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BUSINESS
May 10, 2006

Matchmakers to get official image boost in bid to curb falling birthrate

The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry wants to improve the image of matchmaking firms in an effort to promote marriage and reverse the declining birthrate, according to ministry officials.
BUSINESS
May 10, 2006

Disney properties' profit down in '05 due to Aichi Expo

The operator of Tokyo Disneyland said Tuesday it posted a pretax profit of 26.69 billion yen in fiscal 2005, down 13.5 percent, due to the World Exposition in Aichi.
JAPAN / Science & Health / NATURAL SELECTIONS
May 10, 2006

Reappraising the role of damaged DNA

Outside of comic books, when you are exposed to radiation, your DNA is damaged and you get ill. Sometimes very ill: just witness the terrible effects of the radiation released in the Chernobyl nuclear disaster 20 years ago.
BUSINESS
May 10, 2006

Auditor to face FSA sanctions

The government will slap major auditing firm ChuoAoyama PricewaterhouseCoopers with a business suspension order for its accountants' involvement in window-dressing by Kanebo Ltd., Financial Services Minister Kaoru Yosano said Tuesday.
BUSINESS
May 10, 2006

GM to quit selling Opels in Japan, focus on mainstays

General Motors Corp., which has been struggling to revive itself, will stop selling Opel vehicles in Japan, the U.S. automaker's Japanese unit said Tuesday.
BUSINESS
May 10, 2006

Tanigaki displeased with yen's rise

Finance Minister Sadakazu Tanigaki said Tuesday "excessive volatility and disorderly movements" in exchange rates are undesirable for economic growth, in reference to the dollar's sharp fall against the yen.
JAPAN
May 10, 2006

Business lobby presses Koizumi to forgo Yasukuni

In a move indicative of how concerns have grown over the tension between Japan and China, a major business lobby on Tuesday urged Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi to stop his annual visits to Yasukuni Shrine, saying they are the main obstacle to improving relations.
COMMENTARY / World
May 10, 2006

North-South fault line in global politics

On April 28 developing countries voted as a group at the United Nations to shelve management reforms proposed by Secretary General Kofi Annan in the wake of the oil-for-food scandal. Annan had requested more discretion and latitude in hiring, shifting and firing his staff, and controlling the organization's...
SOCCER / World cup
May 9, 2006

Zico set to tap Tamada, Kubo for World Cup

OSAKA-- Keiji Tamada and Tatsuhiko Kubo: Take Two.
SUMO
May 9, 2006

Asashoryu hurts arm in surprise loss

Yokozuna Asashoryu hurt his right arm in a loss to rank-and-filer Wakanosato on the second day of the Summer Grand Sumo Tournament on Monday, raising doubts about whether he will be able to continue at the 15-day meet at Tokyo's Ryogoku Kokugikan.
MORE SPORTS
May 9, 2006

Deep Impact to compete in Arc in France

Deep Impact, last year's Triple Crown winner who made an impressive comeback by winning the 133rd running of the Tenno-sho on April 30, will compete in the prestigious Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe in France in October, trainer Yasuo Ikee said Monday.
EDITORIALS
May 9, 2006

'Enough is enough' in Sri Lanka

So said Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse after yet another round of violence that threatens to end the fragile peace in that country. His exasperation is understandable. The distrust between the two antagonists -- the government of Sri Lanka and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) -- is...
JAPAN
May 9, 2006

Startup carrier for Kansai airport still only in pie in the sky stage

OSAKA -- Moments after takeoff, passengers on "Air Kansai" watch two flight attendants explain the safety procedures in rapid-fire Osaka "manzai" comic dialogue.
JAPAN
May 9, 2006

Income gaps widen among workers in their 30s and 40s

Contrary to government assertions, income gaps among people in their 30s and 40s widened as much as 30 percent in the 15 years through 2002, a review of official income distribution data showed Sunday.
JAPAN
May 9, 2006

Bean diet draws viewer complaints

Tokyo Broadcasting System Inc. has received more than 30 complaints from viewers who suffered nausea or diarrhea after trying a diet aired on one of its TV programs, the company said Monday.
COMMUNITY / How-tos / LIFELINES
May 9, 2006

Home help, Kimigayo, raccoons

Silver centers Viki in Saitama read the first posting about utilizing Silver Center workers and then this past week read that Saitama might have not caught onto the idea yet.
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
May 9, 2006

Hierarchy at work, hiding in underwear drawer

Here's a dating story with a twist: One of my girlfriends had finally started dating a guy she had liked for a long time. She was the one who did the kokuhaku (admission of love), the one who did the calling and messaging, the one who offered to come to his apartment and cook dinner on a Saturday night....
JAPAN
May 9, 2006

Obituary: Banri Namikawa

Banri Namikawa, a photographer who documented the diverse cultures along the Silk Road and other cultural heritage sites, died Sunday of lung cancer at a hospital in Kanagawa Prefecture, his family said. He was 74.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Voices / VIEWS FROM THE STREET
May 9, 2006

What do you think about 'death penalty'?

Daniel Airport rep., 27 In principle, I agree. However, because of the way it's applied, I believe it shouldn't exist. Judges are human and they can make mistakes. To judge someone wrongly and execute them is too big a mistake to make.
Japan Times
LIFE / Lifestyle
May 9, 2006

Universal access -- if you speak Japanese

Despite 2 million foreign residents and calls for internationalization from within, Japan has a long way to go before becoming a multilingual society. The current state of health care is no exception. Be it university hospitals with cutting-edge research facilities or your neighborhood dental clinic,...
BUSINESS
May 9, 2006

Isetan group net profit leaps 48.3%

Department store chain Isetan Co. said Monday its group net profit in fiscal 2005 jumped 48.3 percent from the previous year to 18.71 billion yen due to good sales at the parent company's stores and its overseas arms, as well as the consolidation of Kyushu-based Iwataya Department Co. into its results....
BUSINESS
May 9, 2006

Hanshin board fight seen heating up

The tug of war between Hanshin Electric Railway Co. and its largest shareholder, the Murakami fund, is expected to heat up this week over the selection of Hanshin board members, with a Murakami candidate for the board demanding an explanation from Hanshin for its objection to his candidacy.
JAPAN
May 9, 2006

Estranged boyfriend, 27, admits killing Kobe girl, 16

A 27-year-old man was arrested Monday in connection with the stabbing death of a 16-year-old girl in the parking lot of a convenience store in Nishi Ward, Kobe, earlier in the day.
BUSINESS
May 9, 2006

EU to enforce chemical safety rules next spring

In a move expected to hit Japan's exporters in the pocketbook, the European Union is likely to begin enforcing a new environmental directive next spring that requires manufacturers and importers to ensure the safety of the chemicals they use and to assess their environmental effects, an EU official said...
COMMENTARY / World
May 9, 2006

Iran playing a good game

KUALA LUMPUR -- U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice couldn't possibly have been more accurate when she accused Iran of "playing games" with the international community.
BUSINESS
May 9, 2006

Aiful halts lending as FSA punishment

Consumer lender Aiful Corp. suspended some operations at all of its nearly 1,900 outlets nationwide Monday in line with punishment meted out by the Financial Services Agency for illegal loan-collection tactics.

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