Asia Africa Intelligence Wire articles from May 2004

Asia Africa Intelligence Wire archives from May 2004

Architecture as Environment.
May 1, 2004... (From Journal of Japanese Trade & Industry (JJTI)) Byline: Hasegawa Itsuko Looking at maps and landscapes from about 150 years ago when Tokyo was called Edo, there was a waterfront in many areas with the seashore close by, and many...

FTAs and Japan.
May 1, 2004... (From Journal of Japanese Trade & Industry (JJTI)) Byline: Kimura Fukunari The Full-Scale Proliferation of FTAs The forging of free trade agreements (FTAs) has finally been initiated in East Asia, which, in this respect, had been...

South Korean Trade Policy and FTAs.
May 1, 2004... (From Journal of Japanese Trade & Industry (JJTI)) Byline: Chulsu Kim It is well known that South Korea's economic growth in the last several decades has been based on an outward development strategy. This strategy has helped to...

Towards an East Asian Free Trade Area: Progress and Challenges.
May 1, 2004... (From Journal of Japanese Trade & Industry (JJTI)) Byline: Simon SC Tay Introduction: Asia Changes Its Mind Discussions about free trade in Asia and a possible East Asian Free Trade Area (EAFTA) have changed almost entirely in the last...

Indonesia and FTAs in East Asia.
May 1, 2004... (From Journal of Japanese Trade & Industry (JJTI)) Byline: Hadi Soesastro In 2004, it is probable that more and more free trade agreements (FTAs) or preferential trading arrangements (PTAs), including East Asian economies, are going...

Social Capital in 10 Asian Societies: Is Social Capital a Good Concept for Gauging Democratic, Developmental and Regionalizing Trends in Asia?
May 1, 2004... (From Journal of Japanese Trade & Industry (JJTI)) Byline: Inoguchi Takashi Social capital is defined as something that can be most useful in minimizing the costs of misunderstanding and transactions when one tries to forge bridges and...

Designing an East Asian FTA.
May 1, 2004... (From Journal of Japanese Trade & Industry (JJTI)) Byline: Zhang Yunling New Economic Convergence East Asian economic convergence is increasing. This process, started by a "flying-geese model," is being led by Japan. It has helped to...

Shinsei Bank and Japan's Foreign-Capital Allergy.
May 1, 2004... (From Journal of Japanese Trade & Industry (JJTI)) Byline: Tani Sadafumi Shinsei Bank, corporate successor to the bankrupt Long-Term Credit Bank of Japan (LTCB), listed its shares on the first section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange in...

Japanese Civilization (Part 14).
May 1, 2004... (From Journal of Japanese Trade & Industry (JJTI)) Byline: Kawakatsu Heita The role of economics is to analyze the present. Value-neutrality is indispensable to economics, just as it is to any other branch of academia. But as members...

East-West Cultural Exchange in Art (Part 6).
May 1, 2004... (From Journal of Japanese Trade & Industry (JJTI)) Byline: Takashina Erika The European End-of-Century Aesthetic and Japan Japanese painter Yamamoto Hosui's stay in Paris over the nine and a half years following the Paris Expo in 1878...

FTA Movements in the Asia-Pacific Region.
May 1, 2004... (From Journal of Japanese Trade & Industry (JJTI)) Byline: Hatakeyama Noboru Free trade agreements (FTAs) have been proliferating since the 1990s. After the setback of the World Trade Organization (WTO) Ministerial meeting in Cancun,...

Without Employee Support, Nissan's Recovery Could Not Have Succeeded: Economy Will Flourish After Japan Decentralizes.
May 1, 2004... (From Journal of Japanese Trade & Industry (JJTI)) Byline: Interview with Carlos Ghosn by Kyodo News, Economic News Section On Feb. 13, 2004, President Carlos Ghosn of Nissan Motor Co., shared his candid thoughts on such topics as the...

Japan's Security Options: A Democratic Security Community in Asia?
May 1, 2004... (From Journal of Japanese Trade & Industry (JJTI)) Byline: Henry R. Nau Japan is expanding its security role. Which way is it heading? Is it moving toward a more equal partnership with the United States under the bilateral U.S.-Japan...

Verdict on Patent Spat Sends Shock Wave through Corporate Japan.
May 1, 2004... (From Journal of Japanese Trade & Industry (JJTI)) The development of the blue light-emitting diode (LED) is widely touted as a "Nobel prize-class invention." Nakamura Shuji, 49, a professor at the University of California, Santa Barbara,...

Aum Cult Founder Asahara Sentenced to Death.
May 1, 2004... (From Journal of Japanese Trade & Industry (JJTI)) Aum Shinrikyo cult founder Asahara Shoko was sentenced to death by the Tokyo District Court on Feb. 27 for ordering a series of brutal crimes committed by cult members. The court found...

The Reform of Japan's Judicial System.
May 1, 2004... (From Journal of Japanese Trade & Industry (JJTI)) Byline: Inoki Takenori A thorough review of Japan's judicial system has been under way since the Justice System Reform Council was established within the Cabinet in July 1999. The...

Japan, Mexico Agree to Conclude FTA.
May 1, 2004... (From Journal of Japanese Trade & Industry (JJTI)) Japan and Mexico on March 12 finally agreed to conclude a bilateral free trade agreement (FTA) after 16 months of negotiations. The agreement was confirmed when Japanese Foreign Minister...

Economic Recovery and New Policy Issues.
May 1, 2004... (From Journal of Japanese Trade & Industry (JJTI)) Byline: Sasaki Takeshi An increasing number of people argue that the Japanese economy is on the road to recovery. In particular, real economic growth for the fourth quarter of 2003...

Islam and Politics in Indonesia.
May 1, 2004... (From Journal of Japanese Trade & Industry (JJTI)) Byline: Shiraishi Takashi Muslims account for 87% of Indonesia's population or a total of 180 million adherents, and this majority makes it the world's largest "Islamic" nation. While...

RP driver killed in Iraq attack; GMA orders no pullout.
May 1, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Jerome Aning and Gil Cabacungan Jr. THE FEARS of those opposed to the deployment of Filipinos to Iraq have been proved true with the killing on Wednesday of a Filipino civilian in that...

Knights host Viva, seek redemption.
May 1, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) VIVA Mineral Water shoots for the solo lead in the 2004 PBL Unity Cup when it tackles Toyota Otis-Letran in the homecourt of its opponent today in Intramuros. The Water Force, who share top spot with...

FPJ, Lacson agree to let INC decide who'll slide.
May 1, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Carlito Pablo IN A LAST ditch bid to unify the opposition, rival presidential candidates Fernando Poe Jr. and Sen. Panfilo Lacson agreed Thursday night to let the Iglesia ni Cristo decide who...

Anti-casino dad finds self in limelight over casino trip.
May 1, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Vincent Cabreza, PDI Northern Luzon Bureau BAGUIO CITY-The Baguio casino's political currency in the election campaign has apparently not paid off for its biggest critic. Widely circulated...

Why is Roco persisting in his quest?
May 1, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Belinda Olivares-Cunanan PRESIDENTIAL candidate Raul Roco's announcement that his US doctor has assured him that he has 10 more years of productive public service is welcome news to all his...

GMA denies cheating charges.
May 1, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) PRESIDENT Macapagal-Arroyo yesterday debunked the claim that a state cheating machinery was at work to ensure her victory in the May 10 elections. "Should there be [an] attempt at cheating, it will...

The Philippines and Iraq.
May 1, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Denis Murphy PARALLELS between the American invasion of the Philippines in 1898 and last year's invasion of Iraq are striking. By comparing the two events, people here might gain some...

From campaign. . .
May 1, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) THE LEADING Alyansa ng Pag-asa senatorial candidate described the 1,000-car motorcade that brought their standard-bearer Raul Roco triumphantly through the yellow confetti of Makati on Wednesday in broad,...

Bisera does it wire-to-wire.
May 1, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Jong Arcano RAMIL Bisera added his name to the long roster of golf champions from Davao when he survived a determined bid by Robert Pactolerin yesterday to capture the PGAP-Julio Cup golf...

...To crusade.
May 1, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) BUT all this is not to say that presidential candidate Raul Roco should withdraw from the race. It is only to belabor the obvious: The factors for winning are not in his favor. And there's more to an...

FPJ: Fatality no reason to pull troops out of Iraq.
May 1, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Christine O. Avendano IT APPEARS that presidential bet Fernando Poe Jr. supports the US war against terrorism. Despite the death of a Filipino truck driver in US-occupied Iraq, Poe was not...

Fr. Niall O'Brien: Champion of the poor.
May 1, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Carla P. Gomez, Bacolod City FR. NIALL O'Brien, the Irish missionary from the Society of St. Columban who fought for most of his priestly life for justice for the poor and laborers in Negros...

Groups say minimum wage law not enforced.
May 1, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) GENERAL SANTOS CITY-The Kilusang Mayo Uno and its allied organizations here said big companies in the South Cotabato-Sarangani-General Santos (Socsargen) area have yet to comply with the P180 minimum wage...

Jeep driver held up by own helper.
May 1, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) JEEPNEY driver Johnny Handonero got the surprise of his life Thursday night when his own "conductor" held him up. Jessie Andal, of Malanday, Marikina, told police he pulled the heist so he could buy...

Scylla and Charybdis.
May 1, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Isagani A. Cruz PRESIDENT Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and Fernando Poe Jr., the King of Philippine Movies, are the front-runners in the current presidential race, according to the surveys. The...

Killings of leftists continue.
May 1, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) THE KILLINGS of activists continue as two more leaders of militant groups were slain in Quezon and Oriental Mindoro this week. A fisherfolk leader and his wife were fired at by two unidentified suspects...

Journalism versus Literature?
May 1, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Nick Joaquin The following speech was delivered in August 1996 by Joaquin, then the Ramon Magsaysay Awardee for Journalism, Literature and Creative Communication Arts.-ED. (Last of two...

The landowners' vote.
May 1, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Rowena V. Guanzon NEGROS Occidental Gov. Joseph Maranon of the Nationalist People's Coalition is a formidable candidate, and in the mind of politicians, to run against him would be a waste of...

Mom, daughter face frustrated slay raps.
May 1, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Leila B. Salaverria THE DEPARTMENT of Justice has paved the way for a mother and her daughter to be charged with frustrated murder for allegedly hurting a girl and causing her severe injuries 14...

New twist in battered wife case.
May 1, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) MELISSA Martel, wife of wealthy mall scion Robert Martel, yesterday sought temporary and permanent protection order against her husband from the Makati Regional Trial Court, the first of its kind filed in...

'Patriots' to set up poll fraud monitors.
May 1, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) LUCENA CITY-A non-partisan multi-sectoral Church-based group is putting up an "Anti-Fraud Monitoring System" to ensure clean, honest and credible elections on May 10. "The monitoring center assumes the...

Pacquiao in even better shape now.
May 1, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Salven L. Lagumbay MANNY Pacquiao is in better shape now than when he stopped Mexican boxing legend Marco Antonio Barrera last year. Trainer of the Year Freddie Roach declared this yesterday...

Pinay DH wins US case for $30,000 in back wages.
May 1, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Rita Villadiego NEW YORK-Only a few months ago, Evelyn Aguilar was looking overworked and harassed. She was working as a nanny and a housekeeper in New Jersey and was being paid only $1.60 per...

Pro-Gloria caravan claims it gathered 3M signatures.
May 1, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Anselmo Roque, PDI Northern Luzon Bureau CABANATUAN CITY-A group that supports the candidacy of President Macapagal-Arroyo claimed yesterday that it has already gathered 3 million signatures in...

Rallies, protests, free concert highlight Labor Day rites today.
May 1, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Martin P. Marfil and Juliet Labog-Javellana MILITANT workers will march, join caravans and hold protest rallies in key urban centers nationwide to mark Labor Day today and press for a wage hike....

Roco, Bro. Eddie meet; no one is sliding down.
May 1, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Michael Lim Ubac THEY prayed together and vowed to work towards a common goal of establishing "a moral regime." But are they just prayer partners? Yesterday, presidential candidates...

Red-hot Beermen take on Hotdogs.
May 1, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) SAN MIGUEL tries to inch closer toward the top quarterfinal seeding today when the Beermen, red-hot again, clash with skidding Purefoods in the PBA Gran Matador Fiesta Conference eliminations at the Araneta...

SC gives go-ahead for religious vote.
May 1, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Philip C. Tubeza RELIGIOUS leaders can now endorse the candidates of their choice without fear of transgressing the law. The Supreme Court yesterday struck down as unconstitutional a ruling...

Politicians are the problem-PNP.
May 1, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Christian V. Esguerra and Luigi del Puerto A DISMAYED Philippine National Police chief Hermogenes Ebdane Jr. yesterday blamed politicians for most of the violent incidents in the run up to this...

Negative ads.
May 1, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Solita Collas-Monsod AS we get closer to E-day, the mud is flying faster and more furiously, and anyone keeping track of some kind of "Mud Index" will probably see it regularly going off the...

Solon's firm paid ahead of farmers.
May 1, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Tonette Orejas, PDI Central Luzon Desk ARAYAT, Pampanga-An official of an irrigators' association here assailed the National Irrigation Administration for using the agency's newly released...

Unrest at NBN.
May 1, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Al S. Mendoza I HAVE received a complaint that Mia Concio, who calls herself president and chairman of NBN, is illegally occupying the position "president" of NBN. "It is against the PTNI...

They could not say no to 'beautiful' Palace brunch.
May 1, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Juliet Labog-Javellana THE BRUNCH was "beautiful" though the guests did not exactly make it to the gathering on their own steam. President Macapagal-Arroyo yesterday admitted that the Edsa...

Honoring the 'bangus'.
May 1, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Rina Jimenez David I PAID a brief visit to Dagupan last Thursday, accepting an invitation to be a judge at the "Gilon Gilon 2004," a street dancing competition in which Dagupan's 31 barangays...

Tanguilig conquers 'killer' lap, seizes lead.
May 1, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Marc Anthony Reyes BAGUIO CITY-Rhyan Tanguilig proved he's got the nerves and the legs to tame the fearsome Cordillera mountains yesterday and reclaimed the yellow jersey of leadership in...

Transfer of seat of gov't draws more protests.
May 1, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) COTABATO CITY-Opposition to the controversial Executive Order No. 304 which caused the transfer of the regional seat of Central Mindanao from here to South Cotabato, is growing. Yesterday, people from...

The new chief is very corrupt.
May 1, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Ramon Tulfo BEFORE an ex-politician is appointed to an important government agency, the appointing authority should think twice-nay 20 times 20-if he deserves the position. The former politician...

Letters.
May 1, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Gabriella S. Martelino WHENEVER I feel the need to go down memory lane, I open a box tucked in the corner of my room. This box, with slightly curled corners and a dusty painted top, documents my...

US court sentences ex-Quezon gov to 3 years, 8 months in jail.
May 1, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Rita Villadiego, Contributor NEW YORK-After being jailed for a year in the Philippines for insurance fraud that he committed in the United States, former Quezon Gov. Eduardo Rodriguez has been...

Bad loans of rural, co-op banks declining, says BSP.
May 1, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Doris C. Dumlao THE NON-PERFORMING loans of rural banks and cooperative banks as a ratio of their total loans declined to 11.92 percent in the last quarter of 2003, from 13.4 percent in the...

BIR turns down insurance firms' plea to suspend tax collection.
May 1, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Michelle V. Remo THE BUREAU of Internal Revenue has turned down the plea of non-life insurance companies to temporarily spare them from the collection of withholding tax, a move that would...

Privilege of immunity.
May 1, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Massie Santos Ballon IN AN EPISODE of "The Simpsons," Bart is infected with germs that try to make him sick. The white blood cells line up to face the enemy, defending his body against the...

RP may boost trade with New Zealand.
May 1, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Ronnel W. Domingo THE GOVERNMENT is mulling over plans to boost its partnership with New Zealand and beef up the exchange of expertise and technology between the two countries, according to...

BSP says inflation to stay within target.
May 1, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Doris C. Dumlao THE BANGKO Sentral ng Pilipinas yesterday said the country's inflation rate would likely average at a manageable 4.1-4.2 percent this year, or at the low end of the government's...

Gov't firms ordered to trim deficits.
May 1, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Michelle V. Remo THE DEPARTMENT of Finance has directed government-owned and -controlled corporations to exercise fiscal discipline and begin trimming down their budget deficits, which last year...

A prostate gland can rule a country's destiny.
May 1, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Rafael R. Castillo, MD (First of two parts) IT MAY be unthinkable that a small prostate gland, the size of a walnut, can play a critical role in changing a country's destiny. Since...

Environmentalist claims having solution to foul odor.
May 1, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Michael B. Jaucian IF GIVEN a chance, self-taught chemist and city environment officer Mariano Garcia, 58, of Barangay Guilid, Ligao City, would like to treat the Payatas solid waste dump in...

Life after a stroke.
May 1, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Charles E. Buban DEPRESSION can strike anyone, but people with serious illnesses such as stroke may be at greater, even lethal, risk. A study done last year in the United States found that...

Piltel posts Q1 profit of P8M.
May 1, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Clarissa S. Batino PILIPINO Telephone Corp. yesterday said it had returned to profitability in the first quarter, posting a net income of P8 million. Piltel, a subsidiary of Philippine Long...

Transco speeds up implementation of Mindoro projects.
May 1, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Abigail L. Ho TO help boost Oriental Mindoro's potential as a key tourist destination, National Transmission Corp. (Transco) committed to fast-track the implementation of transmission-related...

Friends share fond memories of Lino Brocka.
May 1, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Nestor U. Torre ON MAY 21, it shall have been 13 years since film master Lino Brocka died in a car crash that tragically put a stop to his local and international movie career's upward...

Bernal welcomes filmic change of pace.
May 1, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Andy Bais EVEN if her latest film, "Masikip sa Dibdib," didn't perform as well as expected, Joyce Bernal is still in high spirits. "Hindi man siya kumita ng malaki, hindi naman flop. At last,...

Paradise in Batangas.
May 1, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Mandy Navasero IT was almost midnight when our van reached Bauan, Batangas. We unloaded our stuff onto a waiting banca that took us on a three-minute ride to our destination. As out boat...

Truefaith scores with acoustic album.
May 1, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Noelani Torre TRUEFAITH is one of those bands that appeal to almost everybody. And if you listen to their newest release, "Eto hits . . . acoustic" (EMI), you'll see why the band has kept on...

Food-tripping in 'Frisco.
May 1, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Sandy Daza SAN FRANCISCO, California-On my way to Salt Lake City, I had to spend one day in San Francisco. I arrived in the morning, and was already imagining what I would be having for lunch....

Jack Black plays unlikely hero in zany comedy.
May 1, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Rito P. Asilo "School of Rock" D: Richard Linklater S: Jack Black, Joan Cusack AFTER his band fires him, a failed rock musician (the outstanding Jack Black) fakes his way into a...

Key lessons learned from 'American Idol'.
May 1, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Nestor U. Torre NOW that "American Idol" can be seen locally on Star World on its third year, viewers here finally have a chance to understand why the talent search has been so popular, and why...

What Hollywood stars are doing for an encore.
May 1, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Nestor U. Torre AFTER setting the screen on fire with unusually acclaimed or popular projects, and sometimes even winning awards in the process, stars have to think hard and long before deciding...

Newcomers take different routes to stardom.
May 1, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Jocelyn Valle JOINING a reality-based star search may be the "in" thing now. But, there are other routes that newcomers can take to enter the biz. Eighteen-year-old Bianca King, for instance,...

Nurturing good child talents.
May 1, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Nestor U. Torre HOW do you discover, develop and nurture new child performers who can become as outstanding as Nino Muhlach and Aiza Seguerra? At the moment, two talent searches on TV are...

Flesh and the word.
May 1, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Jay Santos "TAKE off your shirts!" the diva wailed from the stage. But apart from the yummy go-go boys and the super energized flagger who danced bare-chested in true circuit boy fashion,...

Shnappy shmoliday...
May 1, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Giselle Segovia SHMOLIDAY (sh-mall-i-dei): 1) A holiday gone wrong because of unfortunate circumstances 2) A holiday that falls on a weekend, rendering it useless to the working population....

Vigilance essential in hypertension.
May 1, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Charles E. Buban CIELITA Capulez only goes to the hospital whenever she needs to have her blood chemistry taken as part of her regular medical checkup. At 62, the widow finds it too costly to be...

Tania-talizing.
May 1, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Tim Yap "I'M GONNA be the Britney Spears of the Philippines!" says model and singer Tania Paulsen. We are having an intimate conversation, burning the midnight oil as we discuss her career...

The future of the future.
May 1, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Gino de la Paz HOPING to Xerox the success of "The Flintstones," William Hanna and Joseph Barbera turned their winning formula on its head and gave kids of the 1960s an interesting counterpoint...