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BUSINESS
Feb 18, 2004

Index of coincident economic indicators revised upward

The government Tuesday revised upward the key gauge of the state of the economy for December, underlining the gradual recovery.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Stage
Feb 18, 2004

Medieval kyogen treads modern boards

Mansai Nomura, the 37-year-old kyogen supremo who has also enjoyed success in contemporary theater and film and TV dramas, is embarking on yet another a new enterprise in Tokyo this month. At Setagaya Public Theater (SEPT) where he is artistic director, Mansai is presenting his first "Kyogen Gekijo (Kyogen...
COMMENTARY / World
Feb 18, 2004

War erodes Bush support

HONOLULU -- After the victory of the U.S. over Iraq in 1991, U.S. President George H.W. Bush proclaimed: "The Vietnam syndrome is buried forever in the sands of the Arabian Peninsula."
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Feb 18, 2004

Unpeeling Melt-Banana

Melt-Banana are one of the most popular Japanese bands in Europe and the United States, and there's two reasons for this: 1) They play more shows abroad than any other Japan-based band; and 2) They are one of Japan's most original-sounding bands, who, although highly experimental, make quality music...
BASEBALL / BASEBALL BULLET-IN
Feb 18, 2004

Yankees-Devil Rays tickets sold out; try 'Kids Day'

On Sunday, Feb. 15, at 2 p.m., I telephoned the number to call for information about getting tickets to the six professional baseball games involving the American League's New York Yankees and Tampa Bay Devil Rays at Tokyo Dome from March 28-31.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Feb 18, 2004

Koga got funds from South Korean resident

House of Representatives member Junichiro Koga, expelled from the Democratic Party of Japan for making false academic claims, received 3 million yen in donations from a South Korean resident of Japan, according to his political funds documents.
JAPAN
Feb 18, 2004

Skiers' parents go to Austria for fire deaths ruling

The parents of two Japanese students who were among 155 people killed in an Alpine tunnel fire in Austria in November 2000 have left for Austria for a court ruling Thursday on the cable car operator's responsibility for the disaster.
COMMENTARY / World
Feb 18, 2004

Currency depreciation won't spur growth

UBUD, Bali -- In a fruitless and pointless exercise, economic policymakers and businesses fret endlessly over the international value of currencies. This is because interventions to guide foreign-exchange valuations tend to be costly and may have only a temporary effect at best.
EDITORIALS
Feb 17, 2004

Pyongyang talks leave door ajar

It appears that North Korea now wants to reach some sort of agreement with Japan over the abduction issue. Last week, two ranking officials of the Japanese Foreign Ministry visited Pyongyang for the first government-to-government talks in 16 months. Although nothing specific is alleged to have resulted...
JAPAN / BULLETIN BOARD
Feb 17, 2004

Symposium to look at Bikini nuclear tests

A symposium to mark the 50th anniversary of a hydrogen bomb test at Bikini Atoll in the Marshal Islands will be held Saturday in Tokyo.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Feb 17, 2004

Tokyo to invite southern Iraq tribal chiefs for get-together

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuo Fukuda said Monday that Japan will invite tribal leaders of the southern Iraqi city of Samawah to Tokyo "to exchange opinions."
SOCCER / J. League
Feb 17, 2004

Okubo dumped again

Cerezo Osaka striker Yoshito Okubo was on Monday left out of the Japan Under-23 squad for the final round of the Asia zone qualifiers for this year's Olympics, just days after being axed from the Japan senior national squad for its 2006 World Cup qualifier against Oman in Saitama on Wednesday.
JAPAN
Feb 17, 2004

Beefed-up spouse protection planned

A revised law against domestic violence is being prepared that would lead to injunctions against former spouses who continue their abuse, Diet sources said Monday.
JAPAN
Feb 17, 2004

Kanebo eyes IRCJ instead of Kao deal

In a sudden turn of events, Kanebo Ltd. said Monday it has scrapped a plan to sell its core cosmetics business to Kao Corp. and instead will seek a government bailout.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Feb 17, 2004

Returnees' families urge pressure on Pyongyang

The families of Japanese abducted to North Korea in the 1970s and 1980s urged the government Monday to step up its pressure on Pyongyang.
BUSINESS
Feb 17, 2004

METI to boost the number of FTA staff to 80 from 35

The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry plans to increase the number of officials working on negotiations for free-trade agreements to about 80 from the current 35, a METI official said Monday.
COMMUNITY / How-tos / LIFELINES
Feb 17, 2004

Posting food to the U.S. and big clothes

U.S. posting rules Dear Lifelines; Is there some new prohibition against sending Japanese foods to the U.S.?
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / A GAIJIN'S TALE
Feb 17, 2004

Yeah, Yeah, Yeah

I met my (Japanese) wife in Australia, where we decided to get married. I later agreed to come to Japan to meet her parents and seek their permission to tie the knot.
JAPAN
Feb 17, 2004

Aum locations searched in runup to guru's verdict

The Justice Ministry's Public Security Intelligence Agency on Monday raided 11 locations connected with Aum Shinrikyo ahead of next week's court verdict on cult founder Shoko Asahara.
Japan Times
JAPAN / POLITICS IN FOCUS
Feb 17, 2004

Koizumi, Kan warm to unicameral system

Whenever a Diet session convenes, the Emperor gives a short speech at the House of Councilors' opening ceremony -- a tradition that should demonstrate the chamber's status.
JAPAN
Feb 17, 2004

Bureaucrat to be top court justice

The government plans to appoint Osamu Tsuno, former director general of the Cabinet Legislation Bureau, as a Supreme Court justice, replacing Tsugio Kameyama, who is retiring, government officials said Monday.
BUSINESS
Feb 17, 2004

Number of failed companies falls for 13th month

Corporate bankruptcies fell 16.1 percent in January from a year earlier to a total of 1,205, marking the 13th consecutive month of decline, Teikoku Databank Ltd. said Monday.

Longform

Mamoru Iwai, stationmaster of Keisei Ueno Station, says that, other than earthquake-proofing, the former Hakubutsukan-Dobutsuen (Museum-Zoo) Station has remained untouched.
Inside Tokyo's 'phantom' stations — and the stories they tell