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COMMENTARY
Mar 30, 2002

Japan's faulty north bearing

Former senior Liberal Democratic Party politician Muneo Suzuki is in disgrace for alleged improper dealings. But Foreign Ministry efforts to blacken his name further by selectively revealing details of his attempts to change the ministry's hardline Northern Territories policy go too far.
COMMENTARY
Mar 30, 2002

Power to the EU's people

LONDON -- Yet another disappointing European summit, this time in Barcelona, has left more and more people asking whether this is the right way to proceed with the European project. Is the existing European model the right one? The goal is supposed to be for a liberalized Europe to catch up with the...
COMMENTARY
Mar 30, 2002

Official foreign aid leaves needy wanting

LAHORE, Pakistan -- One of Lahore's small Christian communities sits on army land, and thus constitutes an illegal occupation in the government's view. Most homes have one room, the latrines are makeshift, and families are lucky to survive on $20 a month.
COMMUNITY
Mar 30, 2002

Making music less than a job, more than a hobby

Donna Burke and Bill Benfield deserve to be sitting pretty. Just married (Dec. 28, in Australia), they live in a large apartment in Tokyo's Azabu-juban with three cats, and a flock of sparrows lined up on the balcony waiting to be fed every morning.
SOCCER / J. League
Mar 30, 2002

Verdy offers free tickets

Tokyo Verdy 1969 will invite 5 couples from The Japan Times readers -- a total of 10 people -- to its J. League Division One game against Vissel Kobe slated for April 13 (3 p.m. kickoff) at Tokyo Stadium. Those who are interested, write your name, address, telephone number, e-mail address, age in a...
BUSINESS
Mar 30, 2002

Habits hinder car parts imports: METI

A number of practices considered to be customary by domestic car users hinder imports of replacement auto parts, according to a trade ministry report.
BUSINESS
Mar 30, 2002

Narita runway to increase slots 27%

The opening of a new second runway at Narita airport on April 18 will increase the number of slots available for airlines to 3,211 from 2,523 per week, marking a 27 percent surge over the previous summer season, Land, Infrastructure and Transport Ministry said Friday.
EDITORIALS
Mar 30, 2002

Reading the tea leaves in Myanmar

The venerable science of Kremlinology is flourishing in Myanmar. The country's ruling elite is a clubby and secretive group, and the exercise of power and influence is shrouded in mystery; reliable information is hard to come by. No wonder then that the last few weeks have been busy ones for Myanmar...
BUSINESS
Mar 30, 2002

Japan urges China to cut tariffs

A government report released Friday calls on China to slash tariffs and root out piracy of Japanese products.
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / PERSONALITY PROFILE
Mar 30, 2002

Yoshikazu Uehata

The University of Keele came into existence in 1962, succeeding the previous University of North Staffordshire, England. It occupies what was once the extensive estate of the Sneyd family, 19th century landowners and industrialists. Extensive grounds surround a magnificent 16th century hall that is still...
COMMENTARY / World
Mar 30, 2002

Environmental disaster feeds terrorism

WASHINGTON -- The rise of militant Islam in Central Asia has been driven by poverty and lack of human rights. While undemocratic regimes and the dearth of economic opportunities create resentment among the people, environmental destruction adds to the misery.
SOCCER / J. League
Mar 30, 2002

Fans to decide All-Star members

Soccer fans get ready to pick your favorite players for this summer's J. League JOMO All-Star match.
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / JAPAN LITE
Mar 30, 2002

Ugly Americans? Just loud but lovable

If you're an American living abroad, it doesn't take long to realize that American's don't have a very good reputation. For those of us living in Japan, it's not the Japanese who speak badly about us, it's the other foreigners. Americans are the most disliked people, yet there is no one group of people...
EDITORIALS
Mar 29, 2002

A murder in Italy

The Italian city of Bologna can claim several distinctions. It is the home of one of Europe's oldest and most respected universities; it has some of the country's finest food; and it is the center of the "red belt," a geographic swath that has been governed by the left -- and has been the location of...
BUSINESS / ON THE FRONT LINE
Mar 29, 2002

Brace for realities of the new fiscal year

The recent developments on the Tokyo stock market have been perplexing.
BUSINESS
Mar 29, 2002

Snow Brand announces plan

Snow Brand Milk Products Co., the parent company of scandal-hit Snow Brand Foods Co., announced Thursday an outline of its restructuring plan that includes capital tieups with trading house Itochu Corp. and the National Federation of Agricultural Cooperative Associations (Zen-Noh).
BUSINESS
Mar 29, 2002

DoCoMo set to post appraisal losses

NTT DoCoMo Inc. said Thursday it may, if necessary, post appraisal losses on its overseas investments for the 2001 business year due to stock price movements.
BUSINESS
Mar 29, 2002

DVD makers give Chinese deadline for royalty talks

Six Japanese and U.S. makers of DVD players have given Chinese firms in the audio equipment industry until Sunday to enter into negotiations over paying patent royalty fees for DVD production.
BUSINESS
Mar 29, 2002

Government experts butt heads over path to recovery

Discord is increasing between two key government panels debating whether to prioritize tax cuts or fiscal belt-tightening.
BUSINESS
Mar 29, 2002

Japan Telecom forges alliance with Qwest

Japan Telecom Co. said Thursday it has agreed with Qwest Communications Corp. of the United States to jointly offer international data communications network services in Japan, the U.S. and Europe.
BUSINESS
Mar 29, 2002

Bridge bank to take control of Ishikawa, Chubu

The Financial Services Agency said Thursday it has decided to hand over the operations of the defunct Ishikawa and Chubu banks to the Bridge Bank of Japan, a government-run acquisition entity charged with temporarily assuming the assets and deposit liabilities of failed banks.
BUSINESS
Mar 29, 2002

1 million yen in BTM will get you 10 yen

Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi has said it will slash the interest rate on ordinary deposits to a uniform 0.001 percent per annum, a record low for a Japanese city bank.
COMMENTARY / World
Mar 29, 2002

Fresh irritants may still derail Sino-Japan ties

Like Tokyo's cherry-blossoms-dotted landscape at this time of year, relations between Japan and China appear to have sprung back to life -- and in bloom again after a winter of chill and frost.
LIFE / Language / KANJI CLINIC
Mar 29, 2002

Seize the reins and blaze your own kanji-learning trail

Dear Dario Simunovic,
BUSINESS
Mar 29, 2002

BOJ signs currency swap deal with China

The Bank of Japan signed an accord Thursday with the People's Bank of China for a bilateral yen-yuan swap arrangement aimed at ensuring currency market stability through supplying short-term liquidity, BOJ officials said.
Japan Times
ENVIRONMENT / ANIMAL TRACKER
Mar 29, 2002

Earthworm

* Japanese name: Aka mimizu * Scientific name: Lumricus rubellus * Description: An earthworm's body consists of a tube within a tube. The inner tube is a digestive tract, the outer is segmented and muscular. Between the two are reproductive organs, and running the length of the body is a simple nervous...

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