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Japan Times
JAPAN / PREFECTURAL FARE
Nov 30, 2002

Representative office gives visitors hands-on approach to Yamanashi

The Yamanashi Prefectural Trade and Tourist Center in Tokyo's Minami-Azabu district is trying to offer more than just tasty delights and souvenir crafts.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY
Nov 30, 2002

Celebrating 'washi' in tune with Kyoto winters

Traditional farmhouses amid wintry landscapes. Schoolchildren under brightly colored umbrellas cross snow-covered paddy fields. Footprints mark an otherwise pristine street scene after a snowfall. Then, as if to remind us that summer will soon be coming round again, a woman bearing a child on her back...
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / WHEN EAST MARRIES WEST
Nov 30, 2002

Japanese made funny by 'gaijin' gaffes

Some people collect rocks. Others stamps. Still others beer cans.
JAPAN
Nov 29, 2002

Panel urges patience, carrots for Pyongyang

A government foreign policy advisory panel recommended Thursday that Japan seek gradual changes in North Korea instead of pursuing a "quick overthrow of the current regime" and use economic aid as a carrot.
EDITORIALS
Nov 29, 2002

Crime report lacks bite

Families and schools play a fundamental role in preventing crime, yet their effectiveness is waning. That is the key message of this year's white paper on crime. Crime is a mirror of a nation's social condition, and, simply put, Japanese society is sick.
JAPAN
Nov 29, 2002

SDP 'expels' disgruntled lawmaker

The Social Democratic Party said Thursday it has "expelled" Kinuko Ofuchi, a House of Councilors member, from the party, even though last month she was the one who wanted out.
BUSINESS
Nov 29, 2002

Cigarette tax examined as reform item

A tax hike on cigarettes is being considered as part of tax reforms for fiscal 2003, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuo Fukuda said Thursday.
BUSINESS
Nov 29, 2002

NTT phone access fees should stay same: panel

A Lower House panel said Thursday that interconnection fees charged by NTT East Corp. and NTT West Corp. to other carriers for accessing their phone lines should remain unchanged for the 2003 business year.
JAPAN
Nov 28, 2002

Two arrested in swindle of NTT Communications

Two people, including a former employee of NTT Communications Corp., were arrested Wednesday for allegedly defrauding the firm out of some 200 million yen by padding payments for electronic devices, Tokyo police said.
JAPAN
Nov 28, 2002

Opposition bloc idea popular but may be doomed

In an apparent effort to boost their leverage against the ruling coalition, leaders of two opposition parties on Wednesday expressed eagerness to push forward with a plan to form a joint parliamentary group among the Democratic Party of Japan, the Liberal Party and the Social Democratic Party.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Nov 28, 2002

'Multicultural studio' offers hope

Teenagers gathered one weekday evening at an old two-story building next to a housing project in a Yokohama suburb.
JAPAN
Nov 28, 2002

Hardline aide has Koizumi's ear when it comes to Pyongyang policy

A foreign policy hardliner has gained a stronger presence in the administration since he accompanied Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi to Pyongyang for his historic Sept. 17 summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Il.
COMMENTARY
Nov 28, 2002

A reunion on neutral ground

HONOLULU -- Shame on Pyongyang . . . and shame on Tokyo, too!
BUSINESS
Nov 27, 2002

Labor ministry eyes spending spree to help jobless

The labor ministry called on the government Tuesday to spend 931.4 billion yen out of a planned supplementary budget to fund employment-related measures and other welfare steps.
JAPAN
Nov 27, 2002

190 million yen for funeral, tomb for Prince Takamado

The Cabinet approved a plan Tuesday by the Imperial Household Agency to spend 190 million yen on funeral services and the construction of a tomb for Prince Takamado, who died last week.
JAPAN
Nov 27, 2002

Travel abroad up despite terror threat

Despite recent terrorist attacks overseas, including the bombing of a packed disco on Bali and the hostage-taking incident in a Moscow theater, more and more Japanese are traveling abroad.
BUSINESS
Nov 27, 2002

Suntory to move staff to Shanghai

OSAKA -- Suntory Ltd., Japan's leading whiskey producer, will transfer part of its Asian operations from Tokyo to Shanghai on Dec. 1 to strengthen its marketing strategy in China, company officials said Tuesday.
BUSINESS
Nov 27, 2002

Top life insurers' results reveal inability to reverse their decline

The nation's major life insurance companies have had little success reversing a decline in business, while their capital remains under pressure by depressed share prices, according to half-year financial results posted by the firms by Tuesday.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music / HIGH NOTES
Nov 27, 2002

Cyro Baptista: "Beat the Donkey"

The outrageous percussion, dance and martial arts ensemble known as Beat the Donkey is the glorious creation of the Brazilian-born multi-instrumentalist Cyro Baptista. When not beating the donkey, Baptista is a hired gun for such luminaries as Ryuichi Sakamoto, Herbie Hancock and Trey Anastasio. He's...
EDITORIALS
Nov 27, 2002

Not the time to celebrate profits

At first glance, corporate earnings reports for the first half of fiscal 2002 seem too good to be true, given the continuing economic slump. On average, pretax profit surged nearly 40 percent in April through September from the same period a year earlier -- a dramatic reversal from the 40 percent decline...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Nov 27, 2002

Groove Collective forged in the fires of a mad experiment

In the fall of 1995, I spent many nights in a dank basement club called the Cooler, a former refrigerated warehouse in Manhattan's Meatpacking District. The neighborhood was raw -- the slaughterhouse smell of blood and death had coagulated in the cobblestones of Gansevoort Street and at night tall transvestite...
JAPAN
Nov 27, 2002

Officials discuss female Afghan teaching scheme

Visiting Afghan school officials met Tuesday with education minister Atsuko Toyama to discuss plans for a program to train female Afghan teachers.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Nov 27, 2002

Stranded freighter catches fire

A freighter carrying 3,885 vehicles that ran aground Oct. 1 on Izu-Oshima Island in the Pacific, caught fire Tuesday morning and was billowing black and white smoke and leaking fuel, the Japan Coast Guard said.
JAPAN
Nov 27, 2002

Impromptu Carey shoot prompts police warning

Police said Tuesday they have warned an official of a video production company for failing to obtain a permit for a video shoot with U.S. pop singer Mariah Carey in a busy part of Tokyo.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Nov 26, 2002

Koizumi a harried commuter?

Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi is dealing with less space and more traffic jams as he settles into a temporary residence before his new state-of-the-art official residence is completed.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Nov 26, 2002

Asia emerging as economic dynamo, WEF says

As Japan remains trapped in its bad-loan mess and Southeast Asia struggles to regain competitiveness after a regionwide financial crisis five years ago, China may appear to be the only bright spot in Asia.
JAPAN
Nov 26, 2002

Potential earthquake damage estimated

A major earthquake off the eastern part of the Kii Peninsula in western Japan would destroy 176,000 homes, according to a damage estimate compiled by an insurance group.

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