 2004

Extortionist gets four years for Softbank scam

The Tokyo District Court sentenced a self-styled rightwinger to four years in prison Tuesday for attempting to extort billions of yen out of Softbank Corp.
BUSINESS
Oct 6, 2004

Finance Ministry to cut government bond issues

The Finance Ministry will cut the issuance of new government bonds for fiscal 2005 to less than the 36.6 trillion yen planned for the current fiscal year, Finance Minister Sadakazu Tanigaki said Tuesday.
JAPAN
Oct 6, 2004

Okutama takes aim at forest-eating denizen that's best served as venison

Deer are increasing sharply in number around the town of Okutama, western Tokyo, devouring plants and stripping the already logged mountains of new vegetation, thereby, some say, posing a landslide risk.
JAPAN
Oct 6, 2004

Japan should bring in overseas labor: panel

The government should consider opening the country to foreign unskilled labor and work to create public support for the issue, an advisory body to the Foreign Ministry said Tuesday.
BUSINESS
Oct 6, 2004

Yoshinoya outlets may get ATMs

Banking group Resona Holdings Inc. has tied up with restaurant chain Yoshinoya D&C Co. and may set up automated teller machines at its restaurants in the future, according to Resona officials.
BASEBALL / MLB
Oct 6, 2004

Kuehnert to head Rakuten team

Internet services company Rakuten on Tuesday introduced American Marty Kuehnert as the general manager of the company's new professional baseball club.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Oct 6, 2004

When it comes to first-class, women prefer Coach

Walking down a street in Tokyo, it doesn't take long to spot women clutching Coach bags.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Art / NEW ART SEEN
Oct 6, 2004

A leaf out of a scrapbook of depravity?

In this world, most people get to be teenagers for exactly seven years. And then there's the artist Larry Clark. Born in Tulsa, Okla., in 1943, Clark has been living and reliving the teen experience for some six decades.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Oct 6, 2004

Gadget helps bathroom-bashful

When Naoko Ito uses a public bathroom, she cringes in embarrassment at the thought other patrons can hear the sounds coming from her stall.
BUSINESS
Oct 6, 2004

Softbank sells off eAccess holdings

Softbank Corp. said Tuesday its wholly owned subsidiary Japan Telecom Co. has sold all of its shareholdings in eAccess Ltd., a broadband Internet service company, for 18.3 billion yen.
BUSINESS
Oct 6, 2004

Sharp rolls out LCD TV boasting a 65-inch screen

Sharp Corp. said Tuesday it has developed the world's largest liquid crystal display TV, featuring a 65-inch screen.
JAPAN
Oct 6, 2004

Racist or realist, Ishihara vents his spleen

Tokyo Gov. Shintaro Ishihara is a gracious host, settling comfortably into a white leather chair and patiently listening to a question from a visitor.
BUSINESS
Oct 6, 2004

Aeon reports record-high earnings thanks to malls and credit cards

Aeon Co., the nation's largest retailer, said Tuesday its first-half net profit jumped 54 percent to a record 28.35 billion yen, with its shopping mall development and credit card businesses making up for the poor performance of its general merchandise stores.
JAPAN
Oct 6, 2004

Missing pin caused copter crash: report

A missing cotter pin caused the U.S. Marine Corps helicopter crash on a university campus near the Futenma Air Station in Okinawa in August, according to a U.S. investigation report submitted Tuesday that laid the blame on poor maintenance.

Longform

Figure skater Akiko Suzuki was once told her ideal weight should be 47 kilograms, a number she now admits she “naively believed.” This led to her have a relationship with food that resulted in her suffering from anorexia.
The silent battle Japanese athletes fight with weight