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JAPAN
Dec 2, 1998

Calls rising within BOJ to aid firms, minutes show

Calls from Bank of Japan Policy Board members for the central bank to make additional efforts to support corporate financing were more apparent than at the Oct. 28 meeting, according to the minutes of the meeting released Wednesday.
JAPAN
Dec 2, 1998

The Asahara Trial: 100th hearing just tip of iceberg

and TOMOKO OTAKEStaff writers
JAPAN
Dec 2, 1998

Supreme Court rules speech restraint constitutional

The Supreme Court on Wednesday ruled that it is constitutional to place restraints on court judges' freedom of expression.
JAPAN
Nov 27, 1998

Ex-Aum doctor testifies for Inoue defense

A former doctor for Aum Shinrikyo, currently serving a life sentence, testified for the defense Friday at the trial of the cult's former intelligence chief, Yoshihiro Inoue.
JAPAN
Nov 20, 1998

Norota takes command of Defense Agency

Lower House member Hosei Norota, 69, was appointed as the Defense Agency's new director general by Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi on Friday as a mass personnel reshuffle continued in the wake of scandals involving procurement overcharging and subsequent coverups.
JAPAN
Nov 19, 1998

U.S. commerce chief warns of protectionist backlash

U.S. Commerce Secretary William Daley indirectly indicated to Foreign Minister Masahiko Komura on Thursday that Japan should further open its markets and stimulate domestic demand to avoid trade frictions.
JAPAN
Nov 13, 1998

SDF sends relief workers to Honduras

The government officially approved the dispatch of a Self-Defense Forces relief operation Friday to hurricane-stricken Honduras and immediately sent six Air Self-Defense Force C-130 transport planes loaded with medical equipment and other goods.
JAPAN
Nov 11, 1998

Fading tax revenues force Osaka into crisis

OSAKA -- Osaka Gov. "Knock" Yokoyama declared Wednesday that the prefecture is facing a financial crisis due to a serious shortage of tax revenues.
JAPAN
Nov 11, 1998

U.S. also faulted for concealing Japanese war atrocities

Tokyo and Washington continue to keep under wraps what happened in the Japanese army's research laboratories in Manchuria during the war, an American historian studying Japan's biological warfare said, noting that in this sense, the atrocities linger on more than half a century later.
JAPAN
Nov 11, 1998

Tax panel agrees to list three upcoming cuts

The ruling Liberal Democratic Party's tax panel agreed Wednesday to list three types of tax cuts, including one intended to encourage housing purchases, in the outline of an economic stimulus package due to be released today.
JAPAN
Nov 9, 1998

Trade stance could trigger Asia-Pacific collapse, U.S. official warns

A senior U.S. government official warned Monday that trade liberalization in the Asia Pacific region will collapse if Japan refuses to join an early market-opening initiative on wood and fish products at an Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum that opens later this week in Malaysia.
JAPAN
Nov 9, 1998

SDF poised to send rescue troops into Honduras

The government dispatched a research squad to hurricane-stricken Honduras on Monday evening in preparation for sending the Self-Defense Forces to the country for relief operations.
JAPAN
Nov 6, 1998

APEC members step up pressure against Japan

Staff writer
JAPAN
Nov 5, 1998

Astronaut launches tanka, teddy bear contests from space

A contest the National Space Development Agency of Japan launched from the U.S. space shuttle Discovery on Thursday seeks suggestions for naming a teddy bear on board the orbiting ship and for concluding a poem begun by Japanese astronaut Chiaki Mukai.
JAPAN
Nov 5, 1998

Government backpedals on early tax break pledge

Despite mounting expectations of consumers and businesses, it will be difficult for the government to carry out planned tax cuts in January, the top government spokesman said Thursday.
JAPAN
Nov 4, 1998

State management team moves into LTCB

The nationalized Long-Term Credit Bank of Japan started afresh Wednesday with a new board of directors appointed by Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi.
JAPAN
Nov 1, 1998

Machimura leaves for Honduras

State Foreign Secretary Nobutaka Machimura left Tuesday for hurricane-hit Honduras, where Japan is likely to deploy military personnel on a relief mission.
JAPAN
Nov 1, 1998

BOJ financing on track, board notes

Signs of a recent move by the Bank of Japan's Policy Board to take a series of new steps to enhance corporate financing were noted in its Oct. 13 meeting, according to the minutes released Wednesday.
JAPAN
Oct 30, 1998

Tokyo pushes for ODA to combat global warming

Staff writerWith a key environmental conference slated to kick off in Buenos Aires on Monday, Tokyo has launched a behind-the-scenes diplomatic effort to rally support for official development assistance to play a role in implementing the "clean development mechanism" to combat global warming.The Japanese...
JAPAN
Oct 29, 1998

Banks again asked to take public funds

OSAKA -- For the second time this week, Bank of Japan Gov. Masaru Hayami on Thursday urged Japanese banks to quickly apply for public funds to accelerate their bad-loan writeoffs.In his keynote speech at the 24th ASEAN-Japan Business Meeting here, he said that Japanese financial institutions, facing...
JAPAN
Oct 29, 1998

APEC members endorse paperless trading by 2010

Staff writerJapan, the United States and 19 other members of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum have agreed in principle to institute paperless trading by 2010, government sources said Thursday.The agreement will be finalized at the 10th annual meeting of APEC foreign and trade ministers and...
JAPAN
Oct 28, 1998

DPJ comes up with new defense guidelines proposal

While bills to implement the revised Japan-U.S. defense cooperation guidelines are being suspended in the Diet, the Democratic Party of Japan -- the largest opposition party -- released new proposals Wednesday, calling for the bills' early passage by the Diet.In the draft proposals, the DPJ shows a...
JAPAN
Oct 28, 1998

BOJ board agrees to leave monetary policy unchanged

The Bank of Japan's Policy Board has agreed to keep its monetary policy unchanged, the central bank said Wednesday.The decision, adopted by a majority vote of the board's nine members, reflects a view shared by most financial experts that there is little room for another interest rate cut to spur the...
JAPAN
Oct 26, 1998

400 gather to remember Reischauer widow

Some 400 Japanese and Americans who have long been involved in promoting bilateral relations shared warm remembrances of Haru Matsukata Reischauer Monday during a special tribute to the wife of the late U.S. Ambassador to Japan, Edwin Reischauer.Haru died in California on Sept. 23 at age 83.In a simple...
JAPAN
Oct 23, 1998

Government nationalizes Long-Term Credit Bank of Japan

The government placed the troubled Long-Term Credit Bank of Japan under state control Friday after the bank reported it may have to suspend repayments of deposits and other obligations.A report released by the Financial Supervisory Agency on the same day said the LTCB is insolvent, with liabilities...
JAPAN
Oct 22, 1998

ANA changes course for Star Alliance

In an effort to pull in business class customers for its international routes, All Nippon Airways Co. will join the Star Alliance, a multilateral strategic linkup of international carriers, next October, ANA officials said Thursday.The alliance is made up of Air Canada, Lufthansa German Airlines, Scandinavian...
JAPAN
Oct 22, 1998

Prime Minister's Office to oversee bank failures

The government has established a team within the Prime Minister's Office to deal with failed and failing banks until a "financial resuscitation" committee is formally formed, Chief Cabinet Secretary Hiromu Nonaka said Thursday.The announcement came a day before a set of laws aiming to stabilize the...
JAPAN
Oct 22, 1998

APEC charts technological growth into 21st century

Staff writerThe Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum has drawn up the draft guideline to promote cooperation among Japan, the United States and the 19 other member economies in industrial science and technology toward ensuring sustainable economic growth and facilitating regional trade and investment.The...
JAPAN
Oct 20, 1998

The Aum Trials: Appeal rejected for sarin-truck maker

The Tokyo High Court on Tuesday rejected an appeal by a senior member of Aum Shinrikyo, upholding a lower court decision that sentenced him to eight years in prison for modifying a van so it could be used for spraying sarin and building a plant to produce the deadly nerve gas.Wakashio Togasi, 38, was...
JAPAN
Oct 15, 1998

Recapitalization plan on verge of becoming law

The new bank recapitalization bill is expected to be enacted today on the last day of the current Diet session.The bill, which cleared the Lower House Tuesday, is expected to be approved by the Upper House's plenary session this afternoon.At the same time, the chamber's plenary session will also approve...

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