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JAPAN
May 15, 2004

Ozawa gives in, accepts request to head DPJ

Ichiro Ozawa gave in Friday and accepted appointment to the helm of the Democratic Party of Japan, replacing Naoto Kan, who resigned Monday to take responsibility for his past failure to pay mandatory premiums into the National Pension System.
JAPAN
May 15, 2004

Defense paper assumes China invasion of Japan

The Defense Agency would deploy 7,200 ground troops to protect Japan's southernmost islands from invading Chinese forces in the event of a conflict between China and Taiwan, according to confidential documents obtained by Kyodo News.
Japan Times
JAPAN
May 14, 2004

DPJ names 33 pension delinquents; LDP mum

The Democratic Party of Japan said Thursday that 33 of its 244 Diet lawmakers did not pay mandatory premiums for the nation's basic pension system, leaving the Liberal Democratic Party as the only major party still refusing to disclose the payment records of its members.
JAPAN
May 14, 2004

China warned over Senkaku foray

Japan lodged a protest Thursday with China after a Chinese marine research vessel entered Japan's exclusive economic zone without prior notice near one of the disputed Senkaku Islands, Foreign Ministry officials said.
BASKETBALL / NBA / NBA REPORT
May 13, 2004

Spurs, Pistons create 'mother of all moribund monstrosities'

LOS ANGELES -- And you thought the NFL was "One for All, All for One." That was until Camp David sent out that "make-these-series-competitive-or-else" memo . . . and the Spurs and Pistons compassionately complied.
Japan Times
JAPAN
May 13, 2004

Ozawa undecided about taking DPJ helm

Ichiro Ozawa, deputy head of the Democratic Party of Japan, gave a guarded response Wednesday to a formal request that he assume the party's presidency following the resignation of DPJ leader Naoto Kan over his failure to pay mandatory pension premiums.
JAPAN
May 13, 2004

Princess' household may show more consideration

The head of the Crown Prince's Household said Wednesday that he takes seriously Crown Prince Naruhito's recently stated dissatisfaction with the environment surrounding his wife, Crown Princess Masako.
Japan Times
JAPAN
May 13, 2004

Ozawa undecided about taking DPJ helm

Ichiro Ozawa, deputy head of the Democratic Party of Japan, gave a guarded response Wednesday to a formal request that he assume the party's presidency following the resignation of DPJ leader Naoto Kan over his failure to pay mandatory pension premiums.
BUSINESS
May 13, 2004

Special farm subsidies face reduction or abolishment

The Finance Ministry wants to reduce or abolish the special subsidies paid to farmers who cultivate land deemed to be at a geographical disadvantage, ministry sources said Wednesday.
BUSINESS
May 13, 2004

McDonald's Japan chief quits after two years

McDonald's Holdings Co. (Japan) said Wednesday its president and chief operating officer, Yasuyuki Yagi, has stepped down to "mark a new chapter" for the company.
JAPAN
May 12, 2004

Toyota first firm to exceed 1 trillion yen

Toyota Motor Corp. said Tuesday it posted a record net profit of 1.16 trillion yen for the year to March, becoming the first Japanese company to exceed the 1 trillion yen mark.
SUMO
May 12, 2004

Asashoryu wins 33rd straight

Grand champion Asashoryu extended his perfect record at the Summer Grand Sumo Tournament on Tuesday, winning his third bout of the 15-day tournament.
JAPAN
May 12, 2004

Pension bills clear Lower House

The House of Representatives on Tuesday approved contentious bills to revise the pension system, with the ruling coalition and the main opposition party endorsing a key amendment to the legislation.
BUSINESS
May 12, 2004

Top trading houses post record earnings

Mitsubishi Corp. and Mitsui & Co., Japan's two largest trading houses, on Tuesday reported record earnings for the year through March, helped by surging petrochemical and natural resources markets.
JAPAN
May 12, 2004

Pension bills clear Lower House

The House of Representatives on Tuesday approved contentious bills to revise the pension system, with the ruling coalition and the main opposition party endorsing a key amendment to the legislation.
JAPAN
May 12, 2004

90 lawmakers join nonpayment list

Fifty-four of the Diet's 725 members have admitted failing to pay some of their mandatory pension premiums since 1986, when a reform measure obliging lawmakers to join the national pension scheme was put in place, according to a Kyodo News survey released Tuesday.
BUSINESS
May 12, 2004

Most firms upbeat about China's economic growth

Sixty-five percent of major Japanese companies say the rapid growth of the Chinese economy is having a favorable effect on the Japanese economy, according to a recent survey by Kyodo News.
JAPAN
May 12, 2004

Officials call for increased security in Samawah

Government leaders said security measures need to be bolstered for Ground Self-Defense Force personnel in Samawah following the death of a Dutch soldier there, but denied that the southern Iraqi city is no longer safe enough for the Japanese troops to operate.
JAPAN
May 11, 2004

Dog malpractice death fetches 810,000 yen

Two veterinarians accused of malpractice that led to the death of a pet dog were jointly ordered to pay approximately 810,000 yen Monday in compensation to the dog's owners.
BUSINESS
May 11, 2004

Softbank sinks deeper into red

Softbank Corp. said Monday its net loss widened in fiscal 2003 for the third consecutive year in the red due to heavy spending to attract subscribers to its high-speed Internet connection service.
EDITORIALS
May 10, 2004

The power of a picture

The world has once again been reminded how much more powerful images can be than words. The outrage expressed by Arabs and the abhorrence expressed by the Bush administration last week over U.S. military guards' abuse of Iraqi prisoners were certainly justified, but both reactions were oddly belated....
EDITORIALS
May 9, 2004

Casualty of pension politics

The political battle over pension reform has taken an unexpected -- and ironic -- twist. Accepting responsibility for failing to make mandatory payments to the national pension program, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuo Fukuda resigned abruptly Friday. With national elections two months away, his departure...
COMMENTARY / World
May 9, 2004

Dahka stalling on joint border patrols

NEW DELHI -- The importance of joint border patrols on the Indo-Bangladeshi border cannot be overemphasized. Although India's northwestern border makes news due to problems in Kashmir or to cross-border terrorism of the most vicious kind, the eastern border that India shares with Bangladesh also has...
BUSINESS
May 8, 2004

DoCoMo saw record profit in '03

NTT DoCoMo Inc. announced Friday a record net profit of 650 billion yen for the year that ended March 31, up more than three-fold from 212.49 billion yen a year ago.
BUSINESS
May 8, 2004

IY Bank logs first net profit since launch

IY Bank said Friday it posted a net profit of 5 billion yen in fiscal 2003, the firm's first profit since it started operating three years ago.
JAPAN
May 7, 2004

Koizumi lauds abductions progress; second Pyongyang visit not ruled out

Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi said Thursday that Japan and North Korea have made progress in talks over the abduction issue, and indicated he might visit Pyongyang again to resolve the deadlock.

Longform

Japan's growing ranks of centenarians are redefining what it means to live in a super-aging society.
What comes after 100?