Japan's health minister draws criticism
(AP)


<p><a href="http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/health/*http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070128/ap_on_re_as/japan_falling_birthrate"><img src="http://d.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/ap/20070126/capt.tok10701260658.japan_markets_tok107.jpg?x=109&y=130&sig=t5JKgH8Akl36TGdn7.zGmg--" align="left" height="130" width="109" alt="Women pass by a stock indicator in downtown Tokyo Friday, Jan. 26, 2007. Japanese stocks fell Friday after briefly touching a 6 1/2 year high a day earlier as investors sold technology, retail and banking stocks. The benchmark Nikkei 225 index fell 36.37 points, or 0.21 percent, to finish at 17,421.93 points on the Tokyo Stock Exchange. (AP Photo/Katsumi Kasahara)" border="0" /></a>AP - Japan's health minister described women as "birth-giving machines" in a speech on the falling birthrate, drawing criticism despite an immediate apology.</p><br clear="all"/>