Japan, N. Korea to hold governmental talks in Beijing Sat., Sun
December 20, 2005Japanese and North Korean officials will meet for talks in Beijing on Saturday and Sunday, the Japanese Foreign Ministry announced Wednesday. Several diplomatic sources said North Korea has basically agreed to the method of negotiations where talks on the normalization of bilateral relations would be resumed and held in parallel with talks on the past abduction of Japanese nationals by North Korea and on nuclear issues.
Japan, N. Korea to hold governmental talks in Beijing Sat., Sun
December 20, 2005Japanese and North Korean officials will meet for talks in Beijing on Saturday and Sunday, the Japanese Foreign Ministry announced Wednesday. ==Kyodo
Baseball: Rangers to acquire right-handed pitcher Otsuka: reports
December 20, 2005The Texas Rangers have agreed in principle to a deal with the San Diego Padres that would bring them right-handed starter Adam Eaton, right-handed setup man Akinori Otsuka and a Minor League prospect for right-hander Chris Young, first baseman Adrian Gonzalez and outfielder Terrmel Sledge, the Rangers said on their website Tuesday. Otsuka could be the setup man for Francisco Cordero as Frank Francisco works his way back from Tommy John surgery, they said.
Baseball: Rangers to acquire right-handed pitcher Otsuka: reports
December 20, 2005The Texas Rangers have agreed in principle to a deal with the San Diego Padres that would bring them right-handed starter Adam Eaton, right-handed setup man Akinori Otsuka and a Minor League prospect for right-hander Chris Young, first baseman Adrian Gonzalez and outfielder Terrmel Sledge, the Rangers said on their website Tuesday. ==Kyodo
Ruling, opposition blocs seek to submit Constitution referendum bill
December 20, 2005The ruling bloc and the main opposition Democratic Party of Japan agreed Tuesday in principle to seek to submit a bill to authorize a referendum on a revision of the Constitution to the Diet during a regular session next year, members of the parties said. Senior members of constitution research panels at the Liberal Democratic Party, its coalition ally New Komeito party and the DPJ reached the accord when they held an unofficial meeting Tuesday in Tokyo with Taro Nakayama, an LDP lawmaker chairing the House of Representatives special committee on the Constitution, they said.
Court says cab operators should protect drivers from passive smoking
December 20, 2005The Tokyo District Court said Tuesday that taxi companies have duty to protect drivers from passive smoking, while dismissing cab drivers and customers' demands that the state pay 13.6 million yen in compensation for health damage caused by passive smoking in taxis. The 26 plaintiffs call the ruling ''a victory'' and are not planning to appeal to a higher court.
Singapore gets ready to enforce Competition Act
December 20, 2005Singapore is gearing up to impose new regulations banning anticompetitive market activities from January, joining the ranks of Asian countries such as Japan and South Korea that already have such regulations. The Competition Commission of Singapore, set up earlier this year as an agency under the Trade and Industry Ministry, on Tuesday released finalized guidelines on the country's Competition Act to help businesses operating in the country cope with the new competition law regime.
6 brokerages offer to give up profits on Mizuho trade error
December 20, 2005Six Japanese and foreign brokerages Tuesday offered to give up their profits arising from Mizuho Securities Co.'s mistaken sell order for 610,000 shares of J-Com Co. for 1 yen each. The offer from the six, including UBS Securities Japan Ltd. of the Swiss UBS group, was made at a special financial meeting of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, LDP sources said.
Baseball: Lefty Wada agrees on new deal with Softbank
December 20, 2005Lefthander Tsuyoshi Wada on Tuesday earned a 50 million yen pay raise and agreed on a new deal with the Softbank Hawks carrying an annual salary of an estimated 145 million yen. The 24-year-old Athens Olympian, who has made the roster for the Japan team for next year's Baseball World Classic, posted a 12-8 record for the Pacific League club this season and enjoyed a personal best 3.27 ERA.
Honda expects 5% rise in global unit car sales for 2005
December 20, 2005Honda Motor Co. expects its car sales to have risen some 5 percent in 2005 over the previous year to 3.35 million vehicles worldwide due largely to strong sales in the United States and China, the company's president said Tuesday. As for 2006, Honda's U.S. car sales are estimated to rise 4 percent to 1.51 million vehicles, and sales in China are seen surging 35 percent to 350,000 vehicles, Takeo Fukui also said.