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JAPAN
Aug 20, 1999

Will wiretap law catch mob off guard?

Staff writer
JAPAN
Aug 20, 1999

LDP, New Komeito plan policy accord by September

The ruling Liberal Democratic Party and New Komeito agreed Friday to form a basic agreement on five key policy areas by the end of the month, taking another step toward a tripartite alliance, officials of the two parties said.
CULTURE / Music / PLAY BUTTON
Aug 20, 1999

Meanies: '10% weird,' 90 percent addictive

There are certain shambolic punk rock moments, usually involving beer or hard spirits, when an otherwise imbecilic song becomes an anthem. In a drunken haze, the driving force of the Buzzcocks' "Orgasm Addict," G.G. Allin's "Expose Yourself to Kids" or anything by the Ramones rises to the level of "The...
COMMUNITY / How-tos / GETTING THINGS DONE
Aug 18, 1999

Another farewell

It was a sad Monday last week when I saw the name Andre Lecomte in the obituary column. He was invited to come to Japan in the '60s to be the head pastry chef at the Okura Hotel. Before Andre, the taste of bread and pastry available for those with a Western preference was always somewhat askew. After...
CULTURE / Art / CERAMIC SCENE
Aug 14, 1999

More than a humble piece of clay

Japan is a ceramic paradise, plain and simple.
JAPAN
Aug 13, 1999

Chemical releases fell slightly in '97, agency report says

The amount of chemicals released into the environment by companies participating in a pilot reporting program fell slightly in 1997 compared with the year before, according to the Environment Agency.
JAPAN
Aug 13, 1999

Hinomaru makes 'auspicious' debut in press clubs

A pristine Hinomaru flag adorned a corner of the Foreign Ministry press briefing room Friday, the day a law officially recognizing it as the national flag took effect.
JAPAN
Aug 12, 1999

Japan Return students learn of war and peace

Staff writer
JAPAN
Aug 12, 1999

Auto sector shakeup has parts makers playing catchup

Staff writer
JAPAN
Aug 11, 1999

Heavyweight trio set to slash Net connection fees

Softbank Corp., Tokyo Electric Power Co., and Microsoft Corp. of the United States jointly announced Wednesday in Tokyo that they will set up a joint venture to begin high-speed Internet connection services next summer in the Kanto region, with dramatically low fixed-rates for home users.
JAPAN
Aug 11, 1999

Indians invited to embassy flag-hoisting

The Indian Embassy in Tokyo says it is inviting all Indians living and traveling in Japan to attend a flag-hoisting function at 8:45 a.m. Sunday at the embassy.
JAPAN
Aug 11, 1999

Legislation slated to aid venture firms in autumn

The government will take legislative steps in the upcoming Diet session, expected to convene this fall, to help revitalize small and medium-size enterprises and nurture venture businesses, Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi said Wednesday.
ENVIRONMENT / GARDENING FOR ALL
Aug 11, 1999

Nopporo's wild north woods

Nopporo Woodland Park, located approximately 15 km east of central Sapporo in Hokkaido, is huge, with a total area of 2,051 hectares. It is rare to find such a large and wonderful park so close to a major city in Japan. The citizens of Sapporo, Ebetsu and Hiroshimacho are privileged to have this natural...
JAPAN
Aug 11, 1999

Tokyo slates junior yacht regatta

The 9th International Goodwill Junior Yacht Regatta will be held Sept. 11, open to boys and girls of any nationality who are between the ages of 9 and 16 and who have sailing experience.
CULTURE / Music / PLAY BUTTON
Aug 6, 1999

Number Girl's gotta have it

If Tokyo's live houses have provided little in the way of new musical inspiration recently, the provinces have picked up the slack with a vengeance. Sapporo's burgeoning hip-hop scene has produced new rap heroes the Blue Herb, while Kyoto, with DJs 1945 and Nobukazu Takemura, is becoming the home of...
JAPAN
Aug 6, 1999

Supply-side overhaul first step to competitiveness

Staff writer
JAPAN
Aug 5, 1999

Kyoto to reconsider building apartments on fault line

KYOTO -- The municipal government here has agreed to consider local concerns about a modern building planned for a site in a traditional neighborhood in northeast Kyoto that sits directly on top of a fault line.
JAPAN
Aug 4, 1999

Ministry pushes labels for 28 genetically altered foods

A total of 28 kinds of food using genetically modified soybeans, corn and potatoes should be subjected to mandated labeling for genetically modified organisms, the Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Ministry proposed on Wednesday.
EDITORIALS
Aug 4, 1999

A last push by the Taliban

The Taliban, the Islamic fundamentalist movement that controls 80 to 90 percent of Afghanistan, has launched a long-anticipated summer offensive to recapture the rest of the country. The fighting has been fierce, involving more than 100,000 men on five fronts. Civilian casualties have been high, since...
LIFE / Travel / NATURE TRAVEL
Aug 3, 1999

Endangered turtles vs. encaustic tourists

Something happened to the face of the Greek car rental man when we mentioned that we'd come to Zakynthos to see loggerhead sea turtles. His easy smile slipped.
JAPAN
Jul 30, 1999

Sanwa-led alliance to rival financial giants

Sanwa Bank and five other financial institutions will form a comprehensive alliance to cooperate in areas such as retail marketing and asset management, the six firms announced Friday.
JAPAN
Jul 28, 1999

Osaka man brings color to a gray industry

Staff writer
JAPAN
Jul 27, 1999

Pyongyang missile posturing an extreme concern: report

North Korea's ability to produce missiles that can reach any part of Japan is a cause for extreme concern and an issue that directly affects Japan's security, the Defense Agency said in its 1999 white paper released Tuesday.
JAPAN
Jul 27, 1999

Nissan parts makers merge

Two major auto parts makers in the Nissan Motor group formally signed an agreement Tuesday to merge on April 1, company officials said.
COMMENTARY / World
Jul 25, 1999

Soong's presidential bid is good for Taiwan

No one blinked when longtime Kuomintang politician James Soong (Sung Chu-yu) announced last week that he would defy party elders and run independently for president of the Republic of China on Taiwan in the March 2000 elections.
JAPAN
Jul 23, 1999

Lower House approves M&A bill

The Lower House gave its approval Friday to a bill intended to encourage much-needed corporate realignment through mergers and acquisitions.
JAPAN
Jul 23, 1999

Yosano declares Japan ready for steel talks

Japan is ready to hold talks with the United States over the contentious issue of steel trade, International Trade and Industry Minister Kaoru Yosano said Friday.
CULTURE / Music / PLAY BUTTON
Jul 23, 1999

Under the sway of Petty Booka

Picture this: Two girls, cousins, growing up in the lush, tropical paradise of Hawaii, learn the ukulele at their father's knee. Singing the old, mournful island love songs with their mother, harmony and melody come as naturally as the hula.
JAPAN
Jul 23, 1999

Economy not so rosy: EPA chief

The economy most likely contracted in the April-June period, despite logging remarkable growth of 1.9 percent during the first three months of the year, Economic Planning Agency chief Taichi Sakaiya said Friday at the Japan National Press Club in Tokyo.
JAPAN
Jul 22, 1999

Computerized speech interpretation takes new strides

KYOTO -- Connecting online to three institutions in the United States, Germany and South Korea, the Interpreting Telecommunications Research Laboratories (ITL) on Thursday conducted experiments on a speech translation system in four languages.

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