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JAPAN
Apr 11, 2004

Public is split over policy not to pull out SDF: survey

A survey released Saturday shows that 45.2 percent of respondents disagree with the government's policy of rejecting a demand for the withdrawal of troops from Iraq issued by a group that took three Japanese hostage.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Apr 11, 2004

New Japan Philharmonic pops the cork

One thing is for sure: Composer Joe Hisaishi is bursting with confidence about his latest project. Best known for composing music for Hayao Miyazaki's Academy Award-winning "Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi (Spirited Away)" (2001), Hisaishi was recently appointed musical director of a new popular music...
JAPAN
Apr 10, 2004

Acquaintances of hostages express shock at abductions

Aid workers and journalists who know the three Japanese kidnapped by a militant group in Iraq expressed grave concern over the situation Friday, with some vowing to do whatever it takes to bring them back alive.
JAPAN
Apr 10, 2004

Opposition blames dispatch for crisis

Opposition parties on Friday reiterated their criticism of Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi following the kidnapping this week of three Japanese civilians by militants in Iraq, saying the dispatch of Self-Defense Forces personnel to Iraq caused the crisis.
JAPAN
Apr 10, 2004

Abductions put Japan's resolve on line

News that three Japanese civilians had been taken hostage by apparent terrorists in Iraq demanding that the Self-Defense Forces troops be withdrawn from the country drew a mixed response Friday on the streets of Tokyo.
JAPAN
Apr 10, 2004

Japan hit over lack of crisis-response measures

Thursday's kidnapping of three Japanese civilians in Iraq has exposed the government's ill-preparedness for crises, especially those involving terrorists.
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.

Longform

Figure skater Akiko Suzuki was once told her ideal weight should be 47 kilograms, a number she now admits she “naively believed.” This led to her have a relationship with food that resulted in her suffering from anorexia.
The silent battle Japanese athletes fight with weight