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JAPAN
Oct 1, 2003

Ishihara wealth put at 163 million yen

Tokyo Gov. Shintaro Ishihara declared Tuesday that his private assets total 163 million yen, 3 million yen less than the level of personal wealth he reported in 1999 when he was first elected governor.
BUSINESS
Oct 1, 2003

Nissan Diesel restructuring plan calls for bailout worth 106 billion yen

Struggling truck maker Nissan Diesel Motor Co. announced Tuesday a new restructuring plan that calls on Nissan Motor Co. and its three main banks to provide a 106 billion yen bailout.
BUSINESS
Oct 1, 2003

Japan dumps another 4.5 trillion yen

Japan spent 4.46 trillion yen between Aug. 28 and Sept. 26 intervening in the currency market to weaken the yen, the Finance Ministry said Tuesday.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Oct 1, 2003

Late to offer self-service, gas stations now struggle for profits

Naotake Bando likes the simplicity. The 61-year-old motorist, who recently pulled into a self-service gas station in Chofu, western Tokyo, said he prefers to fill up his car by himself.
MORE SPORTS
Oct 1, 2003

Miyazato may turn pro next year

Eighteen-year-old Ai Miyazato, who recently became the first amateur golfer in 30 years to win on the Japanese LPGA tour, is considering turning pro in the near future, her father and coach Masaru Miyazato said Tuesday.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Art
Oct 1, 2003

Praise be! Hip-hop art gets religious

Picture a classic Byzantine icon of the crucified Christ. The savior's body, having been taken down from the cross, is surrounded by his grieving loved ones. Now imagine that scene in the 21st century. Replace the body of Jesus with that of slain gangsta rapper Tupac Shakur, laid out on a car hood, with...
JAPAN
Oct 1, 2003

Chongryun starts paying local taxes

The pro-Pyongyang General Association of Korean Residents in Japan (Chongryun) paid about 22 million yen in taxes Tuesday to the Tokyo Metropolitan Government following Gov. Shintaro Ishihara's decision to end the group's tax-exempt status.
JAPAN
Oct 1, 2003

Airlines gird for battle over Tokyo-Osaka route

With the JR Tokaido Shinkansen Line now stopping at Shinagawa, airlines are bracing for cutthroat competition with the speedy rail service between Tokyo and Osaka.
MORE SPORTS
Oct 1, 2003

Schuettler strolls by Iwabuchi, into third round at Japan Open

Top-seeded Rainer Schuettler of Germany cruised into the third round of the AIG Japan Open Tuesday, dispatching Japan's Satoshi Iwabuchi 6-0, 6-4 at Tokyo's Ariake Colosseum.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Oct 1, 2003

Prosecutors drop Tanaka fraud case

Prosecutors decided Tuesday not to pursue a case against former Foreign Minister Makiko Tanaka, who was suspected of misusing her secretary's government salary.
COMMENTARY / World
Oct 1, 2003

U.S. mission remains on track in Iraq

WASHINGTON -- How can we really determine if the Iraq mission is going well? Pessimists worry about recent truck bombings and political assassinations, ongoing serious crime problems, sustained attacks against U.S. forces, and high unemployment together with slow progress at improving the Iraqi standard...
MORE SPORTS
Oct 1, 2003

Tosa pulls out of Tokyo Marathon

Reiko Tosa, who took the silver medal at the 2001 World Championships in Edmonton, Canada, has decided not to compete in the Tokyo International Women's Marathon this fall because of an injury sustained to her left foot, marathon sources said Tuesday.
JAPAN
Oct 1, 2003

Government takes abandoned arms ruling 'seriously'

The government "takes seriously" a court ruling holding it responsible for Japan's wartime abandonment of chemical and conventional weapons in China, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuo Fukuda said Tuesday.
JAPAN
Oct 1, 2003

Man faces charge over 100 yen theft of old newspapers

Police have turned over to prosecutors their case against a 46-year-old man who allegedly stole 100 yen worth of old newspapers from a garbage collection site in Suginami Ward, Tokyo, it was learned Tuesday.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Art
Oct 1, 2003

The fine arts of craftsmanship, then and now

Among the various styles of art born in the former capital of Kyoto is the highly cultured style known as Rimpa that flowered early in the 17th century. The pioneers of the style were Hon'ami Koetsu (1558-1637) and Tawaraya Sotatsu (?-1643?), and the art form didn't become known as Rimpa until it was...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Art
Oct 1, 2003

Nagoya's new pretender to EL theater throne

Black lipstick, grommet belts and thrash metal music are an integral part of Rising Sun Theatre's debut production, William Shakespeare's "Macbeth." So are noh masks, hakama (trousers) and a huge Shinto torii.
BUSINESS
Oct 1, 2003

IRCJ to drop Mitsui Mining aid plan after smelling a rat

The state-backed Industrial Revitalization Corp. of Japan said Tuesday it will scrap an already-endorsed scheme to bail out struggling natural resources firm Mitsui Mining Co. because the rescue plan needs revision.
JAPAN
Oct 1, 2003

Firms searched over bid-rigging allegations

The Fair Trade Commission on Tuesday searched the offices of major general contractors Kajima Corp., Shimizu Corp., Taisei Corp., Obayashi Corp. and Penta-Ocean Construction Co. in connection with suspected bid-rigging for public works projects in the city of Niigata.
COMMENTARY / World
Oct 1, 2003

Currency interventions prove to be both fruitless and costly

GUATEMALA CITY -- The weakening of the U.S. dollar accelerated after finance ministers from the Group of Seven issued a communique calling for market-oriented international exchange rates. Soon afterward, the Japanese yen set a two-year high against the American currency.
BUSINESS
Oct 1, 2003

Business daily eyes rehabilitation

Nikkan Kogyo Shimbun, a troubled business daily, said Tuesday it has agreed in principle to rehabilitate itself with financial assistance from Japanese investment fund MKS Partners Ltd.
JAPAN
Oct 1, 2003

Prima Meat case handed to prosecutors

Police on Tuesday handed prosecutors their case against Prima Meat Packers Ltd. and three of its executives, who allegedly misrepresented a product's ingredients in violation of food safety laws.
BUSINESS
Oct 1, 2003

Industrial output fell in August

Industrial production fell a seasonally adjusted 0.5 percent in August, marking a first monthly drop in two months, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry said Tuesday.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Oct 1, 2003

Tokaido bullet trains to stop at Shinagawa

Tokaido Shinkansen Line trains will make stops at JR Shinagawa Station beginning Wednesday, raising the hopes of Central Japan Railway Co. (JR Tokai) that it will have an edge over airlines in securing travelers between Tokyo and Osaka.
JAPAN
Oct 1, 2003

450 sue over 'power-saving' scam

About 450 small-business operators across Japan filed a raft of lawsuits Tuesday against the failed Tokyo-based retailer Idic Co. and eight consumer credit companies, claiming they were cheated into buying an expensive electricity-saving device that made no dent in their power bills.
EDITORIALS
Sep 30, 2003

Japan's streets grow meaner

Japanese criminal organizations are increasingly penetrating a variety of economic fields and strengthening their links with foreign organized-crime groups, posing a threat to the nation's public order. The National Police Agency's 2003 white paper highlights "The Fight Against Organized Crime," focusing...
JAPAN
Sep 30, 2003

New Cabinet avoids tough issues on first outing

Making its debut Monday at a Diet debate, Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's new Cabinet faced tough questions on postal privatization and Japan's future role in rebuilding Iraq.

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