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Japan Times
CULTURE / Art / NEW ART SEEN
Jan 30, 2002

Prizewinner who's passing on the torch

When I mentioned in a column last year that Lee U Fan had won the Japanese Art Association's Praemium Imperiale award for painting, this provoked a number of questions from readers.
JAPAN
Jan 29, 2002

Teens face prosecution over slaying of homeless man

Three 14-year-old males arrested over the weekend on suspicion of beating a homeless man to death in northern Tokyo were turned over to prosecutors Monday, police said.
EDITORIALS
Jan 29, 2002

Mr. Arafat's dwindling options

Jaffa Street is a popular thoroughfare in downtown Jerusalem, its stores and sidewalks invariably crowded with shoppers and pedestrians. It has also become one of the bloodiest frontlines in the war between Israel and Palestinians. Last week alone, there were two terrorist attacks on Jaffa Street. The...
BASEBALL / MLB
Jan 29, 2002

Hanshin formally signs Valdes

OSAKA -- Newly acquired right-hander Marc Valdes was formally signed on by the Hanshin Tigers to a one-year deal worth $300,000 for the 2002 season on Monday. The Central League club also gave the Atlanta Braves pitcher a $300,000 signing bonus along with performance incentives for the upcoming season....
BASEBALL / MLB
Jan 29, 2002

Giants win right-hander Wasdin

The Yomiuri Giants on Monday formally signed major league right-hander John Wasdin to a one-year contract and signing bonus worth an estimated $2.2 million.
SOCCER / J. League
Jan 29, 2002

Kyoto signs Zelic

Kyoto Purple Sanga has acquired former Australia defender Ned Zelic from TSV 1860 Munich, the J. League Division One club announced Sunday.
JAPAN
Jan 29, 2002

Olympus develops DNA computer

Olympus Optical Co. said Monday it has developed a DNA computer capable of high-speed, fully automated, quantitative gene expression profiling.
JAPAN
Jan 29, 2002

Accord signed in final Hansen's case

Health, Labor and Welfare Minister Chikara Sakaguchi signed a final agreement with former Hansen's disease patients and relatives of deceased sufferers Monday to settle a damages suit over the government's past quarantine policy.
BUSINESS
Jan 29, 2002

Keidanren, Nikkeiren still have hurdles to clear

The Japan Federation of Economic Organizations (Keidanren) and the Japan Federation of Employers' Associations (Nikkeiren) are putting the final touches on mandatory procedures for their much ballyhooed integration, scheduled for May 28.
COMMENTARY / World
Jan 29, 2002

Encouraging households to spend more

After much hesitation, Junichiro Koizumi's government has finally agreed to work on a second supplementary budget. More than ever, Japan's intrepid prime minister appears to be caught in the crossfire between the necessity to rationalize public spending and the obligation to shore up a flagging economy....
BUSINESS
Jan 29, 2002

Crude oil imports decrease 1.4%

Japan imported 1.55 billion barrels of crude oil in 2001, down 1.4 percent from the year before and the first dip in two years, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry said Monday.
JAPAN
Jan 29, 2002

Snow Brand Food admits additional labeling fraud

Snow Brand Food Co., already hit by a scandal relating to mad cow disease and falsely labeled meat, on Monday admitted that two Snow Brand employees intentionally mislabeled beef originating from Hokkaido to pass it off as being from Kumamoto Prefecture.
BUSINESS
Jan 29, 2002

Import curbs likely to top Bush's agenda at summit

U.S. President George W. Bush will likely raise the issue of agricultural import curbs when he meets Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi in Tokyo in mid-February, government sources said Monday.
BUSINESS
Jan 29, 2002

Matsushita, Toshiba eye cyberappliances

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Toshiba Corp. and two other firms said Monday that they will establish a joint venture on Friday to offer Internet-access services for next-generation, Net-capable home appliances.
JAPAN
Jan 29, 2002

Joyu to take Aum's reins Wednesday

Fumihiro Joyu, a longtime spokesman for Aum Shinrikyo, will on Wednesday formally take over leadership of the cult responsible for the 1995 sarin gas attack on the Tokyo subway system.
SUMO
Jan 29, 2002

New champ Tochiazuma has good night

Newly promoted ozeki Tochiazuma had no trouble sleeping Sunday night after winning his first Emperor's Cup at the New Year Grand Sumo Tournament, the Tamanoi stable grappler told reporters Monday.
JAPAN
Jan 29, 2002

Flood of bogus bills blamed on foreign mob

More than 900 counterfeit 10,000 yen bills with finely crafted watermarks have been found in Tokyo, Osaka and Shizuoka prefectures since the beginning of 2002, and investigators suspect an overseas criminal organization.
BUSINESS
Jan 29, 2002

19 Mycal outlets to close doors

OSAKA -- Failed supermarket chain operator Mycal Corp. announced Monday that it will close 19 outlets nationwide, including Otaru Vivre in Hokkaido and Toyoda Saty in Aichi Prefecture.
SOCCER / J. League / ON THE BALL
Jan 29, 2002

Bellmare looking at more than just soccer

J. League second division club Shonan Bellmare is making a unique challenge to transform itself into a multi-sports organization.
JAPAN
Jan 29, 2002

First tests on suspect chemicals complete

The Environment Ministry said Monday it has finished a preliminary assessment to determine if 39 chemicals pose a potential danger to humans and wildlife, and will perform in-depth tests on five chemicals that appear especially pernicious.
BUSINESS
Jan 29, 2002

BS digital TV shipments crawling

Shipments of TVs and tuners for broadcast satellite digital broadcasting services have slumped and probably won't reach the industry's goal of 10 million units sold within 1,000 days of December 2000, an industry association said Monday.
BUSINESS
Jan 29, 2002

METI official to visit China, inspect projects

Katsusada Hirose, vice minister of economy, trade and industry, will visit China later this week to attend a high-level meeting and inspect joint projects on information technology, it was announced on Monday.
BUSINESS
Jan 29, 2002

Consumer confidence unchanged, but deflation proving popular

Japan's overall consumer confidence in December remained unchanged from September, indicating spending is unlikely to increase soon, a quarterly government survey showed Monday.

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