Lower house speaker Kono leaves for Greece, Italy, Tunisia, France
January 7, 2006House of Representatives Speaker Yohei Kono left Japan on Sunday for a weeklong trip to Greece, Italy, Tunisia and France. Kono will meet Greek Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis and President Karolos Papoulias to exchange views over bilateral relations as well as other international issues.
Ministry to require airlines to report minor problems
January 7, 2006Japan's transport ministry has worked out a draft bill framework for revising the Aviation Law that requires airline operators to report minor problems such as engine component trouble, according to ministry officials. The revision -- planned to be implemented in fall -- is aimed at establishing measures to prevent accidents at an early point by collecting information on various problems and analyzing their causes, Land, Infrastructure and Transport Ministry officials said.
Japanese police arrest U.S. sailor on robbery-murder charges
January 7, 2006Japanese police arrested a U.S. sailor Saturday on suspicion of robbing and killing a Japanese woman Tuesday in Yokosuka, Kanagawa Prefecture, police officials said. Earlier in the day, the United States transferred custody of the suspect, William Reese, 21, to the Kanagawa prefectural police after the police obtained a warrant for his arrest.