Yomiuri Shimbun/Daily Yomiuri articles from October 2008

Yomiuri Shimbun/Daily Yomiuri archives from October 2008

FTC: 4 Sapporo officials rigged bids.
October 31, 2008... FTC: 4 Sapporo officials rigged bids Yomiuri The Fair Trade Commission has notified the Sapporo municipal government of the names of four of the city's officials involved in alleged bid-rigging of 33 public works projects ordered by...

Melamine detected in Chinese pumpkin buns.
October 31, 2008... Melamine detected in Chinese pumpkin buns Yomiuri The toxic substance melamine has been detected in China-made pumpkin steam buns, buffet restaurant operator Nilax Inc. said Wednesday. A spokesman from the Musashino, Tokyo-based...

Tottori Pref. to reveal academic test results categorized.
October 31, 2008... Tottori Pref. to reveal academic test results categorized by school Yomiuri TOTTORI TOTTORI--The Tottori Prefectural Board of Education decided Thursday to disclose results of nationwide academic tests for primary and middle...

MSDF plane picked up sailor who injured self while drunk.
October 31, 2008... MSDF plane picked up sailor who injured self while drunk Yomiuri A Maritime Self-Defense Force petty officer who sustained an injury after drinking to excess was transported by a P-3C patrol plane from an airbase in Iwoto island on...

Google Street View raises privacy fears.
October 31, 2008... Google Street View raises privacy fears Yomiuri Google's Street View service is stoking concerns among many people who fear its panoramic street views violate their privacy. Though users also have commented on the service's...

Stationery 'buys' disguise surpluses.
October 31, 2008... Stationery 'buys' disguise surpluses Yomiuri Stationery purchases are often claimed by local governments when creating fake orders since items such as pencils and paper are soon used up, making it difficult for later checks to...

Public fund misuse rampant in local govts.
October 31, 2008... Public fund misuse rampant in local govts Sonosuke Sakamoto, Go Kojima,and Takashi Sakinaga / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writers Yomiuri A recent scandal involving misuse of state subsidies by local authorities highlights the...

30% of local govts have 'welfare shelters'.
October 31, 2008... 30% of local govts have 'welfare shelters' Yomiuri Only 30 percent of municipalities around the country have designated facilities as shelters for the elderly and handicapped during natural disasters, according to a survey conducted...

Favorite Treasures of Shoso-in / Game board reveals 'playf.
October 31, 2008... Favorite Treasures of Shoso-in / Game board reveals 'playful minds' of yore Yomiuri This is the fourth in a series of articles to mark the 60th Annual Exhibition of Shoso-in Treasures, which is being held at the Nara National Museum...

BIG a big hit, lifts toto lottery sales.
October 31, 2008... BIG a big hit, lifts toto lottery sales Masato Yahagi / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writer Yomiuri The National Agency for the Advancement of Sports and Health, which manages the toto soccer lottery, has finished repaying long-term...

POLITICAL PULSE / Parties should recall Obuchi way.
October 31, 2008... POLITICAL PULSE / Parties should recall Obuchi way Tetsuya Harada column A dissolution of the House of Representatives and subsequent general election to determine the party in power has been postponed after Prime Minister Taro...

EDITORIAL / Aso faces tough battle with choices he made.
October 31, 2008... EDITORIAL / Aso faces tough battle with choices he made Yomiuri Prime Minister Taro Aso has chosen financial and economic stimulus measures over a dissolution of the House of Representatives. To deal with the global financial crisis,...

The Interpreter: Director John Woo takes on China's greate.
October 31, 2008... The Interpreter: Director John Woo takes on China's greatest literary work and a Western audience Ikuko Kitagawa / Daily Yomiuri Staff Writer Yomiuri For director John Woo to realize his 18-year dream of filming the 13th-century...

COMICS REVIEW / Umezu mixes horror, humor.
October 31, 2008... COMICS REVIEW / Umezu mixes horror, humor Tom Baker / Daily Yomiuri Staff Writer Yomiuri Cat Eyed Boy By Kazuo Umezu Translated by JN Productions 2 volumes Viz Media, 534 and 494 pp, 24.99 dollars each ...

'Grand Theft Auto' hits Japan's shelves.
October 31, 2008... 'Grand Theft Auto' hits Japan's shelves Stephen Taylor / Daily Yomiuri Staff Writer Yomiuri It would be easy to write about how much fun the violence and crime is in Grand Theft Auto IV, but that's not the only aspect of the...

Veteran animators still have the touch.
October 31, 2008... Veteran animators still have the touch Kumi Matsumaru / Daily Yomiuri Staff Writer Yomiuri Koike-san, a man with curly hair and glasses who always eats ramen noodles, is a popular character in Obake no Kyutaro, a manga by Fujio...

Saori Yano: Real hunger.
October 31, 2008... Saori Yano: Real hunger Ikuko Kitagawa / Daily Yomiuri Staff Writer Yomiuri Hunger can mean many things to a musician. It can be the desire and passion needed to get what they want in life. But it can also be quite literal--a...

Ginza Jazz Festival packing in jazz fans.
October 31, 2008... Ginza Jazz Festival packing in jazz fans Yomiuri Visitors to Tokyo's famous Ginza shopping area this weekend will have the chance to enjoy some free, cool vibes when the fourth Ginza International Jazz Festival kicks off tomorrow....

Cullum keeping coy about costume.
October 31, 2008... Cullum keeping coy about costume Stephen Taylor / Daily Yomiuri Staff Writer Yomiuri The last time Jamie Cullum talked to The Daily Yomiuri was on the phone "Where is the Music?" featuring Jamie Cullum with Soil and Pimp...

Kabukicho to fete 60 years of entertainment.
October 31, 2008... Kabukicho to fete 60 years of entertainment Ikuko Kitagawa / Daily Yomiuri Staff Writer Yomiuri To celebrate 60 years since the foundation of the Kabukicho entertainment area of Shinjuku, Tokyo, "Kabukicho Festa 2008" starts...

Bugs swarm Digital Arts Fest.
October 31, 2008... Bugs swarm Digital Arts Fest Cristoph Mark / Daily Yomiuri Staff Writer Yomiuri Every year, the Digital Arts Festival presents a number of works by promising students in the field of multimedia art. This year's event,...

Where there's gyoza ...
October 31, 2008... Where there's gyoza... Cristoph Mark / Daily Yomiuri Staff Writer Yomiuri UTSUNOMIYA--Say the word "Utsunomiya" to most Japanese, and I can guarantee the first thing that will come to mind is "gyoza." Rightfully so: The Tochigi...

... there's beer.
October 31, 2008... ... there's beer Cristoph Mark / Daily Yomiuri Staff Writer Yomiuri Most anyone who's had gyoza has tried them with beer--the perfect match. A crisp pilsner seems to be a great balance to the sometimes intense flavor of gyoza,...

TROUBLESHOOTER / Man cadges loans from my old mom.
October 31, 2008... TROUBLESHOOTER / Man cadges loans from my old mom Yomiuri Dear Troubleshooter: I'm a housewife in my 50s. I am worried about my mother, who is in her 80s and has lived alone since my father died several years ago. Her...

TROUBLESHOOTER / I want a second child, but my family resi.
October 31, 2008... TROUBLESHOOTER / I want a second child, but my family resists Yomiuri Dear Troubleshooter: I'm a housewife in my 30s. I live with my husband, who is much older than me, and our son. My husband also has a middle-school-age child...

'The Eye' worth a look.
October 31, 2008... 'The Eye' worth a look Tom Baker / Daily Yomiuri Staff Writer Yomiuri The Eye (Japan title: Eyes) 3 stars out of five Dirs: David Moreau, Xavier Palud Cast: Jessica Alba, Alessandro Nivola, Parker Posey Sydney...

Mock doc on Iraq misfires.
October 31, 2008... Mock doc on Iraq misfires Tom Baker / Daily Yomiuri Staff Writer Yomiuri Redacted is apparently intended to raise questions about the U.S.-led war in Iraq, but it raises more questions about why an experienced director like...

Story of tragedy, story of hope.
October 31, 2008... Story of tragedy, story of hope Ikuko Kitagawa / Daily Yomiuri Staff Writer Yomiuri War Dance 4 stars out of five Dirs: Sean Fine, Andrea Nix Fine Featuring: Dominic, Rose, Nancy What if the stories told by...

TELEVIEWS / Southern All Stars fans need to be vigilant TV.
October 31, 2008... TELEVIEWS / Southern All Stars fans need to be vigilant TV watchers next week Wm. Penn / Daily Yomiuri Columnist Yomiuri Welcome to the Televiews Halloween party! Grab a costume and join the festivities, but you'll have to work...

Pig story gets audience award.
October 31, 2008... Pig story gets audience award Yomiuri A Japanese movie that aims to highlight the importance of life through children's eyes won two awards at the Tokyo International Film Festival. Buta ga Ita Kyoshitsu (School Days with a...

NATURE IN SHORT / Happy Halloween! Get your pumpkins out f.
October 31, 2008... NATURE IN SHORT / Happy Halloween! Get your pumpkins out for this special festival Kevin Short / Daily Yomiuri Columnist Yomiuri Happy Halloween! I suspect some are planning to do some serious partying this evening. As an...

Court keeps Wakanoho out of ring.
October 31, 2008... Court keeps Wakanoho out of ring Yomiuri The Tokyo District Court on Thursday threw out former makuuchi division wrestler Wakanoho's attempt to force the Japan Sumo Association to reinstate him. Wakanoho had filed an injunction...

Yomiuri snags giant infielder.
October 31, 2008... Yomiuri snags giant infielder Jim Allen / Daily Yomiuri Sportswriter Yomiuri Yomiuri Giants manager Tatsunori Hara has his hands full these days, but getting his first choice in the amateur draft appeared to lighten his load...

Abe eyes limited return.
October 31, 2008... Abe eyes limited return John E. Gibson / Daily Yomiuri Sportswriter Yomiuri Yomiuri Giants All-Star catcher Shinnosuke Abe hopes to catch on through the fine art of hitting. The backstop, who injured his right shoulder in...

Govt to draft guidelines on recalls for small firms.
October 30, 2008... Govt to draft guidelines on recalls for small firms Yomiuri In a bid to minimize damage caused by defective products, the government on Wednesday decided to draw up a set of guidelines to help companies recall their products once a...

Toyoko Inn founder held over toxic gas poisoning.
October 30, 2008... Toyoko Inn founder held over toxic gas poisoning Yomiuri MATSUE MATSUE--The founder and former president of Toyoko Inn Co., the operating firm of the Toyoko Inn chain of business hotels, was arrested Wednesday for approving the...

Shinginko's lax checks exploited / Fraud suspects 'noticed.
October 30, 2008... Shinginko's lax checks exploited / Fraud suspects 'noticed sloppy screening, took out 100 mil. yen in 2 loans' Yomiuri A software company that allegedly defrauded Shinginko Tokyo bank out of a loan of about 50 million yen had taken...

3rd delay for Shizuoka Airport.
October 30, 2008... 3rd delay for Shizuoka Airport Yomiuri The third postponement of the opening of Shizuoka Airport was confirmed Wednesday by Shizuoka Gov. Yoshinobu Ishikawa, who added that the airport would start operations four months later, in...

FAVORITE TREASURES OF SHOSO-IN / Sash depicts changing col.
October 30, 2008... FAVORITE TREASURES OF SHOSO-IN / Sash depicts changing colors of the seasons Yomiuri This is the third in a series of articles to mark the 60th Annual Exhibition of Shoso-in Treasures, which is being held at the Nara National Museum...

Aso to announce delay to election / Prime minister to expl.
October 30, 2008... Aso to announce delay to election / Prime minister to explain decision to reluctant New Komeito head Ota Yomiuri Prime Minister Taro Aso likely will reveal Thursday he will not dissolve the House of Representatives for a general...

Sexagenarian liver cancer rate dips sharply.
October 30, 2008... Sexagenarian liver cancer rate dips sharply Yomiuri The number of people diagnosed with the most common form of liver cancer among people in their 60s, the age group considered most at risk of developing cancer caused by the...

DPJ to tackle govt on 2nd extra budget.
October 30, 2008... DPJ to tackle govt on 2nd extra budget Yomiuri Senior leaders of the Democratic Party of Japan met Wednesday and decided to confront the government and the ruling coalition over a second supplementary budget for fiscal 2008 expected...

Review emergency services / Provincial cases show shortage.
October 30, 2008... Review emergency services / Provincial cases show shortage of obstetricians not only problem Makiko Tatebayashi / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writer Yomiuri The death of a 36-year-old pregnant woman who was denied treatment for a...

Regulations needed for overseas study.
October 30, 2008... Regulations needed for overseas study Naohiro Yoshida / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writer Yomiuri Damage caused by the bankruptcy of Gateway21 Co., a major private company that acted as an intermediary between people wishing to study...

EDITORIAL / Restoring public trust by teaching the teacher.
October 30, 2008... EDITORIAL / Restoring public trust by teaching the teachers Yomiuri A teaching license renewal system will be instituted from next fiscal year. No effort should be spared in its preparations so the system can help restore public...

Nomura faces new losses over Lehman Brothers.
October 30, 2008... Nomura faces new losses over Lehman Brothers Tomoki Matsubara Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writer Yomiuri The huge losses suffered by Nomura Holdings Inc. during the April-September period indicate the company's failure to stay on top...

The tragic Heike heroine of Jakkoin/Kyoto nunnery strives.
October 30, 2008... The tragic Heike heroine of Jakkoin/Kyoto nunnery strives to preserve atmosphere of Kenreimonin Tokuko's time Kahori Sakane Yomiuri KYOTO KYOTO--Despite its distance from the city center, Jakkoin nunnery in the Ohara...

High school dropouts often victims of poverty.
October 30, 2008... High school dropouts often victims of poverty Yomiuri Every year, out of nearly 3.5 million high school students in the nation, about 80,000 drop out, according to the Education, Science and Technology Ministry. Some of these...

Bulletin Board.
October 30, 2008... Bulletin Board Yomiuri Kansai Gaidai workshop on English phonetics Kansai Gaidai University's Intercultural Research Institute (IRI) will hold a workshop on English phonetics on Nov. 5 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the university's...

Gymnast Kashima to call it a golden career.
October 30, 2008... Gymnast Kashima to call it a golden career The Daily Yomiuri Yomiuri Takehiro Kashima, who helped Japan to a gold medal in team gymnastics at the 2004 Athens Olympics and a silver at Beijing this summer, is retiring, according...

Date enters All-Japan tourney.
October 30, 2008... Date enters All-Japan tourney The Daily Yomiuri Yomiuri Kimiko Date Krumm will make her first appearance in 16 years at the All-Japan Championships, the Japan Tennis Association announced Wednesday. The 38-year-old Date...

THE HOT CORNER: CL MVP pick not so simple.
October 30, 2008... THE HOT CORNER: CL MVP pick not so simple Jim Allen Daily Yomiuri Sportswriter Yomiuri It isn't an easy sell, but the most valuable player in the Central League this past season was not necessarily the Yomiuri Giants' Alex...

Who's on 1st: Arai, Kurihara share Golden Glove.
October 30, 2008... Who's on 1st: Arai, Kurihara share Golden Glove John E. Gibson Daily Yomiuri Sportswriter Yomiuri Both Takahiro Arai and Kenta Kurihara at one time had their feet on the first base bag while teammates with the Hiroshima Carp. Now...

MSDF officer found guilty in Aegis leak.
October 29, 2008... MSDF officer found guilty in Aegis leak Yomiuri YOKOHAMA The Yokohama District Court on Tuesday found a Maritime Self-Defense Force lieutenant commander guilty of leaking classified information on the Aegis naval air defense...

Donald Keene, 7 others win Order of Culture.
October 29, 2008... Donald Keene, 7 others win Order of Culture Yomiuri The government announced Tuesday it would award eight people the 2008 Order of Culture, including three Nobel Prize winners, while designating 16 Persons of Cultural Merit. The...

Employment associations 'misused 220 million yen'.
October 29, 2008... Employment associations 'misused 220 million yen' Yomiuri The Board of Audit has found that employment associations in 29 prefectures misused about 110 million yen that was paid by the Japan Organization for Employment of the Elderly...

Takesaki set for top court post.
October 29, 2008... Takesaki set for top court post Yomiuri Tokyo High Court Chief Judge Hironobu Takesaki is set to become Supreme Court chief justice next month, sources said Monday. Takesaki, 64, who took a leading role in establishing the lay...

Toilet shortage projected after quake.
October 29, 2008... Toilet shortage projected after quake Yomiuri There will be a lack of usable toilets in all of Tokyo's 23 wards if the metropolitan area is hit by a strong shallow-focus earthquake and many people are forced to walk home because the...

ANALYSIS / Executions proceeding at fast pace.
October 29, 2008... ANALYSIS / Executions proceeding at fast pace Fumio Tanaka / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writer Yomiuri Tuesday's execution of two death row inmates brought the number of executions this year to 15, marking the fastest pace of...

Regulation sparks 'Seat belt stopper' sales.
October 29, 2008... Regulation sparks 'Seat belt stopper' sales Yomiuri Sales of so-called seat belt stoppers are rapidly increasing since a revision of the Road Traffic Law obliged car passengers in the rear seat to wear seat belts. The items keep...

Teacher spent school hours horseback riding.
October 29, 2008... Teacher spent school hours horseback riding Yomiuri OSAKA OSAKA--A 50-year-old teacher at a middle school in Moriguchi, Osaka Prefecture, has gone horseback riding at a jockey club during work hours for the last two years, it...

FAVORITE TREASURES OF SHOSO-IN / Motifs on wooden box deli.
October 29, 2008... FAVORITE TREASURES OF SHOSO-IN / Motifs on wooden box delight Yomiuri This is the second in a series of articles to mark the 60th Annual Exhibition of Shoso-in Treasures at the Nara National Museum. The Yomiuri Shimbun asked people...

Musings / Oct. 28, 2008.
October 29, 2008... Musings / Oct. 28, 2008 Yomiuri The following is a translation of the Henshu Techo column from The Yomiuri Shimbun's Oct. 28 issue. * * * During the Edo period (1603-1867), a hansho, or fire bell, was struck once when a...

Award winners 'surprised to be considered'.
October 29, 2008... Award winners 'surprised to be considered' Yomiuri Three of the eight winners of the 2008 Order of Culture--U.S. scholar Donald Keene, conductor Seiji Ozawa and novelist Seiko Tanabe--have expressed their delight at receiving the...

Ending local govt misspending / Govt must review system fo.
October 29, 2008... Ending local govt misspending / Govt must review system for granting subsidies to prefectures Akihisa Aoyama / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writer Yomiuri The central and prefectural governments are under pressure to thoroughly review...

Released crested ibis face winter struggle.
October 29, 2008... Released crested ibis face winter struggle Shinichiro Nakajima, Yosuke Osada and Satoshi Matsuda / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writers Yomiuri NIIGATA NIIGATA--Oct. 25 marked the first month since 10 Japanese crested ibis, known...

Manga legend's work set for reprint.
October 29, 2008... Manga legend's work set for reprint Yomiuri The original version of a classic manga comic written by Osamu Tezuka (1928-1989), will be reprinted for the first time in 62 years in February 2009 by Shogakukan Creative Inc., The Yomiuri...

EDITORIAL / MSDF leaks must be plugged.
October 29, 2008... EDITORIAL / MSDF leaks must be plugged Yomiuri The judiciary on Tuesday condemned the government organization in charge of national defense for its impermissibly sloppy information management. The Yokohama District Court found...

A filmmaker dedicated to the people of China.
October 29, 2008... A filmmaker dedicated to the people of China Akira Fujino Yomiuri Shimbun Senior Writer Yomiuri "Survive by any means! Survive as cattle and horses do!" When watching the Chinese film "Hibiscus Town" for the first time, I...

Hara accepts job for WBC / Pledges to help Japan defend ti.
October 29, 2008... Hara accepts job for WBC / Pledges to help Japan defend title Yomiuri Yomiuri Giants manager Tatsunori Hara on Tuesday agreed to manage Japan at the World Baseball Classic in March. Nippon Professional Baseball commissioner Ryozo...

ON THE FAIRWAY: Yano can lay up or go for broke.
October 29, 2008... ON THE FAIRWAY: Yano can lay up or go for broke Mitsunori Toda Daily Yomiuri Sportswriter Yomiuri While teen pro Ryo Ishikawa has slowly begun to live up to expectations, another fan favorite has dominated the Japan pro tour this...

Marathon star Takahashi comes to end of road.
October 29, 2008... Marathon star Takahashi comes to end of road Ken Marantz Daily Yomiuri Sportswriter Yomiuri Naoko Takahashi has reached the end of the road in her career. Takahashi, the 2000 Sydney Olympic women's marathon gold medalist who...

Giants' Hara asked to manage Japan.
October 28, 2008... Giants' Hara asked to manage Japan Jim Allen Daily Yomiuri Sportswriter Yomiuri Japan's search for its next national baseball manager may be over. On Monday, Nippon Professional Baseball commissioner Ryozo Kato decided to...

Govt to pump 10 tril. yen into banks, tighten short sellin.
October 28, 2008... Govt to pump 10 tril. yen into banks, tighten short selling Yomiuri The government announced a set of emergency economic pump-priming measures Monday in response to nosediving stock prices, including expanding the scale of public...

PM holds talks to delay lower house poll.
October 28, 2008... PM holds talks to delay lower house poll Yomiuri Prime Minister Taro Aso has held talks with government officials and ruling bloc lawmakers to discuss putting off a House of Representatives election so that measures to stem the...

Would-be groom sets fire to wedding venue.
October 28, 2008... Would-be groom sets fire to wedding venue Yomiuri KOFU KOFU--A man was arrested Sunday on suspicion of setting fire to a hotel in Yamanashi Prefecture where he was due to hold a wedding reception later the same day, police said....

Aso Corp. sold defective bridge items.
October 28, 2008... Aso Corp. sold defective bridge items Yomiuri Apparently defective resin panels sold by a firm run by Prime Minister Taro Aso's younger brother to a building contractor were installed on elevated bridges along the Kyushu Shinkansen...

VoIP service used by phone scammers.
October 28, 2008... VoIP service used by phone scammers Yomiuri A Tokyo-based phone scam group used voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) technology to dupe its victims, investigative sources said. The suspects, who were arrested earlier this month,...

Elderly targeted in TV fraud / Victims duped into handing.
October 28, 2008... Elderly targeted in TV fraud / Victims duped into handing over cash for analog-digital conversion Yomiuri Hundreds of elderly people have been duped into parting with inflated cash payments to have their TVs "adjusted" to gain...

Researchers know exactly what time it is.
October 28, 2008... Researchers know exactly what time it is Yomiuri A group of Tokyo University scholars has created an experimental atomic clock that is believed to be far more accurate than current ones that gain or lose just a second over tens of...

FAVORITE TREASURES OF SHOSO-IN / Mirror's inlay work refle.
October 28, 2008... FAVORITE TREASURES OF SHOSO-IN / Mirror's inlay work reflects craftsmanship Yomiuri To mark the 60th Annual Exhibition of Shoso-in Treasures at the Nara National Museum in Nara, The Yomiuri Shimbun asked five prominent people from...

Ministry sets guidelines for certification tests.
October 28, 2008... Ministry sets guidelines for certification tests Yomiuri In response to the recent proliferation of certification exams held for various skills, the education ministry has formulated guidelines aimed at an objective evaluation of the...

Momentum builds for putting off dissolution.
October 28, 2008... Momentum builds for putting off dissolution Hidetoshi Ikebe and Hajime Furukawa / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writers Yomiuri The global credit crunch is forcing Prime Minister Taro Aso to rethink his strategy for dissolving the House...

New accident board must watch its step.
October 28, 2008... New accident board must watch its step Yoko Inoue / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writer Yomiuri The newly established Japan Transport Safety Board has greater authority to ensure measures aimed at preventing a repeat of accidents by...