TOKYO, Sep. 23, 2010 (Kyodo News International) -- ----------
APEC meeting reaffirms importance of tourism in economic growth
NARA, Japan - Top tourism officials from Pacific Rim economies reaffirmed Thursday that tourism plays a key role in their economic growth as they adopted a declaration at the conclusion of their two-day meeting in the ancient city of Nara.
The 21 members of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum recognized ''the economic importance of tourism, including the creation of jobs, reduction of poverty and conservation of the environment.''
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Nationalism gives Beijing little wriggle room in isles row: scholar
BEIJING - China is facing increasing nationalistic sentiments at home and has little wriggle room in resolving an escalating conflict with Japan over the detention of a Chinese skipper involved in a ship collision off the disputed Senkaku islands, a Chinese scholar says.
The only resolution in sight is for Japan to compromise and avoid initiating judicial proceedings against the skipper, said Pang Zhongying, a professor of international studies at Renmin University of China.
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China tourism official blames Japan over row, warns of further impact
NARA, Japan - A Chinese tourism official at an Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation meeting said Thursday that Japan is responsible for the recent bilateral row over disputed islands and the problem could further affect the tourism industry if not handled properly.
Zhang Xilong, the deputy director general of China's National Tourism Administration, said at the end of the two-day meeting in Nara that the two countries have recently encountered ''very serious problems,'' apparently referring to Japan's arrest of a Chinese fishing boat captain off the disputed Senkaku Islands, and ''all the responsibility lies with the Japanese side.''
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China halts all shipments of rare earth minerals to Japan: NYT
NEW YORK - The New York Times reported in its electronic edition Wednesday that China has completely halted shipments of rare earth minerals to Japan amid growing bilateral tensions stirred by Japan's detention of a Chinese fishing boat captain in disputed waters.
According to Japanese government officials, Tokyo has obtained information from Japanese traders that shipments of rare earth minerals from China to Japan have been stopped. The Japanese government has been trying to confirm with the Chinese government through diplomatic channels whether it has imposed such an embargo, but has yet to confirm it.
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Cambodian opposition leader gets 10 yrs in prison for altering map
PHNOM PENH - Cambodian opposition leader Sam Rainsy was sentenced to 10 years in prison Thursday and faces an additional fine and compensation of 65 million riel ($15,476) after being convicted of falsifying public documents and disinformation.
The conviction was announced by Ker Sakhorn, presiding judge at the Phnom Penh Municipal Court, but in the absence of Sam Rainsy who is in self-imposed exile in France.
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Mitsui to invest in Singapore-based biotech firm
SINGAPORE - Mitsui & Co Ltd will invest $5 million in a Singapore government-linked biotechnology research firm, adding to the rise in Japan's presence in Singapore's biotechnology industry, the Singapore firm said Thursday.
Mitsui Ventures, the investment arm of Mitsui, will invest in S*Bio Pte. Ltd. in the first Japanese investment in the drug development firm.
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BTMU to invest 30 bil. yen in Gifu Bank
TOKYO - The Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ has decided to purchase about 30 billion yen worth of preferred shares in Gifu Bank, a struggling regional bank that has been in merger talks with another regional bank, sources close to the matter said Thursday.
BTMU, the biggest shareholder of Gifu Bank with a stake of about 20 percent, has expressed its intention to make some investments in the local bank to realize the merger.
