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SOCCER / J. League / ON THE BALL
Jan 29, 2002

Bellmare looking at more than just soccer

J. League second division club Shonan Bellmare is making a unique challenge to transform itself into a multi-sports organization.
BUSINESS
Jan 29, 2002

Consumer confidence unchanged, but deflation proving popular

Japan's overall consumer confidence in December remained unchanged from September, indicating spending is unlikely to increase soon, a quarterly government survey showed Monday.
COMMENTARY
Jan 29, 2002

Work-sharing accord nears

Amid the prolonged recession, Japanese officials are giving serious consideration to a work-sharing system that has been common in Europe for a long time. Last month, government, labor and management officials held a top-level meeting to discuss the issue under orders from Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi....
COMMENTARY / THE VIEW FROM NEW YORK
Jan 28, 2002

The plastic nature of historic judgment

NEW YORK -- There is something mesmerizing about America's fascination with its own people of prominence, especially presidents. There is an endless stream of biographies, and some become immensely popular.
MORE SPORTS
Jan 28, 2002

Kobe Steel set to face Suntory in rugby final

The 39th All-Japan Rugby Union Championship will be a repeat of the company final following the two semifinals played on Sunday.
JAPAN
Jan 27, 2002

Snow Brand's products taken off menus at schools

OSAKA -- Education boards in Osaka, Nara and Shimane prefectures as well as 10 cities across Japan have decided to remove Snow Brand group products from school meals in the wake of the beef labeling scandal at Snow Brand Food Co., according to a Kyodo News survey.
JAPAN
Jan 27, 2002

Tearful Tanaka holds firm in Afghan talks row

A public spat involving Foreign Minister Makiko Tanaka, senior officials at her ministry and Liberal Democratic Party colleagues has shown no sign of abating, with the minister sticking to her position even as tears welled in her eyes.
JAPAN
Jan 26, 2002

Japanese test low in science knowledge

Japan ranked third from the bottom in scientific knowledge tests conducted last year in Japan, the United States and 12 European nations and compiled by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology.
BUSINESS
Jan 26, 2002

Business leaders push for free-trade pact

Japanese and South Korean Business leaders agreed Friday that the two countries should sign a bilateral free-trade agreement at an early date, providing impetus for both governments to launch a full study on the issue.
JAPAN
Jan 25, 2002

Meiji Life to merge with Yasuda Mutual

Meiji Life Insurance Co. and Yasuda Mutual Life Insurance Co. announced plans Thursday to merge by April 2004, putting the heat on other life insurers to follow suit in a bid to survive share price plunges, cutthroat competition and a decline in policyholders.
BUSINESS
Jan 25, 2002

New 'G-men' to help protect others' treasures

The government has drawn up a package of measures -- including the appointment of a special "G-man" task force -- to fulfill obligations under an international treaty that bans illicit traffic in cultural treasures, government sources said Thursday.
LIFE / Lifestyle / MATTER OF COURSE
Jan 25, 2002

Students sweat out a spell of high pressure

It's been strangely quiet lately in the sixth-grade classrooms at my children's school. When I looked in the other day, nearly half the seats were empty. I couldn't understand why. A flu epidemic? Then I remembered. It's juken season -- entrance examination time.
BUSINESS
Jan 24, 2002

Farm imports drop after dispute ends

Imports of three agricultural products involved in a recently settled trade dispute between Japan and China have dropped simultaneously from year-earlier levels for the first time, according to the latest weekly trade data, the Finance Ministry said Wednesday.
JAPAN
Jan 24, 2002

Site sought for fusion project

The government is expected to soon announce its candidacy to host an international nuclear fusion project, despite the concerns of citizens, lawmakers and scientists about its safety and feasibility.
ENVIRONMENT / OUR PLANET EARTH
Jan 24, 2002

Eco-tours venture into forests and 'forests'

Two weeks ago, this column introduced Stefan Ottomanski as an educator who thrives on uncertainty. However, he is the first to admit that he did not acquire this trait by choice: It is simply a necessity in his classroom.
BUSINESS
Jan 24, 2002

Tertiary activity up after five months

Activity in Japan's tertiary industries rose 1.7 percent in November over the previous month for the first gain in five months, thanks to higher consumer spending on amusement and recreation, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry said Wednesday.
Japan Times
ENVIRONMENT / GARDENS FOR ALL
Jan 24, 2002

Twin peaks offer a double take on plants

The summit of Mount Tsukuba in southern Ibaraki Prefecture has two peaks, one regarded as female and the other as male. Rising to 876 meters, with a shrine on the top dedicated to Izanami no Mikoto, the female creator deity, Nyotaisan is just 6 meters higher than Nantaisan, topped by a shrine to the...
JAPAN
Jan 24, 2002

Iranian foreign minister denies arms-smuggling allegations

Visiting Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi on Wednesday denied Israeli allegations his country tried to smuggle arms on behalf of the Palestinian Authority.
JAPAN
Jan 24, 2002

Snow Brand unit admits to mad cow subsidy scam

Snow Brand Food Co. admitted Wednesday that it misidentified Australian beef as domestic to take advantage of a government subsidy introduced after the mad cow disease outbreak.
BUSINESS
Jan 23, 2002

Koizumi eyes deflation with extra budget

Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi reiterated Tuesday his resolve to avoid a deflationary spiral by compiling a second supplementary budget for fiscal 2001.
JAPAN
Jan 23, 2002

Revisions weighed for laws dealing with attacks, POWs

The government unveiled on Tuesday a blueprint for proposed legislation for dealing with attacks on Japan, including a law to penalize inhumane handling of prisoners of war and injured people, lawmakers of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party said.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Jan 23, 2002

Love always, Janet

The Foreign Correspondents Club of Japan seemed to be an odd choice for Janet Jackson's press conference, not that her being in town for the Japan leg of the "All for You" world tour didn't count as news -- the banquet room was packed with reporters and TV crews. But Jackson isn't the kind of news personality...
BUSINESS
Jan 23, 2002

Drug approved for kidney ailment

OSAKA -- Tanabe Seiyaku Co. said Tuesday its hypertension treatment drug Tanatril has been approved for treatment of diabetic nephropathy, a kidney abnormality.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / THE WRITERS' SPIN
Jan 23, 2002

Consultant wary of 'U.S.-style' info, mutual funds

Hajime Yamazaki must be an enemy of mutual fund companies.
SOCCER / J. League
Jan 23, 2002

Knee forces Nanami to withdraw

Japan and Jubilo Iwata midfielder Hiroshi Nanami has pulled out of the ongoing Japan national team training camp in order to focus on the rehabilitation of his knee, the Japan Football Association announced Tuesday.

Longform

Koichi Tagawa’s diary entry from Aug. 9, 1945, describes the day of the atomic bombing of Nagasaki.
The horrors of Nagasaki, in first person