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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

Long wait over for royal couple

The waiting is now over for the Crown Prince and Crown Princess, who celebrated the birth of their first child -- a girl -- on Saturday, 8 1/2 years after their wedding.
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.
COMMUNITY
Dec 2, 2001

Need a powder fix in Japan? Go boarding out of bounds

Anyone who has skied or boarded on a weekend in Japan knows the story: the well-groomed slopes, blanketed with skiers and boarders making their way up and down as loudspeakers blare pop music and shrill announcements. And then there are the cattle-corral cafeterias, the chaotic souvenir stands, the apres-ski...
JAPAN
Dec 2, 2001

Third mad cow case diagnosed

A third Japanese cow has been diagnosed as having mad cow disease, although a final confirmation of the animal's condition will only be made by a panel of experts later today, according to the health ministry.
LIFE / Food & Drink / BEST BAR NONE
Dec 2, 2001

You know you want it

Meet Carl X, a quiet, unassuming Englishman who, for 10 years, has been working the graveyard shift in the bowels of Roppongi and beyond. And -- as far as I can see -- has survived unscathed. Remember Gold in Shibaura, Tokyo's most famous and decadent club in the late '80s? Carl worked there. Remember...
SOCCER / World cup
Dec 2, 2001

Brazil is no pushover says Pele

PUSAN, South Korea -- Legendary Brazilian player Pele is optimistic about Brazil's performance in the World Cup in six months time despite the South American powerhouse's recent struggle in the qualifiers.
CULTURE / Music / FUZZY LOGIC
Dec 2, 2001

And, now, the greatest shows on earth

Fancy some Yogurt Pooh? "Errr, no thanks." Ever seen Cruyff in the Bedroom? "Johan Cruyff? The '70s soccer star? Is he doing porn now?" How about Girls From Italia? "Yeah, OK, I'll have a bit of that."
LIFE / Food & Drink / VINELAND
Dec 2, 2001

The life of the party

The yearend holiday season brings a flurry of parties, rich dinners and the popping of corks. For those of us who love wine, this time of year presents a few dilemmas as well. There's the torture of finding the right bottle to give the boss or a gourmand in-law who has tried everything. Then we mull...
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / TOKYO FOOD FILE
Dec 2, 2001

Restaurant J: Food that gladdens the heart of man

Restaurant J has been open for more than a year, so there's absolutely no reason for the Food File to wait any longer to bestow its seal of approval. But we're still reluctant to give it the unconditional thumbs-up it so richly deserves. Why so? It's the same old story: We're always loath to spread the...
COMMENTARY
Dec 1, 2001

'Caring' capitalism is needed

LONDON -- A decade ago, capitalism seemed almost totally triumphant. Its old enemy, communism, was discredited and in rapid retreat, global capital markets were beginning a phase of colossal expansion and countries everywhere were deregulating, opening their markets and unraveling their state sectors...
JAPAN
Dec 1, 2001

Minister says safe Cambodia is ideal holiday spot

Cambodia has an image problem that makes it difficult to attract tourists, tourism minister Veng Sereyvuth told a travel congress in Tokyo on Thursday.
JAPAN
Dec 1, 2001

328 at Foreign Ministry penalized for fund misuse

A total of 328 Foreign Ministry officials were punished Friday for illicitly pooling more than 200 million yen in public funds, using about 160 million yen for mostly unofficial purposes over 6 1/2 years, Foreign Minister Makiko Tanaka said Friday.
BUSINESS
Dec 1, 2001

Household spending posts 1.6% increase

Wage-earning households spent 1.6 percent more in real terms in October than they did a year earlier, the first rise in seven months, the government said Friday.
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.
JAPAN
Dec 1, 2001

Motivators instill staff with a new enthusiasm

With the economy in deep freeze, motivational firms that claim they have the power to inject new vim into lifeless workers are attracting the attention of executives yearning to recapture lost corporate brio.
JAPAN
Dec 1, 2001

Asia-Pacific nations back plan to fight corruption

Seventeen countries in the Asia-Pacific region endorsed an action plan to fight corruption at an international conference Friday in Tokyo, with each planning to set specific priorities for implementation.
EDITORIALS
Nov 30, 2001

Easing rules for police use of guns

Police officers in Japan are subject to strict restrictions in the use of handguns. This is held partly responsible for the increasing deaths of police in the line of duty. Beginning Dec. 1, however, they will be able to fire shots with less constraint when their lives, or those of others in need of...
COMMENTARY / World
Nov 30, 2001

Cheers for Bhutto in Delhi a reminder of region's shifty politics

Benazir Bhutto, Pakistan's former president, played the rights cards during her seven-year reign, endearing her to India while ensuring that she was not alienated from her own people.
JAPAN
Nov 30, 2001

'Yakiniku' promotion aims to lure back diners

An online promotion to boost falling sales of "yakiniku," or barbecued meat, will be launched Saturday amid consumer concerns over mad cow disease, organizers said.
COMMENTARY / World
Nov 30, 2001

Mission Possible for Chen

TAIPEI -- Since Taiwan's long-ruling Nationalist Party (KMT) lost last year's presidential election to the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), the island has slid into its worst recession in decades.
JAPAN
Nov 30, 2001

Justice Ministry reveals deportee's bank deposits

The Justice Ministry has revealed that about 100 million yen was deposited into a bank account of one of nine Afghan men who were denied refugee status in Japan on grounds that they lack credibility as refugees.
JAPAN
Nov 30, 2001

First effort in 'war on terror' sees airlift of winter woolies

The Defense Agency on Thursday started airlifting supplies for U.S.-led forces fighting in Afghanistan, according to agency Vice Minister Ken Sato.
JAPAN
Nov 30, 2001

Hike in workers' share of medical bills delayed

Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi and LDP lawmakers reached a compromise Thursday over medical expenses borne by salaried workers, removing the final obstacle to completing a health-care reform program.
JAPAN
Nov 29, 2001

Work-study for Tokyo schools eyed

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government's board of education has begun studying plans to introduce a German-style work-study program in certain public high schools, board officials said.
BUSINESS
Nov 29, 2001

20% of telephone calls go mobile

Calls between mobile phones accounted for 20.5 percent of all telephone usage in Japan in fiscal 2000, up from 15 percent a year earlier, the telecommunications ministry said Wednesday.
JAPAN
Nov 29, 2001

Work-study for Tokyo schools eyed

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government's board of education has begun studying plans to introduce a German-style work-study program in certain public high schools, board officials said.

Longform

Mount Fuji is considered one of Japan's most iconic symbols and is a major draw for tourists. It's still a mountain, though, and potential hikers need to properly prepare for any climb.
What it takes to save lives on Mount Fuji