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EDITORIALS
Jul 15, 2000

The Kashmir knot tightens

India's reluctance to support increased autonomy for the troubled state of Jammu and Kashmir is understandable. Indian leaders fear that giving more power to local leaders would set a precedent that could lead to the unraveling of the whole country. That is a possibility, but any sprawling state that...
BASEBALL / MLB
Jul 15, 2000

Kudo fans 13 as Giants edge Yakult

Yomiuri lefty Kimiyasu Kudo gave up two hits and struck out 13 over the distance in his first shutout game since last July, carrying the Central League-leading Giants to a 1-0 win over the Yakult Swallows Friday at the Tokyo Dome.
JAPAN
Jul 15, 2000

Hail a cab in Naha now and they'll all come quick

NAHA, Okinawa Pref. -- It is said there is a reliable litmus test to gauge the state of Okinawa's economy: Stick out your hand and see how long it takes to hail a taxi.
BUSINESS
Jul 15, 2000

Tax Commission report hints that tax hike is in the pipeline

The medium-term report released Friday by the government Tax Commission has sent one important message to the public, albeit between the lines: A tax hike is inevitable in the not-so-distant future.
BUSINESS
Jul 15, 2000

Financial system not healthy yet: BOJ head

The nation's financial system has stabilized somewhat over the past year or so, but it still has a long way to go before regaining full confidence, as seen in the recent collapse of Sogo Co., Bank of Japan Gov. Masaru Hayami said Friday.
JAPAN
Jul 15, 2000

Bailout decisions case by case, says Mori's 'younger brother'

Although the controversial bailout plan for the Sogo Co. department store chain and its group firms was eventually scrapped when the group filed for court-mandated rehabilitation this week, Chief Cabinet Secretary Hidenao Nakagawa is not sure how the government will handle similar cases in the future....
BUSINESS
Jul 15, 2000

No retrenchment until recovery is achieved: EPA

Japan should emphasize developing its IT infrastructure to allow for sustainable growth and only embark on fiscal reconstruction after ensuring an economic recovery, the Economic Planning Agency said in its annual report released Friday.
JAPAN
Jul 15, 2000

Hokkaido, Shimane warm to reactors

The governors of Hokkaido and Shimane indicated their approval Friday of plans by utilities to build new nuclear reactors in their prefectures.
JAPAN
Jul 15, 2000

Accord reached in dioxin dispute

OSAKA -- A 28-month dispute over the nation's worst case of dioxin pollution ended Friday as residents of Nose, Osaka Prefecture, and the builders of the incinerator responsible for the contamination accepted a mediation plan by the prefecture's pollution examination committee.
BUSINESS
Jul 15, 2000

Nissan might reconsider plant investment: Ghosn

Nissan Motor Co. President Carlos Ghosn said Friday that the firm may reconsider a plan to put new investment in its Sunderland plant in northeastern England, which he says is suffering from the high value of the pound.
JAPAN
Jul 15, 2000

Kono wants North Korean talks at ASEAN meet

The government on Friday began arranging a possible meeting between Foreign Minister Yohei Kono and his North Korean counterpart, Paek Nam Sun, in Bangkok later this month.
JAPAN
Jul 15, 2000

Oyama sends residents fleeing again

Miyake Island's Mount Oyama erupted at 3:50 p.m. on Friday -- its second eruption of the day -- sending smoke billowing as high as 1,000 meters above the crater.
BUSINESS
Jul 15, 2000

Keep interest rate policy: LDP

The ruling Liberal Democratic Party on Friday called on the Bank of Japan not to scrap its "zero-interest-rate" policy at the next meeting of its policymaking panel Monday, warning that lifting the policy too soon may cause excess anxiety and smother the nation's nascent economic recovery.
JAPAN
Jul 15, 2000

G8 leaders may agree to pursue trade talks

The leaders of the Group of Eight nations appear likely to agree next week to pursue the launch of a new round of global trade liberalization negotiations by the end of this year, but many obstacles remain.
BUSINESS
Jul 15, 2000

Mori prods BOJ over interest rate policy

In rare straightforward remarks on Japan's monetary policy, Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori on Friday expressed hope that the Bank of Japan will maintain its "zero-interest-rate" policy.
BUSINESS
Jul 15, 2000

Bankrupt firms owe 6.95 trillion yen

The combined debts of companies that went bust in the first half of 2000 came to 6.95 trillion yen, down 24.2 percent from a year earlier but the second-largest figure for a first-half period in postwar Japan, a major credit research agency said Friday.
JAPAN
Jul 15, 2000

Okinawans having trouble looking beyond the 'three K's'

NAHA, Okinawa Pref. -- Business is slack along Heiwa Dori (Peace Street), one in a maze of narrow streets that make up Machigwa, Naha's central market.
JAPAN
Jul 15, 2000

180-member medical team on standby for G8 summit

The government will send an emergency medical team of 180 top-level doctors and nurses to Nago, Okinawa Prefecture, the venue for the July 21-23 Group of Eight summit, to prepare for emergencies, particularly acts of terrorism, involving leaders from the eight countries, officials said Thursday.
JAPAN
Jul 15, 2000

Tax panel proposes overhaul of system

An advisory panel to the prime minister on Friday called for a radical overhaul of the tax system that would potentially involve tax hikes in order to tackle problems related to the aging population and get rid of the government's debt.
JAPAN
Jul 15, 2000

Snow Brand plants face inspection

The Health and Welfare Ministry on Friday set up a 12-member team to carry out its own inspections of Snow Brand Milk Products Co.'s 20 plants.
JAPAN
Jul 15, 2000

Keidanren considers Article 9

OYAMA, Shizuoka Pref. -- Many of the business leaders who gathered here for an annual seminar organized by the Japan Federation of Economic Organizations (Keidanren) called for an amendment to Article 9 of the Constitution.
JAPAN
Jul 15, 2000

Okinawans see railway as ticket to ride

NAHA, Okinawa Pref. -- A middle-aged cabby here says he has never seen a train in his life except on television, much less ridden one. His story, however, does not surprise locals.
CULTURE / Art
Jul 15, 2000

Singapore seeks its own artistic future

Singapore is known for being a clean country full of sunshine, greenery and delightful people. But although it offers great shopping, gourmet dining and sightseeing, it is not frequently associated with the art world.
BUSINESS
Jul 15, 2000

Re-merge NTT firms, president says

Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corp. President Junichiro Miyazu on Friday suggested re-amalgamating NTT's two regional firms when the group's structure is reviewed.
COMMENTARY / THE VIEW FROM MOSCOW
Jul 15, 2000

President Putin's 100 days

It is hard to say what counts as the beginning of Vladimir Putin's presidency. When Boris Yeltsin stepped down Dec. 31 and Putin assumed his regency over Russia? The presidential election in March, when he won a landslide victory? May, when he was inaugurated? It is probably best to pick some date in...
BUSINESS
Jul 15, 2000

EPA echoes economic outlook for July

The Economic Planning Agency maintained its assessment of the economy in its report for July released Friday, following two successive months of upgrading.
COMMENTARY / World
Jul 15, 2000

China and Pakistan forge stronger links

NEW DELHI -- In recent days, new evidence has surfaced that China and Pakistan have stepped up their clandestine nuclear and missile collaboration as part of their joint rivalry with India. It is clear that the Sino-Pakistani nexus is getting stronger, putting India's security under increased pressure....

Longform

Dangami House is a 180-year-old former samurai residence of the Kato clan, who ruled over Ozu, Ehime Prefecture, until the Meiji Restoration.
A house, a legacy and the quiet work of restoration in rural Japan