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LIFE / Lifestyle / MATTER OF COURSE
Aug 30, 2002

Staying cool at school becomes a hot topic

It sure is hot in Japan. My kids had to sweat through weeks of heat before they were finally released for summer vacation in the third week of July. They go back to school next Monday, and I feel sorry for them. It's likely to be hot and humid for a few more weeks.
LIFE / Language / KANJI CLINIC
Aug 30, 2002

Cyberspace -- the final frontier of kanji-learning

Last fall, I reported the results of my search for kanji-learning gold in cyberspace. Today, in this second report, I am happy to inform you that the panning has never been better.
BUSINESS
Aug 30, 2002

Yamaha's new motorcycle near to joining hybrid mart

Yamaha Motor Co. has completed a prototype of what it hopes will be the world's first gas-electric hybrid motorcycle, company sources said Thursday.
BUSINESS
Aug 30, 2002

South Korea, Japan compare IT labor policies

The chiefs of unions, business groups and the labor ministries of Japan and South Korea gathered Thursday in Tokyo to discuss labor policies, including measures to develop workers' information technology skills.
MORE SPORTS
Aug 30, 2002

Americans finish with a bang

YOKOHAMA -- Before taking the team bus to Yokohama pool, American Michael Phelps went online in his hotel room and checked out a world record. Not Ian Thorpe's, but the men's 4x100 medley relay.
JAPAN
Aug 30, 2002

DPJ's junior hopefuls down to two

Two junior candidates vying for the presidency of the Democratic Party of Japan agreed Thursday that only one of them should run in the opposition party's upcoming election, sources said.
JAPAN
Aug 30, 2002

Real estate appraisal to reflect costs of polluted-soil cleanup

The government will introduce new criteria for real estate appraisals under which costs for cleaning up soil contamination will be reflected in land prices, according to officials of the Land, Infrastructure and Transport Ministry.
BUSINESS
Aug 30, 2002

Toshiba, NEC map out next-generation DVD

Toshiba Corp. and NEC Corp. said Thursday they have jointly developed a new format for next-generation DVDs that will enable manufacturers to continue using existing DVD production facilities, thus minimizing investment costs.
BUSINESS
Aug 30, 2002

Softbank sells off stakes in Yahoo!, UTStarcom

Internet business investor Softbank Corp. said Thursday it has sold a part of its stake in Internet portal Yahoo! Inc. and wireless equipment maker UTStarcom Inc., both of the United States, to reduce its interest-bearing liabilities and expand its broadband operations.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Aug 30, 2002

Bush to seek Koizumi's support

OSAKA -- When Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi meets U.S. President George W. Bush on Sept. 12, he will be encouraged to think broadly about what Japan can do to assist the U.S.-led military campaign against terrorism, a former Japan chief at the Pentagon said.
BUSINESS
Aug 30, 2002

Moody's cuts heavy industry firms

Moody's Investors Service Inc. said Thursday it has downgraded its long-term debt ratings of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. and Ishikawajima-Harima Heavy Industries Co. in response to Japan's economic slump and severe competition abroad.
Japan Times
ENVIRONMENT / ANIMAL TRACKER
Aug 30, 2002

Harbor seal

* Japanese name: Zenigata-azarashi * Scientific name: Phoca vitulina stejnegeri * Description: Harbor seals are pinnipeds -- mammals adapted to life in the ocean. Their limbs are modified into flippers, each with five digits. The fore flippers are used for grooming, scratching and fighting; the hind...
BUSINESS
Aug 30, 2002

FSA plans to offer cash incentives to banks that merge

The government may provide as much as 1 trillion yen to banks that agree to consolidate, according to a proposal outlined Thursday by the Financial Service Agency.
SOCCER / World cup
Aug 30, 2002

Playing abroad good for J. Leaguers: Zico

New Japan manager Zico is encouraging J. League clubs to play abroad to help improve the standard of Japanese soccer, Japan Football Association president Saburo Kawabuchi quoted him as saying Thursday.
JAPAN
Aug 30, 2002

Green tea advocates see cafes dedicated to the brew boom

A growing number of people are entering the Japanese green tea cafe business as the brew claims ground against its coffee cousin, according to the World Green Tea Association.
JAPAN
Aug 30, 2002

Exchange engineers slather praise on Japan

Asian engineers from outside Japan participating in an exchange program aimed at promoting urban development and international relations said at a presentation at the Tokyo Metropolitan Government building Wednesday that they had generally favorable impressions of Japanese people.
COMMENTARY
Aug 29, 2002

Taiwan ditching 'nice guy' diplomacy

Taiwanese Vice President Annette Lu was greeted triumphantly upon her return to Taiwan, but her trip to Indonesia yielded mixed results at best. Taiwan may well have raised expectations in Indonesia that it may not be able to fulfill. Moreover, China will now put renewed pressure on Southeast Asian countries...
COMMENTARY / World
Aug 29, 2002

Will Europe's left back a war on Iraq?

LONDON -- In the black and white world of U.S. President George W. Bush, the European left is as soft as Iraqi President Saddam Hussein is evil. And the White House seems to be as uninterested in persuading the left to back a war in Iraq as they are in negotiating with the Iraqi leader about readmitting...
EDITORIALS
Aug 29, 2002

Inching toward normalization talks

Japan and North Korea are moving toward resuming the long-stalled talks to normalize relations. Foreign ministry officials from the two nations met in Pyongyang for two days earlier this week and agreed to continue consultations to explore the possibilities for restarting the negotiations. Also, Prime...
JAPAN
Aug 29, 2002

GMOs in 30% of 'organic' soybean

The farm ministry said Wednesday that 25 out of 80 randomly selected tofu and "natto" soybean products sold under organic labels were found to contain genetically modified soybeans.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Aug 29, 2002

Koizumi moves to temporary home during renovations

Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi moved Wednesday to a temporary home in Shinagawa Ward, Tokyo, while he awaits the completion of renovation work on his official residence in Chiyoda Ward.
BASEBALL / MLB
Aug 29, 2002

Red hot Swallows close gap on Giants

The Yakult Swallows are starting to look like birds of prey.
JAPAN
Aug 29, 2002

NGO to fight Mali famine by planting new-type rice

A Tokyo-based nongovernmental organization will seek to counter famine in Mali by planting a new strain of rice in the northwestern Africa country, members of the organization said.
JAPAN
Aug 29, 2002

Coast guard to build beefed-up patrol vessels

The Japan Coast Guard plans to build 11 high-speed patrol vessels that authorities hope would give the force more muscle to hunt down unidentified ships operating off the nation's coasts, officials said Wednesday.
JAPAN
Aug 29, 2002

PCBs from military bases may be sent back to U.S.

The U.S. Department of Defense hopes to ship over 3,000 tons of materials containing polychlorinated biphenyls stored at military bases in Japan to the United States for recycling or disposal, officials at the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo said Wednesday.

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