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Eric Johnston

JAPAN

Oct 25, 2010

Underfunded NGOs raising domestic issues

NAGOYA — The United Nations COP10 conference is focusing on how to reduce biodiversity loss globally. In addition to formal negotiations, there are hundreds of seminars on everything from protecting marine life to accessing genetic resources on land occupied by indigenous people.

JAPAN

Oct 24, 2010

Envoys near COP10 deal but hurdles remain

NAGOYA — Halfway through the two-week COP10 biodiversity conference, a series of all-night negotiations have left many delegates exhausted but optimistic that a new protocol governing access to and compensation for genetic resources will be adopted before the event concludes Oct. 29.

JAPAN

Oct 23, 2010

Resource-sharing deal eludes at conference

NAGOYA — Delegates to the COP10 biodiversity conference said Friday they had made steady progress toward concluding a new international agreement on access to genetic resources and sharing their benefits, but noted long-standing differences continued to keep this goal at arm's length.

JAPAN

Oct 23, 2010

Draft's approval clears way for entire COP10 to OK 'satoyama'

NAGOYA — Japan's push for recognition of the Satoyama Initiative received a big boost Friday as a group of delegates to the U.N. COP10 conference on biodiversity endorsed the idea, clearing the way for formal approval by the entire convention next week.

Japan Times

JAPAN

Oct 23, 2010

To the rescue: nature advocate Harrison Ford

As Han Solo and Indiana Jones, Harrison Ford has saved galaxies far, far away, battled Nazis, and found the Holy Grail. Can he now save the planet from biodiversity loss?

JAPAN

Oct 22, 2010

Ainu have biodiversity bone to pick with host Japan

NAGOYA — Given its historical treatment of the Ainu and the widespread belief that the nation has but one race, can Japan as host of COP10 effectively deal with indigenous rights, which are at the heart of the most contentious issue of the conference?

Japan Times

JAPAN

Oct 21, 2010

'Satoyama' idea gets regional plug

NAGOYA — Prefectural officials, including governors committed to expanding "satoyama" traditional land conservation efforts throughout Japan and worldwide, met Wednesday in Nagoya to discuss protecting and promoting the concept at the provincial level.

JAPAN

Oct 21, 2010

Target numbers take back seat in Nagoya

NAGOYA — The success or failure of U.N. conferences often hinges on whether delegates come to agreement after days or months — in some cases years — of intense haggling over a few numbers.

JAPAN

Oct 19, 2010

Biodiversity parley finding goals elusive

NAGOYA — The Monday start of the COP10 conference was marked by strong differences over how to ensure fair access to genetic resources and how to demarcate terrestrial and marine areas for protection under a new environmental protocol.

JAPAN

Oct 18, 2010

Nations gather for COP10 biodiversity conference

NAGOYA — Representatives of over 190 signatories to a United Nations biodiversity pact are set to gather in Nagoya Monday for a two-week marathon conference that some have billed a "Kyoto Protocol for all living things."

JAPAN

Oct 15, 2010

Meet ends with calls to protect heritage

NARA — Representatives from 55 historical cities worldwide wrapped up a three-day meeting Thursday with calls to boost protection of heritage sites against natural disasters, global warming, religious and ethnic conflict, and a form of globalization that emphasizes commercial uniformity over cultural...

JAPAN

Oct 14, 2010

City conference calls for responsible preservation

NARA — About half of the world now lives in cities, and with that figure expected to climb to 70 percent by 2025 it is more important than ever that urban planners incorporate effective heritage management into their designs, participants at the World Conference of Historical Cities said Wednesday....

JAPAN

Oct 13, 2010

Meet tackles culture, city preservation

NARA — One way of preserving Nara's culture and history is by riding bicycles to tourist areas instead of boarding smoke-belching tour buses. The city's traditional industrial culture can also be maintained by logging less onto Twitter and Facebook and writing more letters and postcards using sumi...

JAPAN

Oct 13, 2010

Nagoya gathering debates biosafety rules

NAGOYA — A five-day international meeting on biosafety is taking place in Nagoya, with the aim to reach an agreement on a new set of rules to assign responsibility and help determine compensation when an ecosystem is damaged by the introduction of legally modified organisms.

JAPAN / EXPLAINER

Sep 28, 2010

COP10 to take on genetic, indigenous issues

From Oct. 18 to 29, the 10th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations' Convention on Biological Diversity, known as COP10, takes place in Nagoya.

JAPAN

Sep 24, 2010

APEC told isle feud may hurt tourism

NARA — A Chinese delegate to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum meeting on tourism warned Thursday that tourist travel between Japan and China could be further damaged over escalating tensions between Tokyo and Beijing over Japan's arrest of a Chinese trawler captain near the disputed Senkaku...

BUSINESS

Sep 23, 2010

APEC tourism ministers meet amid Senkakus row

NARA — Amid growing tensions between Japan and China, the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation kicked off its tourism conference Wednesday in the ancient capital of Nara, where delegates discussed regional tourism trends since the economic crisis of 2008, when they last met, and ways to improve Asia's...

JAPAN

Sep 17, 2010

Osaka governor woos away 40 LDP members

OSAKA — In a political move with possible national repercussions, Osaka Gov. Toru Hashimoto has announced that his political party, One Osaka (Osaka Ishin-no Kai), will field 82 candidates, including 40 ex-Liberal Democratic Party members, in local elections next spring 2011.

JAPAN

Sep 14, 2010

Nago election puts Futenma move in doubt

OSAKA — The outcome of Sunday's key election for the municipal assembly in Nago, Okinawa Prefecture, may create further doubts that the agreement between Japan and the United States to move the Futenma base to the city's Henoko district will be carried out.

JAPAN

Sep 3, 2010

Festival of manga, 'anime' opens in Kyoto

KYOTO — An exhibition of the latest manga, "anime," art and the next generation of electronic entertainment technology from Japan and abroad opened Thursday in Kyoto.

One of the many entrances to the Kabukicho neighborhood in Tokyo’s Shinjuku Ward.

Kabukicho: Tokyo’s ‘stadium of desire’

Visitors walk past Sou Fujimoto's Grand Ring, which has been recognized as the largest wooden structure in the world.

Can a World Expo still matter? Japan is about to find out.

By Tomoko Otake

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