search

 
 
BUSINESS
Jan 24, 2001

Minister to create own IT panel

Toranosuke Katayama, minister of public management, home affairs, posts and telecommunications, said Tuesday he will set up his own panel of advisers from the private sector and local municipalities on information technology policies.
BUSINESS
Jan 24, 2001

Firms link up on providing power

Hitachi Ltd., Fuji Electric Co. and Meidensha Corp. said Tuesday they have agreed to form an alliance for the transmission and distribution of electric power to enhance their global competitiveness in this area.
BUSINESS
Jan 24, 2001

Yen slump will not match Asia's 1997 crisis

The 1997 Asian currency crisis triggered by speculative attacks on the Thai baht prompted Thailand, Indonesia and South Korea to switch to floating exchange rates for their currencies.
BUSINESS
Jan 24, 2001

New minister says recovery is priority

Taro Aso, the new state minister for economic and fiscal policy and information technology, said Tuesday he will make the nation's economic recovery a priority while paying due attention to fiscal rehabilitation.
JAPAN
Jan 24, 2001

CJD plaintiffs die before end of suit against state

Two people who sued the government after contracting Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease for failing to inform them of the risks of contracting CJD in operations have died, their relatives said Tuesday.
MORE SPORTS
Jan 24, 2001

Japan draws Argentina

Japan has been drawn to face Argentina at home in the first round of this year's Fed Cup World Group, the Japan Tennis Association said Monday.
BUSINESS
Jan 24, 2001

Treasury stock system bill planned

The Justice Ministry plans to have a bill allowing companies to buy their own shares for long-term possession ready for an extraordinary Diet session that is expected to convene in autumn, Justice Minister Masahiko Komura said Tuesday.
COMMENTARY / World
Jan 24, 2001

Russia can teach California a few things about blackouts

VLADIVOSTOK, Russia -- When blackouts hit the residential districts of Russia's largest Pacific seaport, as they have for up to 20 hours a day and even more this week, people learn to cope.
JAPAN
Jan 24, 2001

Polar team back with meteorite haul

A Japanese expedition team to the Antarctic has collected more than 3,000 meteorites in a haul expected to provide valuable material for research into the evolution of the solar system, the Education and Science Ministry said Tuesday.
SOCCER / J. League
Jan 24, 2001

Xerox Super Cup set

The J. League champion Kashima Antlers will play against Emperor's Cup runnerup Shimizu S-Pulse in the Xerox Super Cup, the new season's curtain raiser, on March 3 at Tokyo's National Stadium, the J. League announced Tuesday in Tokyo.
BUSINESS
Jan 24, 2001

Nichidan Life to take AXA name

Nichidan Life Insurance Co., which is under the umbrella of French financial group AXA, will change its name to AXA Group Life Insurance Co. on March 31 in a bid to highlight the AXA company name.
JAPAN
Jan 24, 2001

Split in Russia caused summit delay

A tug of war between Russian government officials has led Moscow to seek a monthlong postponement of the planned summit in Siberia between Japanese Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori and Russian President Vladimir Putin, a senior Foreign Ministry official said Tuesday.
COMMENTARY
Jan 24, 2001

Time for Japan to root out corruption

LONDON -- Fifty years ago this year, the San Francisco Peace Treaty was signed and the Japanese government began preparing to resume full sovereignty. Then-Prime Minister Shigeru Yoshida was a shrewd politician. He knew that the peace treaty, despite the difficulties some of the clauses would cause for...
BUSINESS
Jan 24, 2001

Softbank to be lead buyer of Taisho Life

Midsize life insurer Yamato Mutual Life Insurance Co. and a group led by Softbank Corp. plan to take over the failed Taisho Life Insurance Co., sources said Tuesday.
JAPAN
Jan 24, 2001

Mori, Annan discuss UNSC

Visiting U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan and Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori agreed Tuesday to push forward reforms of the United Nations, although Annan stopped short of saying he supported Tokyo's proposal for a 24-seat Security Council and a permanent seat for Japan.
BUSINESS
Jan 24, 2001

Prefectures ran in the red in fiscal '99

Prefectural governments posted a combined 19.4 billion yen in budget deficits in fiscal 1999, which ended last March 31, the Public Management, Home Affairs, Posts and Telecommunications Ministry said Tuesday.
LIFE / Digital
Jan 24, 2001

Internet reincarnations

www.geocities.com/lilgreen91/ Photographic evidence that an alien/human hybrid is among us. Or at least in someone's kitchen.
BUSINESS
Jan 24, 2001

Prudential to pay 23 billion yen for Orico Life

Prudential Corporation Holdings Ltd. will purchase a full stake in Orico Life Insurance Co. for 23 billion yen on Feb. 13 from its parent company Orient Corp., Prudential and Orient said Tuesday.
JAPAN
Jan 24, 2001

Vajpayee sets Feb. 10-14 official visit

Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee will make an official visit to Japan from Feb. 10 to 14 to meet with Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori and other government officials, the Foreign Ministry announced Tuesday.
BUSINESS
Jan 24, 2001

BOJ eyes increase in liquidity

The Bank of Japan is compiling a list of measures to provide sufficient funds to banks in case of continued market volatility, BOJ Gov. Masaru Hayami said Tuesday.
ENVIRONMENT / GARDENING FOR ALL
Jan 24, 2001

See where the apricot (or is it plum) blossoms

Kairakuen Garden in Mito, Ibaraki Prefecture, is one of the three most celebrated gardens in Japan, located a very short distance from the city center.
BUSINESS
Jan 24, 2001

Suzuki may sell to Nissan

Suzuki Motor Corp. said Tuesday it is considering providing Nissan Motor Co. with Suzuki minivehicles.
LIFE / Food & Drink / KISSA KULTUR
Jan 24, 2001

Mariage Freres: A Ginza tea party

They haven't had to advertise in over 140 years. Of course, when your product is of the highest quality, word travels -- even to distant shores.
JAPAN
Jan 24, 2001

Obituary: Chong Sung Bak

Chong Sung Bak, a Korean writer based in Japan, was found dead Monday at his house in Sumoto, Hyogo Prefecture, friends said. He was 77.

Longform

A sinkhole in Yashio, which emerged in January, was triggered by a ruptured, aging sewer pipe. Authorities worry that similar sections of infrastructure across the country are also at risk of corrosion.
That sinking feeling: Japan’s aging sewers are an infrastructure time bomb