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JAPAN
Sep 9, 2001

More students to be offered taste of diplomatic life

Staff writer
JAPAN
Sep 8, 2001

Cabinet to start on extra budget

Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi on Friday instructed his Cabinet to begin work on a supplementary budget for the current fiscal year after official data confirmed that the nation's economy shrank in the second quarter of 2001.
BUSINESS
Sep 8, 2001

Criticism mounting over planned bond issue limit

Senior Cabinet members broke ranks Friday to criticize Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's plan to limit government bond issues to 30 trillion yen for this fiscal year.
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / PERSONALITY PROFILE
Sep 8, 2001

Misako Fedorowicz

SHREWSBURY, England -- This country town of Shropshire in the British Midlands is characterized by its crowding, crooked, black-and-white 16th century houses, clustered within a horseshoe loop of the River Severn. Narrow passages known as shuts link winding streets that keep distinctive names acquired...
JAPAN
Sep 7, 2001

Foreign Ministry official arrested in latest scandal

Police arrested a Foreign Ministry official and two employees of the Hotel New Otani on Thursday on suspicion of defrauding the government of some 400 million yen by padding hotel bills for international meetings.
BUSINESS
Sep 7, 2001

Koizumi's bond pledge now a 'goal'

Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi showed signs Thursday of backpedaling on his pledge to limit fresh government bond issuance to 30 trillion yen for this fiscal year.
JAPAN
Sep 7, 2001

Coordination still seen as key tactic for North Korea

Japan, the United States and South Korea on Thursday reaffirmed the importance of close coordination among the three countries in formulating policy for North Korea and pushed for an early visit to Seoul by North Korean leader Kim Jong Il.
BUSINESS
Sep 7, 2001

Japanese bonds could receive lower rating

Moody's Investors Service Inc. may downgrade its Aa2 rating on Japanese government bonds, citing the nation's feeble economy, the rating agency said Thursday.
JAPAN
Sep 7, 2001

IMG delves into soccer, Japan

IMG, the largest sports management and marketing company in the world, is planning to get even bigger.
JAPAN
Sep 6, 2001

Two panels created on diplomacy

In what may be a sign of renewed frictions between key Cabinet figures, Foreign Minister Makiko Tanaka launches a private advisory panel on diplomatic issues.
CULTURE / Film
Sep 5, 2001

Yes! Super film, hurrah!

Bridget Jones's Diary Rating: * * * 1/2 Japanese title: Bridget Jones no Nikki Director: Sharon Maguire Running time: 97 minutes Language: English Opens mid-September at Shibutoh Cine Tower and other theaters
BUSINESS
Sep 5, 2001

Koizumi's son to promote light 'happoshu'

Suntory Ltd. on Oct. 10 will launch a new "happoshu" -- a low-malt, beer-like alcoholic beverage -- that has about half of the calories of its other happoshu products.
BUSINESS
Sep 5, 2001

Ota flies Kansai privatization kite

OSAKA -- Osaka Gov. Fusae Ota said Tuesday the operator of Kansai International Airport in Osaka Prefecture could be fully privatized, either on its own or via a merger with another corporation.
JAPAN
Sep 5, 2001

'Eiken' tests to go on despite ministry

The Society for Testing English Proficiency, Inc. said Tuesday that it will continue to hold its "eiken" English proficiency test despite an education ministry decision to halt official recognition of the exam.
BUSINESS
Sep 4, 2001

New runway at Narita to open in April

A second runway at Narita airport is scheduled to open for business in April, a month earlier than initially planned, the head of the airport operator said Monday.
BUSINESS
Sep 4, 2001

Oct. 1 set for 3G launch

NTT DoCoMo Inc. announced Monday that it will launch its next-generation mobile phone service on Oct. 1 in parts of Tokyo, claiming it has improved on reception problems that plagued a trial service that began in May.
JAPAN
Sep 2, 2001

Tokyo hoping to double number of foreign tourists

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government hopes to more than double the number of foreign tourists visiting Tokyo to 6 million a year within five years and is considering building a casino to attract visitors, officials said.
JAPAN
Sep 1, 2001

Suzuki denies all links with Kenyan project

The following are excerpts from an interview with Lower House member Muneo Suzuki about a controversial hydropower project in Kenya. The interview was conducted on Aug. 22 in Tokyo.
JAPAN
Sep 1, 2001

Nikkei hits postbubble closing low

An overnight tumble on Wall Street and investors' disappointment in what they see as lukewarm government action on structural reform kept Tokyo stocks weak Friday and again sent the key price index to a new postbubble closing low.
BUSINESS
Sep 1, 2001

IMF can't review Japan banks: FSA

The government cannot accept a request from the International Monetary Fund to conduct an assessment of Japan's financial system, Financial Services Agency chief Hakuo Yanagisawa said Friday.
JAPAN
Sep 1, 2001

Islanders' concerns over cash grow

More than half of the people evacuated from Miyake Island following the eruption of Mount Oyama a year ago are experiencing economic difficulties, according to a recent survey by Kyodo News.
JAPAN
Sep 1, 2001

Ministry to get ex-justice as adviser

Former Supreme Court Justice Itsuo Sonobe will become an inspections adviser at the scandal-riddled Foreign Ministry, Foreign Minister Makiko Tanaka said Friday.
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / JAPAN LITE
Sep 1, 2001

In Dog Heaven, pee on the Pearly Gates

There is much talk these days about the first tourists to the moon and Mars. Everyone wants to be the first to go. Except me. I'm not interested in going to the moon or Mars. I have a hankering to go someplace much farther away and much more exciting. I want to be the first person to go to Dog Heaven....
BUSINESS
Sep 1, 2001

Tax panel to list proposals in September

A financial affairs subcommittee of the government's tax panel plans to compile a set of tax reform proposals on stock transactions by the end of September, the head of the subcommittee said Friday.
JAPAN
Sep 1, 2001

China's new envoy warns relations are at low ebb

Sino-Japanese relations are facing their "toughest situation" since the two countries normalized ties nearly 30 years ago due to issues related to history, trade and Taiwan, new Chinese Ambassador to Japan Wu Dawei said Friday.
BUSINESS
Aug 31, 2001

Ministry expects lower tax revenues

Vice Finance Minister Toshiro Muto said Thursday tax revenues for the current fiscal year may be lower than the government's 50.73 trillion yen estimate due to the deteriorating economy.

Longform

Once smoky, male-dominated spaces, today's net cafes, like Kaikatsu Club, are working to make their operations more attractive to women customers.
The second life of Japan's net cafes