2003.11.15

Japan Sends Fact-Finding Team to Iraq (AP).  A military fact-finding team left for Iraq today to determine where and when it might be safe to send Japanese troops to help with reconstruction and other non-combat duties.   2003.11.15

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Musashimaru Quits (Kyodo) Sumo yokozuna Musashimaru (real name: Fiamalu Penitani of Wai'anae, Hawaii) tonight decided to retire after losing his fourth bout in the current tournament.     2003.11.15

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Japan-U.S. Defense (VOA) UPDATED at 0938 UTC U.S. Secretary of State Donald Rumsfeld told reporters today in Tokyo that he is "completely comfortable" with Japan delaying any decision on sending SDF troops to Iraq. Defense Agency Secretary General Shigeru Ishiba tells the same news conference that he and Rumsfeld agreed on "most points." Ishiba also promised that the SDF dispatch to Iraq is still on the table and says it is important for Japan to help secure stability in the Middle East because it heavily relies on the region for its oil supply.  Kyodo terms his comments today "mixed signals." Sources say Japan has upset the Pentagon by not moving faster to put U.N. forces on ground in Iraq but both sides feel that any public airing of differences would be counterproductive.   After the Tokyo charm offensive this morning, Rumsfeld flew via helicopter to Yokosuka and Yokota, meeting with U.S. service personnel.     2003.11.15

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DPRK-Nukes (Kyodo) U.S. Asst. Secretary of State Kelly begins an Asia trip tomorrow with his first stop Tokyo. The subject is North Korea's nuclear weapons development.     2003.11.15

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Japan-Headlines (Kyodo) Here are the headlines in major Japanese dailies in their Saturday morning editions.     2003.11.15

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Tokyo Switch on Iraq Troops Not an Issue in Rumsfeld Talks [New York Times: ] Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld held talks in Tokyo Friday night with Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, and in the 45-minute session neither side brought up Tokyo's announcement that it had deferred its decision on whether to volunteer troops for Iraq, American officials said. (NGG note: Rumsfeld holds a joint news conference late this morning with Defense Agency Director General Ishiba. We will update on this later today.)   2003.11.15

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Clinton Calls for Comprehensive N.Korea Atomic Deal. Bill Clinton Calls for Comprehensive N.Korea Atomic Deal [The Agonist] The United States would have little to lose in striking a non-aggression pact with North Korea if that halted Pyongyang's nuclear arms programs and threatening behavior, former U.S. President Bill Clinton said Friday. Clinton said in a speech in the South Korean capital that he thought the sale of weapons of mass destruction to hostile forces by the destitute communist state was a greater threat than Pyongyang using such weapons against Seoul or its neighbors. Discussion   2003.11.15

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Spider-Man Arrives in Japan in January. [Theme Park Insider News and Commentary] Universal has launched a Web site (pun intended, I guess) to announce the arrival of "The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man" ride at its Osaka park in January, 2004.   2003.11.15

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Japan-Jewish (JTA) Tokyo's Jewish community celebrates 50 years since its official organization.     2003.11.15

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