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Kyodo news summary -4-
[January 09, 2013]

Kyodo news summary -4-


(Japan Economic Newswire Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) TOKYO, Jan. 9 -- (Kyodo) _ ---------- Defense Ministry to seek 180 bil. yen "economic measure" in extra budget TOKYO - The Defense Ministry plans to ask for 180.5 billion yen for defense equipment costs as an "emergency economic measure" in its spending requests for the supplementary budget for the current fiscal year, ministry officials said Wednesday.



The additional spending request, to be used to upgrade and modernize its equipment as well as fuel costs, will bring the ministry's total requests in the extra budget to a record 212.4 billion yen, they said.

---------- Japanese bond yield slips on lower U.S. Treasury yields TOKYO - The yield on the bellwether 10-year Japanese government bond fell Wednesday after U.S. Treasury yields dropped overnight in New York.


The yield on the No. 327, 0.8 percent issue, the main yardstick of long-term interest rates, ended morning interdealer trading at 0.815 percent, down 0.005 percentage point from Tuesday's close.

---------- Ito-Yokado, Aeon launch vegetable sales amid rising prices TOKYO - Supermarket operator Ito-Yokado Co. on Wednesday launched an "emergency" three-day sale of vegetables amid rising prices of farm produce due to cold weather.

Rival supermarket chain Aeon Co. is also vying with the key unit of Seven & I Holdings Co. through its two-day discount campaign from the same day.

---------- Japan to make funds for educating grandchildren tax-exempt TOKYO - The government and ruling party will offer tax exemption for those bestowing money to finance the education of their grandchildren, as part of Japan's new economic stimulus package, sources close to the matter said Wednesday.

The stimulus package to be unveiled Friday will also include other tax incentives to boost the economy, which has been mired in chronic deflation, such as lower levies for companies increasing payrolls and business investment.

---------- Suzuki Motor's new car sales in India gains 6.6% in 2012 TOKYO - Suzuki Motor Corp. said Wednesday its new car sales in India grew 6.6 percent from a year earlier in 2012, due to robust demand for newly introduced models.

Maruti Suzuki India Ltd., the automaker's Indian unit, sold a total of around 1.06 million units last year, having recovered quickly from the impact of worker violence at its Manesar factory in July.

---------- 2nd Japan Airlines Dreamliner jet hit by trouble in Boston NEW YORK - A Boeing 787 Dreamliner operated by Japan Airlines Co. was forced to return to the terminal at Boston's Logan International Airport around noon Tuesday after a fuel leak was found just before takeoff, the second time in two days a brand-new Boeing 787 in JAL's fleet has been hit by trouble at the airport.

Flight JL007 to Tokyo with 181 passengers and 11 crew members was towed back to the gate and underwent inspections after a ground controller at the airport alerted the flight's pilot that fuel was leaking from its primary wing.

---------- New Hitachi film slit processing base in China to begin operating soon TOKYO - Hitachi Chemical Co. said Wednesday its new slit-processing base for photosensitive dry films for printed wiring boards in the central Chinese city of Chongqing will begin operating later this month.

Although Hitachi has provided slit services from its business bases in Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, and Dongguan, Guangdong Province, it set up Hitachi Chemical (Chongqing) Co. last July as wiring-board makers have been moving their factories inland from China's coastal areas as the country's semiconductor industry grows, it said.

---------- U.S. mission calls for N. Korea moratorium on missile launches, nuclear tests BEIJING - A private U.S. delegation to North Korea is pressing for a moratorium on missile launches and nuclear tests and urging it to allow an open Internet and more mobile phones for its citizens, a member of the delegation said Wednesday, according to the Associated Press.

Former New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson was quoted as telling the AP in Pyongyang that the delegation, which he said has a "private, humanitarian mission," is asking for "fair and humane treatment" for a U.S. citizen detained in North Korea.

(c) 2013 Kyodo News International, Inc.

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