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JAPAN
Nov 17, 1997

Hokkaido Takushoku folds; BOJ sends emergency loans

Marking the biggest collapse in the nation's financial industry, ailing Hokkaido Takushoku Bank announced Monday its de facto failure by saying it will transfer its operations to Hokkaido-based North Pacific Bank and other financial institutions.
JAPAN
Oct 30, 1997

Jewell, Kono recount false accusations from press, police

Staff writer
JAPAN
Sep 22, 1997

Sato resigns Cabinet post

After a week of political turmoil that rocked the Liberal Democratic Party's ties with its Diet allies, LDP member Koko Sato, who in 1986 was convicted of bribery, resigned Sept. 22 as head of the Management and Coordination Agency over the outcry against his appointment.
JAPAN
Sep 16, 1997

LDP allies want Koko Sato to resign

The two non-Cabinet allies of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party agreed Sept. 16 to demand the resignation of Koko Sato, who was appointed head of the Management and Coordination Agency last week even though he was convicted in the 1970s Lockheed bribery scandal.
JAPAN / CABINET PROFILE
Sep 11, 1997

Ex-convict picked to drive reform

Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto late Sept. 11 reshuffled his Cabinet, retaining three key ministers and giving in to pressure to appoint Koko Sato, a veteran politician convicted of bribery, to the new lineup comprising 20 Liberal Democratic Party members.
JAPAN
Aug 5, 1997

EPA leader hints at yearend rise in discount rate

Japan's official discount rate, the world's lowest at a mere 0.5 percent, may rise by the end of the year, Shinpei Nukaya, the Economic Planning Agency's vice minister, implied August 5.
JAPAN
Jul 7, 1997

Hashimoto elated with LDP wins; JCP surges

Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto expressed confidence July 7 over his Liberal Democratic Party's continued reign over national politics following his party's victory in the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly race July 6.
JAPAN
Mar 24, 1997

Tax hike reports misinterpreted, Ogawa says

There have been misinterpretations of media reports that Finance Minister Hiroshi Mitsuzuka hinted at another rise in the consumption tax, Vice Finance Minister Tadashi Ogawa said Mar. 24.
JAPAN
Jan 27, 1997

Kajiyama elaborates on sex-slave comments

Chief Cabinet Secretary Seiroku Kajiyama apologized Jan. 27 to the South Korean people for his remarks concerning the "comfort women" that overshadowed the weekend Japan-Korea summit. Comfort women is the term Japan euphemistically used to refer to its wartime sex slaves.But he then repeated his earlier...
JAPAN
Jan 6, 1997

TSE starts sluggishly as dollar tests 117 yen

Japan's financial markets started the New Year's first trading Jan. 6 with ominous news: The dollar momentarily reached 117 yen -- its highest level since March 1993.Although the U.S. currency later fell back to the 116 yen range, and the Nikkei Stock Average of the Tokyo Stock Exchange subsequently...
JAPAN
Jun 21, 2023

Public opposition grows over My Number and health insurance merger

Resistance to the integration of the two cards has been driven by reports of errors and privacy breaches when the cards have been linked.
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC
Jun 20, 2023

Caution in Washington and Beijing after Blinken’s trip achieves limited results

The most positive outcome of the visit by the top U.S. diplomat was the pledge to keep talking, but Washington didn’t get the one thing it really wanted.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Jun 16, 2023

BOJ maintains ultraeasy policy, but governor hints at surprises to come

After his second meeting as chief, Kazuo Ueda said that in order to deal with the changing economic environment, “a certain degree of surprise may be unavoidable.”
ASIA PACIFIC
Jun 15, 2023

North Korea fires two missiles into Japan EEZ off Ishikawa

The launches were the nuclear-armed country's first since it ramped up tensions last month with a failed satellite launch.
Japan Times
MORE SPORTS
Jun 15, 2023

Questions about potential LIV-PGA merger loom over U.S. Open

'We all want to know the why,” Colin Morikawa said. 'We’re so interested in the why. For us, for me right now, it’s just like what’s going to happen?'
Japan Times
PODCAST / deep dive
Jun 14, 2023

How the climate crisis is supercharging Japan’s rainy season

When you think of natural disasters do you think of guerrilla rainstorms, landslides and heatwaves? You should, since that’s in the forecast for Japan’s climate-crisis-charged rainy seasons.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Jun 14, 2023

How Trump’s indictment compares to other Espionage Act cases

The former president's defenders are right that his federal indictment is unusual, but his behavior helps distinguish it from most of the precedents.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Politics
Jun 13, 2023

Kishida will consider a snap election ‘in light of various circumstances’

Kishida's evasive response to a question about a snap election raised the possibility that he may have shifted gears on the issue.
JAPAN
Jun 12, 2023

Culture at Johnny's to be scrutinized amid investigation into abuse claims

A team of experts hired by the talent agency have said they will “independently” and “exclusively” investigate claims of sexual assaults by late founder Johnny Kitagawa.
Japan Times
MORE SPORTS
Jun 7, 2023

PGA Tour and LIV announce shock merger to end bitter split

No details were given as to how the agreement will impact the current competitive golf landscape.
Japan Times
WORLD
Jun 6, 2023

Ukraine dam supplying water to nuclear plant and Crimea is breached, unleashing floods

Kyiv accused Moscow of blowing up the dam from the inside in a deliberate war crime, while Russian-installed officials gave conflicting accounts, some blaming Ukrainian shelling.
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC
Jun 3, 2023

At least 261 people dead in India's worst train crash in decades

An extensive search-and-rescue operation has been mounted, involving hundreds of fire department personnel and police officers as well as sniffer dogs.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Jun 1, 2023

North Korea's failed launch puts focus on U.S.-Japan-South Korea cooperation

The U.S. and Japanese defense chiefs met for talks in Tokyo a day after a failed North Korean rocket carrying a spy satellite briefly triggered an emergency alert for Okinawa Prefecture.
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC
May 24, 2023

'Unusual' level of aircraft maintenance seen in North Korea

North Korea has effectively sealed its borders since early 2020 as part of its drive to deal with the coronavirus pandemic, with all flights cancelled.
Japan Times
OLYMPICS
May 24, 2023

'Hundreds of thousands' of free tickets pledged for Games opening ceremony

Athletes are set to sail down the river in a flotilla of 115 boats, the first time the opening ceremony for the Olympics has taken place outside of the athletics stadium.
CULTURE / Entertainment news
May 15, 2023

Major Japanese talent agency apologizes over sexual assault claims

Allegations by former entertainers against the founder of Johnny & Associates have made headlines both domestically and internationally.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
May 9, 2023

Kishida's Seoul visit was a positive step — at least in the short term

Fumio Kishida and Yoon Suk-yeol's meeting in Seoul required courage, political initiative and the support from all sides.
JAPAN / Politics
Apr 20, 2023

Voter reaction to attack on Kishida could impact Sunday by-elections

How the ruling party performs is expected to influence Kishida’s decision on whether to call a snap election in the coming months.

Longform

Dangami House is a 180-year-old former samurai residence of the Kato clan, who ruled over Ozu, Ehime Prefecture, until the Meiji Restoration.
A house, a legacy and the quiet work of restoration in rural Japan