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JAPAN
Feb 26, 1999

More Maishima dioxin tests urged

Dioxin found buried on Maishima Island is approaching dangerous levels and thus more environmental testing must be carried out, a scientist with Greenpeace Australia warned.
JAPAN
Feb 26, 1999

Education panel urges lessons in medical ethics

Medical students should be taught more about the dignity of human life and death, an advisory council to the Education Ministry proposed Friday.
JAPAN
Feb 26, 1999

Japan urged to continue bank bailout next year

Japan should recapitalize its banks next year as well as this year, Deputy U.S. Treasury Secretary Lawrence Summers said Friday.
EDITORIALS
Feb 25, 1999

Lahore offers hope for the future

The rhetoric surrounding last weekend's summit meeting between Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee and his Pakistani counterpart, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, could hardly have been grander. The vehicle for the consultations -- the inauguration of the first bus service between the two countries...
COMMENTARY / World
Feb 25, 1999

Courage pays off in Seoul

The crisis that has hit emerging-market economies around the world may not yet be over, but the "policy courage" that the South Korean people and the Seoul government have shown in reaction to it is already bearing fruit. South Korea has impressed its OECD partners by turning the crisis into an opportunity...
JAPAN
Feb 25, 1999

NCB bad loan numbers blamed on ministry

Nippon Credit Bank reported its "third-category" loans at 70 billion yen in its March 1997 request for public funds based on figures given by Finance Ministry inspectors, former NCB President Shigeoki Togo said in unsworn Diet testimony Thursday.
JAPAN
Feb 25, 1999

Lawmakers play musical chairs

In a bizarre development, a Lower House member has decided to give up his seat and run for the same chamber again.
JAPAN
Feb 25, 1999

Ex-English school founder acquitted of embezzling

The Tokyo High Court acquitted the former chairman of an English-language school Thursday on charges of embezzlement and breach of trust.
JAPAN
Feb 25, 1999

Guru gentle until '94 killing, cultist says

A convicted former Aum Shinrikyo follower testified Thursday that he had never seen cult founder Shoko Asahara inflict or order violence on his cultists as punishment until the 1994 killing of Kotaro Ochida.
JAPAN
Feb 25, 1999

1.55 billion yen set aside for Nose dioxin cleanup

The semipublic cooperative that runs an incinerator blamed for high dioxin levels in the soil around Nose, Osaka Prefecture, on Thursday budgeted 1.55 billion yen to begin tearing down the facility.
JAPAN
Feb 25, 1999

'Staff pay' entries give away tax dodger

Tokyo prosecutors arrested senior executives of a Tokyo real estate agency Thursday after raiding its offices over allegations that the firm failed to pay 500 million yen in taxes during a three-year period, sources close to the investigation said.
JAPAN
Feb 25, 1999

No changes to BOJ credit policy

The Bank of Japan Policy Board on Wednesday decided not to change its easy credit policy, the bank announced.
JAPAN
Feb 25, 1999

Ministry targets U.S. elderly to fix tourism slump

The Transport Ministry will launch a campaign next week to encourage U.S. senior citizens to visit Japan in a bid to stimulate the slumping tourism industry, ministry officials said on Thursday.
JAPAN
Feb 25, 1999

HP, Hitachi, Marubeni form Internet venture

Hewlett-Packard Co., Marubeni Corp. and Hitachi Software Engineering Co. will establish a joint venture in March to offer electronic business and commerce solutions centering on Internet technologies, the three firms announced Thursday.
JAPAN
Feb 25, 1999

Sakura bad-loan writeoffs to reach 990 billion yen

Sakura Bank on Thursday said it will write off about 990 billion yen in bad loans during the business year ending March 31, some 80 billion yen more than it originally expected.
JAPAN
Feb 25, 1999

Pfizer posts 48% net profit gain

Pfizer Pharmaceuticals Inc. posted 149.3 billion yen in sales for the business year that ended November 30, 1998, up 15 percent from the previous year, Leslie Patterson, president of the firm, announced on Thursday.
LIFE / Food & Drink / NIHONSHU
Feb 25, 1999

Warm sake toast of the town for winter

Before winter begins to grudgingly give ground to warmer weather, be sure to get your share of warm sake.
JAPAN
Feb 25, 1999

Wildlife protection a governor's job

The Cabinet is expected to endorse revisions today to the Wildlife Protection and Hunting Law for submission to the current Diet session, officials at the Environment Agency said Thursday.
CULTURE / Art
Feb 25, 1999

Uncovering the treasures around us

KYOTO -- Some adventurers explore shipwrecks for lost treasure. Jay Gregg makes a living "uncovering" treasure simply by recognizing it before anyone else does.
LIFE / Food & Drink / WINE WAYS
Feb 25, 1999

If you must be snowbound, try a cozy winery in Europe

As winter wanes I'm reminded of its vinous pleasures in places along my latest wine route, such as Austria, Slovenia, Belgium, Luxembourg and, just before Christmas, Germany, where I visited Adolf Schmitt, an outstanding wine maker whose estate is one of those in the wine association Saar-Mosel-Winzersekt...
COMMUNITY / CROSSING CULTURES
Feb 25, 1999

Parents and kids reflect upon road somewhat less traveled

Now that our four children can no longer be counted among the very young, we have the time and energy for reflection.
LIFE / Food & Drink / TOKYO FOOD FILE
Feb 25, 1999

Matsuya: The heart of Tokyo's little Seoul

Despite the considerable demographic surges in recent years from Southeast Asia (and much further afield), the few square blocks that lie between the north side of Kabukicho and Shin-Okubo still justify keeping the title of Tokyo's Little Seoul district. And this is where we head for whenever those cravings...
JAPAN
Feb 24, 1999

Accept 'jusen' role, HLAC to tell banks

The government-backed firm tasked with collecting debts owed by borrowers of the failed "jusen" mortgage lenders will urge 10 banks to take legal responsibility for the jusen fiasco, Housing Loan Administration Corp. President Kohei Nakabo said Wednesday.
JAPAN
Feb 24, 1999

JAL, JAS to unify ticketing systems

Japan Airlines Co. and Japan Air System Co. will merge their computer reservation operations for domestic services in October 2001, the carriers said Wednesday.
JAPAN
Feb 24, 1999

Cambodia aid donors mull $450 million aid package

Aid donors to Cambodia are likely to pledge a total of $450 million in economic aid to Phnom Penh during a two-day meeting of the Consultative Group for Cambodia beginning today in Tokyo, according to the chairman of the meeting.
JAPAN
Feb 24, 1999

Nissan to cut auto capacity by 100,000, retool van unit

Nissan Motor Co. announced Wednesday that it will reduce annual production capacity by 100,000 units by closing vehicle assembly lines at an affiliate in Aichi Prefecture.
JAPAN
Feb 24, 1999

Clock ticking on Glico-Morinaga cases

Investigators are racing the clock with the statute of limitations on the unresolved poisoning and extortion crimes linked to the Glico-Morinaga case due to expire in a year.
JAPAN
Feb 24, 1999

ESCAP environmental meeting kicks off in Kobe

KOBE — Senior officials of several Northeast Asian nations began a three-day meeting Wednesday to promote environmental cooperation in the region.
JAPAN
Feb 24, 1999

Ministers urge quick review of safe, daily dioxin intake

Cabinet members attending the first ministerial-level conference on dioxin policy agreed Wednesday that a quick review is needed of the tolerable daily intake of the carcinogen in order to form the basis for future policy.
JAPAN
Feb 24, 1999

13 arrested in chat-line extortion case

Investigators arrested 13 people Wednesday and raided several locations nationwide in connection with extortion activities targeting users of a telephone chat service in more than 30 prefectures, police sources said.

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