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BUSINESS
Sep 7, 2006

Insurers covering more suicide debt

There were 3,649 cases of suicide in fiscal 2005 that resulted in the person's consumer loan debts being paid off by their life insurance companies, the Financial Services Agency said Wednesday.
BASEBALL / MLB
Sep 6, 2006

MLB-NPB series set for November

To win the World Baseball Classic, Team Japan had to cross the Pacific Ocean and play in major league parks. Now the major leaguers are going to return the favor.
BASEBALL / Japanese Baseball
Sep 6, 2006

MLB-NPB series set for November start

Major League Baseball has a black eye of sorts, and Ryan Howard is going to make it all better.
JAPAN
Sep 6, 2006

Abe expresses intent to revise Constitution to exercise collective defense

Chief Cabinet Secretary Shinzo Abe, all but certain to be the next prime minister, again expressed on Tuesday his strong ambition to revise the pacifist Constitution and maintain the right to exercise collective defense on specific occasions.
JAPAN
Sep 6, 2006

Legal reforms changing nation's courts

, we now have to carefully narrow them down to 10, and the points of argument from 20 to five," said Kunihiko Sakai, a prosecutor with the Supreme Public Prosecutors Office, which is overseeing the changes. "For more than 50 years, we took it for granted that the judges will read everything we submit,...
JAPAN
Sep 6, 2006

Nakasone proposes Japan consider nuclear weapons

Former Prime Minister Yasuhiro Nakasone said Tuesday that Japan needs to consider developing nuclear weapons, taking into account the presence of nearby nuclear states and the uncertain future of the alliance with the United States.
EDITORIALS
Sep 6, 2006

Kurds put the fear in Turkey

Kurdish militants have launched a campaign to "turn Turkey into hell." A series of bombings by the Kurdistan Freedom Falcons (KFF) is part of a larger campaign to secure more autonomy from the Turkish government and the eventual creation of an independent Kurdish state. That ambition is not only opposed...
JAPAN
Sep 6, 2006

Witness testifies Livedoor doctored earnings with shady stock trades

A key prosecution witness testified Tuesday that Internet company Livedoor Co. doctored its earnings by selling and buying its own stock, as the trial of its former president, Takafumi Horie, entered its second day.
BUSINESS
Sep 6, 2006

Oji Paper declares bid for Hokuetsu is a bust

Top papermaker Oji Paper Co. made it official Tuesday that it has failed in a hostile takeover bid for Hokuetsu Paper Mills Ltd.
JAPAN
Sep 6, 2006

Diet nod on next leader faces delay

It looks as though the nation will have to wait a little longer than expected for its new prime minister.
JAPAN
Sep 6, 2006

Private firms OK'd for public services

The Cabinet approved plans Tuesday to allow both private and public entities to bid for public services projects, officials said.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Sep 6, 2006

Question of next prime minister still taxing issue

Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi succeeded in shrinking the political pork barrel by privatizing the powerful post office monopoly and weaning politicians from their heavy reliance on public works to boost the economy.
BUSINESS
Sep 6, 2006

Paper makers race to raise output in wake of failed Oji bid

Oji Paper Co. abandoned its bid to take over Hokuetsu Paper Mills Ltd. after an alliance was formed against it, forcing the company to change its strategy and giving rise to fears of a glut in the paper market.
Japan Times
ENVIRONMENT / OLD NIC'S NOTEBOOK
Sep 6, 2006

Tree of the Baskervilles

I was in Britain from July 6 to July 13 this summer, and on the Saturday of July 8, my companions and I stayed at Baskerville Hall just outside Hay-on-Wye, a beautiful and very historic little town in the Welsh county of Powys on the border with England.
JAPAN
Sep 6, 2006

31% of health centers not ready for bioterrorism

Thirty-one percent of public health centers nationwide do not have teams that can deal with bioterrorism and 26 percent do not have guidelines on how to deal with such an attack despite being required by the government, the government said Tuesday.
COMMENTARY / World
Sep 6, 2006

Concept of war on terror plagued by weaknesses

PRAGUE -- Israel's failure to subdue Hezbollah demonstrates the many weaknesses of the war-on-terror concept. One weakness is that even if the targets are terrorists, the victims are often innocent civilians, and their suffering reinforces the terrorist cause. In response to Hezbollah's attacks, Israel...
JAPAN
Sep 6, 2006

'Nagai Sanpo' wins big in Montreal

The film "Nagai Sanpo" ("A Long Walk") has won the Grand Prix at the Montreal World Film Festival, the film's distributor said Tuesday.
BUSINESS
Sep 6, 2006

Tax panel scraps report that takes Tanigaki's tack

Ignoring the objections of some members, the government's Tax Commission canceled publication of a midterm report on tax issues for the first time since the tax panel was launched in the late 1950s, admitting Tuesday the decision was influenced by political considerations.
JAPAN
Sep 6, 2006

Princess Kiko's third child will shape succession debate

Princess Kiko, the wife of Prince Akishino, will give birth by Caesarean section to her third child on Wednesday morning.
COMMENTARY
Sep 6, 2006

Japan fishing for trouble with Russia

In a recent Sunday TV talk program, commentator, writer and former Japanese Cabinet minister Taiichi Sakaiya queried Foreign Minister Taro Aso about the recent incident involving the Russian capture of a Japanese fishing boat. The boat was caught poaching in Russian-controlled waters near the Habomai...
JAPAN
Sep 6, 2006

Two executives held for Fukushima bid-rigging

Prosecutors have arrested the head of a construction equipment firm and purported supporter of Fukushima Gov. Eisaku Sato on suspicion he rigged the bidding on a prefectural contract to build a road and sewage system.
JAPAN
Sep 6, 2006

U.S., Japan to take action on Pyongyang resolution

The chief U.S. negotiator on North Korea said Tuesday he and Japanese officials have reaffirmed their nations' cooperation in fully implementing through "concrete action" a U.N. resolution to prevent Pyongyang from conducting more missile tests.
Japan Times
BASEBALL / Japanese Baseball
Sep 6, 2006

Valentine critical of All-Star Series

CHIBA -- It was no accident that the announcement of the MLB-NPB All-Star Series came later in the year than it ever has.
BUSINESS
Sep 6, 2006

Canadian to run PR at Takefuji

Major consumer loan firm Takefuji Corp. has installed Canadian Christine Lavoie-Gagnon as head of its public relations section to capitalize on her international experience, company officials said.
SUMO
Sep 5, 2006

Lights, camera, action -- 'Hakuho for Yokozuna' -- Take II!

September's Aki Basho approaches and as was the case prior to Nagoya in July, with it comes the talk of how Mongolian ozeki Hakuho will fare; whether or not he'll be performing the yokozuna dohyo-iri alongside yokozuna Asashoryu at the next tournament.

Longform

Mount Fuji is considered one of Japan's most iconic symbols and is a major draw for tourists. It's still a mountain, though, and potential hikers need to properly prepare for any climb.
What it takes to save lives on Mount Fuji