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Japan Times
CULTURE / Art
Jan 30, 2002

Woodblock art comes of age

Traditional Japanese woodblock prints (mokuhanga) were, until the beginning of the last century, generally disdained as merely mass-produced commodities that were as likely to be used as wrapping paper as to be viewed as art. But the early 20th century witnessed a change in attitudes, leading to the...
BUSINESS
Jan 30, 2002

Nissho Iwai to eliminate 5,000 jobs in restructuring

Major trading house Nissho Iwai Corp. on Tuesday announced a three-year restructuring plan featuring a cut of 5,000 jobs from its current consolidated workforce of 19,000.
JAPAN
Jan 30, 2002

Newsapers liable for printing wire reports

The Supreme Court on Tuesday reversed a lower court ruling that newspapers should not be held responsible for publishing defamatory wire reports, and returned the cases to the Tokyo High Court.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music / J-POPSICLE
Jan 30, 2002

Going Ga Ga Ga for Ozawa

Ozawa is doing well on the charts these days. Not Kenji Ozawa, the nasally singer whose popularity I cannot fathom, but his uncle, classical conductor Seiji Ozawa. The elder Ozawa's "New Year's Concert 2002" album entered the music-industry trade paper Oricon's Jan. 28 album chart at No. 9, marking the...
BUSINESS
Jan 30, 2002

Asahi to cut 'happoshu' by 10 yen

Asahi Breweries Ltd. said Tuesday it will cut the price of Honnama, its brand of low-malt, beer-like "happoshu" liquor, by 10 yen between Feb. 21 and March 31 as part of a campaign to commemorate the first anniversary of the brand.
BUSINESS / ON THE FRONT LINE
Jan 30, 2002

Yen returns to normal level?

Government officials' commitment to a weak yen policy has played a key role in daily currency market activity in recent months.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Stage
Jan 30, 2002

On the outside, but looking in

The Agora Theater is tucked away near Komaba Todaimae Station, just five minutes from the hurly-burly of Shibuya. It was here that I saw "Boken Oh (Kings of the Road)" performed by Seinen Dan, a youth theater-group led by Oriza Hirata, 39, who wrote and directed the play.
JAPAN
Jan 30, 2002

Red Cross wants ban lifted on hepatitis-tainted blood

The Japanese Red Cross Society has asked the health ministry to lift its ban on shipments of blood products made using blood tainted with the hepatitis B virus, according to ministry sources.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music / HIGH NOTES
Jan 30, 2002

Electric Soft Parade: 'Holes in the Wall'

Electric Soft Parade have been heralded by much of the British music press as the best of a bunch of bands that currently make up what some call the nu-acoustic movement, which includes the whining of bands like Elbow, Starsailor and Coldplay.
BUSINESS
Jan 30, 2002

Contractors Sumitomo, Mitsui eye integration

Sumitomo Construction Co. and Mitsui Construction Co. admitted Tuesday that they are discussing integration of their management.
JAPAN
Jan 30, 2002

Baker says Bush will focus on economy during visit

U.S. President George W. Bush will express his support for Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's economic reforms when he visits Japan next month, and the Japanese economy will be one of the major topics of discussion, U.S. Ambassador to Japan Howard Baker said Tuesday.
JAPAN
Jan 30, 2002

Fresh warrants issued in bid-rigging case

Prosecutors on Tuesday served fresh warrants to the mayor of Ishioka, Ibaraki Prefecture, a former aide to a lawmaker and two others over a 2 million yen bribe in connection with alleged bid-rigging.
BUSINESS
Jan 30, 2002

Midsize brokers log group net losses

Seven out of the nation's eight midsize brokers, affected by the slumping stock market, logged group net losses in the first three quarters of fiscal 2001.
JAPAN
Jan 30, 2002

Life term upheld in '95 sarin attack

The Tokyo High Court on Tuesday upheld a life sentence handed down in 1999 to an Aum Shinrikyo defendant for his involvement in the 1995 gas attack on the Tokyo subway system.
BUSINESS
Jan 30, 2002

Daiei to sell position in Maruko

Struggling retailer Daiei Inc. said Tuesday it will sell all its shares in its wholly owned real estate subsidiary Maruko Inc. for 15.1 billion yen as part of its rehabilitation plan.
SOCCER / World cup
Jan 30, 2002

Get your Japan friendly tickets

Tickets for Japan's first World Cup warmup against the Ukraine, slated for March 21 (kickoff at 6 p.m.) at Nagai Stadium in Osaka, will go on sale Feb. 6-11 for anyone registered at FamilyMart's ticket service, "Famima club."
Japan Times
CULTURE / Art / NEW ART SEEN
Jan 30, 2002

Prizewinner who's passing on the torch

When I mentioned in a column last year that Lee U Fan had won the Japanese Art Association's Praemium Imperiale award for painting, this provoked a number of questions from readers.
JAPAN
Jan 29, 2002

Teens face prosecution over slaying of homeless man

Three 14-year-old males arrested over the weekend on suspicion of beating a homeless man to death in northern Tokyo were turned over to prosecutors Monday, police said.
EDITORIALS
Jan 29, 2002

Mr. Arafat's dwindling options

Jaffa Street is a popular thoroughfare in downtown Jerusalem, its stores and sidewalks invariably crowded with shoppers and pedestrians. It has also become one of the bloodiest frontlines in the war between Israel and Palestinians. Last week alone, there were two terrorist attacks on Jaffa Street. The...
BASEBALL / MLB
Jan 29, 2002

Hanshin formally signs Valdes

OSAKA -- Newly acquired right-hander Marc Valdes was formally signed on by the Hanshin Tigers to a one-year deal worth $300,000 for the 2002 season on Monday. The Central League club also gave the Atlanta Braves pitcher a $300,000 signing bonus along with performance incentives for the upcoming season....
BASEBALL / MLB
Jan 29, 2002

Giants win right-hander Wasdin

The Yomiuri Giants on Monday formally signed major league right-hander John Wasdin to a one-year contract and signing bonus worth an estimated $2.2 million.
SOCCER / J. League
Jan 29, 2002

Kyoto signs Zelic

Kyoto Purple Sanga has acquired former Australia defender Ned Zelic from TSV 1860 Munich, the J. League Division One club announced Sunday.
JAPAN
Jan 29, 2002

Olympus develops DNA computer

Olympus Optical Co. said Monday it has developed a DNA computer capable of high-speed, fully automated, quantitative gene expression profiling.
JAPAN
Jan 29, 2002

Accord signed in final Hansen's case

Health, Labor and Welfare Minister Chikara Sakaguchi signed a final agreement with former Hansen's disease patients and relatives of deceased sufferers Monday to settle a damages suit over the government's past quarantine policy.

Longform

Mount Fuji is considered one of Japan's most iconic symbols and is a major draw for tourists. It's still a mountain, though, and potential hikers need to properly prepare for any climb.
What it takes to save lives on Mount Fuji