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COMMENTARY / WASHINGTON UPDATE
Mar 22, 2001

Bush rises while Mori falls

We are just past the halfway mark in the first 100 days of the term of U.S. President George W. Bush. How is he doing? How is he doing it? What is he changing?
SOCCER / J. League
Mar 22, 2001

Spain's Espanyol want to keep striker Nishizawa

OSAKA -- Spanish First Division side Espanyol has asked Cerezo Osaka to extend its seven-month loan deal for the services of Japan striker Akinori Nishizawa, informed sources said Wednesday.
JAPAN
Mar 22, 2001

French institute subject of teachers' labor dispute

OSAKA -- A labor union representing French-language instructors filed a complaint with the Osaka Regional Labor Relations Commission on Wednesday accusing a Kyoto-based French cultural institute of unfair labor practices, union officials said.
SUMO
Mar 22, 2001

Unbeaten Kaio holds onto lead

OSAKA -- Ozeki Kaio gunned down veteran Takanonami for another comfortable victory on Wednesday to remain in pole position at 11-0 with just four days remaining at the Spring Grand Sumo Tournament.
JAPAN
Mar 22, 2001

Under pressure from U.S., tax breaks considered to rid banks of bad loans

The government began discussions Wednesday on specific measures to eliminate the bad loans held by Japanese banks, following a request from U.S. President George W. Bush to do so.
JAPAN
Mar 22, 2001

Bill designed to crack down on telephone clubs

The Cabinet endorsed a bill Wednesday to revise a law regulating adult entertainment in a bid to crack down on telephone dating services that facilitate sex with minors and child prostitution, government officials said.
JAPAN
Mar 22, 2001

Minister wants harsher traffic laws

Justice Minister Masahiko Komura on Wednesday ordered a fall deadline for the preparation of legislation to revise the Penal Code. The bill would impose tougher penalties on reckless and drunken drivers who have inflicted severe or fatal injuries on other people.
JAPAN
Mar 22, 2001

LDP's Kato suspended for failing to vote

The Liberal Democratic Party decided Wednesday to suspend Koichi Kato, the LDP's former secretary general, from his current party post for three months as punishment for abstaining from a Diet vote on a no-confidence motion against the Cabinet of Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori.
BUSINESS
Mar 22, 2001

Toshiba drives up its sales targets

Toshiba Corp. said Wednesday that it has set its consolidated sales target for fiscal 2003 at 7.9 trillion yen, up more than 30 percent from fiscal 2000.
BUSINESS
Mar 22, 2001

Tertiary industry index slips

The government said Wednesday that an index designed to gauge economic activity in Japan's tertiary industries slid 0.5 percent in January from the previous month.
BUSINESS
Mar 22, 2001

Trade surplus shrank by 25.4% in February

The customs-cleared trade surplus fell 25.4 percent in February from a year earlier to 879.4 billion yen for the eighth consecutive monthly decline, the Finance Ministry said in a preliminary report Wednesday.
COMMENTARY
Mar 22, 2001

No winner in France's vote

PARIS -- A year before the 2002 general and presidential elections, the results of the municipal and local elections that took place the last two Sundays represent a major development in French politics. They will not ease the relationship between President Jacques Chirac and his likely rival next year,...
JAPAN
Mar 22, 2001

BOJ's action lifts Nikkei above 13,000

Tokyo share prices soared virtually across the board on Wednesday, reacting positively to the Bank of Japan's moves to funnel more money into the ailing economy.
JAPAN
Mar 22, 2001

Home PCs link in hunt for ET

Some 50,000 people in Japan are currently taking part in a worldwide endeavor to link their personal computers together in an attempt to catch any message from outer space that might signal the existence of another life form. Joining the project are students at Kokushikan High School, a private school...
JAPAN
Mar 22, 2001

Afghan refugees to get emergency aid

Japan said Wednesday it will offer $1.86 million in emergency grants to provide relief to Afghans who have fled their homes in the face of a prolonged civil war and natural disasters, the Foreign Ministry said.
BUSINESS
Mar 22, 2001

Recovery stalled as exports drop

A decrease in exports is causing economic recovery to stall for the first time in eight months, the Bank of Japan said Wednesday in a monthly report that downgraded its assessment of the nation's economy.
BUSINESS
Mar 22, 2001

Sato in Sega hot seat

Sega Corp. announced Wednesday that Vice President Hideki Sato has taken over the firm's presidency, following the death of Isao Okawa from heart failure Friday.
SOCCER / J. League
Mar 22, 2001

J. League plans to change to European-style soccer schedule

The J. League has decided to shift its regular season from the current spring-to-autumn format to an autumn-to-spring style beginning in 2006.
JAPAN
Mar 22, 2001

Japan bans pork from Netherlands

Japan decided Wednesday to temporarily halt imports of pork and pork products from the Netherlands following reports of a suspected outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease there, farm ministry officials said.
BUSINESS
Mar 22, 2001

Major automakers report decline in exports continues

Japan's five major automakers reported a decline Wednesday in their vehicle exports for February due to lower demand in the North American and European markets.
MORE SPORTS
Mar 22, 2001

Japan marathon team takes shape

Japanese record-holder Atsushi Fujita and surprise package Yoko Shibui were named to the 10-member national marathon team for the athletics world championships this summer, the Japan Amateur Athletics Federation (JAAF) announced Tuesday. Fujita set the Japanese record of 2 hours, 6 minutes, 51 seconds...
SPORTS / SPORTS SCOPE
Mar 22, 2001

What's in store for the third Musketeer?

By now Ichiro Suzuki is making a name for himself in America. The only question is what that name is. When The Associated Press and some other news organizations report on the former Orix BlueWave star, they refer to a player named "Suzuki." But back here in Japan he's always been known as "Ichiro."...
BUSINESS
Mar 22, 2001

Key money rate falls near zero after BOJ acts

The bellwether money rate fell close to zero on the Tokyo money market Wednesday morning, following a decision by the Bank of Japan to boost liquidity in the financial markets.
JAPAN
Mar 22, 2001

Row over failed rocket launch settled

The government agreed to pay 2.58 billion yen to the National Space Development Agency of Japan in an out-of-court settlement Wednesday over the failed launch of a multipurpose satellite in November 1999.

Longform

Ichiro Suzuki, one of the most iconic players in NPB and MLB history, was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame with 99.7% of the vote.
With Hall of Fame induction, Ichiro makes himself heard loud and clear