Search - 2004

 
 
EDITORIALS
Jan 10, 2003

A shot in the arm or in the foot?

The economic package unveiled by U.S. President George W. Bush on Tuesday, coming on top of a huge tax cut announced last summer, is proof that the Bush administration is determined to revive the U.S. economy, which is still ailing from the collapse of a stock-market bubble. The stimulus plan is also...
BUSINESS
Jan 10, 2003

Asahi Mutual may abandon tieup plans

Struggling Asahi Mutual Life Insurance Co. may scrap plans to team up with nonlife insurer Millea Holdings Inc. in 2004, Asahi officials said Thursday.
JAPAN
Jan 10, 2003

DPJ, Liberal Party eye game plan

The Democratic Party of Japan and the Liberal Party will soon discuss electoral cooperation in a bid to avoid fielding overlapping candidates in some single-seat constituencies in the House of Representatives, DPJ leader Naoto Kan said Thursday.
MORE SPORTS
Jan 9, 2003

Takahashi taking life in stride

First of two parts
JAPAN
Jan 9, 2003

New system to facilitate closer flying

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport plans to more than halve the minimum separation distance between commercial aircraft flying over the busy North Pacific and polar route between Japan and the U.S. East Coast.
JAPAN
Jan 8, 2003

Court-ordered property auctions moving to Net

Information on properties up for public auction, currently only accessible at individual courthouses arranging the sales, will be posted on the Internet, Supreme Court officials said Tuesday.
JAPAN
Jan 8, 2003

Chinatown to be more tourist-friendly

Yokohama Chinatown, proud of its 140-year history as a symbol of the city since the early days of the port's opening, is gearing up for a makeover that it hopes will draw tourists back to its streets.
BUSINESS
Jan 8, 2003

Takenaka to keep close eye on bank restructuring moves

Financial Services Minister Heizo Takenaka said Tuesday he intends to keep a strict watch on the restructuring plans of major banks to ensure they produce favorable results in reviving the nation's banking sector.
BUSINESS
Jan 8, 2003

Consumption tax may be raised

The government will consider raising the consumption tax to secure revenues, even though its priority remains the elimination of unnecessary spending, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuo Fukuda said Tuesday.
JAPAN
Jan 7, 2003

No plan for snap election, Koizumi says

Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi said Monday he has no plan to dissolve the House of Representatives and call a snap election this year, and pledged to employ all possible measures to fight deflation.
BUSINESS
Jan 7, 2003

Matsushita eyes new pay system

OSAKA -- Matsushita Electric Industrial Co. plans to introduce a new pay system in which division managers conduct wage talks with their respective workers rather than the company doing it as a whole, company sources said Monday.
COMMENTARY
Jan 4, 2003

Pluses and minuses of 2002

LONDON -- "It could have been worse!" say the pundits. There was no repeat of Sept. 11, and there has not been a major conflict. Nor has there been a world-shaking financial crisis. But 2002 was not a good year for many people, and 2003 may not be any better. The balance sheet is not easy to calculate,...
JAPAN
Jan 4, 2003

Business chiefs gloomy on future

More than 90 out of 100 business leaders polled by Kyodo News in December are gloomy about the nation's future, saying the economy has either stalled or is deteriorating.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Jan 3, 2003

LDP eyes age limit in quest for new blood

Older lawmakers of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party may be feeling particularly jittery as speculation of an early dissolution of the Lower House for a snap election circulates in Nagata-cho.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Jan 1, 2003

Okuda offers economic solution: substantially raise sales tax

Hiroshi Okuda, chairman of the Japan Business Federation (Nippon Keidanren), thinks he has a cure for the sick economy, but consumers aren't likely to enjoy his bitter medicine.
COMMENTARY
Dec 30, 2002

Missiles challenge diplomac

Defense chief Shigeru Ishiba's rash remarks regarding a joint Japan-U.S. missile defense project deviate from Tokyo's official defense policy and could give the impression that Japan is advancing the bilateral initiative beyond research to the development stage.
MORE SPORTS
Dec 27, 2002

New league to start in September

A new Japan rugby league featuring 12 corporate teams will kick off in September next year, Japan Rugby Football Union officials said Wednesday.
EDITORIALS
Dec 24, 2002

Afghan revival depends on security

Sunday marked the first anniversary of the establishment of an interim government in Afghanistan following the collapse of the Islamic fundamentalist Taliban regime. Earlier this month, Mr. Hamid Karzai, head of the transitional government that took over from an interim administration in June, noted...
COMMENTARY
Dec 16, 2002

Highways amid the shambles

In its final report submitted Dec. 6, Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's advisory commission for privatizing four road-related public corporations called for a halt to runaway highway construction. The report warns against the "triangle of collusion" among "road tribe" legislators, related bureaucrats...
COMMENTARY / World
Dec 14, 2002

No surprise tourism suffers

LOS ANGELES -- The government plan to privatize Narita airport in 2004 is welcome news to international travelers who know what good travel service is. The plan, which also includes a halt to building new airports, upgrading existing airports and improving customer service, could go a long way toward...
SOCCER / World cup
Dec 8, 2002

Man United director Charlton has no complaints

England and Manchester United legend, Sir Bobby Charlton, is confident that his English Premiership club is back on track after last year's trophyless season despite its problems so far this season.
BASKETBALL / NBA / NBA REPORT
Dec 5, 2002

Pierce, Walker can forget about Athens

NEW YORK -- Like teammate Paul Pierce (and Baron Davis), Antoine Walker has no chance of being asked to play on the 2004 U.S. Olympic team. Taunting Larry Brown last season, among other coaches, has come back to haunt him.
EDITORIALS
Dec 4, 2002

IOC stumbles but moves forward

The International Olympic Committee, at a general meeting in Mexico last week, discussed a proposal to drop three sports -- baseball, softball and the modern pentathlon -- from the 2008 Beijing Games, but in the end decided to postpone a decision until after the 2004 Games take place in Athens. IOC members...
Japan Times
COMMUNITY
Dec 1, 2002

Tapping into the future of wireless communication

In late 2001, domestic heavyweight NTT DoCoMo, flying high on the popularity of its i-mode mobile Web service, launched the world's first ultrahigh-speed, "third-generation" wireless network.
JAPAN
Nov 30, 2002

Law education bills enacted by Diet

The Diet on Friday enacted into law two bills aimed at improving the system for educating legal professionals.
BUSINESS
Nov 30, 2002

Ministry to prop up sinking Kansai airport

To save debt-ridden Kansai International Airport Co., the Land, Infrastructure and Transport Ministry has drawn up a bailout plan to provide the semipublic airport operator with about 9 billion yen in subsidies a year and offer government guarantees on short-term bonds to be issued by the company.

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