Court rejects Sumitomo Trust lawsuit over failed integration
February 12, 2006The Tokyo District Court on Monday rejected a lawsuit filed by Sumitomo Trust & Banking Co. seeking compensation from the former UFJ Holdings Inc., now part of Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group Inc., for scrapping the planned integration of their trust units. Sumitomo Trust claimed it could have gained some 230 billion yen in profit if the integration plan agreed with UFJ had gone ahead, and sought 100 billion yen in compensation from the UFJ side.
2 die in house fire in Mie Pref.
February 12, 2006A 71-year-old man and a boy believed to be his grandson died in a fire at their home in Kuwana, Mie Prefecture, on Monday morning, police said. Takenao Ito died at a local hospital, while a body believed to belong to Masato, 10, was found in the burned out house, the police said.
Kyoto's Nijo Castle to undergo quake-resistance tests
February 12, 2006The two main buildings of Nijo Castle, a World Heritage site, in Kyoto will undergo quake-resistance examinations in fiscal 2006, starting in April, the city government said Monday. Ninomaru Palace, a national treasure, is more than 400 years old, and Hommaru Palace, an important cultural asset, tilted in the 1995 Great Hanshin Earthquake, prompting the city allocate a budget of 20 million yen for the examinations, city officials said.
3 die, 7 injured in 12-vehicle pileup on expressway in Kyoto
February 12, 2006Three people died and seven men were injured in an accident involving 12 vehicles on an expressway in Uji, Kyoto Prefecture, on Monday morning, police and firefighters said. The accident on the Keishi Bypass occurred after a driver stopped to rescue a man who had been lying in the fast lane after being hit by a car, causing 10 other vehicles to stop behind him, according to the police.
Japan's current account surplus marks 1st fall in 4 years in 2005
February 12, 2006Japan's current account surplus in 2005 registered a year-on-year decline for the first time in four years, falling 3.1 percent from 2004 to 18,047.9 billion yen, the Finance Ministry said Monday. A feature of the 2005 current account data is that the surplus in the income balance -- income from Japanese investments in foreign securities and payments by foreign employers in Japan -- topped the trade surplus for the first time in the nation's postwar era, the ministry said in a preliminary report.
Olympics: Ishino 13th, Tabata 14th in women's 3,000 in speed skating
February 12, 2006Japanese long-distance speed skater Eriko Ishino finished 13th in the women's 3,000 meters and national record holder Maki Tabata 14th at the Turin Olympic Games on Sunday. Former world junior champion Ishino marked her Olympic debut with a time of 4 minutes, 11.21 seconds at the Oval Lingotto indoor rink while Tabata clocked 4:12.38, well outside her national mark of 4:01.01. Compatriot Eriko Seo was 20th in 4:16.27.
Gov't may not submit bill to upgrade Defense Agency: Takebe
February 12, 2006Liberal Democratic Party Secretary General Tsutomu Takebe indicated Sunday the government may give up plans for now to upgrade the Defense Agency to ministry status following a bid-rigging scandal over defense-related public works projects. Speaking at a TV program, Takebe said, ''Yes, I think so,'' in response to a question if it has become difficult for the government to submit a bill upgrading the Defense Agency to the current ordinary Diet session, which ends in June.
Olympics: Japan's halfpipe riders flop in Turin
February 12, 2006Japan's hopes of a first snowboarding medal at the Winter Olympics suffered a major blow after all four riders in the men's halfpipe event failed to make it through to the final on Sunday. Having established themselves on the international circuit, Domu Narita and Kazuhiro Kokubo were tipped as possible podium finishers here. But both flopped badly while Takaharu Nakai and Fumiyuki Murakami also delivered lackluster performances on the Bardonecchia track.
Olympics: Kato in confident mood ahead of 500-meter races
February 12, 2006Japanese speed skater Joji Kato said Sunday he is confident that his fitness level has improved enough to shoot for the gold in the men's 500 meters at the Turin Olympics. Kato completed his final tune-up with an hour-long light workout ahead of Monday's races at the Oval Lingotto arena, where the world record holder runs for Japan's second Olympic gold in speed skating and first since the 1998 Nagano Games.
SDP ends convention with pledge to counter LDP-led politics
February 12, 2006The Social Democratic Party ended its two-day convention Sunday after pledging to become a party that opposes politics led by the ruling Liberal Democratic Party. The SDP made the pledge in a special resolution issued to wrap up its 10th convention, which also blasted the LDP's moves to revise the post-World War II Japanese Constitution.
Livedoor used complicated scheme to sell shares
February 12, 2006Livedoor Co. used Swiss and Hong Kong financial institutions as well as a company registered in the British Virgin Islands to funnel back into the Internet business firm proceeds from the sale of new Livedoor shares it had issued for corporate takeovers, investigative sources said Sunday. Former Livedoor President Takafumi Horie and other former executives of the company under arrest transferred funds through complicated routes to hide the fact that the Livedoor group's acquisition deals via stock swaps were intended to pocket proceeds from the sale of shares in Livedoor and its subsidiaries, the sources said.
Olympics: Injured Kwan pulls out of Winter Olympics
February 12, 2006American figure skater Michelle Kwan on Sunday pulled out of the Turin Winter Olympics after failing to shake off a niggling groin injury, the U.S. Olympic Committee said. The five-time world champion and two-time Olympic medalist cut short her practice session on Saturday after aggravating the injury and decided to withdraw after being evaluated by a team doctor early on Sunday.
LDP panel to study ways to keep male-line succession as well
February 12, 2006A study panel of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party will discuss a wide range of issues on the proposed revision to the Imperial House Law, including ways to preserve the male line of Japan's imperial succession, LDP policy chief Hidenao Nakagawa said Sunday. Nakagawa said on a TV Asahi program that he wants to have the panel ''fully study and discuss ways to preserve the male line as well.''
Olympics: Japan delegation chief disappointed as Uemura misses out
February 12, 2006Japanese delegation chief Kenichi Chizuka expressed disappointment at freestyle skier Aiko Uemura's failure to capture a medal at the Turin Winter Olympics but said Saturday there was no cause for alarm after Japan finished the first day of competition empty-handed. ''I wanted (Uemura) to get a medal so obviously it is disappointing,'' Chizuka told reporters. ''But it is still only the first day so there isn't any real cause for concern just yet.''
Marathon: Ethiopia's Tolossa wins Tokyo Int'l Marathon
February 12, 2006Ethiopia's Ambesse Tolossa won the Tokyo International Marathon for the first time on Sunday, denying local favorite Toshinari Takaoka the chance to become the first runner in the race's history to successfully defend his title in the process. Takaoka briefly took the lead after 36 kilometers but 2004 Paris Marathon winner Tolossa made his move at the 37-km point to overtake the Japanese ace and ran the remainder of the race alone, crossing the finish line at National Stadium in 2 hours, 08 minutes, 58 seconds.
WHO lab confirms 2 more bird flu deaths in Indonesia
February 12, 2006A World Health Organization laboratory in Hong Kong has confirmed two more fatalities caused by bird flu in Indonesia, an Indonesian health official said Sunday. Ilham Patu, spokesman at the Sulianti Saroso Infectious Disease Hospital, which handles bird flu patients, told Kyodo News that the virulent H5N1 strain of bird flu killed two women.
Howard says Aussie troops may stay on in Iraq after SDF leaves
February 12, 2006Australian troops could remain in Iraq beyond the expected withdrawal of the Japanese military personnel they were sent to protect, Prime Minister John Howard said Sunday, according to local media. ''It should not be assumed that we would bring all of our forces home,'' Howard told the Nine Network, according to the Australian Associated Press.
Traffic accident kills 19 in China
February 12, 2006A traffic accident involving a truck overloaded with passengers left 11 dead and 19 injured in southwestern China's Yunnan Province on Saturday night, state-run media reported Sunday. The accident occurred around 8:40 p.m. in Hekou County of Honghe Hani-Yi Autonomous Prefecture when the truck overloaded with 29 people was driving along a national highway and ran into a ravine about 55 meters deep, the Xinhua News Agency reported. ==Kyodo
Marathon: Ethiopia's Tolossa wins Tokyo Int'l Marathon
February 12, 2006Ethiopia's Ambesse Tolossa won the Tokyo International Marathon for the first time on Sunday, wrecking local favorite Toshinari Takaoka's hopes of becoming the first runner in the race's history to successfully defend his title in the process. Takaoka briefly took the lead after 36 kilometers but 2004 Paris Marathon winner Tolossa made his move at the 37-km point to overtake the Japanese ace and ran the remainder of the race alone, crossing the finish line at National Stadium in 2 hours, 8 minutes, 58 seconds.