Search - 2005

 
 
Japan Times
JAPAN / SCHOOLS OF THOUGHT
Mar 30, 2004

Universities face brave new world of autonomy, competition

The academic year that begins Thursday will mark a new era for national universities, which will be cut loose from the fetters of the education ministry and gain independent administrative institution status.
Japan Times
Features
Mar 28, 2004

Barenboim Project to 'strip' Beethoven

The 32 piano sonatas that Beethoven composed between 1799 and 1824, including some of his most recognized works like the "Moonlight" and "Appassionata" sonatas, are often considered among the German composer's finest and most personal musical achievements.
COMMENTARY / World
Mar 27, 2004

Tony Blair loses his touch

LONDON -- When he led the reformed British Labour Party to two overwhelming general election victories in 1997 and 2001, Tony Blair epitomized a new political generation that would sweep away both the cobwebs of traditional socialist policy and the increasingly incoherent, sleaze-tainted performance...
BUSINESS
Mar 26, 2004

Net firm admits '03 data leak may affect 1.4 million clients

ACCA Networks Co., a high-speed Internet-access wholesaler, confirmed Thursday that information on some of its customers has been leaked, adding that the leak, which apparently occurred about a year ago, may involve data on about 1.4 million people.
BUSINESS
Mar 25, 2004

JAL hoping for revival with JAS under its wing

The Iraq war and the outbreak of SARS have dealt a severe blow to Japan Airlines System Corp., the holding company of Japan Airlines Co. and Japan Air System Co.
BUSINESS
Mar 25, 2004

Broadcasters set to offer digital services for mobile phones

Japan Broadcasting Corp. (NHK) and five private broadcasters said Wednesday they will start offering terrestrial digital broadcasting services for mobile phones by the end of fiscal 2005, marking the first such venture in history.
BUSINESS
Mar 24, 2004

Hitachi PDA uses five-hour fuel cell

Hitachi Ltd. said Tuesday it has developed a prototype personal digital assistant powered by a fuel cell that runs for about five hours.
BUSINESS
Mar 23, 2004

JR East Suica card now used for shopping, dining

Holders of the latest version of East Japan Railway Co.'s Suica electronic train fare cards can now use them for shopping and dining at JR stations.
EDITORIALS
Mar 18, 2004

Burden of the Kanebo bailout

Following weeks of tortuous bailout talks that put the notion of corporate governance to shame, the government's Industrial Revitalization Corp., or IRC, last week unveiled a huge rescue package for Kanebo Ltd., the troubled cosmetics firm that has looked like a rudderless ship all the while. What lies...
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Mar 18, 2004

Preventive-care firms lift operations in response to graying population

Care-related firms are trying to expand operations aimed at preventing the physical and mental deterioration of people insured for nursing care, in line with the government's plan to reform the nursing-care insurance system in fiscal 2005.
BUSINESS
Mar 18, 2004

UFJ Bank head denies data coverup

UFJ Bank President Masashi Teranishi denied Wednesday that the bank covered up the financial health of borrowers before the government launched probes into the major banking group.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Art
Mar 17, 2004

A 'kitchen sink' filled deep

Strange, but true: These days, the chance of seeing a quality Japanese "kitchen sink" (domestic) drama about ordinary people's everyday lives is rarer than the opportunity of watching yet another reworking of Shakespeare, Chekhov or Tennessee Williams. Now, though, and until the end of the month, theatergoers...
BUSINESS
Mar 17, 2004

Guinness to honor Toshiba hard drive

Toshiba Corp. said Tuesday that its 0.85-inch hard disk drive has been certified as the smallest in the world and will be included in the 2005 edition of the Guinness Book of Records to be published in September.
BUSINESS
Mar 17, 2004

Nissan sets up sales affiliate ahead of South Korea foray

Nissan Motor Co. has set up a wholly owned sales company in South Korea in preparation for its bid to enter that market in mid-2005, a Nissan spokeswoman said Tuesday.
BUSINESS
Mar 16, 2004

Ito-Yokado to open China supermarket

Ito-Yokado Co. will reportedly open a supermarket in Beijing by spring 2005 together with a local retailer and might open several more in China.
JAPAN
Mar 13, 2004

Agency's use of pension funds for checkups raises eyebrows

The Social Insurance Agency tapped into Japan's cash-strapped, state-run pension system and health insurance plans to pay for 370 million yen in medical checkups for its own employees in fiscal 2003 and 2004, it was learned Friday.
BUSINESS
Mar 13, 2004

Key business lobby floats FTA panel

The Japan Business Federation (Nippon Keidanren) proposed Friday the creation of a strategy panel headed by Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi and a special ministerial post to promote economic collaboration with East Asian economies, including the conclusion of free-trade agreements.
BUSINESS
Mar 13, 2004

Metro bank eyes nonguarantee loans

A new bank that the Tokyo Metropolitan Government plans to open next year might extend loans to small and midsize companies without requiring personal guarantees from their owners, Tokyo officials said Friday.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Mar 12, 2004

Toyota trumpets walking robots

Toyota Motor Corp. unveiled four humanoid robot prototypes Thursday, some of which can walk and play the trumpet.
EDITORIALS
Mar 11, 2004

A historic day for Iraq

After a weeklong delay, Iraq's Governing Council has agreed to a new constitution for their country. The signing of the document marks a historic moment for Iraq. It establishes a framework for democratic self-government and safeguards individual rights. The transition from dictatorship to democracy...
JAPAN
Mar 10, 2004

Municipal merger law to be updated

The Cabinet endorsed three bills Tuesday to update legislation to promote mergers of local administrations.
JAPAN
Mar 10, 2004

Cabinet OKs highway privatization plan

The Cabinet endorsed contentious legislation Tuesday aimed at privatizing the nation's four expressway corporations.
JAPAN
Mar 9, 2004

LDP to submit bill on constitutional reform

The Liberal Democratic Party plans to submit to the current Diet session a bill aimed at effecting a referendum on constitutional reform, senior LDP lawmakers said Monday.
BUSINESS
Mar 9, 2004

Fujitsu-Hitachi venture to boost plasma display output

A joint venture between electronics makers Fujitsu and Hitachi will build a new plant for plasma display panels in southwestern Japan to cope with rising demand for PDPs in flat-panel TVs and public information monitors, the company said Monday.
BUSINESS / JAPANESE PERSPECTIVES
Mar 8, 2004

Speed key to making most of new tax pact

On Feb. 27, a new Japanese-U.S. treaty on taxation was finally submitted to the Diet for ratification by the legislature. The treaty, if approved, will make dividends and royalties earned by U.S. subsidiaries in which the Japanese parent firm has a stake of more than 50 percent tax-free, doing away with...
Japan Times
COMMUNITY
Mar 6, 2004

'Tokyo Stories' wittily points up the expat scene

Two years ago, as a balance to researching and writing up projects for financial institutions in the U.S. and preparing reports for fund managers in Japan, Christine Cunanan-Miki began a novel -- a series of interrelated tales about expats in Tokyo.
Japan Times
LIFE / Travel / THEN AND NOW
Mar 5, 2004

Doing the business in old Edo style

The 1830s woodblock print by Hasegawa Settan shown here depicts Surugacho, now in the neighborhood of the Mitsukoshi department store one block north of Nihonbashi Bridge in the center of Tokyo. Rendered with excellent visual accuracy, it seems to be humming in praise of the wealth and prosperity of...

Longform

Visitors walk past Sou Fujimoto's Grand Ring, which has been recognized as the largest wooden structure in the world.
Can a World Expo still matter? Japan is about to find out.