Asia Africa Intelligence Wire articles from March 2005

Asia Africa Intelligence Wire archives from March 2005

The Best Goals for Japan in the 21st Century.
March 1, 2005... (From Journal of Japanese Trade & Industry (JJTI)) Byline: Fujii Hiroaki The issue of identity for modern Japan has always been problematic. Japan has been constantly isolated in international society since it came into contact with...

JapaneseTraditional Clothing & Culture.
March 1, 2005... (From Journal of Japanese Trade & Industry (JJTI)) Byline: Ichida Hiromi The Palazzo Vecchio in Florence is an Italian Gothic masterpiece constructed at the beginning of the 14th century. The World Heritage palace is located in the...

A Time for Reform.
March 1, 2005... (From Journal of Japanese Trade & Industry (JJTI)) Byline: Urushihara Takuya The drive to revive the traditional crafts industry in Japan started to gain momentum in the late 1960s. Amid the emerging imbalance resulting from rapid...

Japanese Civilization (Part 19).
March 1, 2005... (From Journal of Japanese Trade & Industry (JJTI)) Byline: Kawakatsu Heita Great Britain was "the first industrial nation" in the world, while Japan played that role in Asia. It is well-known that the cotton industry played a vital...

Awareness of a Mother Tongue.
March 1, 2005... (From Journal of Japanese Trade & Industry (JJTI)) Byline: Samejima Yumiko I have been living in Europe for the past quarter century. It has been 20 years since I began singing Japanese songs as a singer of classical music. This may...

Fated to Dance :Yokota Kenji & Kojidani Miki.
March 1, 2005... (From Journal of Japanese Trade & Industry (JJTI)) Byline: Article by Elizabeth Kiritani and illustrations by Kiritani Itsuo Ballroom dancing had been simmering quietly in dance halls throughout Japan when the movie Shall We Dance hit...

The Struggle to Prevent Another 34,000 Deaths.
March 1, 2005... (From Journal of Japanese Trade & Industry (JJTI)) Byline: Matsunaga Tsutomu "What do you think happens to people when they die?" A doctor specializing in pediatric neuropsychiatry recently carried out a survey that put the question to...

About Exemption from Prohibition of Weapons Exports.
March 1, 2005... (From Journal of Japanese Trade & Industry (JJTI)) Byline: Hatakeyama Noboru Since 1976 the Government of Japan has prohibited all weapons exports with very few exceptions. These included the return of a MiG-25 fighter which made an...

Robots Welcome the Expo Visitors.
March 1, 2005... (From Journal of Japanese Trade & Industry (JJTI)) Japan is a leading country for robotics technology, where the humanoid robot ASIMO from Honda and the entertainment robot AIBO from SONY are accepted as members of society. At the EXPO...

Internationally Competitive Financial Conglomerates Eyed.
March 1, 2005... (From Journal of Japanese Trade & Industry (JJTI)) The Financial Services Agency has drawn up "the Program for Further Financial Reform" to serve as a guideline for Japan's financial policy after the government completely removes the full...

Chinese Networks.
March 1, 2005... (From Journal of Japanese Trade & Industry (JJTI)) Byline: Shiraishi Takashi The recent tsunami disaster reminds us that many of the affected countries not only occupy the same geographical space in the Indian Ocean, but were...

Tax Hike Initiative Launched to Remedy Debt-Ridden Finances.
March 1, 2005... (From Journal of Japanese Trade & Industry (JJTI)) For years, Japan has tried to get out of deflation and a protracted economic slump by increasing public spending. It is now changing course and is about to launch a tax hike initiative to...

Conclusion Expected in Fall on Female Successor to Imperial Throne.
March 1, 2005... (From Journal of Japanese Trade & Industry (JJTI)) A newly established government panel is expected to reach a conclusion this fall on whether to revise the Imperial House Law in order to allow female members of the Imperial family to...

The Koizumi Cabinet and Japanese Politics in 2005.
March 1, 2005... (From Journal of Japanese Trade & Industry (JJTI)) Byline: Sasaki Takeshi The Koizumi Cabinet greeted the new year with a continuing low public support level. The unpopularity rating has surpassed the approval rating which hovers...

An Example of a Next Generation Exposition.
March 1, 2005... (From Journal of Japanese Trade & Industry (JJTI)) Byline: Izumi Shinya Even those directly involved in the EXPO know surprising little about its history. The modern Olympic Games, the America's Cup, and gold, silver and bronze medals...

The Japan Pavilions.
March 1, 2005... (From Journal of Japanese Trade & Industry (JJTI)) Byline: Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry / Japan Association for the 2005 World Exposition Japan is a well-known for its brilliant combinations of traditional craftsmanship and...

Nature's Wisdom, the World's Wisdom.
March 1, 2005... (From Journal of Japanese Trade & Industry (JJTI)) Byline: Nakamura Toshio In order to create a new interface between nature and life in the 21st century, the global community needs to invent a new way of life - one which is...

Experience the Good Old Days Again.
March 1, 2005... (From Journal of Japanese Trade & Industry (JJTI)) In the "Forest Experience Zone" of the Nagakute Area where visitors can rediscover the intimate relationship between humanity and nature, a replica of Satsuki and Mei's house has been...

The Prospects for a Common Currency in Asia.
March 1, 2005... (From Journal of Japanese Trade & Industry (JJTI)) Byline: Inoguchi Takashi Gauging People's Minds is a Must to Facilitate Economic Integration and a Common Currency. Envisioning economic integration in Asia, it is useful to reflect...

Japanese Women Becoming Obsessed with South Korean TV Dramas.
March 1, 2005... (From Journal of Japanese Trade & Industry (JJTI)) Byline: Kurosawa Tsuneo A South Korean TV drama series is on the verge of demolishing the spiritual barrier that has existed between Japan and South Korea. It may sound a bit of an...

JR Central Pavilion: Invitation to the Ultimate Surface Transit System.
March 1, 2005... (From Journal of Japanese Trade & Industry (JJTI)) Byline: Kigaku Yasumichi Superconducting Maglev Linear Motor car The superconducting magnetically levitated linear motor car, or Superconducting Maglev, is a revolutionary transit...

FY 2005 Budget Mired in Crisis.
March 1, 2005... (From Journal of Japanese Trade & Industry (JJTI)) Byline: Izumi Masaki The Japanese government's draft budget proposal for FY 2005 has taken its final form. General account expenditure increased 0.1% over the initial figure for FY...

my-earth.org.uk.
March 1, 2005... (From Journal of Japanese Trade & Industry (JJTI)) Byline: The British Embassy, Tokyo The United Kingdom is delighted to be taking part in EXPO 2005. Prime Minister Tony Blair's announcement made during his visit to Japan in 2003 that...

Japan's Capacity for Industrial Revival and R&D.
March 1, 2005... (From Journal of Japanese Trade & Industry (JJTI)) Byline: Karatsu Hajime Japan continues to be the No. 1 car producer in the world. The total varies from year to year, but normally around 10 million vehicles roll off the production...

The Revival of Japanese Manufacturing Industry.
March 1, 2005... (From Journal of Japanese Trade & Industry (JJTI)) Byline: Ishige Hiroyuki 1. Economic recovery driven by manufacturing industry While manufacturing industry makes up about 20% of Japan's GDP, it accounts for 90% of the country's...

Launching a Dream to Attract Young People!
March 1, 2005... (From Journal of Japanese Trade & Industry (JJTI)) Byline: Interviewer: Kitazawa Akira To what extent does the skilled processing technology of back-street factories hold good in the state-of-the-art space industry? Craftsmen have got...

"Selection & Concentration".
March 1, 2005... (From Journal of Japanese Trade & Industry (JJTI)) Byline: Interviewer: Hirose Keiichi "Selection & Concentration" Strategy Helps Canon Keep the World's Top Market Shares in Digital Cameras and Other Products. Boasting the world's...

>Developing New Applications for Acrylic Glass.
March 1, 2005... (From Journal of Japanese Trade & Industry (JJTI)) Byline: Interviewer: Takamasu Kanji Three whale sharks, four mantas and a number of other subtropical ocean fish swim on the other side of the massive transparent wall. This huge tank,...

Thai farmer group demonstrate against return of Newin to Agriculture Ministry post.
March 1, 2005... (From Thai Press Reports) Section: General News - Some 5,000 farmers rallied in front of Government House against Newin Chidchob returning to the Agriculture Ministry, claiming he had failed to help solve their debt problems while he was...

Thai FDA checks breast enlargement cream following public demo.
March 1, 2005... (From Thai Press Reports) Section: Business News - A cream and a special bra that claim to enlarge women's breasts are under investigation by Thai health authorities, after the cream's makers gave models a public breast massage to prove...

Thai expert fears delay in tsunami warning system.
March 1, 2005... (From Thai Press Reports) Section: General News - Regional squabbling could delay the set-up of an Indian Ocean early warning system to alert communities to tsunamis like the one which slammed the area in December, a Thai expert warned...

Big flap in Thailand over public demonstration of breast enlargement cream.
March 1, 2005... (From Thai Press Reports) Section: Business News - Models' public massage rubs officials the wrong way, The Nation reports. Society's conservative forces and arguably overly creative advertising planners are on a collision course...

Thailand to set up national crisis centre.
March 1, 2005... (From Thai Press Reports) Section: General News - Acting on Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra's instructions, the National Security Council (NSC) is drafting a plan for an operations centre that will be in charge of dealing with national...

Thai FDA investigates bra claimed to help enlarge breast.
March 1, 2005... (From Thai Press Reports) Section: General News - The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is to review a 'breast-enlarging' bra's specifications to see if it warrants an import ban, after the importer claimed the agency had declared the...

Thai government backs down on insurgency zoning plan.
March 1, 2005... (From Thai Press Reports) Section: General News - Administration was only floating an idea, says spokesman, The Nation reports. The government has shelved its controversial plan for security zoning in the terrorism-plagued South...

Another official murdered in southern Thailand.
March 1, 2005... (From Thai Press Reports) Section: General News - A local official was shot dead and another seriously wounded yesterday by three men on a motorcycle in the southern province of Pattani, police said. Prawit Ketsaro, 42, vice president...

US rights activist slams Thailand's insurgency area zoning plan.
March 1, 2005... (From Thai Press Reports) Section: General News - Zoning of the deep South is a 'very poor idea' and would only serve to attract more 'jihadists' and exacerbate the ongoing conflict, a human rights activist from the United States said. ...

Thai Election Commission says more MPs likely to be disqualified.
March 1, 2005... (From Thai Press Reports) Section: Government & Politics - EC commissioner says more disqualifications likely after Parliament convenes, The Nation reports. The Election Commission is still investigating serious election complaints...

Thailand approves budget for irrigation of farmland.
March 1, 2005... (From Thai Press Reports) Section: General News - Bt200-billion plan to be implemented over next four years, The Nation reports. Up to 70 per cent of Thai farmland will be irrigated within the next four years, up from just 23 per cent...

Thai officials says flies pose no bird flu danger.
March 1, 2005... (From Thai Press Reports) Section: General News -The Medical Sciences Department sought to allay public fears over suggestions that sand flies carry a genetic attribute of the bird-flu virus, The Nation reports. "Sand flies can't pass...

More Thai provinces face water shortage.
March 1, 2005... (From Thai Press Reports) Section: General News - Suphan Buri and Nakhon Si Thammarat are the latest provinces to face water shortages, which have occurred much sooner than anticipated this year, The Nation reports. Water shortages...

Revenue sharing system in Thailand faces delay.
March 1, 2005... (From Thai Press Reports) Section: General News - The revenue-sharing formula between the central and local governments would be left for the new finance minister to decide, a Finance Ministry official said, while Finance Minister Somkid...

Thai police says investation of Krung Thai Bank loan scandal almost done.
March 1, 2005... (From Thai Press Reports) Section: Business News - Police investigators have almost completed questioning witnesses in the two criminal cases involving the Krung Thai Bank (KTB) loans scandal and have expressed confidence that they will be...

Thai police say political stickers constitutes lese-majesty.
March 1, 2005... (From Thai Press Reports) Section: General News - A police team investigating the recent distribution of stickers containing purported quotes by Their Majesties the King and Queen concluded that the act constituted lese-majesty, which is a...

Chiang Mai to have mass transit system after long delay.
March 1, 2005... (From Thai Press Reports) Section: General News - The dream of an effective mass transportation system in Chiang Mai is coming closer to realisation as mayor Boonlert Buranuprakorn has announced that 26 buses will be running on a trial...

Thai political veteran Chavalit to quit politics.
March 1, 2005... (From Thai Press Reports) Section: Government & Politics - Deputy Prime Minister Chavalit Yongchaiyudh yesterday confirmed press reports that he was going to leave politics for good at the end of his current term, The Nation reports. ...

Thai Supreme Court accept case against members of anti-graft commission.
March 1, 2005... (From Thai Press Reports) Section: General News - The Thai Supreme Court has accepted a lawsuit filed against the nine members of the National Counter Corruption Commission (NCCC) over their decision to give themselves a pay rise, a court...

Asian countries hold meeting on stabilizing foreign currency market.
March 1, 2005... (From Thai Press Reports) Section: Business News - Senior officials from Asean plus China, Japan and South Korea met in Bangkok this week to discuss ways to stabilise Asia's volatile currency markets and deal with the global economic...

Thailand-based tot Corp delay bidding on fixed line expansion project.
March 1, 2005... (From Thai Press Reports) Section: Corporate News - TOT Corp Plc's board has put off a decision on whether to launch a fresh round of bidding for its massive fixed-line expansion project until next month so that it can consider the legal...

Thailand's Sky-High Network to launch multi-channel radio programme.
March 1, 2005... (From Thai Press Reports) Section: Corporate News - Sky-High Network Co Ltd, an RS Promotion subsidiary, will next month launch a 'multi-channel' radio programme that will also be available to television viewers through the TTV network,...

Share price of Thai cement maker Siam Cement hits 10-year high in intra-day trading.
March 1, 2005... (From Thai Press Reports) Section: Stocks - Siam Cement's shares on Thursday hit a 10-year high of Bt270 in intra-day trading after Fitch Ratings (Thailand) upgraded its ratings. The stock closed unchanged at Bt266, The Nation reports....

Thai company reports.
March 1, 2005... (From Thai Press Reports) Section: Business News - Bank of Asia has reported a consolidated audited net profit of Bt761 million for 2004, compared to Bt1.82 billion a year earlier, The Nation reports. CM Organisation has posted a...

Oil price subsidy in Thailand raises concerns.
March 1, 2005... (From Thai Press Reports) Section: Commentary - Ever since the accumulated oil subsidy bill touched Bt50 billion, many parties - especially manufacturers - have repeatedly expressed concern about the impact on the economy once the...

Thai minister says diesel price won't be raised again this month.
March 1, 2005... (From Thai Press Reports) Section: General News - Government vows to go slow; needs time to assess impact of this week's move, The Nation reports. As oil prices hovered near recent highs on Thursday, Energy Minister Prommin...

Uniliver Thai Trading sees shrinking profits.
March 1, 2005... (From Thai Press Reports) Section: Corporate News - Unilever Thai Trading Co Ltd has faced reduced profits for the past two years, mainly because of increasing costs, particularly those of raw materials and diesel, The Nation reports. ...

Thai transport minister says three mega projects to go ahead.
March 1, 2005... (From Thai Press Reports) Section: General News - Transport Minister Suriya Jungrungreangkit yesterday put the spotlight on three transportation mega-projects, saying it was critical they be implemented in the next four years, while the...

Troubles at Thainox Stainless ignite rumours.
March 1, 2005... (From Thai Press Reports) Section: Commentary - The scandal at Thainox Stainless, the country's only stainless-steel maker, remained the talk of the town after Vichukorn Prapansiri, managing director and board member, resigned on...

Thailand business briefing.
March 1, 2005... (From Thai Press Reports) Section: Business News - - Siam Commercial Bank, Thailand's fourth-largest bank, said yesterday it planned to sell up to Bt40 billion-worth of bonds, The Nation reports. The bonds might be issued in several...

Violence continues in deep South.
March 1, 2005... (From Thai Press Reports) Section: General News - There has been further violence in Thailand's three southern-most provinces of Yala, Narathiwat and Pattani. A former soldier was shot dead early on Saturday morning near a market in...

Thailand-based Central Food Retail hopes to see sales rise following boost in investment.
March 1, 2005... (From Thai Press Reports) Section: Corporate News - Bt100m earmarked for new supermarket outlets, renovations, The Nation reports. Central Food Retail, the supermarket operations arm of the Central Retail Group, expects a sales...

Thailand-based Phuket Air adds international routes.
March 1, 2005... (From Thai Press Reports) Section: Corporate News - Phuket Air plans to fly from Bangkok to Kathmandu, Amsterdam and Bali next month, with three services a week to each new destination, The Nation reports. The move follows last year's...

Thai cable TV operator reduces lower-tier subscription rates.
March 1, 2005... (From Thai Press Reports) Section: Corporate News - UBC offering lower connection, monthly charges for non-premium packages, The Nation reports. United Broadcast-ing Corp Plc (UBC), Thailand's biggest pay-TV operator, yesterday...

Chiang Mai faces crater threat.
March 1, 2005... (From Thai Press Reports) Section: General News - The provincial authorities in Thailand's northern resort province of Chiang Mai have scheduled a meeting of local government agencies to form a response to an official warning that the...

THAI promotes marriage the Lanna way.
March 1, 2005... (From Thai Press Reports) Section: Corporate News - Couples from around the world will descend on the northern city of Chiang Mai next tomorrow to take part in a mass wedding ceremony designed to showcase the traditions of the ancient...

Diesel price hike still not affect border trade.
March 1, 2005... (From Thai Press Reports) Section: Business News - Border trade along the Thai-Cambodian border in Thailand's eastern province of Sa Kaew is going on as usual despite a price hike of diesel earlier this week. A number of Cambodian...

Court detains Nigerian footballer on charges of banknote forgery.
March 1, 2005... (From Thai Press Reports) Section: General News - Police in Bangkok's Don Muang district obtained a court order for the detention of a Nigerian footballer suspected of counterfeiting US dollars. The 23 year-old Bangkok-based Nigerian,...

Industry sentiment darkens as fuel subsidy goes.
March 1, 2005... (From Thai Press Reports) Section: Business News - The government's recent 60 stang a litre cut in the diesel fuel subsidy is likely to further weaken already depressed consumer sentiment in the industrial sector, according to the...

Bicycle racks for Skytrain stations.
March 1, 2005... (From Thai Press Reports) Section: General News - Elevated train stations in Bangkok will all get bicycle racks by the end of next month as part of a campaign by the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) to encourage residents of the...

Cosmetics companies cautioned over breast display.
March 1, 2005... (From Thai Press Reports) Section: General News - A cosmetics company executive and three female models could be fined for displaying their breasts as part of an advertisement for a 'miracle' breast-enhancing cream, police indicated. ...

Hat Yai hotels lose billions as tourists steer clear of south.
March 1, 2005... (From Thai Press Reports) Section: Business News - Hotels in Thailand's southern business district of Hat Yai in Songkhla Province have lost at least Bt1 billion over the past year, and many have been forced to close, as tourists steer...

SME Bank launches plans to set up 5,400 community banks.
March 1, 2005... (From Thai Press Reports) Section: Business News - The Small and Medium Enterprise Development Bank of Thailand (SME Bank) hopes to upgrade 5,400 village funds into community banks by the end of next year, the head of the National Village...

HM King asks royal charity to distribute books on tsunamis.
March 1, 2005... (From Thai Press Reports) Section: General News - His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej has requested the royal-sponsored Chaipattana Foundation to publish and distribute books on the 26 December's tsunamis to boost public knowledge of the...

Media play major role in disaster warnings.
March 1, 2005... (From Thai Press Reports) Section: General News - Media can play a major role in disaster warnings, participants of a regional journalists' forum were told here. Mr. Makoto Harada, Bureau Chief of NHK Bangkok, told the forum that...

OIC understands southern situation, says Foreign Minister.
March 1, 2005... (From Thai Press Reports) Section: General News - Foreign Minister Surakiart Sathirathai today played down the apparent dissatisfaction of the international Muslim community over Thailand's handling of the southern insurgency, insisting...

Oil prices prompt Finance Ministry to downgrade GDP forecast.
March 1, 2005... (From Thai Press Reports) Section: Economy - The Ministry of Finance today downgraded its 2005 gross domestic product (GDP) growth forecast by 0.1 percentage point to 6 percent, citing high global oil prices, avian flu and the continuing...

Fifth Asian journalists' forum ends successfully.
March 1, 2005... (From Thai Press Reports) Section: General News - The Fifth Asian Journalists' Forum, jointly organized by the Japan-based Sasakawa Peace Foundation (SPF) and MCOT Public Company Limited (MCOT), ended successfully here. Mrs. Veerawan...

Police to accelerate investigation into missing Phuket millions.
March 1, 2005... (From Thai Press Reports) Section: General News - Police on Thailand's southern resort island of Phuket yesterday promised to speed up their investigation into the mysterious 'disappearance' of over Bt2 million from the province's Disaster...

Police still investigating Muslim lawyer's abduction.
March 1, 2005... (From Thai Press Reports) Section: General News - Thailand's Department of Special Investigation (DSI) is unlikely to take over the investigation into the disappearance of a leading Muslim lawyer in the South, Justice Minister Pongthep...

Bank interest rates may rise during 2005.
March 1, 2005... (From Thai Press Reports) Section: Business News - Senior officials at BankThai are confident that the bank will reach its lending target of 20 billion baht this year though local consumption is expected to slow because of increased oil...

Suspected insurgent helps police.
March 1, 2005... (From Thai Press Reports) Section: General News - A Muslim man, previously suspected of being involved with insurgents responsible for a raid on an army camp last January and a theft of weapons, has agreed to work with the local...

Border control police turn to compost making.
March 1, 2005... (From Thai Press Reports) Section: General News - Police based along Thailand's northeastern border may be more used to catching criminals than farming, but they have now engaged in a scheme to encourage local agriculturalists to use...

Huge budget for the Andaman coast.
March 1, 2005... (From Thai Press Reports) Section: General News - Exactly two months after the tsunami waves battered Thailand's six southern coastal provinces along the Andaman Sea, the government has promised to spend more than 20 billion baht in...

Air and sea fares increased.
March 1, 2005... (From Thai Press Reports) Section: Business News - Airfares and boat charges are to rise because of increasing oil prices. Thai Airways International Public Company Limited (THAI) has announced a five percent increase in its fares, on...

Thai government to weigh up implications before new diesel hike.
March 1, 2005... (From Thai Press Reports) Section: Business News - The Ministry of Energy today hinted that it would weigh up all the implications before raising the price of diesel again next week, acknowledging growing discontent over the impact of the...