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BUSINESS
Jan 26, 2001

LDP panel to push buyback review

A ruling party panel examining measures to bolster the sagging stock market plans to seek a legal amendment that would allow companies to buy back shares up to an amount equivalent to their earned surplus, a senior official of the panel said Thursday.
COMMENTARY / World
Jan 26, 2001

It's up to Japan to act on trade ties

The new administration of George W. Bush has placed low priority on trade policy toward Japan, making it crucial that Tokyo take the initiative in developing closer trans-Pacific economic ties rather than waiting for overtures from Washington, a U.S. think tank member told a symposium held just before...
JAPAN
Jan 26, 2001

Fired Foreign Ministry official facing embezzlement charges

A senior Foreign Ministry official was fired Thursday for allegedly embezzling state funds and a criminal complaint was filed against him with the Metropolitan Police Department, Foreign Minister Yohei Kono said.
BUSINESS
Jan 26, 2001

Tokyo Sowa buyer to restore bank's niche role

Officials of Tokyo Sowa Bank's new owner-to-be said Thursday they intend to rebuild the failed regional bank's "niche retail" functions by targeting small firms and individuals left behind in the era of megabank mergers.
EDITORIALS
Jan 25, 2001

Scandal threatens the Mori Cabinet

An unfolding bribery scandal surrounding an insurance group for small business led to the resignation of Mr. Fukushiro Nukaga, state minister for economic and fiscal policy, on Tuesday. Just a week earlier, Mr. Takao Koyama, a Liberal Democratic member of the Upper House, was arrested on charges of receiving...
JAPAN
Jan 25, 2001

Japanese astronauts get go-ahead for space station

Two Japanese men were officially recognized as astronauts on Wednesday by The National Space Development Agency of Japan, making them eligible to take part in the International Space Station project.
BUSINESS
Jan 25, 2001

Sales down for fourth year at supermarkets and stores

Sales at supermarkets and department stores fell for a fourth straight year in 2000, underlining depressed consumer spending, industry associations reported Wednesday.
JAPAN
Jan 25, 2001

Waseda fears final exams stolen

Officials at Waseda University's School of Political Science and Economics said Wednesday that some final examination papers for about 100 courses may have been stolen from its office.
BUSINESS
Jan 25, 2001

U.S. firms in hunt for Tokyo Sowa

Two financial groups, both of which include U.S. investment funds, are leading the race to buy the failed Tokyo Sowa Bank, industry sources said Wednesday.
JAPAN
Jan 25, 2001

Mori, Bush agree to hold early summit

Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori agreed Wednesday in a telephone conversation with U.S. President George W. Bush to hold a bilateral summit as soon as possible.
BUSINESS
Jan 25, 2001

Mitsubishi, Nissho Iwai to combine steel dealings

Major trading houses Mitsubishi Corp. and Nissho Iwai Corp. have agreed to integrate their steel business operations, industry officials said Wednesday.
BUSINESS
Jan 25, 2001

NTT likely to survive legal revision

Proposals to amend the telecom law being worked out by the government will probably not call for the dismantling of the current holding company structure of Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corp., according to draft bills obtained Wednesday by Kyodo News.
BUSINESS
Jan 25, 2001

Automakers zero in on Thailand

BANGKOK -- As Thailand gradually recovers from the financial crisis of 1997, Japanese automakers will likely see whether their effort to cut costs over the past few years has given them the strength to tackle intensifying competition in the market they have dominated for so long.
JAPAN
Jan 25, 2001

Trade surplus drops for a second year

Japan's merchandise trade surplus in 2000 shrank 12.5 percent from the previous year to 10.74 trillion yen, the second consecutive yearly decline, according to a preliminary report released Wednesday by the Finance Ministry.
BUSINESS
Jan 25, 2001

Shareholders back restructuring

Troubled construction firm Kumagai Gumi Co. received the approval of its shareholders during an extraordinary meeting Wednesday for the firm's plan to reduce its capital by 65 billion yen to 17 billion yen on March 1.
JAPAN
Jan 25, 2001

Mapping of lethal E. coli bacteria gene completed

OSAKA -- Researchers at Osaka University say they have succeeded in reading all the gene information on the O-157 strain of E. coli bacteria that caused a massive, and deadly, outbreak of food-poisoning in Sakai, Osaka Prefecture, in 1996.
JAPAN
Jan 25, 2001

Sega may kill off Dreamcast hardware

Sega Corp. said Wednesday it is considering stopping production of hardware for its loss-making Dreamcast video game consoles, pulling out of the home-use game console business and instead supplying game software to its rivals.
JAPAN
Jan 25, 2001

Foreign Ministry to point finger of blame

The Foreign Ministry today will release the results of an in-house investigation that will say a ministry official almost certainly embezzled several hundred million yen and will face dismissal, sources close to the case said Wednesday.
BUSINESS
Jan 25, 2001

Yen remains second-best currency for doing business

The yen remains a secondary currency in Japan's trade with its major partners, with the U.S. dollar still the most frequently used currency in both imports and exports, data released by the Finance Ministry showed Wednesday.
MORE SPORTS
Jan 25, 2001

Ray Lewis takes on media blitz

TAMPA, Fla. -- Before taking on the New York Giants in Super Bowl XXXV, Baltimore Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis first took on the media Tuesday.
JAPAN
Jan 25, 2001

Airport workers needed for more overseas flights

Justice Minister Masahiko Komura indicated Wednesday that he wants to increase the number of customs, immigration and quarantine staff at smaller airports to allow foreign air carriers to service them.
JAPAN
Jan 25, 2001

Kamei implicated in KSD scandal

Shizuka Kamei, chairman of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party's Policy Research Council, asked the former Labor Ministry to increase government subsidies for a technology institute affiliated with the scandal-hit mutual aid foundation KSD, an official of the ministry said Wednesday.
LIFE / Food & Drink / WINE WAYS
Jan 25, 2001

Wine with Chinese? Sure, why not?

Once again it's time to say Happy Chinese New Year.
LIFE / Travel
Jan 25, 2001

Legally blind woman realizes dream in trek across India

Last week, a woman from Ireland embarked on an epic three-month, 1,000-km unsupported trek across India on elephant-back. Caroline Casey is caring for her elephant herself, and camping at every stage of her journey, accompanied only by an elephant feeder and Indian guides. What makes the already daunting...
LIFE / Food & Drink / NIHONSHU
Jan 25, 2001

Best time of year to savor the joys of heated sake

Warm sake. It's hard to think of anything more appealing on a cold winter evening. As we trudge through the depths of one of the coldest and snowiest winters Japan has seen in years, warming oneself from the core out with a glass or bottle of a well-chosen heated sake settles and soothes like nothing...

Longform

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