Search - 2003

 
 
BUSINESS
Oct 9, 2009

Fast Retailing sees 25% profit boost from Uniqlo in '09

Fast Retailing Co. said Thursday its full-year profit may rise 25 percent as its +J brand, overseen by German designer Jil Sander, and other new clothing lines boost sales at its Uniqlo chain.
EDITORIALS
Oct 8, 2009

Depression and suicide

More than 30,000 suicides have been committed in Japan in each year since 1998. Although the number of suicides in 2008 dropped by 844, or 2.6 percent, from 2007 to 32,249, this year's trend is troubling. From January through August, 22,362 people took their own lives, a rise of 971 or 4.5 percent from...
TENNIS
Oct 4, 2009

Sharapova takes big step in return

Maria Sharapova made progress in her comeback Saturday even though her first title after a 10-month layoff was cut short by injury to her opponent.
JAPAN
Oct 3, 2009

Oshima lays out LDP's comeback fundamentals

Tadamori Oshima, the newly appointed secretary general of the Liberal Democratic Party, said Friday that regaining the public's trust will require concrete policies and a clear, new vision of what the party stands for.
SOCCER / PREMIER REPORT
Oct 3, 2009

Wenger has had profound impact on game

LONDON — When Arsene Wenger was introduced as manager of Arsenal in October of 1996 none of the assembled media knew who he was. Some French guy who had been working in Japan was the limit of our knowledge.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Oct 2, 2009

Metric

Sure it is always an honor to be nominated, but at this point Metric have got to be jonesing for a win. One of Canada's top alt-rock acts, the quartet's fourth full-length, "Fantasies," was shortlisted for this year's Polaris Music Prize (Canada's version of the U.K.'s Mercury Prize), but the band left...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Oct 2, 2009

Various Artists "Yes We Can! Obama Classics"

"Yes We Can! Obama Classics" is an album that sets excerpts of U.S. President Barak Obama's famous speeches to classical music, simple as that. Conceptually it's an interesting idea — harnessing the emotion of Obama's memorable words and setting them to powerful orchestration. The execution is not...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Art
Oct 2, 2009

Shin hanga bringing ukiyo-e back to life

The great print works of ukiyo-e, by the likes of Hokusai, Hiroshige, and Utamaro, became fine art almost by accident. Originally mass produced for the popular market, their status was roughly equivalent to that of illustrated calendars and posters of pop stars today. But, ironically, the fact that they...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Oct 2, 2009

Hawaiian sounds wash ashore

George Kahumoku Jr., apart from being a master slack-key guitar player, has a talent for storytelling.
TENNIS
Oct 1, 2009

Sharapova recovers to join Jankovic in Pan Pacific quarterfinals

Maria Sharapova recovered from a slow start Wednesday to advance to the quarterfinals of the Toray Pan Pacific with a 2-6, 6-2, 6-2 win over compatriot Alisa Kleybanova.
TENNIS
Sep 30, 2009

Sharapova cruises into third round with straight-sets victory

Maria Sharapova easily beat Samantha Stosur of Australia 6-0, 6-1 Tuesday in the second round of the Toray Pan Pacific Open.
COMMENTARY / World
Sep 29, 2009

Why not try a trade system that optimizes each nation's interest?

Many of us thought that the World Trade Organization (WTO) was dead when the world financial and economic crisis demolished the myth of the benefits of free trade regimes, and that the poor of the world could rejoice. But suddenly, by some kind of voodoo trickery, it is back.
EDITORIALS
Sep 28, 2009

Local accounting irregularities

The Chiba prefectural government has detected accounting irregularities totaling ¥29.79 billion from fiscal 2003 through fiscal 2007. The irregularities were found at 383 — about 96 percent — of the prefectural government's sections, including the prefectural police.
COMMENTARY / THE VIEW FROM NEW YORK
Sep 27, 2009

Hatoyama just calling it as it is

NEW YORK — I was startled to receive a letter from a friend in Tokyo earlier this month accompanied by a Sankei Shimbun article by Yukio Okamoto sharply upbraiding Yukio Hatoyama.
BASEBALL / Japanese Baseball
Sep 22, 2009

Giants eye pennant as Tani, Ramirez slay Dragons

At this point, it may take a small miracle for the Chunichi Dragons to stop the Yomiuri Giants from claiming the Central League pennant.
Japan Times
BASKETBALL / HOOP SCOOP
Sep 20, 2009

Chances for Sojourner to play this season look dim

After a decade in Japan, much of it devoted to spreading his love of basketball to the masses, Isaac Sojourner is without a team for the upcoming season.
JAPAN
Sep 17, 2009

Fukushima has fought for women, foreigners

Mizuho Fukushima, leader of the Social Democratic Party, has long been active in dealing with humanitarian and women's issues, ranging from sexual harassment to domestic violence to foreigners' rights.
Japan Times
LIFE / Lifestyle
Sep 17, 2009

Why don't we eat bent cucumbers?

An aging agricultural workforce, a food self-sufficiency rate below 40 percent and the constant threat of environmental damage: How can tiny vegetable distribution companies in Chiba Prefecture, northeast of Tokyo, tackle the issues facing Japan's farming industry?
EDITORIALS
Sep 15, 2009

Rousing children's curiosity

There is concern that Japanese children generally are not as interested in science as they used to be. Although the government has adopted countermeasures, it seems that they are not producing the desired effect.
JAPAN / Science & Health / NATURAL SELECTIONS
Sep 13, 2009

Sex in space could be the key to the survival of humans

I've been thinking about sex in space. Not from any interest in a potential new porn genre, or because I've got a chance of joining the 62-mile-high club any time soon. No, my concerns are loftier even than that: I'm worried about the future of humanity.
BUSINESS / YEN FOR LIVING
Sep 12, 2009

Many happy repairs

When it comes to warranties, pride in one's products often trumps any short-term financial consideration.

Longform

Ayumi Matsuki, a priestess at Yoshiwara Shrine, shows off some "o-mamori" charms. She says visitors to the shrine have increased since the NHK drama “Unbound” began airing this month.
Tracing Tsutaya Juzaburo, Edo’s media maverick