Yomiuri Shimbun/Daily Yomiuri articles from May 2012

Yomiuri Shimbun/Daily Yomiuri archives from May 2012

Noda fails to persuade Ozawa on tax increase.
May 31, 2012... Noda fails to persuade Ozawa on tax increase Yomiuri Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda failed to persuade former Democratic Party of Japan President Ichiro Ozawa to support a hike in the consumption tax during a 90-minute meeting Wednesday. ...

Chinese 'spy' saw ministry's secret data / Had access to c.
May 31, 2012... Chinese 'spy' saw ministry's secret data / Had access to contents of 30 documents Yomiuri The contents of confidential documents related to a program to promote the export of Japanese agricultural products to China is believed to have been...

EDITORIAL / Egypt becomes polarized as Islamist forces gai.(Editorial)
May 31, 2012... EDITORIAL / Egypt becomes polarized as Islamist forces gain clout Yomiuri Islamist forces are gaining strength in Egypt. The direction of democratization in the entire Middle East will depend on whether a stable regime can be established...

EDITORIAL / Kan must reflect on harm done by his 'no nucle.
May 31, 2012... EDITORIAL / Kan must reflect on harm done by his 'no nuclear' remarks Yomiuri Witnesses summoned by a Diet-appointed panel investigating the crisis at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant have revealed once again how confused and...

15 employees defy Osaka tattoo survey.
May 31, 2012... 15 employees defy Osaka tattoo survey Yomiuri A total of 15 Osaka city employees refused to respond to a survey conducted this month to search out tattooed employees, reportedly saying the survey "violated privacy" or "was not conducted in...

Agriculture leak to be probed / Ministry team to investiga.
May 31, 2012... Agriculture leak to be probed / Ministry team to investigate Chinese diplomat's link to secret documents Yomiuri The agriculture ministry will set up an investigation team within the ministry to investigate the alleged leaking of...

Boy's design chosen for coin.
May 31, 2012... Boy's design chosen for coin column A 9-year-old boy has become the youngest Japanese to have ever designed a government memorial coin after his artwork was chosen for one of the coins to be issued to commemorate the Great East Japan...

Fukushima gov. slams evacuation instructions.
May 31, 2012... Fukushima gov. slams evacuation instructions Yomiuri Fukushima Gov. Yuhei Sato has criticized the way the central government went about issuing evacuation instructions for residents at a hearing by the Diet's Fukushima Nuclear Accident...

Meiji Gakuin planning to close law school in 5 years.
May 31, 2012... Meiji Gakuin planning to close law school in 5 years Yomiuri Meiji Gakuin University has announced it will accept no more students for its law school from the 2013 academic year and close the school five years later when the last students...

Only 50% of schools were ready for tsunami.
May 31, 2012... Only 50% of schools were ready for tsunami Yomiuri Only 50.3 percent of schools in Iwate, Miyagi and Fukushima prefectures that were expected to be or were hit hard by last year's tsunami had evacuation plans in their crisis management...

Smartphones get smarter / Summer models include radiation.
May 31, 2012... Smartphones get smarter / Summer models include radiation detection, more video services Tsuyoshi Ogura / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writer Yomiuri From radiation detectors to improved video services, major mobile phone carriers are...

MUSINGS / May 26, 2012.
May 31, 2012... MUSINGS / May 26, 2012 Yomiuri The following is a translation of the Henshu Techo column from The Yomiuri Shimbun's May 26 issue. * * * When Hayashiya Sampei I, a rakugo comic storyteller often referred to as the "king of comedy,"...

EDUCATION RENAISSANCE / Female scientists act as role mode.
May 31, 2012... EDUCATION RENAISSANCE / Female scientists act as role models for students Hiromi Kanekita / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writer Yomiuri This is a translation from The Yomiuri Shimbun's Education Renaissance series. This article--the third in a...

Food for thought: Yoshida tries to put loss behind her.
May 31, 2012... Food for thought: Yoshida tries to put loss behind her Ken Marantz / Daily Yomiuri Sportswriter Yomiuri The shock of her defeat at the World Cup last weekend has started to wear off for wrestling star Saori Yoshida. Her appetite...

Suntory center Nicholas back in Japan squad.
May 31, 2012... Suntory center Nicholas back in Japan squad Rich Freeman / Daily Yomiuri Sportswriter Yomiuri Ryan Nicholas was back in the Japan squad Wednesday as the Brave Blossoms began preparations for the upcoming Pacific Nations Cup. The...

(CORRECTED) EDITORIAL / Kan must reflect on harm done by h.
May 31, 2012... (CORRECTED) EDITORIAL / Kan must reflect on harm done by his 'no nuclear' remarks Yomiuri Witnesses summoned by a Diet-appointed panel investigating the crisis at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant have revealed once again how...

Panasonic 'to reduce workers at HQ by 50%'.
May 30, 2012... Panasonic 'to reduce workers at HQ by 50%' Yomiuri Panasonic Corp. has begun discussions on a plan to halve the number of workers at its headquarters in Kadoma, Osaka Prefecture, by the end of next March to streamline its operations and...

Direct Yen-Yuan Trading to Start on Markets Fri
May 30, 2012... Direct yen-yuan trading to start on markets Fri. Yomiuri Japan and China will start direct trading between the yen and the yuan on the inter-bank foreign exchange markets in Tokyo and Shanghai on Friday, Finance Minister Jun Azumi said...

Diplomat sought in 'spying' case / Chinese goes home to av.
May 30, 2012... Diplomat sought in 'spying' case / Chinese goes home to avoid questioning Yomiuri A Chinese diplomat stationed in Tokyo is suspected of engaging in espionage activities in Japan, according to sources. The Metropolitan Police...

EDITORIAL / How much N-power do we need? 'None' is the wro.(Editorial)
May 30, 2012... EDITORIAL / How much N-power do we need? 'None' is the wrong answer Yomiuri Deciding how big a role nuclear power should play in Japan is a serious choice that will affect the future supply of energy to support the nation. It is important...

EDITORIAL / Social networking games must be responsible.(Editorial)
May 30, 2012... EDITORIAL / Social networking games must be responsible Yomiuri It is after all an improper business model to earn profits by exploiting child psychology and stimulating vanity and the desire to gamble. The Consumer Affairs Agency has...

Police had eye on China official / Senior diplomat thought.
May 30, 2012... Police had eye on China official / Senior diplomat thought to be one of China's leading experts on Japan Yomiuri The first secretary of the Chinese Embassy in Tokyo, who was attached to China's spy agency and can speak Japanese like a...

'Alien' raccoons captured.
May 30, 2012... 'Alien' raccoons captured Yomiuri SAGAMIHARA, Kanagawa SAGAMIHARA, Kanagawa--Three raccoons--an animal designated as an invasive alien species--were captured Tuesday morning at a house in Ebina, Kanagawa Prefecture, police said. ...

IN THE NEWS / Young dancer debuts at Paris Opera House.
May 30, 2012... IN THE NEWS / Young dancer debuts at Paris Opera House Hideki Sukenari / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writer Yomiuri Tokyo Ballet dancer Dan Tsukamoto made his debut at the Paris Opera House earlier this month when his company performed there...

'Japanese measles' cases fade after 2007-8 outbreak.
May 30, 2012... 'Japanese measles' cases fade after 2007-8 outbreak Yomiuri No "Japanese measles" cases have been reported in this country since May 2010, although there have been many victims of overseas strains of the disease, according to the National...

Kan emphasizes importance of N-plant visit.
May 30, 2012... Kan emphasizes importance of N-plant visit Yomiuri Former Prime Minister Naoto Kan emphasized the significance of his visit to the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant on March 12 last year, a day after the outbreak of the nuclear crisis,...

Sightings of poisonous octopuses on the rise.
May 30, 2012... Sightings of poisonous octopuses on the rise Yomiuri Poisonous hyomon-dako or blue-ringed octopuses, which inhabit mainly tropical and semitropical zones in the Western Pacific, have been recently found in increasing numbers in the...

Tokyo Skytree experiencing some glitches.
May 30, 2012... Tokyo Skytree experiencing some glitches Ryotaro Maeda / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writer Yomiuri More than 1 million people had visited Tokyo Skytree and its adjoining commercial facility in Sumida Ward, Tokyo, by Saturday, a good showing...

Kan defends his response to Fukushima crisis.
May 30, 2012... Kan defends his response to Fukushima crisis Shozo Nakayama,Yoshihiro Kiyonaga and Makoto Mitsui / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writers Yomiuri Former Prime Minister Naoto Kan tenaciously defended himself at a hearing in front of a...

Back in the big time / Lackluster performance in Triple-A.
May 30, 2012... Back in the big time / Lackluster performance in Triple-A stint doesn't stall Matsui's call-up to Rays Takashi Kayatsu / Yomiuri Shimbun Sportswriter Yomiuri INDIANAPOLIS INDIANAPOLIS--Hideki Matsui's numbers with the Triple-A Durham...

Astro Boy and Uran's Encyclopedia of Current Terminology /.
May 29, 2012... Astro Boy and Uran's Encyclopedia of Current Terminology / social game Yomiuri Gimmick that makes people waste money Astro Boy: The Consumer Affairs Agency has said some social games are against the law. What is a social game? ...

Alpinist brings proof of victory.
May 29, 2012... Alpinist brings proof of victory Yukihiro Fukai / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writer Yomiuri DHAULAGIRI BASE CAMP, Nepal DHAULAGIRI BASE CAMP, Nepal-- Professional alpinist Hirotaka Takeuchi arrived at base camp Sunday night after...

President, bus driver arrested over illegal use of firm na.
May 29, 2012... President, bus driver arrested over illegal use of firm name Yomiuri MAEBASHI MAEBASHI--The president of the operator of the bus involved in last month's fatal expressway crash was arrested Monday on suspicion of lending the company's...

'High' herbs cause surge in hospitalizations.
May 29, 2012... 'High' herbs cause surge in hospitalizations Yomiuri The number of people hospitalized after inhaling or consuming certain types of herbs for their stimulatory or hallucinatory effects has sharply risen in Tokyo this year, leading police...

EDITORIAL / Separate policy agendas from social security r.(Editorial)
May 29, 2012... EDITORIAL / Separate policy agendas from social security reform Yomiuri Continued Diet deliberations on comprehensive reform of the social security and tax systems have made clear the points at issue. At the same time, the discussions have...

EDITORIAL / Govt must establish strategy to develop seaflo.(Editorial)
May 29, 2012... EDITORIAL / Govt must establish strategy to develop seafloor resources Yomiuri Abundant natural resources are sleeping under the seafloor in Japan's exclusive economic zone. We think the government needs to play a leading role in devising...

No gas measurement before tunnel accident.
May 29, 2012... No gas measurement before tunnel accident Yomiuri NIIGATA NIIGATA--Sato Kogyo Co., the Tokyo-based construction firm in charge of constructing a tunnel in Minami-Uonuma, Niigata Prefecture, where four workers died in an explosion, did...

Bidding method questioned / Price competition said stifled.
May 29, 2012... Bidding method questioned / Price competition said stifled; tenders limited to select group Yomiuri Ministries and agencies across the board use a bidding method for commissioned projects such as public relations work and interview surveys...

Dual crisis role 'too much work' / Edano tells Diet inform.
May 29, 2012... Dual crisis role 'too much work' / Edano tells Diet information release hindered by policy coordination duties Makoto Mitsui and Shozo Nakayama / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writers Yomiuri Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Yukio Edano has...

U.S. boosting Pacific support to stave off China.
May 29, 2012... U.S. boosting Pacific support to stave off China Takeo Azuma and Makiko Yanada / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writers Yomiuri The latest meeting among leaders of Japan and Pacific island countries held over the weekend in Nago, Okinawa...

Edano voices distrust of TEPCO, NISA.
May 29, 2012... Edano voices distrust of TEPCO, NISA Yomiuri In his testimony to the Diet committee investigating the crisis at Tokyo Electric Power Co.'s Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant, Economy Trade and Industry minister Yukio Edano highlighted his...

Fund management steps eyed / FSA aiming to stop advisory f.
May 29, 2012... Fund management steps eyed / FSA aiming to stop advisory firms' illegal administration of assets Hiroshi Arimitsu / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writer Yomiuri The Financial Services Agency is planning a set of measures to enhance the...

Astro Boy and Uran's Encyclopedia of Current Terminology /.
May 29, 2012... Astro Boy and Uran's Encyclopedia of Current Terminology / tornado Yomiuri Strong wind caused by swirling, rising air Astro Boy: Tornadoes ravaged the northern part of Kanto and elsewhere recently. How did they occur? Answer: Warm...

Astro Boy and Uran's Encyclopediaof Current Terminology /.
May 29, 2012... Astro Boy and Uran's Encyclopediaof Current Terminology / social game Yomiuri Gimmick that makes people waste money Astro Boy: The Consumer Affairs Agency has said some social games are against the law. What is a social game? Answer:...

Fukushima No. 4 building shown to press.
May 28, 2012... Fukushima No. 4 building shown to press Yomiuri FUKUSHIMA FUKUSHIMA--Tokyo Electric Power Co. opened the inside of the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant's No. 4 reactor building to the press on Saturday, more than a year after it was...

Japanese conquers world's 14 highest peaks.
May 28, 2012... Japanese conquers world's 14 highest peaks Yukihiro Fukai / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writer Yomiuri DHAULAGIRI, Nepal DHAULAGIRI, Nepal--Professional alpinist Hirotaka Takeuchi reached the 8,167-meter-high summit of Mt. Dhaulagiri in...

Govt to create category for microcompacts / Aims to promot.
May 28, 2012... Govt to create category for microcompacts / Aims to promote vehicles' use among elderly Yomiuri The government plans to promote so-called microcompact cars--single- or twin-seater cars smaller than light vehicles--by creating a new vehicle...

Leaked Giants papers seized at publishing company.
May 28, 2012... Leaked Giants papers seized at publishing company column Court officials have seized confidential documents of The Yomiuri Giants at a publishing company in Chiyoda Ward, Tokyo, which are believed to have been sent to the publisher by...

EDITORIAL / Nuclear commission must collect all data neces.(Editorial)
May 28, 2012... EDITORIAL / Nuclear commission must collect all data necessary Yomiuri The 23 meetings of a study group held by the Cabinet Office's Atomic Energy Commission have been criticized as problematic. The meetings, comprising officials from the...

EDITORIAL / Strengthen intl ties in Pacific to deal with C.(Editorial)
May 28, 2012... EDITORIAL / Strengthen intl ties in Pacific to deal with China's assertiveness Yomiuri Japan's efforts to support development of the island countries that dot the Pacific will surely enhance the stability of the region. Bearing the...

Metro Osaka bills in works / Government to reduce involvem.
May 28, 2012... Metro Osaka bills in works / Government to reduce involvement at Hashimoto's insistence Yomiuri The Democratic Party of Japan plans to submit a bill to the current Diet session to create an Osaka metropolis, but the central government will...

'Hackers of justice' sought via competition.
May 28, 2012... 'Hackers of justice' sought via competition Yomiuri The industry ministry will host its first-ever computer hacking competition this fiscal year, aiming to find "hackers of justice" who can protect the nation following a recent series of...

High court focuses on test result in Nabari case.
May 28, 2012... High court focuses on test result in Nabari case Kentaro Kajiura and Yu Hirasawa / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writers Yomiuri The Nagoya High Court's decision Friday to reject Masaru Okunishi's request for a retrial in the Nabari poisoned...

100-year-old doctor named special 'green ambassador'.
May 28, 2012... 100-year-old doctor named special 'green ambassador' Yomiuri Shigeaki Hinohara, the director of St. Luke's International Hospital in Tokyo, has been appointed a special "green ambassador" by the Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries...

N-fuel pool, ruined structure seen up close.
May 28, 2012... N-fuel pool, ruined structure seen up close Yomiuri FUKUSHIMA FUKUSHIMA--Goshi Hosono, the nuclear disaster management minister, spent half an hour Saturday inside the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant's No. 4 reactor building, which...

Convenience stores to offer fresh coffee.
May 28, 2012... Convenience stores to offer fresh coffee Yomiuri Conveniences stores are hoping customers will wake up and smell the coffee, as operators prepare to increase the number of locations offering freshly brewed varieties at in-store cafes. ...

New cars protect pedestrians / ASV technologies aim to red.
May 28, 2012... New cars protect pedestrians / ASV technologies aim to reduce damage from auto collisions Katsufumi Mano and Shigeto Tanaka / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writers Yomiuri To prevent car accidents and protect pedestrians, automakers are...

MUSINGS / May 22, 2012.
May 28, 2012... MUSINGS / May 22, 2012 Yomiuri The following is a translation of the Henshu Techo column from The Yomiuri Shimbun's May 22 issue. * * * Late columnist Amehiko Aoki (1932-1991), who was known as a master interviewer, never forgot to...

Giants ride pen to win.
May 28, 2012... Giants ride pen to win The Daily Yomiuri column Yomiuri skipper Tatsunori Hara went to his bullpen and scripted a victory on Sunday at Tokyo Dome. Starter Yuki Koyama was pulled after allowing a run in three innings, and Masumi...

At a loss / Shocking defeat halts Yoshida's winning streak.
May 28, 2012... At a loss / Shocking defeat halts Yoshida's winning streak at 58, deals blow to her confidence Ken Marantz / Daily Yomiuri Sportswriter column Four years ago, Saori Yoshida was dealt a severe shock ahead of the Beijing Olympics when she...

Renesas raises proposed job cuts to over 10,000.
May 27, 2012... Renesas raises proposed job cuts to over 10,000 Yomiuri Ailing chipmaker Renesas Electronics Corp. has proposed increasing its number of job cuts from 6,000 to over 10,000 in a plan presented to its creditor banks, according to sources. ...

Direct yen-yuan forex deal to start in June.
May 27, 2012... Direct yen-yuan forex deal to start in June Yomiuri Japan and China will likely initiate a foreign exchange system in which the yen and the yuan can be directly exchanged starting in June at the earliest, sources have said. The Japanese...

EDITORIAL / Central govt must redouble Fukushima rebuildin.(Editorial)
May 27, 2012... EDITORIAL / Central govt must redouble Fukushima rebuilding efforts Yomiuri Efforts to resuscitate Fukushima Prefecture, hit hard by a nuclear power station crisis in addition to the Great East Japan Earthquake, have made little headway....

EDITORIAL / International patent strategy needed against C.(Editorial)
May 27, 2012... EDITORIAL / International patent strategy needed against China Yomiuri Taking advantage of intellectual property rights such as patents and enhancing Japan's industrial competitiveness through them will be an engine for the nation's...

Man rejects bus firm's overtures / Widower wants personal.
May 27, 2012... Man rejects bus firm's overtures / Widower wants personal apology from president to move forward Yomiuri TOYAMA TOYAMA--A man in Takaoka, Toyama Prefecture, who lost his wife in last month's charter bus accident in Fujioka, Gunma...

New vaccinations place burden on local govts.
May 27, 2012... New vaccinations place burden on local govts Tsuyoshi Nakamura and Sho Mizuno / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writers Yomiuri A government health panel has submitted a proposal for seven additional immunizations to be included in the country's...

Japan lags behind West in standard shots.
May 27, 2012... Japan lags behind West in standard shots Yomiuri The health ministry prioritizes three of seven vaccines commonly used in Western countries in its immunization program, targeting cervical cancer, Haemophilus influenzae Type B (Hib) and...

Recaptured penguin gets pink eye.
May 27, 2012... Recaptured penguin gets pink eye Yomiuri The runaway penguin recaptured Thursday after 82 days on the lam has developed the eye infection conjunctivitis, also known as pink eye, according to a veterinarian who examined the bird. The...

Disaster reconstruction subsidies welcomed.
May 27, 2012... Disaster reconstruction subsidies welcomed Yomiuri With the second round of reconstruction subsidies approved--at 1-1/2 times more than the amount requested--local governments hit by the 2011 earthquake and tsunami need to prove their...

Marines stop streaking Giants.
May 27, 2012... Marines stop streaking Giants The Daily Yomiuri column Yoshihisa Naruse was too much for the streaking Yomiuri Giants on Saturday at QVC Marine Field. The lefty carried a shutout into the ninth inning before allowing a two-run homer...

Obara rolls toward London.
May 27, 2012... Obara rolls toward London Ken Marantz / Daily Yomiuri Sportswriter column Two months before she competes in her first Olympics, Hitomi Obara welcomed her first test against those she will likely face when she gets there. "I'm in...

Ibis chick leaves nest for 1st time.
May 26, 2012... Ibis chick leaves nest for 1st time Yomiuri One of the crested ibis chicks that hatched in the wild on Sado Island, Niigata Prefecture, briefly left the nest for the first time Friday, the Environment Ministry announced. This is the...

Water scare linked to Gunma firm.
May 26, 2012... Water scare linked to Gunma firm Yomiuri SAITAMA SAITAMA--The Saitama prefectural government announced Friday that formaldehyde recently found in treated water was most likely caused by waste liquid from a company in the prefecture. ...

No. 2 reactor source of most contamination.
May 26, 2012... No. 2 reactor source of most contamination Yomiuri Tokyo Electric Power Co. has revealed that the damaged containment vessel of the No. 2 reactor at its Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant was the main source of radiation contamination in...

Sudo to quit NHK to focus on TEPCO post.
May 26, 2012... Sudo to quit NHK to focus on TEPCO post Yomiuri Fumio Sudo, chairman of the NHK Board of Governors, has said he will resign from the post to devote himself to a new job as an outside director at Tokyo Electric Power Co. Sudo, 71, has...

EDITORIAL / Sudo's baffling decision to quit as NHK board.(Editorial)
May 26, 2012... EDITORIAL / Sudo's baffling decision to quit as NHK board chairman Yomiuri Fumio Sudo, chairman of NHK's Board of Governors, on Thursday expressed his intention to quit as chairman and governor. His announcement came as a surprise. Sudo...

EDITORIAL / Bring Olympics to Tokyo to revitalize Japan.(Editorial)
May 26, 2012... EDITORIAL / Bring Olympics to Tokyo to revitalize Japan Yomiuri Tokyo has cleared the first hurdle in its second consecutive bid to host the Olympic Games. The International Olympic Committee's executive board picked three...

Reconstruction subsidies OK'd / Govt approves 261 bil. yen.
May 26, 2012... Reconstruction subsidies OK'd / Govt approves 261 bil. yen for public housing, community relocations Yomiuri The Reconstruction Agency announced Friday that its second round of reconstruction subsidies for disaster-hit local governments...

Tokyoites hoping to rest in peace in 'forest grave'.
May 26, 2012... Tokyoites hoping to rest in peace in 'forest grave' Yomiuri A new method of burying cremated remains in a wooded area undertaken by the metropolitan Kodaira Reien cemetery has been drawing attention from people who want to "return to...

Government to issue manual for temporary housing.
May 26, 2012... Government to issue manual for temporary housing Yomiuri To better prepare for major disasters, the government will urge local governments to develop plans for temporary housing facilities by carrying out measures such as searching for...

AKB48 to make Tokyo Dome debut.
May 26, 2012... AKB48 to make Tokyo Dome debut Yomiuri The popular idol group AKB48 will perform its first concerts at Tokyo Dome from Aug. 24, it has been announced. At a concert in Tokyo on Thursday, video footage announcing the group's performances...

Brain atrophy detected in Sendai university students after.
May 26, 2012... Brain atrophy detected in Sendai university students after earthquake Yomiuri Brain atrophy in an area responsible for the removal of emotions and memories has been detected in university students in Sendai after the Great East Japan...

Runaway penguin caught after 82 days.
May 26, 2012... Runaway penguin caught after 82 days Yomiuri After 82 days on the run, a runaway penguin that escaped from a Tokyo marine park in March has been recaptured while resting on a shoreline near the Edogawa river, according to aquarium...

Public support, electricity key to Olympic bid.
May 26, 2012... Public support, electricity key to Olympic bid Shinji Hijikata / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writer Yomiuri Although Tokyo made the shortlist of candidate cities to host the 2020 Summer Olympic Games, the International Olympic Committee has...