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JAPAN
Dec 15, 2001

Consumers chasing peace of mind: Dentsu

Japanese sought peace of mind rather than life in the fast lane this year amid the ongoing economic decline, according to a sales trends report released by the nation's top advertising agency.
BUSINESS
Dec 15, 2001

Extra budget includes 'green' funding

A proposed second supplementary budget of 2.5 trillion yen for fiscal 2001 includes 656 billion yen for environmental protection and 628 billion yen for urban redevelopment, government officials said.
JAPAN
Dec 15, 2001

Police officer in Tokyo is arrested for allegedly paying teenager for sex

A Tokyo police officer was arrested Friday on suspicion of paying for sex with a 16-year-old girl he met through an Internet dating service for mobile phone users, police said.
JAPAN
Dec 15, 2001

Afghanistan promised education support

Japan on Friday promised long-term educational support for Afghanistan as part of aid efforts to help rebuild the war-torn country, education ministry officials said.
BUSINESS
Dec 15, 2001

Tax reform debate had nowhere else to go

Right up to the last minute, two conflicting philosophies dominated the ruling coalition's debate on tax reform for fiscal 2002 -- whether to levy taxes wherever possible to help ease the government's dire financial straits or avoid major hikes in light of the economic slump.
BUSINESS
Dec 15, 2001

Investment pact near for Tokyo, Seoul

Japan and South Korea are likely to agree on the outline of a bilateral investment accord by the end of this year and put it into force in summer, Japanese trade officials said.
JAPAN
Dec 15, 2001

Ishihara criticizes bright lights at air base

Tokyo Gov. Shintaro Ishihara on Friday criticized the U.S. military's Yokota Air Base for its nightly use of floodlights, which officials claim have damaged the crop of a local farmer.
COMMUNITY
Dec 15, 2001

Interculturalist has jolly Xmas message for Japan

With a name suggestive of seasonal good cheer, EDI's Gordon Jolley is also the perfect gent, with fresh flowers in his buttonhole, choosing salad ahead of steak for lunch, and picking up the bill afterward. There is also much well-practiced humor: "Executive Development International is a virtual company....
JAPAN
Dec 15, 2001

Japan to cohost global conference on child sexual exploitation

Japan will cohost an international conference in Yokohama next week to reconfirm an international commitment to eliminate the sexual exploitation of children, according to the Foreign Ministry.
JAPAN
Dec 15, 2001

Financial entities' overhaul may be shelved, Fukuda says

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuo Fukuda hinted Friday that the government could establish a panel to decide on reforms of state-backed financial entities, a decision that would effectively postpone a conclusion on the contentious issue.
BUSINESS
Dec 15, 2001

Government tax panel calls for overhaul of system

The government's tax panel Friday proposed an overhaul of the taxation system to deal with changes in the economy and called for the abolishment of special tax breaks meted out to individuals and corporations to avoid revenue shortfalls.
JAPAN
Dec 15, 2001

Tax reforms to result in 30 billion yen revenue loss

The ruling coalition announced a package of tax reforms for fiscal 2002 on Friday evening that will result in an estimated revenue loss of about 30 billion yen.
BUSINESS
Dec 15, 2001

Banks to get cash if crisis hits: Yanagisawa

Financial Services Minister Hakuo Yanagisawa expressed willingness Friday to protect the financial system by injecting public funds into the depleted capital bases of troubled banks if a financial catastrophe threatens stability.
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / JAPAN LITE
Dec 15, 2001

Merii Kurisumasu ando guddo naito

Dear Santa,
BUSINESS
Dec 15, 2001

Kirin to buy stake in San Miguel

Kirin Brewery Co. said Friday that it will buy a 15 percent stake in Philippine beverage maker San Miguel Corp. to expand its business in the Southeast Asian market.
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / PERSONALITY PROFILE
Dec 15, 2001

Jigme Goenpo Dorji

BHUTAN -- As it emerges from isolation, the land-locked, central Himalayan country of Bhutan still maintains an annual maximum number of tourists allowed to visit. With arrangements made and paid for in advance, tourists fly in to Paro by Druk Air, the only airline serving Bhutan's only airport. Guide-interpreters...
JAPAN
Dec 15, 2001

'Spirited Away' shares culture award

Blockbuster animated film "Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi" ("Spirited Away"), directed by Hayao Miyazaki, will share one of four grand prizes at the Agency for Cultural Affairs' 5th Media Arts Festival in February, according to the executive committee for the annual event.
EDITORIALS
Dec 14, 2001

Caught in a worsening recession

Japan's economy is in serious condition. Despite years of recovery efforts, its vital signs continue to worsen. Gross domestic product in July through September contracted at an annual rate of 2.2 percent, posting two straight quarters of negative growth -- a condition that is technically defined as...
COMMENTARY / World
Dec 14, 2001

Sri Lanka's chance of ending conflict is bigger than ever

Ranil Wickremesinghe, the newly installed Sri Lankan prime minister, has been in a tense struggle to form a government of national consensus.
JAPAN
Dec 14, 2001

Death penalty upheld for former cultist

The Tokyo High Court on Thursday upheld the death penalty for one-time senior Aum Shinrikyo figure Kazuaki Okazaki, 41, for his role in the 1989 murders of a Yokohama lawyer, the lawyer's family and a cultist who tried to defect.
JAPAN
Dec 14, 2001

Obituary: Kichiro Tazawa

Former Liberal Democratic Party politician Kichiro Tazawa died Wednesday night of esophagus cancer at a hospital in Hirosaki, Aomori Prefecture, his family said Thursday. He was 83.
BUSINESS
Dec 14, 2001

MMC contracts IBM to manage its IT system

Mitsubishi Motors Corp. will outsource the management and maintenance of its information technology systems to IBM Japan Ltd. in 2002, the two firms revealed Thursday.
JAPAN
Dec 14, 2001

30 roadwork firms searched over suspected bid-rigging

The Fair Trade Commission searched the offices of about 30 roadwork firms Thursday in connection with alleged bid-rigging on highway contracts, sources at the commission said.
BUSINESS
Dec 14, 2001

Current account surplus up 14%

Japan's surplus in the broadest measure of foreign trade rose 14 percent in October from a year earlier to 865.1 billion yen, marking its second consecutive month of increase, the Finance Ministry said Thursday in a preliminary current account report.
BUSINESS
Dec 14, 2001

Showa Denko to ax 1,000 workers, slash salaries 33%

Comprehensive chemical maker Showa Denko K.K. said Thursday it will cut an additional 1,000 jobs at its group firms and reduce salaries up to 33 percent in 2002 to survive the harsh business environment.
BASEBALL / MLB
Dec 14, 2001

Motoki inks new pact with Giants

Yomiuri Giants infielder Daisuke Motoki agreed to a four-year deal carrying an annual salary of 120 million yen, a 32 million yen increase from this year.

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