2005.12.13

Japan-Smoking (Kyodo) Twelve-year old asthmatic in Shizuoka campaigns for ban on cigarette-smoking pedestrians -- collects thousands of signatures, prompting mayor to heed the boy's plea. 2005.12.13

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Two Koreas meet for talks but nuclear problems loom (Reuters). Ministers from North and South Korea met for an informal dinner tonight ahead of talks that may be end up being overshadowed by a row over multinational talks on Pyongyang's nuclear weapons ambitions. 2005.12.13

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DPRK-Counterfeiting (L.A. Times) More details emerging about North Korea's high quality and massive counterfeiting of U.S. $100 bills. And some of the notes in one bust were intended for Las Vegas casinos. 2005.12.13

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Japanese police warn of Islamic extremist attacks (Reuters). Japanese police are warning that Islamic extremists may tempt Muslim communities in Japan to turn radical and attack Japan, whose government has been a staunch backer of the U.S.-led war on Iraq. 2005.12.13

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Japan-USA Bases After a secret investigation, Japanese police today arrested a Nigerian man who allegedly attempted to enter Camp Zama last month with a sophisticated forged I.D. prompting a major security alert at U.S. military bases in Japan. DEVELOPING... 2005.12.13

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Honda's latest robot can serve tea, push mail carts and run at 6 kph (AP). More Japanese robot hype in the mainstream media. 2005.12.13

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Japan-PRC (Reuters) Japan-China chilled relations in the spotlight at East Asia summit. 2005.12.13

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Japan-USA Beef (Kyodo) U.S. welcomes partial lifting of Japan's ban on American beef. 2005.12.13

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