Tokyo bourse raises limit of trade executions to 5 million
January 21, 2006The Tokyo Stock Exchange said Sunday it has raised the number of stock trades its computer system can execute each day to 5 million from the current 4.5 million, as part of its emergency measures to deal with a recent surge in transactions that came after a series of scandals involving Livedoor Co. Following the improvement, the TSE said it will change its grounds for halting all stock trading from Monday. Transactions will now be suspended if the number of trade executions reaches 4.5 million, instead of the current 4 million.
Miyauchi admits to financial scheme in Livedoor's buyout
January 21, 2006A senior Livedoor Co. executive has admitted during questioning by prosecutors that there was a financial scheme in a group firm's corporate buyout but denied any irregularities, investigative sources said Saturday. Livedoor Chief Financial Officer Ryoji Miyauchi also told the Tokyo prosecutors investigating the case that Livedoor President Takafumi Horie was not involved in the corporate buyout scheme, the sources said.
Funeral held for Livedoor-linked brokerage exec Noguchi
January 21, 2006A funeral was held Sunday for a former executive of a brokerage house linked with corporate takeover deals by Internet service firm Livedoor Co. who committed suicide in Naha, Okinawa Prefecture, last week. Hideaki Noguchi, 38, vice president of H.S. Securities Co., killed himself at a hotel on Wednesday after allegations surfaced that one of Livedoor's subsidiaries was involved in illegal corporate practices in connection with a takeover of a publisher in 2004.
Senate election kicks off in Cambodia
January 21, 2006An election for Cambodia's 61-seat Senate kicked off Sunday for the first time ever since its formation in 1999. Candidates from each of the four political parties -- the ruling Cambodian People's Party led by Prime Minister Hun Sen, the royalist FUNCINPEC party of Prince Norodom Ranariddh, the opposition Sam Rainsy Party and the little-known Khmer Democratic Party -- compete for 57 seats.
Stolen Renaissance-era salt cellar recovered in Austria
January 21, 2006The ''Saliera,'' a Renaissance-era salt cellar stolen from Vienna's Kunsthistorisches Museum in May 2003 was recovered Saturday, Austrian police said. The Interior Ministry confirmed the authenticity of Benvenuto Cellini's 16th century gold and enamel salt cellar, worth more than $60 million.
Postal privatization planning firm to begin operation Monday
January 21, 2006A new stock company set up by the public corporation Japan Post is set to begin operations Monday in the buildup to Japan's postal privatization from October 2007. The new company, known in Japanese as Nippon Yusei Kabushiki Kaisha, or Japan Post Co., will become a holding company on Oct. 1, 2007, the date when the nation's postal services begin a step-by-step 10-year privatization process. The public corporation will be split into four units under the holding company.
Japan-N. Korea 3-track talks to begin in week starting Feb. 5
January 21, 2006Japan and North Korea have reached a basic agreement to begin three-track talks to discuss normalization and Pyongyang's abductions of Japanese citizens, among other things, in the week starting Feb. 5 in Beijing, Japanese government sources said Saturday. The envisaged talks, in which North Korea's nuclear weapon and ballistic missile development will also be discussed, are likely to run through for about a week, the sources said. ==Kyodo
Sumo: Tochi zeros in, Asa's dream of 8th straight title shattered
January 21, 2006Ozeki Tochiazuma swatted Hokutoriki to keep his lead, moving him within shooting distance of his third career title while grand champion Asashoryu saw his dream for an eighth straight title shattered at the New Year Grand Sumo Tournament on Saturday. Tochiazuma kept Hokutoriki at bay with a salvo of shoves to the chest before pulling down the 11th-ranked maegashira in the penultimate bout at Tokyo's Ryogoku Kokugikan, improving his record to 13-1 and immediately knocking Asashoryu out of the running for the Emperor's Cup spoils.
Tennis: Nakamura falls in Australian Open 3rd round
January 21, 2006Japan's Aiko Nakamura crashed out of the Australian Open after a straight-sets loss to seventh-seeded Patty Schnyder of Switzerland in the third round on Saturday. Nakamura, the only Asian who advanced past the singles second round, was kept on the defensive for much of the match in the face of deep, powerful groundstrokes in a 6-2, 6-3 defeat at Melbourne Park.