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JAPAN
Jun 26, 2000

Rain-aided coalition cruises toward victory

Amid lower-than-expected voter turnout, the Liberal Democratic Party-led ruling triumvirate appeared to have secured at least a simple majority in the Lower House in the general election held Sunday, exit polls show.
JAPAN
Jun 26, 2000

LDP to take 64 proportional representation seats: survey

Kyodo News
JAPAN
Jun 26, 2000

Ruling coalition secures majority

The Liberal Democratic Party-led ruling triumvirate suffered a major setback but secured a majority in the Lower House in the general election held Sunday.
BASEBALL / MLB
Jun 26, 2000

'Stars complete sweep of Giants

Central League  WonLostTied Pct.GB Yomiuri 35 29 0 .547 - Yakult 31 28 1 .525 1.5 Chunichi 32 30 0 .5161 2.0 Hiroshima 33 31 1 .5156 2.0 Yokohama 27 32 1 .458 5.5 Hanshin 27 35 1 .435 7.0   Pacific League  WonLostTied Pct.GB Seibu 33 26 2 .559 - Daiei 35 28 1 .556 - Nippon Ham  35...
JAPAN
Jun 26, 2000

Two Cabinet ministers lose, dealing blow to Mori

Two Cabinet ministers seem to have lost their seats in Sunday's general election, dealing a blow to the government led by Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori.
JAPAN
Jun 26, 2000

State handed extortion suspect

OSAKA — Police turned over to prosecutors Sunday the case of a 56-year-old unemployed man arrested on suspicion of attempting to extort 20 million yen from Santen Pharmaceutical Co., Japan's leading maker of eyedrops.
COMMUNITY
Jun 26, 2000

It's true! Chocolate is good for you!

The academic name for cacao beans is Theobroma cacao, which means "God's food." They are said to have first been found in pre-Columbian Mexico, where they were valued as an elixir of life among the royalty. The native Mexicans believed that with one block of crushed chocolate, one could work five to...
JAPAN
Jun 26, 2000

Coalition wins a stable majority

The Liberal Democratic Party-led ruling triumvirate suffered a major setback but managed to secure a comfortable majority in the Lower House in Sunday's general election.
JAPAN
Jun 26, 2000

Name isn't everything

The results of Sunday's general election indicated that while candidates from "traditional" political families did well, some legislators whose names were relatively well-known were unable to return to the Lower House.
ENVIRONMENT
Jun 26, 2000

Engineered bacteria could end acid rain

Can bacteria improve air quality and prevent acid rain? Scientists believe so, and a group in Japan are engineering a new bacterium that could do the job.
JAPAN
Jun 26, 2000

TV stations divided over ruling bloc's majority

Kyodo News Major television stations gave differing predictions Sunday on whether the three ruling parties would be able to secure a "stable" majority, meaning 254 of the 480 seats being contested at the House of Representatives.
JAPAN
Jun 26, 2000

Voters sided with unpopular status quo

Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori's nonstop gaffes and his administration's staggering unpopularity were ultimately tolerated by the voters who preferred the status quo to gambling on the opposition.
COMMENTARY / World
Jun 26, 2000

China between a rock and a hard place

OXFORD, England -- There has been much discussion recently about whether China is heading for a soft landing or hard landing. My first reaction to such discussions is always to ask landing from what? In this case the answer is relatively easy, the Asian financial crisis of 1997, from which China allegedly...
COMMENTARY
Jun 26, 2000

English is not the answer

Earlier this year, the Forum on 21st Century Japan, a private panel to the late Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi, proposed a national debate on whether English should be used in Japan as a second official language. That proposal has added fuel to the long-standing discussions on English education in this...
COMMENTARY / World
Jun 26, 2000

Sense and nonsense in nuclear-arms policy

For his key role in establishing Japan's commitment to nonnuclear principles in 1967, Prime Minister Eisuke Sato went on to win the Nobel Peace Prize. Yet it was recently revealed that he privately referred to the three principles as "nonsense" and allowed a U.S. nuclear aircraft carrier to enter a Japanese...
ENVIRONMENT / OUR PLANET EARTH
Jun 26, 2000

Is there free speech in Japan? Greenpeace activists arrested

"For the sake of good environmental policy, it is necessary to have freedom of expression which forms public opinion." These are the words of Sweden's environment minister, part of a press release issued in March 1999, following the arrest of several Greenpeace activists who were in Tokyo protesting...
JAPAN
Jun 26, 2000

Mori need not quit if LDP falls below 229 seats: Aoki

Kyodo News Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori would not need to step down even if the Liberal Democratic Party fails to attain a target of 229 Lower House seats set by the party's No. 2 leader, Chief Cabinet Secretary Mikio Aoki said Sunday night.
JAPAN
Jun 26, 2000

Tobacco scam included sales

A 58-year-old company president arrested Saturday for possessing thousands of packs of counterfeit cigarettes in apparent violation of the Trademark Law is also suspected of marketing the tobacco in violation of the Tobacco Business Law, police sources said Sunday.
EDITORIALS
Jun 25, 2000

Unbinding the ties

There is news from the Western fashion front this month that will make men breathe a little easier, especially as the days grow hotter. The tie, after having had its victims by the throat for several centuries, may finally be seeing its grip loosened.
JAPAN
Jun 25, 2000

James Treece named new FCCJ head

James Treece of Automotive News has narrowly beaten Anthony Rowley of the Singapore Business Times to become president of the Foreign Correspondents Club of Japan, official election results showed Friday.
JAPAN
Jun 25, 2000

Santen blackmail suspect questioned

OSAKA — Police questioning a 56-year-old man arrested Friday afternoon for alleged attempted blackmail of Santen Pharmaceutical Co. found the suspect had no personal ties to the leading eyewash maker.
BASEBALL / MLB
Jun 25, 2000

BlueWave handle Matsuzaka, Lions

Kida gets first save since return
JAPAN
Jun 25, 2000

MRA law planned for EU standards

Japan plans to institute a law to meet requirements in implementing a mutual recognition agreement with the European Union on standards and inspections for such goods as electronic appliances.
JAPAN
Jun 25, 2000

Aum-staffed PC shop opens after week delay

A personal computer shop run by two human rights activists and staffed by eight followers of Aum Shinrikyo opened for business Saturday in Tokyo's Chiyoda Ward, one week after the scheduled opening.

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