Search - business

 
 
JAPAN
Dec 6, 2001

Ex-Itoman chief to pay 2 billion yen

OSAKA -- The Osaka District Court on Wednesday ordered a former president of the now-defunct trading house Itoman Corp. to pay 2 billion yen in damages to the trading firm that absorbed Itoman.
COMMENTARY
Dec 5, 2001

Koizumi and LDP square off

With the government's decision to scrap or privatize seven key public corporations, including four highway corporations, Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi has cleared a major hurdle on the road to "structural reform with no sanctuary." Now his battle against the "resistance forces" -- the old guard of...
BUSINESS / ON THE FRONT LINE
Dec 5, 2001

Stock rally may be corporate red herring

A stream of disappointing corporate profit reports has thus far failed to spur extensive selloffs on the Tokyo stock market.
CULTURE / Music / J-POPSICLE
Dec 5, 2001

The man with the plan

Jack Matsumura is a man with a mission: to turn Nippon Columbia, Japan's oldest label, into a profitable, hit-making record company once again.
JAPAN
Dec 5, 2001

State postpones plan to release shares in three JR firms

The Land, Infrastructure and Transport Ministry has decided not to sell its remaining equity stakes in East Japan Railway Co., West Japan Railway Co. and Central Japan Railway Co. this fiscal year, sources close to the case said Tuesday.
BUSINESS
Dec 4, 2001

State, consortium to link on rocket development

A consortium of several companies, including Ishikawajima-Harima Heavy Industries Co., plans to jointly develop with the government a small rocket, the GX, next year, consortium sources said Monday.
BUSINESS
Dec 4, 2001

Moody's mulls downgrade for Japan Finance

Moody's Investors Service Inc. said Monday it has assigned a domestic currency issuer rating of Aa2 to the governmental Japan Finance Corp. for Small Business (JFS) and has placed the entity under review for a possible downgrade.
EDITORIALS
Dec 3, 2001

Mr. Misuari's ill-timed tantrum

Muslim insurgents are once again fighting in the Philippines. Bandits and criminals who justify their activities by invoking Islam have been all too active in recent months, but the large-scale uprising earlier last month could signal a resumption of a conflict that was thought to have ended five years...
COMMENTARY / World
Dec 3, 2001

Jiang unleashes revolutionary change

CAMBRIDGE, England -- There is a long tradition in China of requiring the people to study the words of their political leaders. In the late 17th century, the whole population of China was required to come together in small groups twice a month to study and recite the "16 moral maxims" published by the...
COMMENTARY / World
Dec 2, 2001

Uptick noticed in N. Korean economy

LONDON -- There is a bustle on the streets of Pyongyang that has been sorely missing for at least five years. The shops -- never consumers' havens -- have some goods on the shelves. Restaurants on Changgwang Street, North Korea's pale equivalent of Tokyo's Ginza, are open and serving. Even street vendors...
JAPAN
Dec 2, 2001

Royal baby expected to bring 14 trillion yen boost to economy

The birth of a royal baby is expected to motivate the Japanese to spend 14 trillion yen, providing welcome stimulus to the decelerating economy.
SUMO
Dec 2, 2001

Hawaii's heavyweight hero is living his dream

Musashimaru is one of only two top-ranked yokozuna currently in Japan's national sport of sumo (the other is Takanohana), and last weekend he won the autumn basho in Fukuoka -- a victory that will boost earnings already estimated at 60 million yen a year.
BUSINESS
Dec 1, 2001

BOJ keeping more than 14 trillion yen in current accounts

The Bank of Japan on Friday left the balance of its current accounts held by financial institutions at more than 14 trillion yen, the highest level since March 31, 2000, in a bid to hold rates stable, financial industry officials said.
JAPAN
Dec 1, 2001

Internet exchanges planned for Japan-China anniversary

Japan is planning to promote online exchanges with China in cultural, scientific and other fields next year when the two countries commemorate the 30th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic ties, according to Foreign Ministry officials.
BUSINESS
Dec 1, 2001

Ministry seeks early passage of consolidated tax

Finance Minister Masajuro Shiokawa said Friday that his ministry will try to introduce a consolidated corporate tax system as early as possible in fiscal 2002 and make it retroactive to April 1.
BUSINESS
Dec 1, 2001

Japan and Mexico seek FTA to solve trade issues

A study group agreed Friday in Tokyo that a free-trade agreement could solve issues hindering trade and investment activity between Japan and Mexico, domestic officials said.
JAPAN
Dec 1, 2001

45 public firms rack up 306 trillion yen in liabilities

Forty-five public corporations financed by the "zaito" government fiscal investment and loan program held roughly 306 trillion yen in total liabilities as of the end of fiscal 2000, according to a Board of Audit report submitted Friday to Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi.
BUSINESS
Nov 30, 2001

Panel seeks import tax after salt market is freed

A subcommittee of the Fiscal System Council proposed Thursday that tariffs be imposed on salt imports for up to three years when Japan "frees up" its salt market on April 1.
BUSINESS
Nov 30, 2001

State, BOJ to launch economic task force

The government and the Bank of Japan agreed Thursday to launch a task force charged with lifting the economy out of its deflationary state, government officials said.
BUSINESS
Nov 30, 2001

BOJ opts to leave easy monetary policy in place

The Bank of Japan Policy Board decided by a majority vote Thursday to maintain its ultraeasy monetary policy.
BUSINESS
Nov 30, 2001

Capital spending may drop in '01 despite planned rise

Actual fiscal 2001 capital outlays by Japanese firms are expected to shrink due to the effects of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks in the United States despite corporate plans that would have resulted in a second year of increase, Industrial Bank of Japan said.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Nov 29, 2001

'Ecomoney' refurbishes society

"Ecomoney," Japan's version of the Local Exchange and Trading System that started on Vancouver Island, Canada, in 1983, is increasingly being promoted to allow participants to offer or receive services in welfare, education and the environment in their communities.
BUSINESS
Nov 29, 2001

Vodafone taps Morrow for Japan Telecom

William Morrow, the top executive in Japan for British mobile phone giant Vodafone Group PLC, will become president of Japan Telecom Co. on Dec. 21, Japan Telecom President Haruo Murakami announced Wednesday.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Nov 29, 2001

'Ecomoney' refurbishes society

"Ecomoney," Japan's version of the Local Exchange and Trading System that started on Vancouver Island, Canada, in 1983, is increasingly being promoted to allow participants to offer or receive services in welfare, education and the environment in their communities.
JAPAN
Nov 28, 2001

Nonlife insurers feel the pain

Profits at Japan's 11 major nonlife insurance companies plunged sharply in the fiscal first half to Sept. 30, due to falling share prices and large reserves set aside for claims related to the Sept. 11 terror attacks in the United States.
CULTURE / Film
Nov 28, 2001

Refuge in the little shop of solace

Sekai no Owari to Iuano Zakkaten Rating: * * * Director: Kiseki Hamada Running time: 94 minutes Language: Japanese Now showing
BUSINESS
Nov 28, 2001

Consolidated tax may debut after all

Facing pressure from within the government, Finance Minister Masajuro Shiokawa said Tuesday that the April deadline for introducing a consolidated taxation system can still be met.

Longform

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