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CULTURE / TV & Streaming / CHANNEL SURF
Jun 7, 2009

Hakuho's sumo origins, Yonemura's kitchen science, and Tamaki's acting transformation

Mongolians are dominating professional sumo even more decisively than the Hawaiians did back in the 1990s. It almost seems too easy the way they overpower their Japanese counterparts, and in almost all their cases the challenge has been more than just physical.
EDITORIALS
Jun 6, 2009

More lawyers needed

In the past, court-appointed lawyers, who are paid with public money, were assigned to represent indicted defendants who couldn't afford to hire a lawyer. In October 2006, lawyers started being appointed to represent suspects even before indictment in cases involving serious crimes such as murder and...
BUSINESS
Jun 6, 2009

Men turn to 'bento' as pocket change grows scarcer

Japanese men are bringing lunch to work as the deepest postwar recession shrinks their paychecks and pocket money.
CULTURE / Film
Jun 5, 2009

'The Wrestler'

Darren Aronofsky, with three out-there arthouse films to his credit, hardly seemed the ideal candidate to helm a grittily realistic movie on that most lumpen of sports, pro wrestling. But there you have it: Aronofsky's "The Wrestler" tackles an aging pro wrestler — played by 1980s star Mickey Rourke,...
CULTURE / Film
Jun 5, 2009

Getting a grip on Aronofsky

Darren Aronofsky burst onto the scene in 1998 with "Pi," the most bizarrely original debut since David Lynch's "Eraserhead," and a film he self-funded by hitting up an extended circle of family and friends for small donations. He confirmed his talent with "Requiem For A Dream," a visually inventive...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Jun 5, 2009

Green Day "21st Century Breakdown"

Green Day's latest album, 21st Century Breakdown, is an operatic three-act, three-chord suite centered on a young couple coming to grips with life in the crumbling George W. Bush era, and set amid a backdrop of modern greed, religion and change.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Jun 5, 2009

The future begins here for Pine in 'Star Trek'

The new "Star Trek" movie, with its tagline "The Future Begins," may indeed begin a new phase in the careers of two of its stars, Winona Ryder and Chris Pine.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Jun 5, 2009

'Ultra Miracle Love Story'

Johnny Depp seems to be a role model for Japanese actors with leading man looks, but who almost never plays straight leading man roles. That is, roles in which they romance and win the leading lady — comic fight-and-make-up scenes optional. If Depp's career is any indication, this is a brilliant strategy,...
JAPAN
Jun 4, 2009

Pyongyang purge seen speeding helm change

As speculation mounts that North Korean leader Kim Jong Il has selected third son Kim Jong Un to succeed him, information obtained Wednesday suggested a purge has begun of people close to Kim Jong Nam, the dictator's first son and former heir apparent to the hermit regime.
Reader Mail
May 31, 2009

A notion that feeds hypocrisy

Regarding Paul de Vries' May 26 article, "Expat life in Japan: the good, the bad and the meaningful": It's rather interesting that de Vries, instead of realizing the errors of his ways, continues to defend his ideal of "group accountability."
EDITORIALS
May 31, 2009

Creation of a consumer agency

By a unanimous vote, the Upper House of the Diet has enacted bills to create a government agency to promote consumers' rights. A consumer agency is likely to be established by this fall at the earliest. The agency should strive to realize the ideal of former Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda, who in April...
Reader Mail
May 31, 2009

Revised Japan strategy suggested

I am a 37-year-old Caucasian male who has lived in Japan for four years. My attitude with regard to posturing "standout" assimilators would be accepted as the norm in my native Australia. I would say to Paul de Vries that if he came to Japan more to learn than to preach, then he should stop doing exactly...
COMMENTARY / World
May 31, 2009

Obamanomics gets warning flag

PALO ALTO, Calif. — It is still too soon to gauge the full economic impact of U.S. President Barack Obama's implemented and proposed policies, but a preliminary read indicates limited short-term benefit at large long-term cost.
CULTURE / Film
May 29, 2009

'High Kick Girl'

Movie-action scenes are as choreographed as "Swan Lake," but the exceptional ones that make it real — Buster Keaton standing stock still as the side of a house falls on him in "Steamboat Bill Jr., Jackie Chan sliding 30 meters down a pole in a shopping mall in "Police Story" — linger on in memory...
Japan Times
BASEBALL / Japanese Baseball
May 29, 2009

Gonzalez breaks Giants record

With starter Dicky Gonzalez dealing, the Central League-leading Yomiuri Giants looked as strong as ever.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink
May 29, 2009

Forget Michelin, it's a Pellegrino

This year's string of accolades hasn't affected the modesty of chef Yoshihiro Narisawa. After earning a star in the 2009 Michelin Guide, Les Creations de Narisawa debuted at no. 20 on San Pellegrino's list of best restaurants in the world. Selected by fellow chefs as well as food critics and other experts,...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
May 29, 2009

Classical music lovers get set for Matsumoto

"Sending out high-quality Western classical music from Japan" was the goal for renowned cellist and conductor Hideo Saito (1902-74), who studied in Germany. In 1955, he cofounded the Toho Gakuen School of Music in Tokyo, where he devoted the latter half of his life to music education and taught many...
Reader Mail
May 28, 2009

Japanese only at Yokohama fete

When Westerners arrived at what is now Yokohama in 1859, I imagine the only language they encountered was Japanese. Unfortunately, 150 years later, visitors to the "Y+150" events celebrating the opening of Yokohama will find the same situation. I have visited many of the Y+150 event areas and everything...
JAPAN
May 28, 2009

Upper House frets dispatch authority in antipiracy bill

The opposition-controlled Upper House began deliberations Wednesday on an antipiracy bill that would create a permanent law enabling the Maritime Self-Defense Force to protect the ships of any nation and ease the ban on the use of force.
BUSINESS
May 28, 2009

J-Power in talks to buy three U.S. plants as domestic demand slows

J-Power is in talks to acquire three plants in the United States this year to help more than double its generation capacity in the world's biggest energy market as demand slows at home, according to one of the company's senior executives.
EDITORIALS
May 27, 2009

Consensus on organ transplants

The Diet resumed deliberations April 21 on revising the Organ Transplant Law. Parliamentary moves on the issue have been virtually dormant for three years. The deliberations have suddenly gained momentum and four revision proposals have surfaced.
COMMUNITY / Voices / HAVE YOUR SAY
May 26, 2009

Peru's Fujimori gets his: readers reply

Readers' responses to Debito Arudou's May 5 Just Be Cause column headlined "Fujimori gets his; Japan left shamed":
COMMUNITY / Voices / HOTLINE TO NAGATACHO
May 26, 2009

Pre-empting an EMP

Dear Prime Minister Taro Aso, I'm writing to urge you to initiate measures that would protect Japan in the event of an EMP attack.
BUSINESS
May 26, 2009

Shirakawa foresees mild recovery ahead

Bank of Japan Gov. Masaaki Shirakawa said Monday the economy is likely to experience a "mild recovery" as exports and production improve, though the outlook remains fraught with "considerable uncertainties."

Longform

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