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COMMUNITY / Our Lives / JAPAN LITE
Apr 19, 2003

Paying your last, last, last respects

When Kazuko, my next-door neighbor, came to my "genkan" at 8 in the morning, I knew something was wrong. She never comes to my house before 9. "Amy, your landlord has died," she told me.
BUSINESS
Apr 19, 2003

Genome breakthrough prompts scramble in pharmaceutical sector

With the task of unscrambling the human genome complete, Japanese pharmaceutical companies are trying to produce new medicines to fight diseases for which effective drugs don't yet exist.
JAPAN
Apr 19, 2003

Top court rules against claimants in redress case

The Supreme Court on Friday overturned a lower court ruling regarding the legal validity of loss compensation agreements signed before a Finance Ministry ban on such deals between securities firms and their clients.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music / THE SECOND ROOM
Apr 19, 2003

2003 party season gets its blessing; Credit where due in 2002

As omens go, the last two Sundays have been righteously encouraging for the Tokyo party scene.
BUSINESS
Apr 19, 2003

Survivors may face taxes on pensions

Families who have lost their breadwinner due to death may have to start paying taxes on the public pension benefits they receive.
JAPAN
Apr 19, 2003

Tougher rules on motorbike exhausts eyed

An Environment Ministry panel compiled a proposal Friday to tighten restrictions on exhaust emissions from two-wheeled motor vehicles.
COMMENTARY / World
Apr 19, 2003

View talks with skepticism

HONOLULU -- The North Koreans have set both doves and hawks all a-twitter in Washington, Tokyo and Seoul by agreeing to discuss its nuclear plans with American diplomats. But a word of skepticism is in order.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Apr 19, 2003

SARS forces rethink on disease responses

The health ministry is considering legal changes to more effectively handle outbreaks of infectious illnesses -- such as the atypical pneumonia now plaguing much of Asia -- by increasing the government's authority to act.
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / WHEN EAST MARRIES WEST
Apr 19, 2003

The instant off switch -- it's all in your head

On the train, the guy to my left is telling a friend the following:
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / PERSONALITY PROFILE
Apr 19, 2003

Silvio Vita

Silvio Vita leads an enviable life. He says perhaps he is lucky. That may be true, but it is not the whole story. He is also hardworking, and his work has done more than luck to bring him recognition and reward. He is a Roman, born in Romulus' fabulous city, which, built over seven hills by the Tiber...
COMMENTARY
Apr 19, 2003

World must push Indo-Pakistani dialogue

ISLAMABAD -- India's decision to pursue the development of its Agni-III nuclear missile despite being urged by Western countries to abandon the plan will intensify an already worrisome arms race in South Asia.
JAPAN
Apr 19, 2003

Beat Takeshi named as 'ideal boss'

Comedian and film director Takeshi Kitano topped the list of celebrities named by newly recruited employees as the person they would most like to work for, according to a survey by the Tokyo Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
BUSINESS
Apr 19, 2003

Sony recalling some Vaio PC models

Sony Corp. is recalling some of its Vaio personal computers due to a defect that may cause an adhesive agent in the power supply unit to melt, company officials said Friday.
BUSINESS
Apr 19, 2003

Electricity demand grew in 2002

Ten major power companies sold a total of 841.48 billion kilowatt-hours in fiscal 2002, up 2.1 percent from the previous year, a power company association said Friday.
JAPAN
Apr 19, 2003

Swedish Honorary Consulate reopens

KOBE -- The Swedish Honorary Consulate in Kobe was reopened Friday, with Naoya Wada, president of machinery maker Kinki Industrial Co., appointed as honorary consul.
BUSINESS
Apr 19, 2003

Mitsubishi Trust to slash bonuses

Mitsubishi Trust & Banking Corp. will slash employee bonuses for fiscal 2003 by a uniform 20 percent from the previous year to improve earnings, it was announced Friday.
JAPAN
Apr 19, 2003

June eyed for SDF-Iraq bill

Legislation that would allow the dispatch of Self-Defense Forces to Iraq for postwar reconstruction will probably be submitted to the Diet in June, a senior member of the ruling coalition said Friday.
JAPAN
Apr 19, 2003

Minister eyes pension ceiling targeting high-income earners

Welfare minister Chikara Sakaguchi said Friday the government should impose a ceiling on public pension benefits for high-income earners as part of fiscal 2004 reforms of the pension system.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Apr 19, 2003

Pressure mounts on Matsunami to resign

Pressure mounted Friday on New Conservative Party member Kenshiro Matsunami to resign from the House of Representatives following revelations that he allowed a yakuza-linked construction firm to pay several million yen to cover his secretaries' salaries.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Apr 19, 2003

Daiei reports return to the black for '02

Ailing retailer Daiei Inc. reported Friday it returned to profitability in its 2002 business year due to lower restructuring costs, which weighed heavily on its earnings in the previous term.
JAPAN
Apr 18, 2003

Officials to check contaminated well in Ibaraki

The Environment Ministry on Monday will dispatch eight officials to Kamisu, Ibaraki Prefecture, to investigate a well that has been found to contain high levels of arsenic.
BASEBALL / MLB
Apr 18, 2003

Tigers edge Swallows

Tomoaki Kanemoto cracked a two-run homer in the eighth inning and Kei Igawa and Jeff Williams combined on a seven-hitter as the Hanshin Tigers narrowly beat the Yakult Swallows 5-4 in a Central League game on Thursday.
JAPAN
Apr 18, 2003

Japan may fund Iraq rebuilding through UNDP

Japan is considering providing reconstruction funds for Iraq through the U.N. Development Program, sources close to the matter said Thursday.
BUSINESS
Apr 18, 2003

Toyota to launch Prius hybrid version this year

Toyota Motor Corp. said Thursday it will launch a remodeled version of the eco-friendly Prius compact -- featuring a cutting-edge gasoline-electric hybrid system -- in Japan, the U.S. and Europe by the end of the year.
BUSINESS
Apr 18, 2003

Sky Perfect looks to wipe out losses

Sky Perfect Communications Inc. said Thursday it may eliminate all of its accumulated losses, which stand at some 120 billion yen, by the end of March 2004.
JAPAN
Apr 18, 2003

Cluster bombs held by ASDF defended

The Air Self-Defense Force possesses cluster bombs and has no plans to get rid of them, the government's top spokesman said Thursday.

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.
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