Search - 2004

 
 
Japan Times
BUSINESS / CABINET INTERVIEW
Sep 25, 2003

Aso questions Koizumi's timetable to privatize postal services entity

New home affairs minister Taro Aso expressed skepticism Wednesday over the timetable put forward by Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi to privatize the postal services entity.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / FRONT-RUNNERS
Sep 23, 2003

Retailers look to make a bundle on use of electronic money

More and more retailers are providing consumers with the option of using electronic money, essentially in the form of prepaid cards, instead of cash when purchasing goods.
EDITORIALS
Sep 20, 2003

The crash in Cancun

The gap between rich and poor nations proved too wide to bridge, and negotiations broke off amid finger-pointing and concern that the failure to reach agreement could unravel the global trade order. In place of one system, it is feared that governments will embrace bilateral and regional deals.
JAPAN
Sep 20, 2003

Koizumi, Bush agree over Iraq

Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi and U.S. President George W. Bush confirmed Friday that Japan and the United States will cooperate on the reconstruction of Iraq, government officials said.
JAPAN
Sep 19, 2003

City tax on spent nuclear fuel OK'd

The government approved Thursday a plan by the city of Sendai, Kagoshima Prefecture, to tax spent nuclear fuel left by a local power plant, and handed over a letter of consent to Sendai Mayor Takuro Mori.
JAPAN
Sep 19, 2003

Tokyo to step forward with at least $1 billion for Iraq

Japan, responding to a U.S. request, has begun preparations to offer about $1 billion in 2004 to help rebuild Iraq, government sources said Thursday.
COMMENTARY / WASHINGTON UPDATE
Sep 18, 2003

Iraq, bad economy drag Bush down

WASHINGTON -- It cannot be easy these days to be selling the White House story line. Chickens are coming home to roost from every direction. Ever since President George W. Bush went on his working vacation to his ranch in Crawford, Texas, his carefully constructed houses of cards in economic and world...
JAPAN
Sep 17, 2003

10% of public school students eligible for welfare

The prolonged economic slump has extended into the nation's classrooms, with around 1.15 million public elementary and junior high school students qualifying for financial aid in fiscal 2002.
JAPAN
Sep 14, 2003

Hospital malpractice rises four-fold in '02

University hospitals across Japan reported 39 malpractice cases to the government in fiscal 2002, more than four times the number in the previous year, according to documents obtained by Kyodo News.
MORE SPORTS
Sep 13, 2003

Shop until you drop: Eriksson may be next on Chelsea's list

LONDON -- Sven-Goran Eriksson quits his job as head coach of England to become manager of Chelsea where he takes over from Claudio Ranieri.
JAPAN
Sep 13, 2003

Ishihara to save face in bank tax case

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government and major banks are close to sealing an out-of-court settlement that would end a three-year feud over a controversial tax, the banks and metro officials said Friday.
BUSINESS
Sep 12, 2003

LDP panel OKs deregulation plans

An LDP deregulation committee on Thursday approved a set of 48 proposals tied to the third series of special economic zones introduced as part of Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's deregulation drive.
EDITORIALS
Sep 10, 2003

LDP race should enliven policy debate

Campaigning for the Liberal Democratic Party's Sept. 20 presidential election started on Monday with three men challenging Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi. The winner will become the prime minister, since the LDP holds a majority in the Lower House. The next president, who has an extended term of three...
BUSINESS
Sep 10, 2003

Ministries want 5.7% more money

The Finance Ministry on Tuesday told the Cabinet that spending requests from government ministries and agencies for fiscal 2004 have risen 5.7 percent from the initial fiscal 2003 budget, hitting 86.455 trillion yen.
EDITORIALS
Sep 9, 2003

Can do in Cancun?

Trade ministers from 146 states gather in Cancun, Mexico this week to jump-start international trade negotiations. It is difficult to exaggerate the importance of this week's meeting. The Doha round, launched nearly two years ago, has stalled, the victim of a global economic slowdown and growing ill...
Japan Times
BUSINESS / FRONT-RUNNERS
Sep 9, 2003

'Yakiniku' chain weathers hike in beef tariff

The fallout from the Aug. 1 tariff increase on beef has not yet reached the nation's largest "yakiniku" grilled-beef restaurant chains.
JAPAN
Sep 9, 2003

Osaka's Ohta announces she will seek second term

OSAKA -- Osaka Gov. Fusae Ohta formally announced Monday that she will seek a second term when her current term expires in February 2004.
MORE SPORTS
Sep 7, 2003

Japan earns berth in world meet

Japan beat South Korea 4-1 in the Far East qualification round Saturday and booked a place in the 2004 men's ice hockey World Championships to be held in the Czech Republic.
JAPAN
Sep 7, 2003

Japan to issue biometric passports by '05

Japan has decided to introduce biometric passports by fiscal 2005 to meet tightened U.S. immigration controls following the September 2001 terror attacks, government officials said on Saturday.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Sep 4, 2003

Kamei aims to unseat Koizumi

Former LDP policy chief Shizuka Kamei officially declared Wednesday that he will run in the Sept. 20 party presidential election, seeking to unseat Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi.
COMMENTARY
Sep 4, 2003

'History' bedevils China-Japan relations

HONG KONG -- The visit to China this week by Japan's defense minister, Shigeru Ishiba, reflects an improved relationship between the two countries as well as the fact that little is being done to address underlying problems.
BUSINESS
Sep 4, 2003

JTB, Shinchosha in publishing tieup

Travel agency JTB Corp. said Wednesday it has agreed to forge a publishing-sector alliance with publishing house Shinchosha Co.
BUSINESS
Sep 3, 2003

Japan will fight lower tariffs at WTO talks

Japan will oppose a proposal to cut tariffs and expand import quotas at global trade talks next week, agriculture minister Yoshiyuki Kamei said Tuesday.
JAPAN / AFTER 2 1/2 YEARS
Sep 2, 2003

Koizumi's failings linked to inflexible fiscal policy

Some economists compare it to trying to lose weight by fasting when the real solution is exercise, while others talk about repairing an airplane's altimeter when it's the engine that needs attention.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / FRONT-RUNNERS
Sep 2, 2003

Matsushita hopes to pad DVD lead with new Diga recorder

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co. on Monday released the latest in its Diga series of DVD recorders, hoping to consolidate its position as the nation's No. 1 shareholder in the rapidly expanding market.
BUSINESS
Sep 2, 2003

Toyota puts new Prius hybrid on sale

Toyota Motor Corp. launched a redesigned Prius in Japan on Monday as part of a drive to spearhead the development of environmentally friendly technology.

Longform

Rock group The Yellow Monkey played K-Arena Yokohama in June as part of a nationwide tour. Concerts are increasingly popular in the age of social media as users value in-person experiences.
Inside Japan’s arena boom: Sports, sound and city-building