http://mdn.mainichi.jp/ All the stories published by the Mainichi Daily News, the number one source of news on Japan in English. en The copyright of the materials belongs to the Mainichi Newspapers Co. unless stated otherwise. 2009-07-19T08:23:47+09:00 The Mainichi Newspapers The Mainichi Newspapers http://mdn.mainichi.jp/ http://mdn.mainichi.jp/image/header/LogoMDN.gif http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/mdn/all/~3/BohkxchNS-U/20090718p2a00m0na015000c.html More than 60 percent of workers in their 20s and 30s think spending time with the boss outside of work is a good idea, a recent survey has shown. 2009-07-18T19:06:57+09:00 http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/national/news/20090718p2a00m0na015000c.html?inb=rs http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/mdn/all/~3/CUe80nAb9yk/20090718p2a00m0na014000c.html Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) Secretary-General Katsuya Okada said the party will release to the public documents on secret Japan-U.S. 2009-07-18T19:01:49+09:00 http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/national/news/20090718p2a00m0na014000c.html?inb=rs http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/mdn/all/~3/Is2HxDwv-f0/20090718p2a00m0na009000c.html Nearly half of Japan's prefectural governments are likely to suffer from a shortage of veterinarians, a national survey by the Mainichi Shimbun has revealed. 2009-07-18T18:04:08+09:00 http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/national/news/20090718p2a00m0na009000c.html?inb=rs http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/mdn/all/~3/azvaE5lTZyo/20090718p2a00m0na008000c.html IIZUKA, Fukuoka -- A local department store has started a closing down sale in the home territory of unpopular Prime Minister Taro Aso. 2009-07-18T17:54:39+09:00 http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/national/news/20090718p2a00m0na008000c.html?inb=rs http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/mdn/all/~3/z2xlIttNRP4/20090718p2a00m0na006000c.html The president of an Oita-based consulting firm has pleaded guilty to evading some 1 billion yen in taxes in connection with construction works for electronics giant Canon Inc.'s facilities. 2009-07-18T18:43:03+09:00 http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/national/news/20090718p2a00m0na006000c.html?inb=rs http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/mdn/all/~3/WfP3zwYomBU/20090718p2a00m0na005000c.html NIIGATA -- A ceremony to celebrate the launch of world's first biofuel produced from paddy rice was held at a gas station here on Friday. 2009-07-18T15:26:45+09:00 http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/national/news/20090718p2a00m0na005000c.html?inb=rs http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/mdn/all/~3/ZJuQr4QMJZ8/20090718p2a00m0na002000c.html TOTTORI -- A taxi driver died after being shot by a passenger in his cab here Friday night, police said. 2009-07-18T12:26:15+09:00 http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/national/news/20090718p2a00m0na002000c.html?inb=rs http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/mdn/all/~3/IzhmL15eZs0/20090717p2a00m0na016000c.html A Justice Ministry study group has concluded that the statute of limitations for brutal and serious crimes such as murder should be abolished, Justice Minister Eisuke Mori said Friday. 2009-07-17T19:39:59+09:00 http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/national/news/20090717p2a00m0na016000c.html?inb=rs http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/mdn/all/~3/yE3MgqvEbyU/20090717p2a00m0na014000c.html CHIBA -- A local volunteer organization has allegedly been accepting large portions of welfare benefits issued to approximately 200 previously homeless individuals that they helped off the streets, it has been learned. 2009-07-17T19:18:39+09:00 http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/national/news/20090717p2a00m0na014000c.html?inb=rs http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/mdn/all/~3/DTcmbtlMWzQ/20090717p2a00m0na013000c.html YOKOHAMA -- A court has dismissed a demand by a group of public school teachers that they have the freedom not to sing the national anthem before the national flag at school ceremonies. 2009-07-17T18:54:12+09:00 http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/national/news/20090717p2a00m0na013000c.html?inb=rs http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/mdn/all/~3/EjtBeda_uJg/20090717p2a00m0na011000c.html Prosecutors have filed charges against officials from Schindler Elevator K.K. and maintenance company SEC Elevator Co. 2009-07-17T18:38:41+09:00 http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/national/news/20090717p2a00m0na011000c.html?inb=rs http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/mdn/all/~3/74nbOwmwuMM/20090717p2a00m0na010000c.html The former president of Nishimatsu Construction Co. 2009-07-17T18:35:25+09:00 http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/national/news/20090717p2a00m0na010000c.html?inb=rs http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/mdn/all/~3/wdWpCJzIh78/20090717p2a00m0na009000c.html The average Japanese life expectancy hit another all-time high for both males and females for the third straight year in 2008, the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare announced. 2009-07-17T17:55:28+09:00 http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/national/news/20090717p2a00m0na009000c.html?inb=rs http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/mdn/all/~3/DgpqittV0lc/20090717p2a00m0na007000c.html CHOSHI, Chiba -- Champion Go player Naoki Hane defended his title in the 64th Honinbo Tournament final held here on Thursday beating challenger Shinji Takao 4-2. 2009-07-17T15:50:58+09:00 http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/national/news/20090717p2a00m0na007000c.html?inb=rs http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/mdn/all/~3/rqYrOU1t2_w/20090717p2a00m0na004000c.html SAITAMA -- The Saitama District Public Prosecutors Office is considering asking a court to exempt a trial involving a yakuza group from the citizen judge system, over fears that involved parties could harm citizen judges. 2009-07-17T15:03:49+09:00 http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/national/news/20090717p2a00m0na004000c.html?inb=rs http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/mdn/all/~3/ILroF1E_tBQ/20090717p2a00m0na002000c.html TOKYO (AP) -- Police said Friday 10 climbers have died on two mountains in northern Japan, amid bad weather. 2009-07-17T12:37:13+09:00 http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/national/news/20090717p2a00m0na002000c.html?inb=rs http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/mdn/all/~3/xgUz-6Tn7QM/20090717p2a00m0na001000c.html New research into Swine Flu has shown that only those who lived through the Spanish Flu epidemic of 1918 are likely to have immunity against the virus, contradicting research by the U.S. 2009-07-17T18:41:51+09:00 http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/national/news/20090717p2a00m0na001000c.html?inb=rs http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/mdn/all/~3/glg7NQ8hWro/20090716p2a00m0na019000c.html Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) heavyweights critical of Prime Minister Taro Aso have demanded that the party hold a general meeting of LDP members from both houses of the Diet by the end of the week. 2009-07-16T20:03:25+09:00 http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/national/news/20090716p2a00m0na019000c.html?inb=rs http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/mdn/all/~3/BnYmh2EfpvU/20090626p2g00m0fe034000c.html I like peonieseven though I drivea truck--J. D. Heskin (Duluth, MN, USA) 2009-07-18T10:00:00+09:00 http://mdn.mainichi.jp/features/haiku/news/20090626p2g00m0fe034000c.html?inb=rs http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/mdn/all/~3/_ULkPl2PGd8/20090626p2g00m0fe033000c.html river of starslong green bamboo polefishing for dreams--charlie smith (Raleigh, NC, USA) 2009-07-17T10:00:00+09:00 http://mdn.mainichi.jp/features/haiku/news/20090626p2g00m0fe033000c.html?inb=rs