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Japan Times
JAPAN
May 11, 2004

Kan falls on his sword over failure to pay pension fees

Naoto Kan announced Monday that he will resign as chief of the Democratic Party of Japan over his past failure to pay mandatory state pension premiums.
JAPAN
May 11, 2004

Group against Koizumi trip to North

A support group for people kidnapped to North Korea and their families protested on Monday a possible visit to Pyongyang by Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi to pick up five former abductees' relatives there.
BUSINESS
May 11, 2004

Import beef price up; domestic down

Retail prices of imported beef rose in the two weeks to last Friday for the first time in five weeks, while prices of domestically produced beef fell for the first time in two weeks, the government said Monday.
JAPAN
May 11, 2004

Kawaguchi: Geneva treaty breach?

Foreign Minister Yoriko Kawaguchi said Monday the abuse of Iraqi prisoners by American soldiers may be a violation of the Geneva Conventions on the treatment of prisoners of war.
JAPAN
May 11, 2004

Nikkei hits 10-week low below 11,000

Tokyo stocks plunged across the board Monday, with the benchmark Nikkei index closing at a 10-week low below 11,000 on sharp falls in U.S. shares at the close of trade last week due to fears of a U.S. interest rate increase.
COMMUNITY / Issues
May 11, 2004

Kidnap crisis poses a new risk

When five Japanese were taken hostage in Iraq last month, huge public concern for their safe return quickly gave way to hostility and a campaign of vilification. A disastrous public appeal by the families of three of the hostages for the withdrawal of SDF troops from Iraq encouraged the government to...
JAPAN
May 11, 2004

U.S. Embassy receives bomb threat

The U.S. Embassy in Tokyo has received a threat via the Internet about a possible bomb attack this week, although it has yet to determine its credibility, the embassy said in an e-mail message sent Monday to American citizens living in Japan.
Japan Times
JAPAN
May 11, 2004

These scientists stick to their harpoons

In a cramped laboratory, a biologist with the Institute of Cetacean Research prepares plugs taken from whales' ears for age analysis. Scientists study their reproductive habits and food sources, along with the mercury levels in their tissue.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
May 11, 2004

Struggling Daiei adapts stores to suit local shoppers' needs

Debt-ridden Daiei Inc. has begun adapting its stores to suit the needs of local shoppers.
OLYMPICS
May 11, 2004

Four Japanese triathletes set for Olympics

Machiko Nakanishi, Akiko Sekine and Kiyomi Niwata have virtually guaranteed themselves Olympic berths after finishing among the top 20 at the Triathlon World Championships in Portugal on Sunday.
Japan Times
JAPAN / POLITICS IN FOCUS
May 11, 2004

Lawmakers now looking to make laws

Liberal Democratic Party member Ichita Yamamoto felt he had done his job when the Diet enacted legislation earlier this year to allow Japan to impose unilateral economic sanctions on North Korea.
JAPAN
May 11, 2004

New warrant served in JDA bribery scandal

A former chief of the Social Insurance Agency was served a fresh arrest warrant Monday for allegedly receiving 4 million yen more in bribes from top executives of the Japan Dental Association.
JAPAN
May 11, 2004

Man cleared of groping girl on train

The Tokyo District Court found a 32-year-old man not guilty Monday of groping a 14-year-old junior high school girl aboard a Tokyo commuter train, based on the testimony of a woman who was traveling in the same coach.
JAPAN
May 11, 2004

Coast guard blocks boat at Senkakus

The Japan Coast Guard turned a Chinese fishing vessel away Monday after it illegally entered Japanese waters near a disputed island chain, a spokesman said.
EDITORIALS
May 11, 2004

Arrests deal MMC another blow

In a further setback to the troubled Mitsubishi Motors Corp., police last week arrested seven former MMC executives in connection with a 2002 fatal truck accident allegedly caused by defective wheel hubs. The seven, including Mr. Takashi Usami, former MMC vice president and former chairman of Mitsubishi...
BUSINESS
May 11, 2004

Stores' fish inspected for labeling

The Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Ministry launched a special nationwide inspection Monday to verify whether supermarkets and other retailers are appropriately labeling wild and cultured fish.
BUSINESS
May 11, 2004

Interest-rate rise would cut profits

A 1 percentage point increase in interest rates on loans outstanding to companies would eat into their combined pretax profit by up to 4 trillion yen, according to estimates released Monday by the Cabinet Office.
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / A GAIJIN'S TALE
May 11, 2004

Bus stop

It was a typical day and I was making my usual commute home.
JAPAN
May 11, 2004

Dog malpractice death fetches 810,000 yen

Two veterinarians accused of malpractice that led to the death of a pet dog were jointly ordered to pay approximately 810,000 yen Monday in compensation to the dog's owners.
JAPAN
May 11, 2004

Group against Koizumi trip to North

A support group for people kidnapped to North Korea and their families protested on Monday a possible visit to Pyongyang by Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi to pick up five former abductees' relatives there.
BUSINESS
May 11, 2004

Softbank sinks deeper into red

Softbank Corp. said Monday its net loss widened in fiscal 2003 for the third consecutive year in the red due to heavy spending to attract subscribers to its high-speed Internet connection service.
JAPAN
May 10, 2004

Japan to protest China survey near Okinotori

Japan plans to lodge an official protest with China over its continued oceanographic surveying in Japan's exclusive economic zone around Okinotori Island, government sources said Sunday.
SOCCER / J. League
May 10, 2004

Reds beat Albirex

Brazilian striker Emerson grabbed a hat trick as Urawa Reds swept aside lowly Albirex Niigata 3-0 away in the J. League on Sunday.
SUMO
May 10, 2004

Asashoryu starts with a bang; 31st straight win sets record

Grand champion Asashoryu overwhelmed komusubi Miyabiyama on Sunday to open the Summer Grand Sumo Tournament with a historic win.

Longform

Figure skater Akiko Suzuki was once told her ideal weight should be 47 kilograms, a number she now admits she “naively believed.” This led to her have a relationship with food that resulted in her suffering from anorexia.
The silent battle Japanese athletes fight with weight