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JAPAN
Nov 7, 1997

Interest in metro politics drops to 10-year low: poll

About 68 percent of Tokyo residents are interested in metropolitan administration policies, the lowest percentage in the past decade, according to results of a Tokyo Metropolitan Government poll released Friday.
JAPAN
Nov 7, 1997

Ota hints heliport plan may get backing

Okinawa Gov. Masahide Ota hinted Friday that he may approve a national government plan to construct a sea-based heliport off Nago.
JAPAN
Nov 7, 1997

Fuji Heavy faces fine over failure to report recall

The Transport Ministry took the strictest nonpenal action possible Friday against Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd. for failing to report recalls of defective cars and repairing the vehicles without notifying the ministry.
JAPAN
Nov 7, 1997

Japan slams delay in dumping levy clarification

Japanese trade officials expressed strong concern Friday over Washington's failure to clarify the process leading up to the recent levying of dumping charges on Japanese supercomputers.
JAPAN
Nov 7, 1997

TSE plunges below 16,000 after losing 4%

>Share prices fell along a broad front Friday on the Tokyo Stock Exchange as concerns continue to dog the health of the nation's financial institutions.
JAPAN
Nov 7, 1997

Hun Sen hints at amnesty, election rights for Ranariddh

Cambodia's ousted First Prime Minister Norodom Ranariddh will be granted amnesty and be allowed to participate in the country's general election next May, Second Prime Minister Hun Sen indicated Friday in Tokyo.
JAPAN
Nov 7, 1997

Corporate tax idea called illogical

Several members of the government's Tax Commission voiced opposition Friday to Finance Ministry suggestions that a national tax be levied on corporations that are in the red, saying there is no logical reason to do so, the commission's head said.
JAPAN
Nov 7, 1997

EU unlikely to bend at Kyoto conference

The European Union is unlikely to compromise on its 15 percent emission cut proposal for industrialized countries during the upcoming Kyoto global warming conference, a senior EU official said Friday.
JAPAN
Nov 6, 1997

Hun Sen will meet Sihanouk to discuss Ranariddh's return

Visiting Cambodian leader Hun Sen indicated Thursday that he will discuss with King Norodom Sihanouk the possible return of ousted First Prime Minister Norodom Ranariddh and his participation in the country's general election next May.
JAPAN
Nov 6, 1997

Tokyo, Pyongyang in wary thaw

The homecoming of Japanese wives living in North Korea is imminent. However, this event alone is not expected to lead to an immediate resumption of negotiations on normalizing bilateral diplomatic ties.
JAPAN
Nov 6, 1997

Toyota's profits climb thanks to brisk exports

Toyota Motor Corp. managed to post pretax profits of 324.56 billion yen in the April-September period, up 25.6 percent from the same period last year, as brisk exports made up for lackluster sales in the domestic market, the nation's largest automaker said Thursday.
JAPAN
Nov 6, 1997

Tokyo budget requests climbing higher

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government on Thursday announced that bureaus requested 6.8 trillion yen in the general account in the fiscal 1998 budget, up 2.1 percent from the previous year and far exceeding the metro government's upper limits amid financial constraints.
JAPAN
Nov 6, 1997

Business execs urged to cut links to 'sokaiya'

Chief Cabinet Secretary Kanezo Muraoka called on representatives of business organizations Thursday to make firm resolutions to cut all ties with "sokaiya" corporate extortionists.
JAPAN
Nov 6, 1997

Government receptive to Okinawa trade zone plan

Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Teijiro Furukawa told Okinawa Vice Gov. Mitsuko Tomon in a meeting Wednesday that the central government will give positive consideration to the Okinawa Prefectural Government's proposal to make the prefecture a free trade zone by around 2005.
JAPAN
Nov 6, 1997

Telephone help line to aid children

In an attempt to reach out to children in need of help and support, eight suprapartisan House of Representatives members formed a federation Thursday to set up a 24-hour telephone help line.
JAPAN
Nov 6, 1997

Amway gets 500 complaints a year

The head of a consumer rights organization told a Diet committee Thursday that his group has received about 500 complaints each year since 1992 over the operations of Amway Japan Ltd., a member-based distribution company that makes sales but has no stores.
JAPAN
Nov 6, 1997

Invesco's debut with LTCB to publicize investment trusts

Staff writer
JAPAN
Nov 6, 1997

PC shipments mark first fall since '92

Domestic shipments and exports of personal computers by Japan's 23 major PC makers dropped for the first time since 1992, totaling 3.97 million units in the first half of the 1997 business year that ended Sept. 30, an industry group announced Thursday.
JAPAN
Nov 6, 1997

Bill to reduce the deficit clears the Lower House

A plenary session of the Lower House passed a government-proposed fiscal reform bill Thursday that will use wide-ranging measures to set reduction targets for key budget areas to slash the deficit.
JAPAN
Nov 6, 1997

NGOs press for action at COP3

Staff writer
JAPAN
Nov 5, 1997

Marubeni earns ISO approval

Marubeni Corp. said Thursday that it has become the nation's first trading firm to qualify for an ISO certification for international quality management.
JAPAN
Nov 5, 1997

Beirut urged to extradite five Red Army terrorists

Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto asked Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik al-Hariri on Wednesday to extradite five members of the Japanese Red Army being held in a Lebanese prison.
JAPAN
Nov 5, 1997

Serving the aged has a silver lining

As Japan's society continues to age at an unprecedented rate, companies from a variety of fields are looking into the area of welfare for new business opportunities.
JAPAN
Nov 5, 1997

The Asahara Trial: Aum follower spread sarin 'out of fear'

Former Aum Shinrikyo fugitive Yasuo Hayashi told the Tokyo District Court on Wednesday that he was driven to spread deadly sarin gas on the Tokyo subway in March 1995 out of fear of what would happen if he refused.
JAPAN
Nov 5, 1997

BOJ chief defends easy monetary policy

Bank of Japan Gov. Yasuo Matsushita defended the bank's prolonged easy monetary policy Wednesday as he responded to commonly asked questions and criticisms over its low interest rates.
JAPAN
Nov 5, 1997

JR firms tell government enough is enough for JNR

The presidents of seven Japan Railway group companies told a governmental committee Wednesday they cannot afford to shoulder any more of the 28 trillion yen in debts left by the former Japanese National Railways.
JAPAN
Nov 5, 1997

Red Army member could face prison

Prosecutors demanded a 2 1/2-year prison term Wednesday for Japanese Red Army member Kazue Yoshimura, who is charged with trying to use a forged passport in Peru.
JAPAN
Nov 5, 1997

U.S. land mines in Japan discussed before treaty's signing

Japan and the United States held talks Tuesday and Wednesday in Tokyo on land mines possessed by U.S. forces in Japan, preceding Tokyo's anticipated signing of an international treaty banning antipersonnel mines.
JAPAN
Nov 5, 1997

Ministry wants tax breaks cut, tax rates lowered

The Finance Ministry recommended Wednesday that tax breaks firms receive on five reserve funds be abolished or reduced so their taxable income base can be expanded and overall corporate tax rates reduced beginning in fiscal 1998.
JAPAN
Nov 5, 1997

Defense chief presents heliport plan to Okinawa

Defense Agency Chief Fumio Kyuma visited Okinawa Prefecture on Wednesday to unveil blueprints for a sea-based heliport off Nago, northern Okinawa Island, in a last-ditch effort to win local support for the plan.

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