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JAPAN
Dec 19, 2005

3.16% cut planned for medical fees

The government and the ruling coalition agreed Sunday to slash the medical services tariff -- which sets the fees paid by public health insurance to doctors and pharmacists -- by a record 3.16 percent in fiscal 2006.
MORE SPORTS
Dec 19, 2005

Sao Paulo claims third title in Japan

YOKOHAMA -- Sao Paulo beat Liverpool 1-0 to win the FIFA Club World Championship final at International Stadium Yokohama on Sunday, Mineiro's goal settling a game in which the Reds had three goals disallowed.
JAPAN
Dec 19, 2005

Brokers probed over J-Com gains

The Financial Services Agency is investigating securities houses to determine if they complied with regulations when profiting from an erroneous sale order placed by Mizuho Securities Co.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Dec 19, 2005

Heavy snow blankets coast of Sea of Japan

Heavy snow fell in regions along the Sea of Japan coast and some other parts of the country Sunday as the coldest air mass this season blanketed the archipelago, the Meteorological Agency said.
JAPAN
Dec 19, 2005

No hike in consumption tax in 2007: Nakagawa

The Liberal Democratic Party's policy affairs chief said Sunday that the consumption tax will not be raised from the current 5 percent in fiscal 2007.
COMMENTARY
Dec 19, 2005

Defeat presses Chen to ease up on China

HONG KONG -- Lord Acton's maxim that "power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely" has just been proven true again in Taiwan, where the ruling Democratic Progressive Party -- which had won power five years ago on a campaign promise to stamp out corruption -- was swamped in recent local elections...
JAPAN
Dec 19, 2005

TSE chairman to double as president

Tokyo Stock Exchange Chairman Taizo Nishimuro will double as president after the current president, Takuo Tsurushima, quits to take responsibility for the failure of the bourse's computer system to prevent a costly erroneous stock order earlier this month, according to industry sources.
BUSINESS / JAPANESE PERSPECTIVES
Dec 19, 2005

Time to remove life support: Government should heed BOJ

To end or not to end. That is the question. The Bank of Japan says yes. The government says no. The BOJ feels the time is ripe to do away with the policy of "quantitative easing." The govern- ment feels it is premature to do so. Dueling time is here again over the conduct of monetary policy.
JAPAN
Dec 19, 2005

Government plans first budget cut in four years

The government plans to set the budget for the next fiscal year at around 80 trillion yen, down from 82.1 trillion yen this year for the first contraction in four years, Finance Ministry officials said Sunday.
COMMENTARY
Dec 19, 2005

'Korean wave' sweeps the Philippines

MANILA -- The political alliance between the Philippines and South Korea has a long tradition. During the Cold War, both countries were staunch supporters of the United States. The government in Manila was among the first to send troops to the Korean Peninsula to defend the South against the invasion...
JAPAN
Dec 19, 2005

Aso takes conciliatory tone on Seoul

Japan will deal sincerely with issues from the past concerning South Korea and work to improve bilateral relations by looking to the future, Foreign Minister Taro Aso said Sunday.
BASEBALL / BASEBALL BULLET-IN
Dec 18, 2005

Batista's number didn't justify his massive salary

The Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks, as you read here in these pages, will pay a whopping 525 million yen (almost $4.5 million) to buy out the second year of the contract of third baseman Tony Batista, ending the Japan career of "Mr. Nonchalant."
BASKETBALL / NBA / NBA REPORT
Dec 18, 2005

Artest, Brown reunion very unlikely

NEW YORK -- Before commencing with today's communique excuse me while I laugh in the faces of pretenders whose "sources" claim Isiah Thomas and Ron Artest had a solid relationship in Indiana . . . heckle the hoodwinked who fail to grasp the Knicks' president's phone call to Pacer CEO Donnie Walsh regarding...
MORE SPORTS
Dec 18, 2005

Seagulls ready to rumble with Impulse in X Bowl

The Obic Seagulls captain Tatsuro Shoji is uplifted by the opportunity to pay back for a humiliation.
MORE SPORTS
Dec 18, 2005

Asada cruises to win at Grand Prix Final

Japanese teenager Mao Asada played it safe and attempted only one triple axel Saturday, but still easily beat world champion Irina Slutskaya to win the women's title at the Grand Prix Final.
MORE SPORTS
Dec 18, 2005

Reds captain Gerrard confident ahead of championship decider

YOKOHAMA -- England international Steven Gerrard believes the current Liverpool side is the best he's ever played in and is raring to go ahead of Sunday's Club World Championship soccer final against Sao Paulo.
JAPAN
Dec 18, 2005

UFJ, Japan Post to take China cards

UFJ Bank and Japan Post plan to accept Chinese bank cards at their automated teller machines, according to informed sources.
JAPAN
Dec 18, 2005

Maehara raps Koizumi's policy toward U.S., Asia

Democratic Party of Japan leader Seiji Maehara said Saturday that Japan should place strong emphasis on its relations with other Asian countries, criticizing Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi for leaning too much on ties with the United States.
JAPAN
Dec 18, 2005

Population may have already started falling

2005 may be the year in which Japan's population began to decline, according to preliminary government data.
JAPAN
Dec 18, 2005

TBS, Rakuten agree on freeze of voting rights

Rakuten Inc.'s voting rights in Tokyo Broadcasting System Inc. that are to be placed in trust will remain frozen as long as the two companies continue business tieup talks beyond April, according to sources.
Japan Times
Features
Dec 18, 2005

Festive fun with forgotten Futa

It's 9:58 on a chilly Wednesday morning, and it looks like I am the first of the day's visitors to Chiba Zoological Park.
JAPAN
Dec 18, 2005

Japan, Brazil eye deep-sea oil tech

Japan Oil, Gas and Metals National Corp. said Saturday it has agreed with Brazil's state-run Petroleo Brasileiro SA to begin talks on joint research of deep-sea oil field development technology.

Longform

Mamoru Iwai, stationmaster of Keisei Ueno Station, says that, other than earthquake-proofing, the former Hakubutsukan-Dobutsuen (Museum-Zoo) Station has remained untouched.
Inside Tokyo's 'phantom' stations — and the stories they tell