Kyodo economic news summary -4-.

Japan Weekly Monitor, October, 2003

TOKYO, Oct. 23 Kyodo

---------- Land minister Ishihara set to fire JH chief Fujii on Fri.

TOKYO - Land, Infrastructure and Transport Minister Nobuteru Ishihara is set to dismiss Japan Highway Public Corp. (JH) President Haruho Fujii on Friday, having received a report Thursday about a hearing held a week ago on Fujii's dismissal, ministry officials said.

''I will make a decision after taking it into full consideration,'' Ishihara said on receiving the report.

---------- Nikkei ends 554 points lower, biggest fall for 2003

TOKYO - Tokyo stocks tumbled Thursday, with the key Nikkei index suffering the largest fall for this year of more than 550 points, as investors sold shares across the board to lock in profits from recent...