JAPANESE MINISTERS APPEAR TO DOZE OFF PRIOR TO VOTING ON BANK BILL AT PARLIAMENT IN TOKYO.
National Land Agency director general Hakuo Yanagisawa (R), Management and Coordination Agency director general Seiichi Ota (2nd/R), Foreign Minister Masahiko Komura (3rd/R) and other Japanese cabinet ministers appear to be dozing off prior to voting at the Lower House of Parliament October 13 on a bill that would allow the government to pump public money into weak banks. The Lower House quickly approved the bill, which is expected to be fully enacted by the ruling and two opposition parties by Friday, seeking to strengthen viable banks weighed down by bad loans.
ES/CC