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November 22, 2024
 

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Kanako Takahara

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Kanako Takahara
Kanako Takahara is a staff writer who has covered national politics, diplomacy, business and the economy at The Japan Times. A graduate of Sophia University, she is currently a national news editor.
JAPAN
May 7, 2004
Koizumi lauds abductions progress; second Pyongyang visit not ruled out
Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi said Thursday that Japan and North Korea have made progress in talks over the abduction issue, and indicated he might visit Pyongyang again to resolve the deadlock.
Japan Times
JAPAN
May 7, 2004
Takarazuka groupies do it by the book
Akiko Okawara, 37, comes to Tokyo Takarazuka Theater almost every day to catch a stage-door glimpse of Sumire Haruno, a top star who plays a male role in the Takarazuka all-female theater troupe, even when she is not taking in the show.
JAPAN
Apr 17, 2004
Hostage drama highlights SDF's tough role in Iraq
The hostage crisis involving three Japanese civilians highlighted the worsening security situation in Iraq.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Apr 14, 2004
Beef talks to resume, Cheney says
Visiting U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney said Tuesday that U.S. experts will visit Japan next week to resume bilateral negotiations to break a deadlock over Japan's import ban on U.S. beef.
JAPAN
Apr 13, 2004
Cheney promises U.S. will help Japan bring hostages home
U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney told Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi on Monday that Washington would do its best to help rescue three Japanese nationals being held hostage in Iraq.
JAPAN
Apr 13, 2004
Foreign Ministry official sees need for banning travel to risky areas
The government should consider legislation that would allow it to ban Japanese nationals from traveling to countries it deems dangerous, a senior Foreign Ministry official said Monday.
Japan Times
JAPAN / POLITICS IN FOCUS
Apr 13, 2004
Lawmakers' groups act behind the scenes
A nonpartisan group of lawmakers lobbying to get Japanese abducted to North Korea back and working on behalf of relatives of the missing has been a big help to Shigeru Yokota.
JAPAN
Apr 11, 2004
Government scrambles for info on hostages and captors
The government continued Saturday trying to gather information on the whereabouts of three Japanese nationals taken hostage in Iraq and details of their captors.
JAPAN
Apr 10, 2004
Japan hit over lack of crisis-response measures
Thursday's kidnapping of three Japanese civilians in Iraq has exposed the government's ill-preparedness for crises, especially those involving terrorists.
JAPAN
Apr 3, 2004
China visit irks many in government
Government leaders lashed out Friday at Taku Yamasaki, a former vice president of the Liberal Democratic Party who is now out of office, and LDP lawmaker Katsuei Hirasawa for visiting China in an apparent bid to negotiate on the sly with North Korea over its abduction of Japanese nationals.
JAPAN
Apr 3, 2004
U.S. to sit in if police grill crime suspects in the military
Japan and the United States agreed Friday to allow U.S. officials to be present during police questioning of U.S. service members suspected of committing heinous crimes in Japan, the Foreign Ministry said.
JAPAN
Mar 25, 2004
Iraq looking for aid in oil, gas production
Iraq wants Japan to provide financial and technical support aimed at rebuilding and developing its oil and gas production facilities, the head of Iraq's interim Governing Council said Wednesday in Tokyo.
JAPAN
Mar 24, 2004
Japan criticizes Israel over 'reckless' Yassin assassination
Japan joined other nations Tuesday in criticizing Israel for its murder of Ahmed Yassin, the founder of Palestinian militant group Hamas, and called on both Israel and the Palestinian Authority to resume peace talks.
JAPAN
Mar 23, 2004
Troops in Iraq set to get down to business
The Ground Self-Defense Force troops deployed to the city of Samawah in southern Iraq will commence their humanitarian aid mission later this month.
JAPAN
Mar 23, 2004
Instability hampers assistance, business
Whenever the government or Diet discusses the security situation in Iraq, it is usually related to the safety of the Ground Self-Defense Force troops deployed to the southern Iraqi city of Samawah.
JAPAN
Mar 14, 2004
NHK's cancellation of 'Sesame Street' leaves fans in dismay
When word spread late last month that public broadcaster NHK would pull the plug on "Sesame Street" after more than 30 years, loyal fans were shocked.
JAPAN
Mar 11, 2004
Slain diplomats' car may go on show at ministry
A monument to the dead or merely a gruesome exhibit?
JAPAN
Mar 11, 2004
Lawmaker says Tokyo should prod Pyongyang
Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Hiroyuki Hosoda urged Foreign Ministry officials Wednesday to press North Korea to come up with a date for a further round of bilateral talks.
JAPAN
Mar 11, 2004
Yen loans to China set to be reduced by 20%
China will slip from the top of Japan's yen-loan recipient list for fiscal 2003, as Tokyo plans to reduce aid to the country by 20 percent from the previous year to about 96.7 billion yen, according to a Foreign Ministry report unveiled Wednesday.
JAPAN
Mar 4, 2004
Suzuki's Congolese secretary seeks apology over passport slur
A Congolese native who was a secretary to former House of Representatives member Muneo Suzuki demanded a public apology Wednesday from Foreign Minister Yoriko Kawaguchi for accusing him of forging a diplomatic passport.
Two of America’s biggest debt holders are dumping Treasurys
The U.S. Treasury building in Washington. Investors in Japan and China sold a pile of U.S. debt in the last quarter, just before the U.S. presidential election.
Russia launched intercontinental ballistic missile during attack on Ukraine, Kyiv says
A Yars intercontinental ballistic missile is launched during a test from the Plesetsk cosmodrome in Northern Arkhangelsk region of Russia, in this still image captured from video released on Oct. 29.
Ishiba aggravates his own political failures with diplomatic faux pas
Prime Minster Shigeru Ishiba is greeted at the APEC summit in Lima by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Friday. The Japanese leader was criticized for remaining seated while meeting several world leaders at the event.
Japan's 3.31 million visitors in October set monthly record
Kiyomizu Temple in Kyoto in December 2023. Famous autumn leaf colors contributed to increased tourism demand last month from many markets across Asia, Europe and North America, the Japan National Tourism Organization has said.
Japan ranks last in romance satisfaction for second straight year
In a survey of 31 countries, Japan ranked last in terms of those who felt loved, with just 51% of respondents saying so.
Japan, U.K. and Italy discuss inviting more countries to joint fighter project
A new concept model of a next-generation fighter jet to be jointly developed by Japan, Britain and Italy is on display in Farnborough, Hampshire, in July.
Haruki Murakami's 'The City and Its Uncertain Walls' gives deep deja vu
For “The City and Its Uncertain Walls,” translated into English by Philip Gabriel, Haruki Murakami confronts the ghosts who won't leave him alone.
Japanese expats in Asia find community through rugby
The Taiwan Fivewoods celebrate their victory at the 2023 Asian Japanese Rugby Cup in December of last year.
In Fukushima, a weekend of prose, poetry and translation
Aomori-based writer JJ Carter presented on tabletop gaming as creative inspiration for building characters and narratives.
For Dr. Nakamats, aging is just experience in action
Though he didn't win the recent gubernatorial election in Tokyo, the 96-year-old Dr. Nakamats' run was seen as inspirational in Japan's aging society.

Podcast

One of the many entrances to the Kabukicho neighborhood in Tokyo’s Shinjuku Ward.
Kabukicho: Tokyo’s ‘stadium of desire’

Longform

Construction takes place on the Takanawa Gateway Convention Center in Tokyo, slated to open in 2025.
A boom for business tourism in Japan?
By Kathryn Wortley

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