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JAPAN
Jun 29, 2002

Two doctors held over malpractice in heart surgery

Two doctors at Tokyo Women's Medical University Hospital were arrested Friday for alleged negligence and destruction of evidence in connection with a March 2001 heart operation that resulted in the death of a 12-year-old girl.
BUSINESS
Jun 29, 2002

Japan, EU in no hurry to ratify nuclear energy treaty

In what may be somewhat disappointing news for the domestic power industry, Japan will not be able to sign a long-awaited nuclear energy treaty with the European Union at a regular summit next month.
BUSINESS
Jun 29, 2002

Unemployment rate grows to 5.4%

Japan's seasonally adjusted jobless rate increased 0.2 percentage point to 5.4 percent in May, with the rate for women hitting a record high 5.3 percent, the Ministry of Public Management, Home Affairs, Posts and Telecommunications said Friday.
COMMENTARY / World
Jun 27, 2002

Labour spinning backward

LONDON -- When its press becomes the story, a country is in a strange shape.
SOCCER / World cup
Jun 26, 2002

Inamoto gets offer from Perugia

Italian club Perugia has made a formal offer to Japan midfielder Junichi Inamoto, the player's agent Nobuaki Tanabe said Monday.
JAPAN
Jun 26, 2002

Most Japanese cheering for South Korean cohosts

Fifty-nine out of 100 Japanese were cheering for World Cup cohosts South Korea after its historic advance to the semifinals, according to a Kyodo News survey.
BUSINESS
Jun 26, 2002

Reforms lead to reduced budgets at public firms, report says

Reforms have reduced by some 32 percent the estimated amount of funds the government needs to inject into 31 public corporations from its fiscal investment-and-loan program to complete existing projects, according to a government-commissioned report released Tuesday.
BUSINESS
Jun 26, 2002

FSA may raise refund limit for deposits at merged entities

The Financial Services Agency is considering raising the limit of the government's full-refund guarantee on deposits as a special case for merged financial institutions, Financial Services Minister Hakuo Yanagisawa hinted Tuesday.
JAPAN
Jun 26, 2002

Experts sought to halt loan words

Education chief Atsuko Toyama said Tuesday her ministry will set up a committee of experts in July to propose ways to prevent too many imported words from entering the Japanese language.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Art
Jun 26, 2002

Finding a style of their own

Next year marks the 150th anniversary of the birth of Vincent van Gogh, popularly regarded in Japan (as elsewhere) as the quintessential artist. Unfortunately, it will be difficult for Japanese galleries to borrow works from abroad to celebrate this event, with insurance costs now three times higher...
COMMENTARY / World
Jun 25, 2002

Shenyang highlights bilateral problems

BEIJING -- Although the furor raised by the two-week dispute over the Shenyang incident has died down, it has not entirely dissipated -- particularly in Japan. The incident highlighted Japan's sensitivity toward China's growing power, and demonstrated that if frictions in this area are not effectively...
BUSINESS
Jun 22, 2002

Ex-Mizuho chiefs' allowances eyed

Former top officials of Mizuho Holdings Inc. should either repay their retirement allowances or have them reduced as a means of accepting responsibility for the massive computer debacle that threw operations at the firm's two banks into chaos in April, Financial Services Minister Hakuo Yanagisawa said...
Japan Times
JAPAN
Jun 20, 2002

Prosecutors nab Suzuki

Public prosecutors on Wednesday arrested lawmaker Muneo Suzuki on suspicion of bribery after his colleagues in the House of Representatives gave them the green light in a plenary session earlier in the day.
BUSINESS
Jun 20, 2002

Mizuho ordered to improve its operations

The Financial Services Agency on Wednesday ordered Mizuho Holdings Inc. to improve its operations in the wake of a massive computer system failure that left its operations in chaos.
JAPAN
Jun 20, 2002

Look for Japan to narrow gap in IT race

Can Japan catch up with the United States in information technology? The mere suggestion sounds preposterous, given the current climate of American triumphalism and Japanese gloom. Yet we should recall that not too long ago the U.S. and Japan were both declaring Japan's victory in the high-technology...
JAPAN
Jun 20, 2002

Diet session to continue until July 31

The House of Representatives decided Wednesday to extend the current 150-day Diet session by 42 days to July 31 to give the ruling bloc more time to pass key bills.
BUSINESS
Jun 20, 2002

Financial giant announces punishment for its top staff

Financial giant Mizuho Holdings Inc. on Wednesday officially announced punitive measures for 117 senior employees responsible for the massive computer glitches that marred the April launch of two new banks under the banking group.
JAPAN
Jun 19, 2002

Hiranuma repents for comments on Botswana rating

Takeo Hiranuma, head of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, apologized Tuesday for earlier stating that Japan's sovereign bonds are improperly rated because they are ranked below those of Botswana, where a large portion of the population has AIDS.
JAPAN
Jun 19, 2002

China gives permission to salvage 'spy ship'

Beijing gave the go-ahead Tuesday for Japan to salvage a suspected North Korean spy ship that sank in China's exclusive economic zone in December after a running gunbattle with Japan Coast Guard vessels.
BUSINESS
Jun 19, 2002

Spending cuts will finance tax reduction, Shiokawa says

Finance Minister Masajuro Shiokawa said Tuesday that proposed tax cuts for the current fiscal year will be carried out boldly and will be financed by spending cuts.
JAPAN
Jun 18, 2002

Diagnostic options seen skewed by dearth of autopsies, probes

Recent controversy over a diagnosis of sudden infant death syndrome has exposed deep-rooted divisions among Japan's SIDS researchers.
SOCCER / World cup
Jun 18, 2002

Troussier ready to take on Turkey

RIFU, Miyagi Pref. -- Japan coach Philippe Troussier warned his players on Monday not to get cocky ahead of their Round of 16 game against Turkey.
JAPAN
Jun 18, 2002

Tax relief, deregulation featured in new package

The government and the three ruling parties compiled an additional package of antideflation measures Monday that includes tax cuts in fiscal 2002 and the creation of special deregulation zones to promote private-sector activities.

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