Masami Ito - The Japan Times

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Masami Ito

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Masami Ito

Masami is a staff writer for the Life and Culture Division at The Japan Times. She is in charge of the weekly Sunday Timeout, covering various issues related to Japan, from alcohol/drug addiction and juvenile crime to female sushi chefs and kendama. Over her 15-year career, she has written extensively on Japanese politics, foreign policy and social issues.

Japan Times

JAPAN

Dec 21, 2005

Stalker-killer's life term upheld

The Tokyo High Court on Tuesday upheld a life sentence for a man who stalked and played a part in the slaying of a 21-year-old woman who had broken off a relationship with his brother.

JAPAN

Dec 21, 2005

Suit over taxi smoke rejected

The Tokyo District Court on Tuesday rejected a 13.6 million yen lawsuit filed by taxi drivers and customers who accused the government of damaging their health by failing to curb passive smoking in cabs.

Japan Times

JAPAN

Dec 20, 2005

Man denies confining, attacking four women

A 25-year-old man denied Monday on the first day of his Tokyo District Court trial that he confined and assaulted four women on various occasions over a year's period from December 2003.

JAPAN

Dec 10, 2005

High court reversal convicts peace activists of SDF trespass

, Sachimi Takada (center) and Toshiyuki Obora face reporters Friday in Tokyo after the high court ruled their antiwar-leaflet distribution constituted trespassing.

JAPAN

Dec 1, 2005

3.25 billion yen awarded in Yokota base noise suit

The Tokyo High Court ordered the government Wednesday to pay a record 3.25 billion yen in noise pollution damages to an estimated 6,000 residents living near the U.S. Yokota Air Base in western Tokyo.

Japan Times

Features / WEEK 3

Nov 20, 2005

Busted for drugs in the name of love

Tall, blond and blue-eyed, Alex was Prince Charming to Tomomi Arimura. In her eyes, he was perfect -- good-looking, attentive and gentlemanly. Through expensive and thoughtful gifts, affection and words of love, Alex completely stole her heart.

JAPAN

Nov 19, 2005

Ministry petitioned on fate of despairing asylum-seeker

A petition urging the Justice Ministry not to appeal a court ruling recognizing an Afghan asylum-seeker as a refugee was presented to the ministry Friday.

JAPAN

Nov 19, 2005

2,252 suits filed against usurious consumer lenders

are crying because they cannot pay the money," he said. "But I want people to know there are interest charges they don't need to pay, and there is a way to get that money back. . . . I hope these lawsuits will help (borrowers) rebuild their lives." Attorney Kenji Utsunomiya told the media the suits...

Japan Times

JAPAN

Nov 18, 2005

'Loan shark king' faces payback

The Tokyo High Court on Thursday overruled a lower court ruling and ordered "loan shark king" Susumu Kajiyama to pay 5.1 billion yen in forfeiture in a case of laundering money amassed in a massive usury network, but reduced his prison sentence by six months to 6 1/2 years.

JAPAN

Nov 12, 2005

Afghan detainee qualifies for refugee status: court

The Tokyo District Court on Friday revoked a Justice Ministry decision to deny a well-known Afghan man refugee status.

JAPAN

Nov 10, 2005

Teen admits in court to slaying parents, arson

A 16-year old boy pleaded guilty in court Wednesday to murdering his parents and blowing up their apartment in June with an explosive device.

Japan Times

JAPAN / CABINET INTERVIEW

Nov 4, 2005

New justice minister still not sold on death penalty

In private life, new Justice Minister Seiken Sugiura is unequivocal in his condemnation of the death penalty: Under no circumstances should one person be allowed to kill another, he says.

JAPAN

Nov 2, 2005

Legal revision to speed hand of justice

Japan has long been notorious for extremely drawn out trials that seem to take forever to reach a verdict.

JAPAN

Oct 28, 2005

Briton has sentence for drug-smuggling reduced to 11 years

court," she said, adding that she was especially disappointed over how the judge ruled that a person qualified as a tour-guide interpreter was skilled enough to act as a courtroom interpreter. "This is a man's life," she said. "If that is the standard of an interpreter in a court today, I feel sorry...

Japan Times

JAPAN

Oct 27, 2005

Refugees need more aid: UNHCR

Japan should not stop at being a financial donor to United Nations refugee assistance programs but also become a strategic partner in protecting the vulnerable group, the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees said Wednesday.

Japan Times

JAPAN

Oct 26, 2005

Court splits on Hansen's compensation

Judges were split Tuesday on two lawsuits filed by former Hansen's disease patients from South Korea and Taiwan -- the South Korean patients were denied compensation while the Taiwanese were awarded it.

JAPAN

Oct 25, 2005

Interpretation mistakes marring justice in Japan's courts

In June 2003, British national Nicholas Baker was sentenced to a 14-year prison sentence for drug smuggling.

JAPAN

Oct 20, 2005

Takefuji suit only trying to shut up critics: court

The Tokyo High Court on Wednesday upheld a lower court ruling that a lawsuit filed by Takefuji Corp. was aimed at suppressing freedom of expression and ordered the firm to pay 4.8 million yen in damages to a group of lawyers and a publisher.

JAPAN

Oct 1, 2005

Plaintiffs fume over Ishihara's French slur

A French teacher suing Tokyo Gov. Shintaro Ishihara over his disparaging remarks about the French language said in court Friday he would like the outspoken politician to explain why he believes French is an intellectually defective language.

Japan Times

JAPAN

Oct 1, 2005

Execs avoid prison over Roppongi Hills fatality

The Tokyo District Court found three former company executives guilty Friday of professional negligence resulting in the death of a 6-year old boy who was crushed in an automatic door at the Roppongi Hills complex in March 2004.

You can often see generations of families enjoying performances together at Fuji Rock Festival.

Japan’s summer music festivals are feeling the heat in more ways than one

Akiko Trush says her experience with the neurological disorder dystonia left her feeling like she wanted to chop her own hand off.

The neurological disorder that 'kills culture'

By Tomoko Otake

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