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BASKETBALL
Mar 8, 2006

Kimura thinks outside the box as chairman of new hoop circuit

As the bj-league representative and president of Invoice inc., Ikuo Kimura draws a clear line from the conventional sports chairpeople and directors.
BASEBALL / Japanese Baseball
Mar 8, 2006

Central League to add playoffs

Japan's Central League decided Tuesday to introduce postseason playoffs next year to help boost sagging attendance, following the success of the Pacific League.
SUMO
Mar 8, 2006

Tochiazuma or Hakuho to shine in Osaka?

Just four days off now, the March 12th to 26th Haru Basho looks like being the make or break tournament for Tochiazuma of Tamanoi Beya in Tokyo's Adachi-ku.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Mar 8, 2006

High levels of mercury found in beached whales

About a dozen melon-headed whales that recently beached in Chiba Prefecture and died had mercury concentrations some 10 times higher than the level the government considers acceptable, a study showed Tuesday.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Mar 8, 2006

Another architect fakes design strength

Five Sapporo condominium complexes have been confirmed to have been built with faked earthquake-resistance data, the land ministry said Tuesday, and the city is investigating 28 more buildings the architect who compiled the data has said are not sufficiently quake-proof.
EDITORIALS
Mar 8, 2006

On the brink of civil war

The destruction of the Askariya Shrine in Samarra has brought Iraq to the brink of civil war. Hundreds of lives have been lost in sectarian violence following the bombing of the Shiite house of worship. The divisions in the country have never been clearer. There is hope, however, that the sheer revulsion...
JAPAN
Mar 8, 2006

Realignment of U.S. forces to be done no matter what

Japan will finalize an accord with the United States in early April on realigning U.S. forces in Japan, effectively shelving efforts to gain the unlikely endorsement of local-level authorities for the changes, government sources said Tuesday.
JAPAN
Mar 8, 2006

Hostage beheaded in Iraq 'not tortured'

BAGHDAD (Kyodo) The Iraqi man who has confessed to executing a hostage Japanese backpacker in 2004 said Monday that Shosei Koda was not tortured during his captivity.
JAPAN
Mar 8, 2006

Can Do chain pulls jewelry over lead risk

The operator of the Can Do 100-yen discount store chain pulled imported metal accessories from its shelves because they may contain high levels of lead, as announced by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government the previous day.
COMMENTARY / World
Mar 8, 2006

Guantanamo a festering sore for Bush administration

NEW YORK -- The United Nations recommendation that the United States should release all detainees being held at Guantanamo or bring them to trial and shut the facility down is one of the strongest criticisms yet of the U.S. torture policy. While the Bush administration rejected the U.N. recommendation,...
JAPAN
Mar 8, 2006

Bill to fingerprint, photograph foreigners advances

The government approved a bill Tuesday requiring that all foreign visitors be fingerprinted and photographed as part of the campaign to fight terrorism.
BUSINESS
Mar 8, 2006

Norinchukin to join GMAC buyers

Norinchukin Bank, the main bank for agricultural cooperatives in Japan, is planning to join a U.S.-led consortium that will purchase a controlling stake in the finance unit of General Motors Corp., sources said Tuesday.
JAPAN
Mar 8, 2006

Let foreign firms also donate, LDP urges

The Liberal Democratic Party has worked out legislation aimed at tapping more corporations for campaign funds by allowing certain foreign-owned companies to make donations, according to sources.
JAPAN
Mar 8, 2006

High court backs man's refugee claim

The Tokyo High Court on Tuesday upheld a lower court ruling granting refugee status to a 41-year-old Myanmar man and rejected the government's claim he should be deported.
BUSINESS
Mar 8, 2006

Takenaka mum on Softbank mobile license

Communications minister Heizo Takenaka declined comment Tuesday when asked whether his ministry will rescind the license granted to Softbank Corp. in November that authorized the company to enter the mobile phone business.
COMMENTARY / World
Mar 8, 2006

Trading knives for scissors

ROME -- On International Women's Day (March 8), when thoughts turn to equality between the sexes, Aminata's story is especially poignant. Back in 1998, she was captured while selling cake in Kabalah, Sierra Leone, and forced to join the rebels. Not only was she trained to fight and use a gun, she was...
BUSINESS
Mar 8, 2006

Trio to build rail cars for Hong Kong

Itochu Corp., Kawasaki Heavy Industries Ltd. and Kinki Sharyo Co. said Tuesday they have received an order to build 34 railway cars for a Hong Kong railway.
BUSINESS
Mar 8, 2006

Suzuki buys back shares from GM

Suzuki Motor Corp. bought back 17 percent of its own shares for 226.8 billion yen from what was its top shareholder, General Motors Corp., Suzuki officials said Tuesday.
BUSINESS
Mar 8, 2006

JAL's biggest union likely to accept 10% wage cut

The largest labor union at Japan Airlines Corp. is expected to agree to wage cuts averaging 10 percent for all employees in fiscal 2006, sources close to the union said Tuesday.
BUSINESS
Mar 8, 2006

MHI wins Thai power-plant order

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. said Tuesday it has received an order from a Thai state-owned power utility for major components of a 750-megawatt gas turbine combined-cycle power plant burning natural gas.
COMMENTARY
Mar 8, 2006

Can monarchical systems survive?

LONDON -- Prince Charles, heir to the British throne, has recently claimed that his copyright was infringed by a popular newspaper that printed extracts from his diary about the handover of power in Hong Kong in 1998. The diary revealed the prince' distaste for the Chinese leaders whom he described as...

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