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BUSINESS
Apr 10, 2004

Captives' crisis spurs Nikkei dive

Tokyo stocks plunged Friday on a broad selloff sparked by news that a militant group has taken three Japanese civilians hostage in Iraq.
JAPAN
Apr 10, 2004

Abductees' kin want SDF out immediately

Relatives of the three Japanese civilians held captive in Iraq by apparent terrorists asked the government Friday to withdraw the Ground Self-Defense Force troops from Iraq in line with the kidnappers' demand.
BUSINESS
Apr 9, 2004

Worker sentiment best since August '01

Business sentiment among workers with jobs sensitive to economic fluctuations rose in March to the highest level since August 2001, the government said Thursday.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Apr 8, 2004

Prime minister pledges Yasukuni return

Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi said Wednesday that he will keep visiting Tokyo's Yasukuni Shrine despite a Fukuoka District Court ruling that his August 2001 trip there, the first of four, violated the Constitution.
BASKETBALL / NBA / NBA REPORT
Apr 8, 2004

Thomas, Bird bury hatchet over messy ending in Indy

NEW YORK -- Contrary to popular perception, Tuesday's Knicks-Pacers game at Conseco Field House was not the first time Isiah Thomas and Larry Bird were under the same roof since Indiana's president elected to fire his shocked coach and replace him with Rick Carlisle.
JAPAN
Apr 8, 2004

Koizumi seeks to ax privileged pensions for Diet members

Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi said Wednesday the Diet should pass during its current session a bill to abolish a privileged pension system for lawmakers.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Apr 7, 2004

Bill to bar ships from ports goes to Diet

The Liberal Democratic Party and New Komeito submitted a bill Tuesday to the Diet that would allow the government to bar North Korean ships from entering Japanese ports.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Apr 7, 2004

Guests of a grand hotel

The Hotel Venus Rating: * * * 1/2 (out of 5) Director: Hirota Takahasi Running time: 125 minutes Language: Korean Currently showing [See Japan Times movie listings] Kyo no Dekigoto Rating: * * (out of 5) Director: isao Yukisada Running time: 110 minutes Language: Japanese Currently...
BUSINESS
Apr 7, 2004

Kamei expects prolonged Japan-U.S. talks over beef import ban

Japan and the United States remain far apart on lifting the import ban on U.S. beef, and negotiations could be prolonged, farm minister Yoshiyuki Kamei said Tuesday.
BUSINESS
Apr 7, 2004

U.S. insurers prod Koizumi on 'kampo'

WASHINGTON (Kyodo) A U.S. life insurance industry group has sent a letter to Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi urging him to reform the "kampo" postal life insurance services.
JAPAN
Apr 7, 2004

Troops in Iraq to halt operations outside camp

The Defense Agency said Tuesday it has decided to keep ground troops in Iraq inside their camp in Samawah in the wake of growing security concerns following fatal clashes between Iraqis and coalition forces elsewhere in the country.
JAPAN
Apr 6, 2004

Fukuda dismisses unofficial talks with North

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuo Fukuda played down Monday the significance of unofficial talks between two Liberal Democratic Party members and North Korea last week, saying it will not affect official negotiations over Pyongyang's abductions of Japanese.
BUSINESS
Apr 6, 2004

Nissan to raise stakes in Thai joint ventures

Nissan Motor Co. said Monday it will raise its stakes in two Thai joint ventures to 75 percent from 25 percent to expand its operations in the growing Southeast Asian market.
JAPAN
Apr 5, 2004

Group slams two LDP officials for secret meeting with North Koreans

A group concerned with the abduction of Japanese by North Korea blasted two senior members of the Liberal Democratic Party on Sunday for secretly making contact with Pyongyang officials.
JAPAN
Apr 4, 2004

Third ancient volcano discovered deep inside Fuji

Kyodo News
BUSINESS
Apr 3, 2004

FamilyMart, Itochu eye China foray

FamilyMart Co. and Itochu Corp. said Friday they will set up a joint venture in Shanghai to operate convenience stores in the region, beginning in the summer.
BUSINESS
Apr 3, 2004

Kamei rejects U.S. proposal on beef ban

Farm minister Yoshiyuki Kamei on Friday brushed aside a U.S. request for outside mediation aimed at breaking the impasse over Japan's ban on U.S. beef imports.
BUSINESS
Apr 3, 2004

Microsoft raid highlights growing fears

The surprise raid by Japanese antimonopoly authorities on Microsoft Corp.'s Tokyo offices was impeccably timed -- barely a month before the European Union slapped a $613 million fine on the company.
BUSINESS
Apr 3, 2004

Takenaka buoyed by latest 'tankan'

Economic and fiscal policy minister Heizo Takenaka said Friday that the Bank of Japan's "tankan" survey for March, released Thursday, shows that Japan's ongoing economic recovery is sustainable.
BUSINESS
Apr 2, 2004

Japan Post fetes first anniversary

Japan Post marked its first anniversary with an air of satisfaction Thursday because its biggest management target over the past year -- eliminating a deficit in mail delivery operations -- has probably been met.
BUSINESS
Apr 2, 2004

New TSE chief hopes to list on TSE

Takuo Tsurushima, who became the new president of Tokyo Stock Exchange Inc. on Thursday, said he will do his utmost to list TSE stock on Japan's largest bourse in fiscal 2005 and bolster its international competitiveness.
BASKETBALL / NBA / NBA REPORT
Apr 2, 2004

Warriors setting up Musselman as scapegoat for poor season

NEW YORK -- Golden State Warriors President Robert Rowell, whoever this faceless, dubiously qualified phantom may be, was quoted last week contending his team has "under-achieved."
JAPAN
Apr 1, 2004

Parents angry at education board over anthem directive

Parents of children who attend public schools in Tokyo urged the Tokyo Metropolitan Board of Education on Wednesday to retract its punishment of teachers who refused to stand up and sing "Kimigayo" at graduation ceremonies.

Longform

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