Search - 2003

 
 
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Dec 21, 2007

'I carry The Who brand with pride'

I first met The Who's Pete Townshend 10 years ago at a hotel near his home in London for an interview. He entered the first-floor suite energetically. When he sat down, his crossed legs bounced with barely contained passion in response to each question.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Dec 20, 2007

Japan carmakers find an opening in U.S. market on the skids

LOS ANGELES — High oil prices may be driving down U.S. car sales, but Japanese automakers that depend on the U.S. market for the largest portion of their profits say the adverse conditions could present them with a business opportunity.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Art
Dec 20, 2007

Human conditions

Like Picasso at his most mythologically cubist or a dark dream from the subconscious, the Dairakudakan butoh dance troupe took its audience back to the primordial for its 35th anniversary performances last week — and then brought it right back to the present.
Japan Times
LIFE / Style & Design
Dec 18, 2007

Taking time for younger children

Every morning I trundle my daughter onto my bicycle and up the hill to her public day-care center in central Tokyo before heading off to work.
EDITORIALS
Dec 18, 2007

Lessons from the OECD tests

Japanese first-year high school students who took part in a 2006 international survey by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development scored lower in every field than the Japanese students who took the tests in 2003. The survey focuses on children's ability to solve problems in adult life...
BASEBALL / BASEBALL BULLET-IN
Dec 16, 2007

Readers chime in about Giants 'jinx'

A couple of readers sent me their opinions about the subject of last week's column: the supposed "Giants jinx." It seemingly afflicts foreign players who play in Japan for one team, then cannot reach agreement on a new contract, so they move to the Yomiuri Giants, only to find bad luck, coincidental...
SOCCER
Dec 14, 2007

Urawa comes up short against AC Milan

YOKOHAMA — Urawa Reds coach Holger Osieck praised his players after they went down 1-0 to Italian giants AC Milan in the Club World Cup semifinals.
BUSINESS
Dec 14, 2007

Tax proposals extend breaks, avoid hike in consumption tax

The Liberal Democratic Party-New Komeito ruling bloc on Thursday released tax reform proposals for fiscal 2008, including a two-year extension for tax breaks on capital gains, that indicate it is trying to support Japan's turmoil-stricken stock market.
Japan Times
Events / Events Outside Tokyo
Dec 14, 2007

Two plays to cross the generations

Over the winter holiday entertainment season, two musical dramas stand out — one especially for children, the other for everyone, but both are tried-and-tested from previous premiere stagings.
SOCCER
Dec 13, 2007

Boca Juniors advance to final

Boca Juniors kept up appearances when they booked their spot in the Club World Cup final with a 1-0 win over Tunisia's Etoile Sahel on Wednesday evening.
Japan Times
SOCCER
Dec 13, 2007

Reds looking forward to showdown with AC Milan

Urawa Reds coach Holger Osieck believes his team can complete mission impossible by beating Italian giants AC Milan in the semifinals of the Club World Cup on Thursday.
BASEBALL / Japanese Baseball
Dec 13, 2007

Former Lotte ace to retire

Tomohiro Kuroki, once the Lotte Marines' ace pitcher, announced his retirement Wednesday after receiving no offers from other teams.
COMMENTARY / World
Dec 13, 2007

Tehran's 'less is more' nuclear policy

NEW HAVEN, Conn. — The recent United States National Intelligence Estimate (NIE), which reports that Iran once had a "nuclear weapons program" but suspended it in 2003, means that there will probably be no American attack on Iran during the Bush administration. How could America's president explain...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Dec 13, 2007

'What is Hollywood anyway?'

Ken Watanabe's latest film opens with an image of a polar bear resurfacing into the brilliant spring sunlight after months living underground. It's tempting to see the scene as a metaphor for a career that has alternated between stretches of intense, highly acclaimed work and long periods of hibernation....
BUSINESS
Dec 13, 2007

Mizuho to set up Saudi bank

Mizuho Financial Group Inc. plans to set up an investment bank in Saudi Arabia, home to the world's best-performing stock market this quarter.
EDITORIALS
Dec 11, 2007

Strengthening civilian control of SDF

A panel consisting of the chief Cabinet secretary, the defense minister and experts has started discussions on reform of the Defense Ministry. It is to issue an interim report in February. Its establishment was preceded by two serious incidents: the Nov. 28 arrest of former Vice Defense Minister Takemasa...
JAPAN
Dec 11, 2007

Osaka governor candidates slow to emerge

OSAKA — Position Wanted: Popular and well-known public figure with an interest in local politics. Must have the ability to skillfully negotiate with central government bureaucrats and have good relations with the local business community.
Japan Times
JAPAN / EXPLAINER
Dec 11, 2007

Hemp OK as rope, not as dope

A Justice Ministry report released last month says the number of Cannabis Control Law violations set a record in 2006, while the amount of marijuana seized dropped to half from the previous year.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Issues / THE ZEIT GIST
Dec 11, 2007

'Eikaiwa' firms face Nova fallout

Too big, too fast, and with too little quality — that's the consensus view of many industry analysts on former language-school market leader Nova Corp., whose collapse left over 420,000 students and 4,000 non-Japanese instructors without an "eikaiwa" home.
BUSINESS
Dec 11, 2007

Merchants most pessimistic in four years: survey

Merchants in November became the most pessimistic they've been in four years as stagnant wages and record gasoline prices prompt consumers to pare spending.

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