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BUSINESS
Jan 31, 2004

Japanese, Thai officials mull bird flu

Japanese and Thai agricultural officials discussed Friday a range of issues associated with the Asian outbreak of the bird flu virus.
BUSINESS
Jan 31, 2004

Mexico, Japan make no progress on FTA in talks

Five days of working-level talks between Japan and Mexico over a bilateral free-trade agreement ended Friday with virtually no progress made, Japanese officials said.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY
Jan 31, 2004

Preconceptions on Japan expats go out window

When Gwyneth Merner asked if she could interview me for her Division 3 thesis, we struck a deal: She could talk to me if I could talk to her. Now we are in her father's home overlooking Sagami Bay, and she is getting to know what it feels like to be on the other side of the table, so to speak.
BUSINESS
Jan 31, 2004

7.15 trillion yen spent on intervention this month

Japan spent 7.15 trillion yen on currency-market intervention in January, marking a new single-month record, Finance Ministry data showed Friday.
COMMENTARY / World
Jan 31, 2004

U.S. oil firm leaves toxic legacy in Ecuador

NEW YORK -- Drilling for oil without adequate safeguards is one of the most destructive industrial activities both for people and for the environment. This danger has been particularly stark in the case of oil exploration and exploitation in the forested areas of the Amazon basin.
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / WHEN EAST MARRIES WEST
Jan 31, 2004

An ode on Japanese 'mikan'

John Keats once taught that beauty is truth and truth is beauty. Thus inspired, let me now present my own beautiful truth gleaned from life in Japan . . .
COMMENTARY / World
Jan 31, 2004

Mad cow disease: a blessing in disguise

Mankind's history is rife with examples of natural phenomena radically changing its existence, the ice ages and small pox to name two. HIV has had a profound effect on sexual behavior the world over. Now, a mysterious protein -- a prion -- is about to change the eating habits of many people in the West...
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / JAPAN LITE
Jan 31, 2004

Tiny hot carpets and long frozen delays

For those of you rolling your eyes at the prospect of reading my annual column whining about the lack of central heating in Japan, wait. This one, I promise, will be different. Because things are changing in Japan.
JAPAN
Jan 30, 2004

'It's me' phone scam successful two out of three calls: police

Swindlers who called people and pretended to be relatives in need of money had a success rate of roughly two out of three calls last year, bilking their victims out of some 4.3 billion yen, the National Police Agency said Thursday.
JAPAN
Jan 30, 2004

Police complaints filed over Japanese allegedly abducted by North Korea

Relatives and others involved in the search for 13 Japanese who vanished decades ago filed abduction complaints with police on Thursday, alleging they were snatched and forcibly taken to North Korea.
JAPAN
Jan 30, 2004

Diet business resumes with apology by Koizumi

Diet business reopened Thursday after Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi retracted an earlier remark about the security situation in the southern Iraqi city of Samawah.
JAPAN
Jan 30, 2004

Fukuda refuses to budge on WMD

The Japanese government believes "there is a high possibility" that Iraq possessed weapons of mass destruction, despite congressional testimony to the contrary given by a former top U.S. arms inspector.
JAPAN
Jan 30, 2004

Takefuji sorry for suing reporters over wiretaps

Leading consumer lender Takefuji Corp. has apologized for suing freelance journalists and magazine publishers over their reports on the company's use of wiretaps to gather information.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Jan 30, 2004

DPJ axes Koga over false academic claims

The Democratic Party of Japan expelled House of Representatives member Junichiro Koga from its ranks Thursday over his false academic claims, rejecting his earlier move to leave the party voluntarily.
JAPAN
Jan 30, 2004

Record haul of stimulants seized in 2003

A record 393,000 tablets of Ecstasy and other stimulants were seized last year in Japan.
SOCCER / PREMIER REPORT
Jan 30, 2004

Manchester United soap opera looks set for very long run

LONDON -- The Manchester United soap opera continues and shows no sign of running out of far-fetched scripts.
SUMO
Jan 30, 2004

Maru: Sumo needs Japanese yokozuna

Former yokozuna Musashimaru believes the absence of a Japanese wrestler at sumo's highest rank of grand champion is contributing to the continuing slide in popularity of the national sport.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Jan 30, 2004

Koyama's 22-month term upheld

The Tokyo High Court on Thursday upheld a 22-month prison term for former Diet lawmaker Takao Koyama for receiving bribes from KSD, an organization that provides mutual aid to small and midsize businesses.
JAPAN
Jan 30, 2004

Japan turns up heat on North Korea as sanctions bill clears Lower House

The House of Representatives passed a bill Thursday that will allow Japan to unilaterally impose economic sanctions on North Korea, paving the way for its endorsement by the full Diet by the end of next week.
BUSINESS
Jan 30, 2004

Industrial output posts first rise in three years

Industrial production rose 3.2 percent in 2003 for the first increase in three years, due partly to steady demand for mobile phones and other digital home appliances, the government said Thursday.
BUSINESS
Jan 30, 2004

Market rebound sends Nomura's profit soaring

Nomura Holdings Inc. said Thursday its group pretax profit for the nine months to Dec. 31 soared 217.3 percent from a year earlier to 189.18 billion yen amid the stock market recovery.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Jan 30, 2004

Mexico's top farm lobby supports FTA deadline

MEXICO CITY (Kyodo) The leader of the most powerful Mexican agricultural lobby said he supports the government's policy of terminating free-trade negotiations with Japan if a deal is not reached by the end of March.
Japan Times
LIFE / Travel
Jan 30, 2004

Atami hosts traditional geisha performances for tourists on a budget

Atami's geisha have created a more affordable performance collection for tourists who want to experience traditional Japanese culture on a budget.
JAPAN
Jan 30, 2004

Patent lawsuit costs Hitachi 163 million yen

The Tokyo High Court on Thursday ordered Hitachi Ltd. to pay 163 million yen to a former employee for the transfer of patent rights related to optical discs, quadrupling the award set by a lower court.
EDITORIALS
Jan 30, 2004

Paper chase fandango

Japanese society values diplomas -- even if not as much as before. This may be part of the reason why Mr. Junichiro Koga, an up-and-coming Lower House member of the Democratic Party of Japan, made false claims about his educational background in November's general election. The scandal broke about a...
BUSINESS
Jan 30, 2004

SUVs recalled over seat belt flaws

Mazda Motor Corp. said Thursday it will recall two sport utility vehicles, the Tribute and the Ford Escape, due to defects in seat belt buckles.
Japan Times
LIFE / Travel
Jan 30, 2004

If it's got eight legs, eat it

TOTTORI -- Ever felt like traveling just to gratify your tastebuds? To Italy for real pizza, for example, or to India for authentic curry. Well, if your craving is for crustaceans, then you can look rather closer to home. Delicious snow crabs are now in season, and there's no better place to sample them...

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