FEATURE: British play on Iraq war draws lukewarm response in Japan
February 15, 2006(EDS: ONE PHOTO ACCOMPANYING THIS STORY IS AVAILABLE VIA E-MAIL. THE PHOTO ADVISORY IS TO FOLLOW) A Japanese version of a hit London play about the Iraq war drew a tepid response from Japanese audiences when it played here recently.
U.N. Security Council unanimously endorses 'Afghanistan Compact'
February 15, 2006The U.N. Security Council on Wednesday endorsed a framework for partnership between the Afghani government and the international community to bolster the country's security and economic development, as well as efforts to fight production and trafficking of drugs. Known as the Afghan Compact, which was launched in London last month, the framework sets out in a five-year agenda efforts to work with Afghanistan to help consolidate democratic institutions, curb insecurity, control the illegal drug trade, stimulate the economy, enforce the law, provide basic services to the Afghan people and protect their human rights.
Rice warns Iran of decisive int'l action
February 15, 2006U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Wednesday that Iran has openly defied the world by resuming uranium enrichment, and warned that the international community will act ''decisively'' if Tehran continues its actions. In her congressional testimony, Rice also said the United States is already studying various options of sanctions against Tehran, including an oil embargo.
Koizumi sent message to N. Korea at Beijing talks
February 15, 2006Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi said Wednesday he had sent a message to North Korean leader Kim Jong Il in which he expressed his hopes that North Korea would negotiate with Japan in a sincere manner during their latest bilateral talks earlier this month. Earlier in the day, speaking at his regular press conference, Chief Cabinet Secretary Shinzo Abe denied that the premier had sent such a message during the bilateral talks in Beijing from Feb. 4 to 8.
Tibet gov't-in-exile representatives negotiate with Beijing
February 15, 2006A delegation from the Tibetan government-in-exile began meetings with Chinese officials in Beijing on Wednesday to push for more autonomy for Tibetans living under Chinese rule. Two Tibetan representatives, led by special envoy Lodi Gyari, and two senior aides arrived in Beijing on Wednesday from India for the fifth round of talks over the past four years, said Tema Tsering, the government-in-exile's ambassador to India. He said they would stay in China for seven to 10 days.
Court rejects damages suit against state by war-displaced Japanese
February 15, 2006The Tokyo District Court rejected Wednesday a 60 million yen damages suit by three Japanese women who argued that the state failed to take swift action to repatriate them from China after World War II. While recognizing that the plaintiffs suffered severely and the state was negligent in fulfilling its responsibilities, Presiding Judge Hiroshi Noyama said that the negligence was not significant enough for the court to find in the women's favor, ''and circumstances fell just short of allowing the court to rule such negligence illegal as defined under the State Redress Law.''
Abe denies Koizumi sent message to N. Korea at Beijing talks
February 15, 2006Chief Cabinet Secretary Shinzo Abe denied a report in a newspaper Wednesday that Japan delivered a message from Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi to North Korea in their last round of bilateral talks. Abe made the denial in reference to the Feb. 6 meeting in Beijing between Koichi Haraguchi, ambassador in charge of normalization talks with North Korea, and his North Korean counterpart Song Il Ho.
EU, U.S. raid major airlines for alleged price-fixing
February 15, 2006The European Commission and the U.S. Justice Department said Tuesday they raided leading airlines in Europe and the United States as part of an investigation into alleged cartel activities involving their cargo operations. Japan Airlines' officials issued a statement in Tokyo, confirming that JAL is a target of the investigation. The company will fully cooperate in the probe, the statement said.
Court rejects damages suit against state by war-displaced Japanese
February 15, 2006The Tokyo District Court rejected Wednesday a damages suit by war-displaced Japanese who argued that the state failed to take action to repatriate them earlier. The court recognized that the plaintiffs suffered severely and the omission on the part of the state but added circumstances fell short of allowing the court to rule such omission illegal as defined under the State Redress Law.
N. Korea's Kim to mark 64th birthday amid nuke stalemate
February 15, 2006North Korean leader Kim Jong Il marks his 64th birthday Thursday amid the deadlock in multilateral talks over the country's nuclear programs and a continuing mystery over the transfer of power in the country. Special decorations have already been put up in the streets of Pyongyang, and choir performances and film shows have begun to mark Kim's birthday, one of the country's biggest national holidays, according to diplomats in the capital and North Korea's state media.
Inamine to ask central gov't to ensure safety near Futemma airport
February 15, 2006Okinawa Gov. Keiichi Inamine indicated Wednesday the prefecture will ask the central government and the United States to take steps to ensure that a U.S. military airport in the city of Ginowan does not pose any danger to the local community before its relocation plan is finalized. ''We will do our utmost so as to have steps, including emergency ones, implemented'' to remove the danger, Inamine told the Okinawa prefectural assembly.