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BUSINESS
Feb 5, 2004

Wholesale prices of pork surge 40%

Wholesale prices of pork have surged 40 percent in the last 10 days due to rising demand following import bans on U.S. beef and suspension of poultry shipments from some Asian countries, industry officials said Wednesday.
Japan Times
ENVIRONMENT / OLD NIC'S NOTEBOOK
Feb 5, 2004

Deer's tasty demise helps them, too

The first time I saw a Japanese sika (deer, Cervus Nippon) was on tiny Lundy Island, which lies in the Bristol Channel between South Wales and the north coast of the beautiful English county of Devon. I was going on for 20, and had gone to the island to assist the warden.
Japan Times
LIFE / Lifestyle / ON THE BOOK TRAIL
Feb 5, 2004

"The Pig Scrolls," "Blood Red Horse"

"The Pig Scrolls," Paul Shipton, Puffin Books; March 2004; 224 pp. Author Paul Shipton warns us at the outset of his (sort of) Greek-style epic that though every effort was made to ensure the accuracy of the material, the Great Library of Alexandria was closed on the Tuesday afternoon he tried to go...
COMMENTARY
Feb 5, 2004

Musharraf must convince skeptical public

ISLAMABAD -- Pakistani President Gen. Pervez Musharraf has taken the unprecedented step of ordering an investigation of some of the country's top nuclear scientists on charges that they helped transfer nuclear-weapons technology to Iran. While the investigation has been hailed in the West as a decisive...
BUSINESS
Feb 5, 2004

ANA soars back to profitability

All Nippon Airways Co. said Wednesday it returned to the black in the October-December quarter due to cost-cutting efforts and higher fares.
Japan Times
ENVIRONMENT
Feb 5, 2004

Here comes the Arctic sun

The people of Tromso on the Norwegian Sea coast of Norway know how to celebrate the return of the sun. You would, too, if you hadn't seen it in 60 days!
JAPAN
Feb 5, 2004

March hearing for alleged DNA thief

The Tokyo High Court has slated a March 10 session to take up the requested extradition of researcher Takashi Okamoto, who has been charged with economic espionage in the United States.
MORE SPORTS
Feb 5, 2004

Q-chan decides to skip Nagoya race

Sydney Olympic gold medalist Naoko Takahashi will not compete in the Nagoya International Women's Marathon next month, the final qualifier for this summer's Athens Olympics, her management office announced Wednesday.
BUSINESS
Feb 5, 2004

DoCoMo anticipates FOMA boom

NTT DoCoMo Inc. said Wednesday it will raise its subscriber projection for its third-generation FOMA service by 20 percent to 2.4 million by the end of March, having seen faster-than-expected growth in the sector.
JAPAN
Feb 5, 2004

Suspected hacker held over Web site breach

A Kyoto University researcher was arrested Wednesday for allegedly hacking into the Web site of a computer software association in November to steal personal information.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Feb 4, 2004

My unlikely valentine

Love Actually Rating: * * * (out of 5) Director: Richard Curtis Running time: 135 minutes Language: English Opens Feb. 7 [See Japan Times movie listings] Love, love, love. Given how movies are pretty indiscriminating when it comes to strewing that word around, there's a positive recklessness...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Feb 4, 2004

Under the skin of Gollum

Many have remarked that the most memorable performance in the "Lord of the Rings" films is given by a computer-generated character, Gollum. But let's not forget the man behind the critter, British screen and stage actor Andy Serkis, seen in films like Mike Leigh's "Topsy Turvy" and Michael Winterbottom's...
JAPAN
Feb 4, 2004

Ministry to compensate chicken farmers

The national government will cover 50 percent of the damages incurred by chicken farmers in Yamaguchi Prefecture who cannot ship their eggs due to a quarantine imposed after an outbreak of bird flu at a farm there.
JAPAN
Feb 4, 2004

SDF terrorism response joins war emergency bills

The Cabinet will set up an emergency headquarters in the event of a large-scale terrorist attack and prefectural governors will be able to request Self-Defense Forces help, according to a draft of proposed counterterrorism measures obtained by Kyodo News.
JAPAN
Feb 4, 2004

Kids' books 'stir imagination,' Ghosn says

Good books can encourage children to love reading, become lifelong learners and lead a successful way of life in a global society, Nissan Motor Co. President Carlos Ghosn told a ceremony Tuesday for winners in a children's book contest.
BASEBALL / BASEBALL BULLET-IN
Feb 4, 2004

It's now or never for new Giants catcher

The story made headlines on the front page of several Japanese sports newspapers Jan. 25: The Yomiuri Giants in a money trade bought the contract of catcher Katsunori Nomura from the Hanshin Tigers, and just why would the transfer of a back-up backstop who, in fact, did not play a game at the varsity...
JAPAN
Feb 4, 2004

Japan to bring up abductions issue

Japan will take up the issue of Japanese nationals abducted to North Korea in the 1970s and 1980s during six-party talks later this month in Beijing, a senior Foreign Ministry official said Tuesday.
JAPAN
Feb 4, 2004

DPJ to support Korean pundit for Upper House

The Democratic Party of Japan will field the head of the Tokyo bureau of the South Korean newspaper Chosun Ilbo in the House of Councilors election this summer.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Feb 4, 2004

Crooked path pays off

Yudan Daiteki Rating: * * * * (out of 5) Director: Izuru Narushima Running time: 110 minutes Language: Japanese Currently showing [See Japan Times movie listings] Cops and crooks aren't supposed to be pals, but in any society they often become . . . acquaintances, if not quite allies....
JAPAN
Feb 4, 2004

Probe into dental group widens

Prosecutors have grilled former lawmaker Yukihiro Yoshida regarding donations from the Japan Dental Association, a major backer of the Liberal Democratic Party, investigative sources said Tuesday.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Feb 4, 2004

GSDF to build high-tech Iraq fort

The roughly 90 Ground Self-Defense Force members who left Tuesday for Iraq will oversee the construction of what is expected to be one of the most high-tech, well-equipped forts on Earth.
JAPAN
Feb 4, 2004

Online conflict-prevention symposium ends on positive note

The fourth online symposium on conflict prevention closed last week with a review session that provided an overview of the nine-day Internet-based event.
JAPAN
Feb 4, 2004

Diet impasse comes to an end

Diet business returned to normal Tuesday afternoon.
JAPAN
Feb 4, 2004

Aum chemist fights to avoid the rope

Aum Shinrikyo's one-time chemist filed an appeal Tuesday against the death sentence he received last week for his role in producing the sarin gas used in two deadly nerve gas attacks and six other criminal counts.

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