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EDITORIALS
Nov 11, 2001

Space station blues -- again

This month marks a milestone for the International Space Station. As of Nov. 2, there had been a continuous human presence on the orbiting lab-in-progress for exactly one year. Besides the three crews that have successively called it home, 14 spacecraft had visited. Eighteen space walks had been carried...
COMMENTARY / World
Nov 6, 2001

Economies threaten credibility of euro

LONDON -- Ever since the common currency began to take shape in the mid-1990s, there has been a latent conflict between politicians in the euro zone and the guardians of the monetary stability pact in Frankfurt and Brussels. This autumn the politicians insist publicly that they stand four-square with...
BUSINESS
Nov 2, 2001

Bank shareholding bill clears hurdle

The House of Representatives approved at a plenary session Thursday a bill aimed at limiting Japanese banks' shareholdings and creating a stock-buying body designed to absorb a portion of such holdings.
BUSINESS
Oct 25, 2001

Key panel pushes for 27% cut in public works spending

A key government panel chaired by Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi believes spending on public works projects should be cut by 27 percent over the next five years, according to the draft of a fiscal policy proposal obtained Wednesday by Kyodo News.
JAPAN
Oct 22, 2001

Full text of Shanghai Accord

Following is the full text of the Shanghai Accord adopted Sunday by leaders of the 21-member Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum after their two-day summit in Shanghai.
BUSINESS
Oct 18, 2001

Moody's eyes JBIC's Aa2 bonds

Moody's Investors Service Inc. assigned an Aa2 rating Wednesday to two types of yen-denominated domestic bonds newly issued by the Japan Bank for International Cooperation. At the same time, however, it placed the ratings under review for possible downgrade.
BUSINESS
Oct 11, 2001

NKK venture set to test viability of alternative to LPG

Steel maker NKK Corp. said Wednesday it will set up a venture with seven other firms to research the feasibility of producing dimethyl ether, a clean fuel that can be used as an alternative to liquefied petroleum gas.
JAPAN
Sep 27, 2001

NASDA clears second woman for space travel

The National Space Development Agency of Japan formally certified Naoko Sumino as an astronaut Wednesday, paving the way for her to go to the International Space Station, due to be completed in 2006.
BUSINESS
Sep 20, 2001

Bill limits banks' shareholdings

The Financial Services Agency drafted a bill Wednesday to limit banks' shareholdings to the net worth of their capital.
BUSINESS
Sep 19, 2001

Matsushima to reduce coal output

Matsushima Coal Mining Co., operator of one of the nation's two remaining coal mines, has told authorities it plans to cut its annual output of 1.2 million tons to 400,000 tons, company sources said Tuesday.
BUSINESS
Sep 5, 2001

Sony to issue 150 billion yen in bonds

Sony Corp. said Tuesday it plans to raise 150 billion yen -- 100 billion yen in five-year domestic bonds and 50 billion yen in 10-year domestic bonds.
JAPAN
Aug 29, 2001

Isahaya reclamation project faces review

An ongoing reclamation project in Isahaya Bay, Nagasaki Prefecture, will have to be scaled down as the current plan "is unrealistic to pursue," farm minister Tsutomu Takebe said Tuesday.
JAPAN
Aug 28, 2001

70 billion yen sought to launch spy satellites

The government is seeking 70.7 billion yen from the fiscal 2002 state budget to launch its first spy satellites, government officials said Monday.
JAPAN
Aug 28, 2001

Water quality efforts urged for Isahaya Bay reclamation

The Environment Ministry on Monday called for an improvement in waste water processing and water quality in Nagasaki Prefecture's Isahaya Bay ahead of the completion of a controversial land reclamation project.
JAPAN
Aug 21, 2001

Accuracy of cedar pollen data to get boost

The Forestry Agency will create a nationwide system to more accurately forecast cedar pollen counts to help people with allergies be more prepared.
BUSINESS
Aug 11, 2001

Study on advanced safety cars to focus on human error

The transport ministry will launch a study as early as next month on measures to prevent accidents involving advanced safety vehicles stemming from overconfident users, ministry officials said Friday.
BUSINESS
Aug 4, 2001

Daikyo, Mori Trust to set up high-quality condo sales unit

Leading condominium builder Daikyo Inc. will establish a joint venture with Mori Trust Co. to sell high-quality condominiums in Tokyo's downtown areas, Daikyo said Friday.
EDITORIALS
Jul 25, 2001

Missing the target on small arms

A United Nations conference last weekend approved a historic agreement to fight global trafficking in small arms. Despite years of preparation, agreement hinged on last-minute negotiations, largely to meet U.S. objections. Fortunately, delegates understood the magnitude of the problem and put progress...
JAPAN
Jun 22, 2001

Cooperation critical to reform of legal system, Yasuoka says

The key to successfully overhauling the nation's legal system lies in the extent to which the nation's top judicial circles can work with each other toward that goal, according to former Justice Minister Okiharu Yasuoka.
BUSINESS
Jun 16, 2001

FSA gives eBank preliminary OK

The Financial Services Agency on Friday granted a preliminary banking license to eBank Corp., making it the nation's third Internet-based bank, the agency said.
JAPAN
Jun 13, 2001

Long road ahead for planned judicial reform

Following Tuesday's proposals by the Judicial Reform Council, which came after two years of strenuous deliberations, attention has shifted to how the government will introduce the sweeping changes in cooperation with judicial parties.
JAPAN
Jun 13, 2001

Major legal reform handed to Koizumi

The Judicial Reform Council on Tuesday submitted its final report to Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, calling for an overhaul of the nation's legal system — the first of its kind under the postwar Constitution — to get in step with an era of rapid socioeconomic changes.
JAPAN
May 22, 2001

Judicial reform panel calls for more lawyers, jury system, faster trials

The Judicial Reform Council released on Monday a draft of its final report on structural legal reforms, calling for more lawyers and better public access to them, more public participation in the judiciary, and juries whose decisions would be nonbinding.
BUSINESS
May 19, 2001

Meager gains in premiums precede mergers of insurers

Increased competition saw premium revenue rise only incrementally at Japan's largest property insurance companies, according to fiscal 2000 earnings reports released Friday.
BUSINESS
May 15, 2001

Bridge authority may get 800 billion yen lifeline

The Transport Ministry is sounding out local governments invested in the Honshu-Shikoku Bridge Authority about investing for 10 more years, which would use 800 billion yen more in local taxpayer money to keep the loss-making facility afloat, ministry officials said Monday.

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