Vietnam to adopt Japan's shinkansen high-speed rail link system+   Dollar firms to upper 88 yen in Tokyo on strong China data+   Defense secy tells US troops Iraq mission critical   Survey finds 18% developed no symptoms despite H1N1 flu infection+   Baseball: Closer Iwase agrees to same money in 2010+   Pakistani and U.S. agents interrogate five Americans   Iraq holds 2nd oil auction amid security fears   Police kill CD peddler in Times Square shootout   Not so Super: Browns sack Steelers 13-6   Defense secy tells US troops Iraq mission critical   Shell-Petronas win Iraq's Majnoon oil deal   3RD LD: Emperor to grant exceptional audience to Chinese Vice President Xi+   LEAD: Kanji meaning 'new' picked to best characterize year 2009+   Soccer: Kashima braced for Gamba backlash in Emperor's Cup q'finals+   REFILING: LEAD: Japanese evening newspaper headlines+   House scales back proposed Wall Street rules   GAO: Northern Plains corn ethanol uses more water   19 Turkish miners dead after methane explosion   Health care loophole would allow coverage limits   Gates sees more sanctions on Iran over nuclear plans