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January 20, 2025

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EDITORIALS

Mar 23, 2004

Kosovo in flames, again

The outbreak of violence in Kosovo is a sad reminder of the unfinished business in southeast Europe. The war on terrorism and the invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq have overshadowed the continuing struggle to build an enduring and stable peace in the war-torn province of Yugoslavia. The North Atlantic...

EDITORIALS

Mar 22, 2004

BOJ Governor Fukui's first year

On Saturday Mr. Toshihiko Fukui completed his first year as governor of the Bank of Japan. His policy so far has followed basically the same line as that of his predecessor, Mr. Masaru Hayami. Still, he has made a difference in style: He has acted swiftly, and sometimes boldly, under his own initiative,...

EDITORIALS

Mar 21, 2004

Farewell to 'Sesame Street'

There are some American icons we would not miss too much if they were to disappear tomorrow. Starbucks, McDonald's, Britney Spears: Despite their popularity here, they all have perfectly adequate local equivalents. Japanese would still be able to drink coffee, eat hamburgers and listen to annoying pop...

EDITORIALS

Mar 20, 2004

Time to readjust foreign policy

A year after the United States went to war against Iraq, Japanese people are asking themselves what it really meant to Japan. All questions begin with a central fact that underscores Japanese foreign policy: Japan and the U.S. are bound closely together under a bilateral security treaty. Yet many are...

EDITORIALS

Mar 19, 2004

A victory for terrorists in Spain

Terrorists won an important victory last week in Spain. A series of bombs exploded in trains and rail stations in Madrid, killing some 200 people and injuring nearly 1,500 others. Al-Qaeda has taken credit for the savage attacks, saying Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar's support for the war against terror...

EDITORIALS

Mar 18, 2004

Burden of the Kanebo bailout

Following weeks of tortuous bailout talks that put the notion of corporate governance to shame, the government's Industrial Revitalization Corp., or IRC, last week unveiled a huge rescue package for Kanebo Ltd., the troubled cosmetics firm that has looked like a rudderless ship all the while. What lies...

EDITORIALS

Mar 17, 2004

Stability under a strongman

As expected, Russian President Vladimir Putin was re-elected by a landslide in Sunday's presidential election. His leadership now seems almost unchallenged. Opposition parties are weak. Parliament is obedient. Key government posts are held by Putin loyalists. Mr. Putin's tightened grip on power may bolster...

EDITORIALS

Mar 16, 2004

A sad day for Korean democracy

Even by the rough and tumble standards of South Korean politics, the events of last week were tumultuous. On Friday, the South Korean Parliament impeached President Roh Moo Hyun. President Roh is likely to prevail in this squabble with the opposition, but the unprecedented move has introduced new uncertainties...

EDITORIALS

Mar 14, 2004

Imagining a world without birds

Take a walk in a Tokyo garden -- particularly an undisturbed, crow-haunted one such as the Institute for Nature Study's park in Meguro -- and you might find this hard to believe, but the world's bird population is shrinking. According to a report released to coincide with BirdLife International's quadrennial...

EDITORIALS

Mar 13, 2004

Unrealistic claim of espionage

In 2001, a Japanese researcher was indicted in the United States on charges of industrial spying. Since he had already returned to Japan, the U.S. requested his extradition under a bilateral treaty. However, legal opinion here remains divided over whether he should be tried in a U.S court -- in other...

EDITORIALS

Mar 12, 2004

Potholes in highway privatization

At first glance, the highway privatization package approved by the Cabinet on Tuesday looks attractive indeed. The existing four operators, including the flagship Japan Highway Public Corp., will be placed in private hands, and the combined 40 trillion yen debt that has accumulated over the years --...

EDITORIALS

Mar 11, 2004

A historic day for Iraq

After a weeklong delay, Iraq's Governing Council has agreed to a new constitution for their country. The signing of the document marks a historic moment for Iraq. It establishes a framework for democratic self-government and safeguards individual rights. The transition from dictatorship to democracy...

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

Kabukicho: Tokyo’s ‘stadium of desire’

Atsuyoshi Koike, the president and CEO of Rapidus, says there is a “sense of urgency” when it comes to Japan’s efforts in manufacturing semiconductors. “We have to make sure we are successful,” he says.

Atsuyoshi Koike’s big game: Fourth down and 2 nanometers to go

By Kazuaki Nagata and Richard Meyer

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