Olympics: Japan edges U.S. for 1st win in women's curling
February 14, 2006Skip Ayumi Onodera hit the target in an extra end as Japan rebounded from its narrow defeat in its opening match to edge the United States 6-5 and evened its record at 1-1 in the women's curling tournament at the Turin Olympics on Tuesday. Onodera and Japanese sweepers made no mistake in putting a stone in an empty house, or scoring circle, with the last shot of the 11th end after the Americans tied the match at 5-5 in the 10th.
Olympics: Japan sinking further with no medals in sight
February 14, 2006Japan finished the fourth day of competition at the Turin Olympics on Tuesday exactly where it left off a day earlier: Still seeking medals. Veteran speed skater Tomomi Okazaki appeared on course for her second Olympic medal with the third fastest time in the first run of the women's 500-meter event but was overtaken in the final run to narrowly miss out on a podium finish.
MUFG to raise FY 2005 group net profit outlook to over 1 tril. yen
February 14, 2006Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group Inc. is likely to raise its group net profit projection for the year through March to more than 1 trillion yen, up from an earlier forecast 930 billion yen, sources close to the matter said Tuesday. MUFG was created through the merger last Oct. 1 of Mitsubishi Tokyo Financial Group Inc. and UFJ Holdings Inc. MUFG's assets stood at 197 trillion yen as of the end of June, making them the world's largest. ==Kyodo
Thousands protest in Pakistan over cartoons, 2 dead
February 14, 2006Over 1,000 protesters stormed into Islamabad's diplomatic enclave while thousands rioted in the eastern city of Lahore Tuesday over cartoons of the Prophet Mohammad. Two people were killed when security guards at a bank in Lahore opened fire on people trying to break into the bank during the rampage, Punjab Chief Minister Pervez Elahi said.
Livedoor reports 11-fold group net profit jump for Oct.-Dec.
February 14, 2006Livedoor Co., which is at the center of accounting fraud investigations, reported Tuesday a nearly 11-fold jump in its group net profit and a four-fold rise in operating revenue for the first three months of the business year beginning Oct. 1 last year. Livedoor officials attributed the rises partly to consolidation of the financial results of used car dealership Livedoor Auto Co., a commodity futures dealing company and other firms it bought last year in its group results.
Olympics: Arakawa changes tune for short program
February 14, 2006Japanese figure skater Shizuka Arakawa has changed the tune for her short program ahead of the women's event at the Turin Olympic Games, skating officials said Tuesday. Arakawa will skate to Chopin's Fantasy, which she used for her free program until early last month, at the Feb. 21 short program in the latest of modifications she has made for her Olympic campaign.
Baseball: Free agent Takatsu signs for Yakult
February 14, 2006Former Chicago White Sox and New York Mets closer Shingo Takatsu on Tuesday concluded negotiations with the Yakult Swallows and signed a one-year contract with his old club. The 37-old right-hander, who became a free agent in the off season and had been training with the Central League club at its spring camp, put pen to paper on a deal carrying an annual salary of 30 million plus performance-related bonuses.
Sompo Japan admits not disclosing penalties on employees
February 14, 2006Sompo Japan Insurance Inc. punished 527 of its employees in January for shouldering premium payments for policy buyers, an unlawful sales practice, but did not disclose the fact, company officials admitted Tuesday. The Financial Services Agency has learned about the matter and may take a punitive step against the nonlife insurance company, informed sources said.
Malaysian minister quits, Cabinet reshuffle expected soon
February 14, 2006Malaysian Information Minister Abdul Kadir Sheikh Fadzir announced his resignation Tuesday, intensifying speculation that a Cabinet reshuffle is imminent. Abdul Kadir said at a press conference he is quitting to spend more time with his family and that Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badwi has accepted the resignation.
Iran's foreign minister to visit Japan Feb. 27-March 1
February 14, 2006Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki will visit Japan from Feb. 27 to March 1 to discuss nuclear and other issues with Japan, the Japanese Foreign Ministry said Tuesday. Mottaki is scheduled to hold talks with Foreign Minister Taro Aso and other Japanese government officials to discuss bilateral relations and international issues of mutual concern, the ministry said, alluding to the Iranian nuclear case.
Number of corporate bankruptcies rise 2.6% in Jan.
February 14, 2006The number of corporate bankruptcies in Japan rose 2.6 percent in January from a year earlier to 1,049, marking the fourth consecutive monthly increase but the third-lowest figure over the past 10 years for the reporting month, Tokyo Shoko Research said Tuesday. Debts left behind by bankrupt companies totaled 604.36 billion yen, down 2.8 percent, staying below the 1 trillion yen mark for 22 months in a row, the credit research agency said.