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BASEBALL / BASEBALL BULLET-IN
May 16, 2002

Expansion in Japan unlikely

Dear Wayne Graczyk: I'm writing to express support for the move of the Nippon Ham Fighters to Sapporo. I think this would be good not just for the Fighters and the city of Sapporo, but for all of Japanese baseball.
BUSINESS / ON THE FRONT LINE
May 16, 2002

U.S. pickup fuels hope for Japan recovery

There is little dispute that a solid pickup in U.S. consumer spending has bolstered evidence that the economic recovery is gaining momentum.
BUSINESS
May 16, 2002

Sony Bank struggles through difficult debut year

Sony Bank said Wednesday it posted net losses of 4.1 billion yen in the 2001 business year on revenues of 3.8 billion yen.
BUSINESS
May 16, 2002

Short-sold share balance up

The balance of shares sold short turned higher last week, with the previous week's first fall in three weeks proving to be a short-lived affair.
SUMO
May 16, 2002

Tochiazuma stung for first loss

Ozeki Tochiazuma suffered his first loss of the Summer Grand Sumo Tournament on Wednesday to find himself a pace behind the leaders only four days into the 15-day tourney at Tokyo's Ryogoku Kokugikan.
MORE SPORTS
May 16, 2002

Hozumi retains OPB middleweight crown

Japan's Naotaka Hozumi knocked out Kwang Jin Choi of South Korea in the eighth round of their scheduled 12-round bout to defend his Orient-Pacific Boxing Federation middleweight title here Tuesday.
BUSINESS
May 16, 2002

Cell phone penetration rate projected at 65.5% in 2006

The cell phone penetration rate for Japan will likely hit 65.5 percent in 2006, up from 52.8 percent at the end of 2001, research and consulting firm Gartner Japan Ltd. said Wednesday.
Japan Times
JAPAN / WHALE WATCHING
May 16, 2002

Legal mechanism flawed: wildlife expert

Japanese laws are ill-equipped to protect marine mammals and need an overhaul if these animals are to receive attention akin to their terrestrial counterparts, according to a leading wildlife expert.
BUSINESS
May 16, 2002

AIG to deal in securities in Japan

American International Group Inc. said Wednesday it will launch a securities business in Japan next week targeting institutional investors.
Japan Times
ENVIRONMENT / WILD WATCH
May 16, 2002

Summer's serenaders of the moon, sun and stars

Summer really is here. It has spread north so rapidly that June- and July-like temperatures were reported in Hokkaido even before the end of April. The cherry blossom wave rushed northward, too, at such a pace it was as if it were trying to take a running jump at Sakhalin.
BUSINESS
May 16, 2002

Current account surplus continued decline in 2001

Japan's current account surplus fell for the third consecutive year in fiscal 2001.
JAPAN
May 16, 2002

Two Filipinos detained over missing sailor from Japan

The Japan Coast Guard on Wednesday said it detained two Filipino crew members of a Panamanian-flagged tanker suspected of murdering a Japanese sailor on the ship.
JAPAN
May 16, 2002

Ministry warns of drastic increase in pension premiums

Company employees will be forced to pay about a quarter of their salaries as pension premiums in fiscal 2025 if current pension levels are maintained, the Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry said Wednesday.
BASEBALL / MLB
May 16, 2002

Orix squares two-game Taiwan tilt with Hawks

Orix sent 11 batters to the plate in a six-run third-inning burst as the BlueWave evened their two-game Taiwan series by beating the Daiei Hawks 8-7 on Wednesday evening at Taipei's Tien Mou Stadium.
BUSINESS
May 16, 2002

Yamaha Motor posts record profits for '01

Yamaha Motor Co. said Wednesday it posted record group pretax profits of 32.7 billion yen in fiscal 2001, up 30.3 percent from a year earlier.
JAPAN
May 16, 2002

Damages award upheld for Aum residency seekers

The Tokyo High Court on Wednesday rejected an appeal by Tokyo's Suginami Ward of a lower court ruling ordering the ward to compensate three members of Aum Shinrikyo for rejecting their applications for residency registration.
BUSINESS
May 16, 2002

Mitsubishi Heavy jumps out of the red

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. said Wednesday that its group net balance returned to the black in fiscal 2001, chiefly due to a reduction in material costs and a weakened yen.
BUSINESS
May 16, 2002

Department store sales down again

Sales at Tokyo department stores fell 4.8 percent in April from a year earlier to 166.6 billion yen, the fifth straight monthly decline, the Japan Department Stores Association said in a preliminary report Wednesday.
BUSINESS
May 16, 2002

Sharp to form AC tieup in Egypt

OSAKA -- Sharp Corp. will form a technology tieup with an Egyptian company to produce air conditioners for sale in the Middle East and Africa, Sharp officials said Wednesday.
BUSINESS
May 16, 2002

Mazda returns to profitability

Mazda Motor Corp. said Wednesday it returned to the black in the 2001 business year thanks to cost-cutting measures and a weakened yen.
BUSINESS
May 16, 2002

Trading house Mitsubishi logs 34.6% profit drop

Trading house Mitsubishi Corp. said Wednesday its group net profits in fiscal 2001 plunged 34.6 percent, primarily due to a 51.5 billion yen fall in securities sales.
COMMENTARY / World
May 16, 2002

Travel advisories for the next generation

WASHINGTON -- How does America's global role affect the lives of individuals? Currently, momentous international policy decisions are being taken; they encompass war, peace, freedom and the projection of power. It is important to step back and develop a vision of the long-term outcome of those policies...
BUSINESS
May 16, 2002

Nikon, six others tie up on chip-making gear

Nikon Corp. and six other firms in the semiconductor sector plan to collaborate on the development of next-generation steppers, Nikon officials said Wednesday.
JAPAN
May 16, 2002

Narita passengers lose no-fuss check-in service

Passport-control services at Tokyo City Air Terminal will soon be discontinued for passengers departing from Narita airport because of reduced traffic and more stringent security measures in the wake of Sept. 11, immigration officials have warned.
LIFE / Digital / NAME OF THE GAME
May 16, 2002

Put your Spidey skills to the test

This summer, Spider-Man is the luckiest superhero alive. Not only does he have a hit movie that has left critics and audiences impressed, he's also in a very good new game for GameCube, PlayStation 2, and especially Xbox.

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