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JAPAN
Jun 24, 1997

Four nations urge U.N. to work on environment

NEW YORK -- Four countries on four continents launched a joint initiative June 23 aimed at giving the United Nations new impetus to revitalize the spirit of the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro and achieve sustainable development while tackling environmental problems.
JAPAN
Jun 23, 1997

Hatoyama to work on forming liberal alliance

Yukio Hatoyama, coleader of the Democratic Party of Japan, said June 23 that he will seek cooperation with former prime ministers Morihiro Hosokawa and Tsutomu Hata toward forming a liberal force to counter a possible conservative alliance between the Liberal Democratic Party and Shinshinto.
JAPAN
Jun 20, 1997

Insurers finalize Nissan Mutual liquidation scheme

The Life Insurance Association of Japan endorsed a liquidation scheme June 20 for Nissan Mutual Life Insurance Co. that will create a new entity to manage its policies and write off an estimated 100 billion yen worth of the failed insurer's debts over a period of five years.
JAPAN
Jun 18, 1997

Trade surplus soared 222.2% in May to 738 billion yen

The nation's customs-cleared trade surplus for the month of May soared 222.2 percent from the same period last year to 738.3 billion yen, marking the second straight month of increase, according to figures released June 18.
JAPAN
Jun 18, 1997

Hosokawa finally quits party he helped found

Former Prime Minister Morihiro Hosokawa walked away from Shinshinto on June 18, dealing a fresh blow to the already troubled leadership of party chief Ichiro Ozawa.
JAPAN
Jun 17, 1997

DKB released from directorship of bankers' federation

The Japan Federation of Bankers Associations decided June 17 to grant a request by scandal-tainted Dai-Ichi Kangyo Bank to be released from its duties as a director of the organization for the remaining 10 months of its term.
JAPAN
Jun 16, 1997

Barclays, Hokkaido Takushoku eye business tieup

Hokkaido Takushoku Bank and Barclays Bank PLC announced June 16 they will begin discussions toward mutual business cooperation in such areas as asset securitization and development of products for the Japanese market.
JAPAN
Jun 13, 1997

GDP up 1.6% in January-March period

The economy grew 1.6 percent in real terms in the January-March period from the previous three-month period, bringing real growth in gross domestic product during fiscal 1996 to a strong 3 percent, according to a preliminary government report released June 13.
JAPAN
Jun 12, 1997

Ambassadors issue call to ban land mines

Japan should join with the 100-plus nations that have agreed to back a Canadian initiative to ban antipersonnel land mines, the ambassadors to Tokyo from Canada, Belgium, Austria, Norway and the Philippines said in a joint news conference June 12.
JAPAN
Jun 12, 1997

NOVA to refund 3.8 million yen to students

NOVA, a major language-school chain, will refund a total of 3.8 million yen to 18 students who were unable to use lesson tickets they had purchased, a Tokyo Metropolitan Government committee said June 12.
JAPAN
Jun 11, 1997

Windsor takes in ailing Hokkaido hotel

Windsor Hotels International Co. will take over the operation of Hotel Apex Toya, a troubled high-class resort hotel in Hokkaido, it was announced June 11.
JAPAN
Jun 10, 1997

JOC inspectors check out Osaka's prospects

Nine members of the Japan Olympic Committee arrived in Osaka on June 10 for a two-day inspection tour of athletic venues and other sites at which the city hopes to hold the 2008 Summer Olympics.
JAPAN
Jun 3, 1997

Sato rails against Patent Office as agency

The Patent Office should have greater authority, trade chief Shinji Sato said June 3, indirectly opposing the idea of turning it into an independent agency.
JAPAN
Jun 3, 1997

Revisions to Bank Law may stiffen penalties

Revisions to the Banking Law to increase its punitive measures may be proposed by this fall's extraordinary Diet session, the finance minister said June 3, as the scandal involving Dai-Ichi Kangyo Bank deepens day by day.
JAPAN
May 30, 1997

Former Nomura president arrested

Hideo Sakamaki, a former president of Nomura Securities Co., was arrested by Tokyo prosecutors on May 30 on suspicion of approving illegal payoffs to a "sokaiya" corporate racketeer. Sakamaki, 61, is suspected of having conspired with former managing directors Shimpei Matsuki and Nobutaka Fujikura, and...
JAPAN
May 28, 1997

Quadriplegic sues BMW over air bag accident

OSAKA -- A 66-year-old man who was paralyzed in a car accident filed a lawsuit May 27 against the company that imported the vehicle and the dealer he bought it from, claiming he was severely injured because the air bag failed to deploy.
JAPAN
May 26, 1997

Tokai radiation no health threat, experts say

The amount of radiation that leaked in March at the nuclear fuel reprocessing plant in Tokai, Ibaraki Prefecture, is too small to pose a threat to human health, four members of the Japan Radiation Research Society claimed May 26 during a news briefing.
JAPAN
May 23, 1997

Sumitomo Bank shuffles leadership

OSAKA -- Sumitomo Bank announced May 23 that Vice President Yoshifumi Nishikawa will replace Toshio Morikawa as president, effective June 27.
JAPAN
May 20, 1997

Dollar tumbles to 111.98 yen

With the downtrend gathering momentum in Tokyo, the dollar touched the 111 yen level momentarily late May 20 for the first time since Dec. 6, 1996, on a rush of selling by exporters and institutional investors.
JAPAN
May 16, 1997

Diet legalizes stock options

Legislation to legalize stock options cleared the Diet on May 16, setting the stage for many Japanese corporations to introduce in June the highly lucrative system of remuneration available to many U.S. corporate executives and employees.
JAPAN
May 16, 1997

Economists doubt structural reforms will succeed

With the Cabinet's approval May 16 of an action plan for economic structural reform, the government tried to demonstrate its indomitable resolution to reconstruct the nation's economic system and ensure sustainable growth well into the next century.
JAPAN
May 14, 1997

U.S. military's land leases expire; nothing happens

Although leases for land plots at 11 U.S. military bases expired at midnight May 14, a relevant law that was revised last month will enable the central government to continue providing the land to the U.S. forces.
JAPAN
May 14, 1997

Sumitomo Trust denies market rumors

Sumitomo Trust & Banking Co. on May 14 flatly denied market rumors that it would issue preferred stocks and terminate overseas operations due to losses, reports of which prompted stock exchanges to order trading in its shares be suspended.
JAPAN
May 13, 1997

Annan expects UNSC reformation by year's end

A breakthrough in reforming the United Nations Security Council could be achieved by the end of the year as momentum mounts among members of the international body, U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan said May 13.
JAPAN
May 13, 1997

Pyongyang's ADB bid to get due consideration, bank chief says

FUKUOKA -- North Korea's bid to gain membership in the Asian Development Bank will not be affected by other ongoing diplomatic negotiations concerning the country, ADB President Mitsuo Sato said May 13.
JAPAN
May 12, 1997

Seoul pushes North Korea's bid to join ADB

FUKUOKA -- South Korea on May 12 called on other members of the Asian Development Bank to join it in supporting North Korea's bid to become a member.
JAPAN
May 12, 1997

SDF may be used for war on terrorism

Relaxing legal restraints on the Self-Defense Forces may be necessary to enable the government to better combat terrorism overseas, Chief Cabinet Secretary Seiroku Kajiyama said May 12.
JAPAN
May 9, 1997

Tepco promises rate cuts next year

Tokyo Electric Power Co. will reduce electricity rates early next year as a result of the utility's progress in streamlining management, Tepco President Hiroshi Araki told a news conference May 9.
JAPAN
May 9, 1997

Mitsuzuka 'not satisfied' with yen's level

Finance Minister Hiroshi Mitsuzuka implied May 9 that he would like to see a further strengthening of the yen against the dollar, saying he was "not yet satisfied" with current foreign exchange levels.
JAPAN
May 7, 1997

Aboriginal leaders hit Asian Development Bank projects

Three leaders of Asian indigenous peoples said at a news conference May 7 that their human rights and environment are being violated because of development projects partially funded by Japan.

Longform

A small shrine perched atop rocks braves the waves hitting the shoreline during a storm in Shimoda, Shizuoka Prefecture. The area is under threat of a possible 31-meter-high tsunami if an earthquake strikes the nearby Nankai Trough.
If the 'Big One' hits, this city could face a 31-meter-high tsunami