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JAPAN
Dec 5, 1997

Hashimoto plan backs review of public works projects

Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto introduced plans Friday for a new system of review for public works projects designed to reduce government spending and suspend or terminate projects that no longer meet public needs, government officials said.
JAPAN
Dec 5, 1997

Defense Agency seeks more worthy English title

Even though the Defense Agency failed to win ministerial status under Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto's new administrative reform plan, agency chief Fumio Kyuma says his agency at least deserves a more worthy English title to allow him to save face when meeting foreign counterparts.
JAPAN
Dec 3, 1997

JR firms refuse to shoulder larger part of debts

The presidents of seven Japan Railway group companies turned down a Transport Ministry request Tuesday to bear a larger share of the pension costs for former Japanese National Railways employees.
JAPAN
Nov 25, 1997

Muraoka defends Finance over broker's collapse

Chief Cabinet Secretary Kanezo Muraoka defended the Finance Ministry on Tuesday over the collapse of Yamaichi Securities Co., saying it would have been impossible for ministry officials to discover the brokerage had been conducting irregular, off-the-book trading.
JAPAN
Nov 20, 1997

Use of public funds considered for clearing up loan mess

Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto instructed the Liberal Democratic Party on Thursday to consider using public funds to clear up the nation's bad loan mess, a proposal welcomed by a rally on the Tokyo Stock Exchange.
JAPAN
Nov 17, 1997

Think tank backs Okinawa 2005 free trade zone plan

The government should accept a proposal made earlier this month by the Okinawa Prefectural Government to turn the prefecture into a free trade zone by around 2005, a public think tank recommended Monday.
JAPAN
Nov 6, 1997

Business execs urged to cut links to 'sokaiya'

Chief Cabinet Secretary Kanezo Muraoka called on representatives of business organizations Thursday to make firm resolutions to cut all ties with "sokaiya" corporate extortionists.
JAPAN
Nov 6, 1997

Bill to reduce the deficit clears the Lower House

A plenary session of the Lower House passed a government-proposed fiscal reform bill Thursday that will use wide-ranging measures to set reduction targets for key budget areas to slash the deficit.
JAPAN
Nov 4, 1997

Big Four to contribute 20 billion yen to Sanyo safety fund

The nation's four largest brokerage houses are expected to contribute 20 billion yen to a securities safety fund so clients of bankrupt Sanyo Securities Co. can withdraw assets from the failed firm, sources said Tuesday.
JAPAN
Nov 4, 1997

Rengo requests 2 trillion yen tax cut

The Japanese Trade Union Confederation (Rengo) submitted a request Tuesday for a 2 trillion yen income tax reduction and other measures to three opposition parties and two small non-Cabinet allies of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party.
JAPAN
Oct 31, 1997

Tokyo pressuring states before COP3

Japan will take every diplomatic opportunity to narrow differences over greenhouse gas emissions targets to ensure the upcoming COP3 international global warming conference in Kyoto does not fail, Chief Cabinet Secretary Kanezo Muraoka said Friday.
JAPAN
Oct 30, 1997

Muraoka shoves ministries toward deregulation

Chief Cabinet Secretary Kanezo Muraoka pressed 12 ministries Thursday to work harder to swiftly compile deregulatory measures to boost the economy.
JAPAN
Oct 30, 1997

Names released of wives visiting from North Korea

The government on Thursday released the names of 15 Japanese women living in North Korea who next month will be allowed to visit their homeland for the first time in roughly four decades.
JAPAN
Oct 29, 1997

Tokyo plans emissions meeting to scrabble up support ahead of Kyoto

Tokyo plans emissions meeting to scrabble up support ahead of Kyoto>The government is planning to hold a two-day international meeting beginning Nov. 8 in Tokyo as part of efforts to form an international consensus on a reduction target for greenhouse gas emissions, Chief Cabinet Secretary Kanezo Muraoka...
JAPAN
Oct 24, 1997

Lawmakers seek meeting with Kim Jong Il

Representatives from the ruling Liberal Democratic Party and its two non-Cabinet allies expressed their wish Oct. 24 to meet with Kim Jong Il, general secretary of North Korea's ruling Korean Workers' Party, when their delegation visits Pyongyang in mid-November.Hiromu Nonaka, acting secretary general...
JAPAN
Oct 23, 1997

Japan disappointed with U.S. emissions plan

Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto indicated Oct. 23 that the U.S. proposal for cuts in greenhouse gas emissions is too lenient.Environment Agency chief Hiroshi Oki, who is scheduled to chair the Kyoto global-warming conference in December, said it would be difficult to build an international consensus...
JAPAN
Oct 22, 1997

DPJ leader wants SDP, Sakigake to join in electoral push

Naoto Kan, leader of the Democratic Party of Japan, on Oct. 22 called on the two non-Cabinet allies of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party to break ranks and join an opposition electoral plan.Kan said he will consider cooperating with the two parties in the House of Councilors election next summer,...
JAPAN
Oct 21, 1997

Hashimoto pledges to sign international ban on land mines

Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto pledged Oct. 21 to sign in December an international treaty banning antipersonnel land mines, pushing the government to form a consensus behind him.Hashimoto outlined his position in a meeting with Foreign Minister Keizo Obuchi, Defense Agency chief Fumio Kyuma and Chief...
JAPAN
Oct 21, 1997

Pump-priming package leaves analysts disappointed

The package of pump-priming measures decided Oct. 21 by the ruling Liberal Democratic Party does not seem capable of giving the sluggish economy a quick jolt because it lacks sufficient stimulus targeting personal consumption.Disappointment over the measures forced the benchmark Nikkei average of the...
JAPAN
Oct 20, 1997

North Korea leaders woo ruling alliance

The Liberal Democratic Party and its two smaller non-Cabinet allies received an invitation Oct. 20 from North Korea's ruling party and are expected to send a delegation to North Korea in the near future.Officials of the General Association of Korean Residents in Japan handed the letter of invitation...
JAPAN
Oct 17, 1997

Ministers set to cooperate at COP3 in Kyoto

Four ministers involved in the upcoming international conference on global warming agreed Oct. 17 that they will cooperate closely with each other to make the meeting successful.Chief Cabinet Secretary Kanezo Muraoka said that he and the heads of the Environment Agency and foreign and trade ministries...
JAPAN
Oct 17, 1997

Bulgarian president to visit Nov. 16

Bulgarian President Petar Stoyanov is scheduled to visit Japan from Nov. 16 to 20 as a state guest to discuss bilateral and international issues with Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto, Foreign Ministry officials said Oct. 17.The visit is intended to help strengthen relations between the two nations,...
JAPAN
Oct 16, 1997

Oki to chair Kyoto climate conference

The government plans to recommend Hiroshi Oki, director general of the Environment Agency, as chairman of the forthcoming international conference on global warming, Chief Cabinet Secretary Kanezo Muraoka said Oct. 16.The recommendation is expected to be accepted by participants of the Third Conference...
JAPAN
Oct 14, 1997

Banker takes aim at reluctance to privatize postal savings

Postal savings should be privatized even though the public generally wants the service kept under state control, the head of the commercial banking industry said Oct. 14.Naotaka Saeki, chairman of the Federation of Bankers Associations of Japan, said discussion of postal savings should include the advantages...
JAPAN
Oct 14, 1997

Reported crimes set postwar record; homicides decline

The number of reported crimes in 1996 hit a postwar record of 2.466 million, up about 30,000 from the previous year, according to a Justice Ministry report released Oct. 14.The 1997 white paper on crime, which includes an overview of postwar trends, was submitted to the Cabinet by Justice Minister Kokichi...
JAPAN
Oct 10, 1997

Thailand urged to bolster economy

Top officials of three Japanese banks with close ties to Thailand on Oct. 10 urged the Thai government to continue trying to implement economic measures that would restore global trust in its battered economy.The calls came during the second day of separate meetings between visiting Thai Prime Minister...
JAPAN
Oct 9, 1997

SDP wrapping up details of 2 trillion yen tax cut

The Social Democratic Party said Oct. 9 that it is finalizing details of its proposal for a one-time tax cut of about 2 trillion yen, SDP Secretary General Shigeru Ito said.The party, one of the two non-Cabinet allies of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, will compile its proposal next week as a supplementary...
JAPAN
Oct 9, 1997

Bill to let DIC funds aid bank mergers approved

The Cabinet approved a bill Oct. 9 that would revise the Deposit Insurance Law and allow the use of funds from Deposit Insurance Corp. to aid mergers involving two or more failed financial institutions until the end of fiscal 2000.It would be the second time in as many years for revising the law, highlighting...
JAPAN
Oct 9, 1997

Two Osaka banks to merge next year

OSAKA -- Fukutoku Bank and the Bank of Naniwa, two Osaka-based regional banks suffering from mounting bad loans, announced Oct. 9 they will merge next Oct. 1 to speed up restructuring and strengthen their foothold in the region.The merger is expected to become the first one subject to an expected revision...
JAPAN
Oct 9, 1997

Pyongyang lists names of wives allowed to visit

Japan has received a list from North Korea of Japanese women who will be allowed to make their first homecoming visit to Japan later this month, Chief Cabinet Secretary Kanezo Muraoka said Oct. 9.The names of between 10 and 15 women were tentatively put on the list, which was obtained by the government...

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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.