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BUSINESS
Nov 19, 2002

Questions over industrial revival scheme answered

The government plans to establish an industrial revival mechanism as part of a comprehensive economic package seeking to accelerate the disposal of bad loans.
JAPAN
Nov 17, 2002

Rengo to review its policy of support for DPJ

Japan's largest labor union group is to reconsider its relationship with its main political ally, the Democratic Party of Japan, by next February, sources said Saturday.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / TOKYO FOOD FILE
Nov 17, 2002

Nibblin', sippin' and slurpin'

Shi-an occupies that comfortable middle-ground between the two extremes of kaiseki formal and izakaya casual. It's not unique and the food is not particularly unusual, but its virtues -- quality seasonal ingredients; a deft touch in the kitchen; competent service; and an unobtrusive, stylish setting...
BASEBALL / MLB
Nov 16, 2002

Big, bad Wolf devours Japanese All-Star team

After giving up 29 runs in the last four games, the major league pitchers finally put on an All-Star display.
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / JAPAN LITE
Nov 16, 2002

'Oba-chan' mutiny brings funeral chaos

There was so much activity on Shiraishi Island, it was almost seismic. Elderly women grouped outside their houses whispering. The Buddhist priest was so busy, he wasn't answering his cell phone. Ferries kept bringing more people dressed in black.
BUSINESS
Nov 16, 2002

Osaka Gas net profit tumbles

Osaka Gas Co. said Friday its group net profit tumbled 20 percent from a year earlier in the April-September first half of fiscal 2002, following its gas rate cut in March.
COMMENTARY
Nov 15, 2002

Economic foolishness deepens

We knew that Japan's economic debate was fairly foolish when Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi told us that structural reforms such as privatizing highway corporations and the post office would somehow revitalize the Japanese economy. But even that looks sensible compared with the latest proposed "reform"...
Japan Times
JAPAN / AT THE JUNCTION
Nov 15, 2002

Affiliates are cashing in on cozy ties with Japan Highway

Last spring, an employee at a road maintenance company smelled a rat as his firm prepared to bid for an expressway-related project by the semi-governmental Japan Highway Public Corp.
Japan Times
ENVIRONMENT / ANIMAL TRACKER
Nov 15, 2002

Ryukyu damselfly

* Japanese name: Ryukyu hagurotonbo * Scientific name: Matrona basilaris japonica * Description: The Ryukyu damselfly is a sturdy, brightly colored insect. At 51-65 mm long, it is large for a damselfly. Males have brilliant electric-blue bodies and two pairs of dark-blue wings, although there is...
COMMUNITY / How-tos / LIFELINES
Nov 15, 2002

Visa rules and looking for a dream job

More health concerns Dear Lifelines; As I understand it, anyone one with a visa for a year or more can enter National Health Insurance. But is the sheme compulsory? And once entered, are you able to leave it if you can find private health cover with an overseas firm? -- Reader in Kansai
JAPAN
Nov 13, 2002

Government eyes dispatch of MSDF amphibious vessel

The government plans to dispatch a Maritime Self-Defense Force amphibious ship to transport Thai military units en route to Afghanistan under Japan's special antiterrorism law, sources said Tuesday.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Nov 13, 2002

Analysts skeptical over 'industrial revival body'

It might work. But probably not.
JAPAN
Nov 13, 2002

McCartney meets underachieving English students

A group of 16 Tokyo high school students and two teachers who use Beatles songs to study English received an invitation from British rock legend Paul McCartney to attend his concert Monday.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Nov 12, 2002

Suzuki enters plea of not guilty in court

House of Representatives member Muneo Suzuki pleaded not guilty Monday to bribery, perjury and falsifying political funds reports.
BUSINESS
Nov 12, 2002

Bank lending declined 5.2% in October: BOJ

Lending by banks logged a year-on-year decline of 5.2 percent in October, marking the 58th straight month of decline, the Bank of Japan said Monday.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Nov 12, 2002

Bank receipts prove aide took kickbacks: lawmaker

A former secretary to farm minister Tadamori Oshima received at least 5 million yen in kickbacks from a consulting company executive for helping contractors land public works contracts, an opposition Democratic Party of Japan lawmaker said Monday.
JAPAN
Nov 10, 2002

GSDF joins forces with police to combat terrorism

The Ground Self-Defense Force will begin joint exercises with the National Police Agency to help prepare the GSDF for terrorist attacks that are beyond the capabilities of the police.
JAPAN
Nov 10, 2002

One in five major firms monitor e-mails by staff

More than one in five major Japanese companies monitor e-mail messages by executives and rank-and-file employees to block leaks of corporate secrets and customer information, according to a recent Kyodo News survey.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY
Nov 10, 2002

Mitsuyo Ohira : Lessons in life

High-flying lawyer Mitsuyo Ohira doesn't have the kind of past you'd expect. After falling victim to bullying at junior high school, she attempted suicide by disembowelment, dropped out of school and hung out with drug-using delinquents. All that before, at age 16, becoming the wife of a gang boss.
LIFE / Food & Drink / TOKYO FOOD FILE
Nov 10, 2002

Restaurant Kinoshita: New digs, but same culinary magic

When the news came through this summer that one of our favorite chefs, Kazuhiko Kinoshita, was closing his eponymous restaurant in Hatsudai and moving to fresh pastures, it came as no surprise to us. In fact the move was well overdue.
JAPAN
Nov 9, 2002

Japan offers Sri Lanka more help

Japan will provide both short- and long-term assistance to achieve peace and the reconstruction of Sri Lanka after years of civil war, Foreign Minister Yoriko Kawaguchi told her visiting Sri Lankan counterpart, Tyronne Fernando, on Friday.
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / JAPAN LITE
Nov 9, 2002

Hunching to keep from dying of cold poisoning

If I could bring one thing from my home country to Japan, it would be a fireplace. Of course, the hearth wouldn't make it through the security check these days. But still, to have an open fire blazing in the living room would be nice, not to mention warm.
JAPAN
Nov 9, 2002

Civilians sent to fix SDF warships

The Defense Agency has been dispatching private-sector civilian engineers to carry out maintenance on Self-Defense Forces vessels providing logistics support to the U.S.-led antiterrorism campaign in the Indian Ocean, agency officials said Friday.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Nov 9, 2002

Price is right for 'carbon fund' investments now

It would be wise for Japanese firms to invest in so-called carbon funds soon so they can meet greenhouse gas emissions targets more cheaply and on schedule, according to Ken Newcombe, manager of one such fund run by the World Bank.
Japan Times
ENVIRONMENT / ANIMAL TRACKER
Nov 8, 2002

Loggerhead turtle

* Japanese name: Ao-umigame * Scientific name: Caretta caretta * Description: Turtles are reptiles with limbs modified into swimming paddles. Loggerhead turtles have a characteristically large head, but they don't have a big brain: It's their jaws that are large. The reddish-brown carapace of adults...
Japan Times
ENVIRONMENT / WILD WATCH
Nov 7, 2002

A venerable flash in the pan

Among Japan's amazing diversity of plants that can overwhelm a visitor from overseas, there are (thankfully) some familiar forms. Astonishingly, given the literally hundreds of thousands of plant species on Earth, some here will be familiar whether you hail from North or South America, from Europe, Africa,...
BUSINESS
Nov 6, 2002

Keizai Doyukai chief wins award

The chairman of the Japan Association of Corporate Executives (Keizai Doyukai) on Tuesday received the annual Zaikai Prize, awarded by the publisher of business magazine Zaikai.
JAPAN
Nov 6, 2002

Tepco in hot seat as inspectors move in

The Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency launched special safety inspections Tuesday at Tokyo Electric Power Co.'s three nuclear plants as part of punitive administrative steps over recent revelations it tried to coverup faults in its reactors.

Longform

Bear attacks have dominated Japanese news headlines in recent months, with 13 people so far having been killed by the animals.
Japan’s bears have been on their killing spree for more than 100 years