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JAPAN
Aug 25, 2001

Japan's public schools grow more violent

A record 40,374 cases of violence were reported at public schools across Japan in the school year ending in March, the education ministry said Friday.
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / JAPAN LITE
Aug 25, 2001

The way of using a Japanese-style toilet

The Western-style toilet in my house has illustrated instructions on the lid. For boys, it shows a picture of a man standing facing the toilet. For girls, it shows a picture of a girl sitting on the toilet. The man looks more like he is waiting for the bus, and the girl looks more like she's waiting...
JAPAN
Aug 25, 2001

Envoys to Kenya rapped for false claims

The Foreign Ministry, already plagued by several money scandals, took punitive measures Friday against three officials at its embassy in Kenya for making false claims about their housing and other allowances.
JAPAN
Aug 25, 2001

Honeymooner, 34, dies in Singapore

A newlywed Japanese man suddenly collapsed and died in Singapore on Wednesday, the last day of his honeymoon, officials said Friday.
BUSINESS
Aug 25, 2001

Extra budget needed, says policy chief

Kazuo Kitagawa, the New Komeito policy chief, said Friday an extra budget worth 5 trillion yen to 6 trillion yen is needed for the current fiscal year to help buoy the faltering economy.
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / PERSONALITY PROFILE
Aug 25, 2001

Kikumi Nakamura

The twists and turns that her life has taken have given Kikumi Nakamura a range of experiences that, early on, were steeped in the very traditional. Through circumstances and her own wit, she operates today at a prominent level in a contemporary milieu. "I've had many difficulties and crises, but my...
BUSINESS
Aug 25, 2001

Subsidy for new Tokyo-Narita railway to increase

The transport ministry said Friday it plans to drastically increase government subsidies for a new high-speed railway linking central Tokyo and Narita airport in its budgetary requests for the fiscal year starting next April.
JAPAN / 50 YEARS SINCE SAN FRANCISCO
Aug 25, 2001

Focus sharpens on Japan-U.S. economic relations

Staff writer While Japan and the United States exited the 20th century as the world's two largest economic powers, Tokyo and Washington had little to celebrate when they crossed the threshold into the new century.
BUSINESS
Aug 25, 2001

Itochu, Marubeni units to merge

Itochu Corp. and Marubeni Corp. said Friday they will merge their trading subsidiaries dealing in steel construction materials on equal terms on Oct. 1, simultaneous to the integration of their steel businesses.
EDITORIALS
Aug 24, 2001

ODA also needs reform

Japan's official development assistance is expected to be reduced by 10 percent in fiscal 2002 as part of Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's program of "structural reform with no sacred cows." According to the budget outlines announced earlier this month, ODA will be cut by 100 billion yen from the current...
JAPAN
Aug 24, 2001

Guilty pleas entered in octopus scam

Three former officials of Maruha Corp., the top seafood producer in the nation, pleaded guilty Thursday to charges of evading customs duties at their first hearing held in the Tokyo District Court.
JAPAN / PRIVATIZING PAINS
Aug 24, 2001

Scrapping housing loan entity said threat to low-income ranks

Kyodo News A proposal by the Cabinet's administrative reform headquarters asking Government Housing Loan Corp. to effective stop extending new loans is meeting stiff opposition from the Land, Infrastructure and Transport Ministry, promising heated debate toward the end of the year.
JAPAN
Aug 24, 2001

'Two plus two' to get bilateral defense plan

A report on mutual cooperation planning under updated 1997 Japan-U.S. defense guidelines will be submitted to a bilateral defense meeting in New York next month, according to Lt. Gen. Paul Hester, commander of the United States Forces Japan.
JAPAN
Aug 24, 2001

New robot skis freestyle, does stunts

A group led by a Japanese engineering professor said Thursday it has developed a robot that can perform freestyle skiing and associated aerial stunts such as midair somersaults and twists.
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Aug 24, 2001

Even a single drop of beauty can ripple the soul

It was about the middle of September, and I was far from home.
LIFE / Lifestyle / JET STREAM
Aug 24, 2001

Brazilian scores with high school soccer

Akita Prefecture has traditionally been famous for its rice. But, in recent years, the quality of young soccer talent coming out of the area's high schools has caught the media spotlight.
BUSINESS
Aug 24, 2001

Road-building demands down

The Land, Infrastructure and Transport Ministry plans to seek 479 billion yen for the construction of toll roads and highways in the fiscal 2002 budget, about 7 percent less that this year's budget, ministry sources said Thursday.
BUSINESS
Aug 24, 2001

Job losses sure to increase: Koizumi

Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi said Thursday that Japan's unemployment rate will inevitably rise as a result of his economic structural reform agenda.
JAPAN
Aug 24, 2001

Domestic violence shelters to see rise in number of counselors

The government plans to provide better support for victims of domestic violence by dispatching psychotherapists to shelters and women's centers across the country from April, according to health ministry sources.
JAPAN
Aug 24, 2001

New stalking law brings 66 arrests and 453 warnings

Police nationwide arrested 66 people over violations of the antistalking law between November, when it took effect, and the end of May, the National Police Agency said Thursday.
JAPAN
Aug 24, 2001

Unemployment rate for July seen hitting 5%

Japan's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate is certain to hit 5 percent in an official report for July due out next week, government sources said Thursday.
BUSINESS
Aug 24, 2001

BOJ fights for time in battle over fake inflation

Bank of Japan Gov. Masaru Hayami said Thursday that the central bank will continue to study inflation targeting but that it has qualms about achieving price levels at the expense of prudence.
COMMENTARY
Aug 24, 2001

The time for talking is over

LONDON -- Too much has been expected from Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, but that is partly his own fault. There seems to have been too much "spin" and too little action. Time is not on his side as the Japanese economy splutters.
JAPAN
Aug 24, 2001

Security alliance redefined after end of Cold War

Staff writer In August 1990, when then Prime Minister Toshiki Kaifu telephoned U.S. President George Bush to offer a $1 billion contribution to the U.S.-led multinational forces in the Persian Gulf, Bush offered a disappointed-sounding "Thank you" before hanging up.

Longform

Bear attacks have dominated Japanese news headlines in recent months, with 13 people so far having been killed by the animals.
Japan’s bears have been on their killing spree for more than 100 years