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JAPAN
Dec 30, 2005

New Pyongyang approach needed: summit architect

Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's annual visits to Yasukuni Shrine and his surprise visit to Pyongyang in 2002 all reflect a diplomatic decision to defy "gaiatsu," or foreign pressure, a former top diplomat recently reckoned.
COMMENTARY
Dec 30, 2005

Decline of three EU leaders

PARIS -- At the end of last May, French and Dutch voters rejected by a strong majority the draft European constitution worked out by a convention chaired by former French President Valery Giscard d'Estaing. Since all 25 member-states of the European Union had to approve the treaty, the chances of it...
JAPAN
Dec 30, 2005

Timetable for quake-proofing tests accelerated

The government will have the earthquake resistance of up to 2 million residences checked in the next 10 years and renovate about half of them to make them stronger, the Land, Infrastructure and Transport Ministry said Thursday.
JAPAN
Dec 30, 2005

Handsets best pal for young female shoppers

for personal computers, will grow further," he predicted. Supporting this growth is the spread of third-generation mobile phones that offer high-speed data transmission, as well as flat fees for unlimited Internet use.
JAPAN
Dec 30, 2005

The art of bonsai catching on with young crowd

the containers to put them in," an Isetan official said. For some people, though, buying a modern bonsai is not enough.
BUSINESS
Dec 30, 2005

Japanese banks follow manufacturers into China

With the promise of large profits overwhelming any concerns about the political tension between Tokyo and Beijing, Japanese companies continue to expand in China. And following behind them are Japanese banks.
JAPAN
Dec 30, 2005

Contractors collude to end lawbreaking

Major construction firms will work together to eliminate bid-rigging because the revised Antimonopoly Law that takes effect Jan. 4 mandates harsher penalties for offenders, sources said Thursday.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Dec 30, 2005

Daimler looks to sell car buyers on diesel engines

Smoky, noisy and slow -- these are complaints commonly associated with diesel-powered vehicles in Japan.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Dec 30, 2005

Pull of the people

My album of the year was M.I.A.'s "Arular," for a number of reasons. First, it's a party album whose energy and imagination never flag. Second, it's utterly distinctive: Maya Arulpragasam's nursery-rhyme rapping style doesn't sound like anybody else's. Third, it's a work of art whose local specificity,...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Dec 30, 2005

On and off the charts

Cast an eye over those charts that list the top-selling Japanese pop albums of the year and three musical trends come out on top: There were loose-limbed hip-hop party grooves aplenty (Def Tech and Ketsumeishi); American-influenced punk pop (Ellegarden, Ken Yokoyama and scores of others with Orange County-inflected...
CULTURE / Music / THE SECOND ROOM
Dec 30, 2005

Psychedelic radar 12.30

The question of where to be for Countdown 2006 is proving drastically tough to answer with no major venue booked by any large trance organizer in Tokyo. There are plenty of choices, just no "one place to be," and unfamiliar limits on crowd sizes.
BASEBALL / MLB
Dec 29, 2005

Taiwan to host Beijing qualifiers

Taiwan will host the Asian qualifying tournament for the baseball competition at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing as planned, Japanese baseball officials said Wednesday.
BASEBALL / Japanese Baseball
Dec 29, 2005

MLB may be in Iwamura's future

Yakult Swallows president Yoshikazu Tagiku indicated Wednesday the Central League club will likely allow infielder Akinori Iwamura to make a switch to the major leagues after next season.
BASEBALL / Japanese Baseball
Dec 29, 2005

Imae gets big salary bump

Chiba Lotte Marines infielder Toshiaki Imae will see his annual salary quadruple to 55 million yen in 2006 from this year's 13.5 million yen after winning the Japan Series MVP award in his breakout season.
EDITORIALS
Dec 29, 2005

China's new 'peace offensive'

China has launched a public-relations offensive. The publication of a white paper on the country's "peaceful development" is designed to quiet concerns about China's growing affluence and how Beijing intends to use the influence that it wields. It is a difficult assignment. China may be assured of its...
JAPAN
Dec 29, 2005

11 who lost health insurance weren't treated, died

At least 11 people have died over the past six years because they were apparently unable to receive prompt medical attention after having surrendered their national health insurance cards for nonpayment of fees, according to a Kyodo News survey compiled Wednesday.
JAPAN
Dec 29, 2005

Regions suffering under snow to get financial aid

The government and the ruling parties said Wednesday measures will be taken to help local governments suffering from heavy snowfalls, including providing financial support, participants said.
JAPAN
Dec 29, 2005

China slammed over diplomat's suicide

Tokyo has lodged protests with Beijing four times since last year over the 2004 suicide of a diplomat at the Japanese Consulate General in Shanghai, claiming China violated an international treaty by trying to blackmail him for intelligence, government sources admitted Wednesday.

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