Olympics: Japanese jumpers breeze into large hill final
February 17, 2006Noriaki Kasai finished first in the qualifying round Friday as all three Japanese ski jumpers coasted into the final of the large hill event at the Turin Olympic Games. Kasai topped the field of 54 with 117.3 points after a jump of 126 meters at the K-125 hill in the Italian Alps, which gave him a place in Saturday's competition along with fellow qualifiers Daiki Ito and Tsuyoshi Ichinohe.
Olympics: Japan's ski jumpers reach final, still no medals
February 17, 2006Japan's ski jumpers all qualified for the final of the large hill event Friday on another medalless day for the country at the Turin Olympics. There were medals up for grabs in three finals, but the closest Japan came to a podium spot was a seventh-place finish by Yuka Fujimori in the women's snowboard cross.
Lead: Olympics: Japan's Fujimori 7th in women's snowboard cross
February 17, 2006Yuka Fujimori finished seventh in the women's snowboard cross Friday for the best showing among the Japanese snowboarders at the Turin Winter Olympic Games. Fujimori reached the last eight with the help of a crash involving two of the three riders running in front of her before being denied a place in the final with a last-place semifinal run.
DPJ unveils alleged Horie e-mail on money for LDP executive's son
February 17, 2006The main opposition Democratic Party of Japan publicized on Friday an e-mail it alleges was sent by indicted former Livedoor Co. President Takafumi Horie to order a transfer of 30 million yen to the son of a ruling party executive amid an intensified political blame-game between Japan's ruling and opposition camps. Yoshihiko Noda, the DPJ's Diet affairs chief, unveiled the e-mail at a news conference late Friday night as Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi and other lawmakers in the Liberal Democratic Party repeatedly asserted that the DPJ's claim about the money transfer to the second son of LDP Secretary General Tsutomu Takebe was groundless.
Ex-Livedoor chief Horie may be served new arrest warrant next week
February 17, 2006Former Livedoor Co. President Takafumi Horie and some other former executives may be served fresh arrest warrants in the first half of next week on suspicion of booking inflated earnings results in the year to Sept. 30, 2004, prosecution sources said Friday. The new warrants would enable the Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office to detain 33-year-old Horie and the former executives, who are already in custody for alleged breaches of the Securities and Exchange Law, for further questioning.
DPJ unveils alleged Horie e-mail on money for LDP executive's son
February 17, 2006The main opposition Democratic Party of Japan publicized on Friday an e-mail it alleges was sent by indicted former Livedoor Co. President Takafumi Horie to order a transfer of 30 million yen to the son of a ruling party executive amid an intensified political blame-game between Japan's ruling and opposition camps. Yoshihiko Noda, the DPJ's Diet affairs chief, unveiled the e-mail at a news conference late Friday night as Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi and other lawmakers in the Liberal Democratic Party repeatedly asserted that the DPJ's claim about the money transfer to the second son of LDP Secretary General Tsutomu Takebe was groundless.
U.S. envoy hopes beef report will restore Japanese confidence
February 17, 2006U.S. Ambassador to Japan Thomas Schieffer hoped Friday that an investigative report on U.S. exports to Japan of beef containing banned material last month will help restore Japanese consumers' confidence in American beef, as the paper includes measures to prevent a recurrence. After delivering the 475-page report by the U.S. Department of Agriculture to the Japanese government, Schieffer told a press conference that Washington ''deeply regrets the mistake that was made by the exporter and USDA personnel.''
U.S. reports failure in inspection for beef exports to Japan
February 17, 2006U.S. Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns released Friday an investigation report admitting a flaw in the U.S. inspection system for beef exports to Japan and vowing to take various preventive measures. In a press conference, Johanns reiterated his regret and apology for failing to comply with an agreement with Japan, but again stressed the shipped beef had no safety risk under the U.S. safeguard standards on mad cow disease.
Woman arrested over murder of 5-yr-olds in Shiga Pref.
February 17, 2006A 34-year-old woman was arrested Friday on suspicion of fatally stabbing a 5-year-old girl and a 5-year-old boy as she was taking them to kindergarten in Nagahama, Shiga Prefecture, the same day, police said. The woman, Zheng Yongshan, who has Chinese nationality, admitted to the charges after her arrest in Otsu in the same prefecture, according to the police.
Securities watchdog officials fly to Switzerland over Livedoor case
February 17, 2006Japan's securities watchdog has dispatched investigators to Switzerland as part of the probe into alleged money laundering by Livedoor Co., suspected of having violated the securities law, sources close to the matter said Friday. The Securities and Exchange Surveillance Commission is also planning to send officials to Hong Kong and the British Virgin Islands, known as a tax haven, in a move that could shed light on Livedoor's alleged scheme of gaining profits from dubious securities transactions through overseas financial institutions and companies.
Horie denies sending money to Takebe's son
February 17, 2006Arrested former Livedoor Co. President Takafumi Horie denied giving instructions in a company e-mail that 30 million yen be sent to the second son of Tsutomu Takebe, secretary general of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, Horie's lawyer said Friday. Horie, 33, was quoted as telling the lawyer at their meeting at the Tokyo detention house, ''I did not send money, and I was not supposed to do so. I did not issue such an e-mail, either.''
Japan to toughen punishment in wake of Livedoor scandal
February 17, 2006Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party on Friday proposed tougher punishment and other measures against Securities and Exchange Law violations in the wake of four former Livedoor Co. executives' alleged violations of the law. The measures call for doubling the maximum prison term to 10 years for a violator of the law, newly imposing a fine on fraudulent stock trading orders and raising overall fines under the law, LDP officials said.
Horie denies sending money to Takebe's son
February 17, 2006Arrested former Livedoor Co. President Takafumi Horie denied instructing in a company e-mail that 30 million yen be sent to the second son of Tsutomu Takebe, secretary general of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, Horie's lawyer said Friday. Horie, 33, was quoted as telling the lawyer at their meeting at the Tokyo detention house, ''I did not send money, and I was not supposed to do so. I did not issue such an e-mail, either.''