Japan says negotiations will be tough without progress on abductions
February 7, 2006Japan told North Korea in just-ended bilateral talks that negotiations will be tough without progress on the abduction issue, Japan's ambassador on normalization talks with North Korea said Wednesday. At a news conference, Koichi Haraguchi expressed regret over the lack of progress with North Korea but said both sides agreed the three-track talks serve as the ''only channel'' for communication and should be maintained.
Japan to mull whether to add pressure on N. Korea over failed talks
February 7, 2006Japan has no plans to cut off dialogue with North Korea but will judge whether to consider adding pressure on the country as just-ended bilateral talks on the abduction and other issues produced little progress, Tokyo's top spokesman Shinzo Abe said Wednesday. ''Basically, we have no intention to close the dialogue from our part, but would like to judge whether to discuss or consider what pressure should be newly given or substantiated after hearing details from the delegation,'' the chief Cabinet secretary said at a press conference.
Fukuoka architect fabricated structural data for condos: gov't
February 7, 2006An architect with a Fukuoka Prefecture design office has falsified quake-resistance data for condominiums, Japan's land ministry said Wednesday. The development marks the first time someone other than disgraced architect Hidetsugu Aneha is known to have fabricated building data.
Britain to start southern Iraq withdrawal this year: Reid
February 7, 2006Britain should be able to start withdrawing its troops from southern Iraq this year and will coordinate any exit with Japanese forces, Britain's Defense Secretary John Reid said Tuesday. Reid said Muthana Province, where Japanese troops are currently stationed, is relatively peaceful and appeared to indicate it could be one of the first areas from which soldiers are withdrawn.
Japan, N. Korea again fail to narrow gap over abduction row
February 7, 2006Japan and North Korea on Tuesday failed again to bridge their differences over the abductions of Japanese nationals by North Korean agents, following their earlier talks on Sunday, negotiators on the topic from the two countries said. The two sides also could not make progress in two other key areas -- diplomatic normalization and the North's nuclear and missile programs -- discussed separately in Beijing over the past few days, but a North Korean official said they agreed to continue intergovernmental talks.
Livedoor says Livedoor Marketing suspected of accounting fraud
February 7, 2006Livedoor Co. released a statement Tuesday night saying one of its subsidiaries is suspected by the authorities of having falsified its financial statement. Prosecutors suspect that Livedoor Marketing Co. falsely stated it had booked a pretax and net profit during the third quarter of fiscal 2004, although the company in fact incurred a pretax and net loss, Livedoor said.
Abductees' kin frustrated at lack of progress in Beijing talks
February 7, 2006The families of Japanese nationals abducted by North Korea expressed anger and frustration Tuesday over the outcome of bilateral talks on North Korea's abductions of Japanese citizens. ''I had thought that North Korea might compromise even a bit in order to speed up (talks on) normalization of (diplomatic) ties, but as always our message fell on deaf ears,'' said Sakie Yokota, 69, whose daughter Megumi was abducted by North Korean agents in 1977 at age 13.
Death of Horie confidant not caused by criminal act
February 7, 2006The chairman of the National Public Safety Commission, Tetsuo Kutsukake, said Tuesday the death of a close associate of arrested former Livedoor Co. President Takafumi Horie was not caused by any criminal act, denying media speculation that he was involved in a crime. The 38-year-old vice president of a brokerage house, who is believed to have been involved in corporate takeover deals by Livedoor, was found dead with his wrists cut at a hotel in Naha, Okinawa Prefecture, in January.
Olympics: IOC's Rogge praises athletes' village
February 7, 2006International Olympic Committee president Jacques Rogge on Tuesday described the athletes village where he will be staying as ''top quality'' ahead of the start of the Winter Olympics in Turin on Friday. ''I think that it is very top quality,'' Rogge told reporters, after visiting the village, where he unveiled a memorial wall for a U.N.-backed global truce during the Summer and Winter Olympics.
Japan, N. Korea again fail to narrow gap over abduction row
February 7, 2006Japan and North Korea on Tuesday again failed to bridge their differences over the abductions of Japanese nationals by North Korean agents, following their talks on the topic Sunday, negotiators from the two countries said. ''The differences between the two sides are very big,'' Kim Chol Ho, North Korea's chief delegate to the bilateral panel addressing the issue, said after Tuesday's talks in Beijing. ''We mutually acknowledged each other's concerns.''
Japan-N. Korea security talks beneficial in conveying concerns: Abe
February 7, 2006Japan's top government spokesman said Tuesday that even though the security talks with North Korea held earlier in the day in Beijing did not produce fruit, they were beneficial in that Tokyo was able to directly convey its concerns to Pyongyang. ''The difference in the positions of both sides is big and we could not gain specific progress, but it was beneficial that we could directly communicate Japan's concerns,'' Chief Cabinet Secretary Shinzo Abe said in a press conference in Tokyo.
Soccer: Hunger for Hoops success drives Nakamura
February 7, 2006Japan international midfielder Shunsuke Nakamura has revealed that a hunger for winners medals was the chief reason behind his decision to join Scottish Premier League leaders Celtic in a high-profile move from Italy last summer. Nakamura has earned rave reviews since joining Celtic on a three-year deal from Reggina last summer and he has no regrets in quitting the Serie A strugglers, especially now that he is on the verge of winning his first trophy as a Hoops player in the League Cup final against Dunfermline next month.
N. Korea demands Japan return remains said to be Yokota's: envoy
February 7, 2006North Korea demanded Tuesday that Japan return the cremated remains which Pyongyang had given Japan in November 2004 as those of Japanese abductee Megumi Yokota, a North Korean official said. Kim Chol Ho, North Korea's chief delegate to the bilateral panel addressing the abduction issue, also said big gaps still remain between Japan and North Korea on the issue of Japanese nationals abducted by the North after another round of talks on the issue.
Koizumi maintains policy to seek imperial law revision
February 7, 2006Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi reiterated his desire Tuesday to revise the Imperial House Law this year to pave the way for female monarchs in Japan, despite reports of Princess Kiko's pregnancy. Koizumi told reporters he has decided to seek the legislation after taking fully into account the possibility that a boy will be born to the Japanese royal family in the future.