More Commentary Articles - The Japan Times

November 27, 2024

Today's print edition

Subscribe for more access

COMMENTARY / JAPAN IN THE GLOBAL ERA

Oct 14, 2002

Acute case of linguistic 'disconnectivity'

By Jean-pierre Lehmann

LAUSANNE, Switzerland -- One of the best terms of the 21st century is "global connectivity." Composed of three elements -- (1) entrepreneurial and energetic individuals, (2) the Internet and (3) the English language -- global connectivity serves not only to exchange information and ideas but also to...

COMMENTARY

Oct 14, 2002

Testing times for Koizumi

By Kenzo Uchida

Japanese politics is entering a crucial period. On Sept. 30, Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi reshuffled his Cabinet for the first time since taking office in April 2001. The reshuffle, however, was limited in scale. Moreover, he kept his party's executive lineup unchanged.

COMMENTARY / THE VIEW FROM MOSCOW

Oct 13, 2002

Putin: More than a crocodile

By Constantine Pleshakov

MOSCOW -- What could be worse on one's 50th birthday than to spend it in a gloomy fortress, sitting in the center of a heavily polluted city as president of a problem-ridden country struggling for survival? Yet Russian President Vladimir Putin looked perfectly happy on the day of his anniversary, and...

COMMENTARY / THE VIEW FROM NEW YORK

Oct 13, 2002

Beijing stymies Pyongyang experiment

By Hiroaki Sato

HONG KONG -- Pyongyang-Beijing ties used to be characterized as being "as close as lips and teeth," but that phrase no longer applies to the relationship. For no sooner does North Korea arouse deep Japanese public outrage with its prevarication over past abductions than the isolated Stalinist state provokes...

COMMENTARY

Oct 12, 2002

Cost cuts could compromise health care

By Doug Bandow

WASHINGTON -- Public-spirited rhetoric usually masks intense interest-group combat in Washington, D.C., like that over pharmaceutical patents. Health insurers, which barely survived the Clinton administration's assault, are targeting drug-research firms.

COMMENTARY

Oct 12, 2002

In pursuit of terrorists and oil

By Brahma Chellaney

NEW DELHI -- U.S. President George W. Bush is taking a big gamble with his single-minded mission to get rid of a toothless but unsavory dictator, who, far from being a menace to U.S. security, is not a threat even to his neighbors. Bush, who accuses Iraqi strongman Saddam Hussein of being "a homicidal...

COMMENTARY / World

Oct 12, 2002

Success of globalization rests on good business reputations

By Michael R. Czinkota

These are not good times for business ethics in the industrialized nations. In spite of a carefully honed reputation for professionalism and honesty, businesses in the United States, Japan and Europe have seen scandals and problems. In the U.S. it has been the overstatement of profits by and exorbitant...

COMMENTARY

Oct 10, 2002

Small Mideast release valve

By David Howell

BAHRAIN -- Here in this little island kingdom just off the coast of Saudi Arabia, all the complexities and contradictions of the Middle East and the Arab world seem to come together.

COMMENTARY / WASHINGTON UPDATE

Oct 10, 2002

All bets off on upcoming U.S. midterm elections

By Bob Keefe

WASHINGTON -- We are just a few weeks from election day 2002. Usually, in a midterm election, especially one just after the redistricting of Congress, it becomes apparent how the races are shaping up. Trends set in as candidates begin to pull away in competitive races. But not this year; just the reverse...

COMMENTARY / World

Oct 8, 2002

U.N. aims higher with sweeping reforms

By Ramesh Thakur

Shakespeare's aphorism is as applicable to organizations as to individuals: "the evil they do lives after them, the good is oft interred with their bones." Let it not be so with the United Nations. Rather, let us recall with pride the process of reform in the organization. Much, in fact, has already...

COMMENTARY / World

Oct 7, 2002

EU needs a common purpose

By Jonathan Fenby

LONDON -- Since the original European Common Market was founded in the mid-1950s, the Continent sought a common economic role, to be followed by growing political integration. Now, there is general agreement on the first count that a new institutional framework is needed to give the community more political...

COMMENTARY

Oct 7, 2002

Howard vs. Mahathir -- who's correct?

By Tom Plate

LOS ANGELES -- In the Asia-Pacific reEgion, there is no uniform view on the Iraq issue. Many support the Bush adminisEtration, while hoping that somehow the war clouds will pass. Only a few are speaking up loudly. From Australia, plain-spoken Prime Minister John HowEard is supportive and hopes for the...

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

Kabukicho: Tokyo’s ‘stadium of desire’

Totopa in Tokyo’s Shinjuku Ward was picked by consultants TTNE as the best sauna of the year.

Japan’s sauna movement: Relax, refresh, repeat

By Greg Dvorak

SUSTAINABLE JAPAN

The celebrated artist ‘updating’ the kimono

The celebrated artist ‘updating’ the kimono

SPECIAL SUPPLEMENTS

SUPPLEMENTS BINDER

international-reports