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Japan Times
JAPAN / EXPLAINER
Apr 6, 2010

2channel's success rests on anonymity

The nation's largest online forum, 2channel, draws millions of people ranging from the benign to the malignant, from police hunting criminals to politicians and corporations keeping their ears to the rail of public opinion.
EDITORIALS
Apr 5, 2010

Ease up on the nursing exams

An Indonesian man, an Indonesian woman and a Filipina have passed the Japanese state licensing exam that enables them to work as nurses in this country. We congratulate them on their success. They came to Japan under economic partnership agreements that their countries have with Japan. The exam was held...
Japan Times
BASKETBALL / ONE-ON-ONE WITH ...
Apr 4, 2010

Knight's life enriched by playing abroad

The Japan Times will be featuring periodic interviews with players in the bj-league. The league's fifth season began in October. William "Billy" Knight of the Hamamatsu Higashimikawa Phoenix is the subject of this week's profile.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / CLOSE-UP
Apr 4, 2010

Mika Tsutsumi: Spotlight on the States

Mika Tsutsumi is a spirited journalist and writer whose work turns a spotlight on the widespread hardships and poverty caused by official policies and the behavior of businesses in the United States.
BASEBALL / BASEBALL BULLET-IN
Mar 28, 2010

Japan's preseason schedule growing ever smaller

The Central and Pacific Leagues have started their regular seasons, and it seems almost as if we went from the beginning of spring training right into the games that count.
JAPAN
Mar 27, 2010

All interrogations must be taped: Sugaya

Toshikazu Sugaya, convicted of murder in 1993 and freed from prison last June, and others believed wrongfully convicted are calling for full videotaping of police interrogations to help prevent crime suspects from being forced to make false confessions.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY
Mar 27, 2010

Embracing the bicultural identity

Leslie Lorimer defied definition in Japan from the time she was a young child, when her blond hair, blue eyes and fluent Japanese proved a startling mix.
JAPAN
Mar 25, 2010

Record fiscal '10 budget enacted

The ruling bloc enacted the fiscal 2010 budget Wednesday, clearing the way to reflect the Democratic Party of Japan's campaign vows while cranking out an unprecedented ¥44.3 trillion in new bonds.
Reader Mail
Mar 25, 2010

Enough to gag a dolphin-lover

The March 10 article " 'Cove' Oscar won't end Taiji dolphin kill" mentions Japan's outrage over the activist documentary film that describes the town of Taiji, Wakayama, as having a "very big secret" — the annual killing of 20,000 dolphins near its shores.
EDITORIALS
Mar 22, 2010

Pledge torments Mr. Hatoyama

Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama faces a high hurdle in finding a substitute site for U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma, Okinawa. His statements so far have helped create high expectations among Okinawans that the Futenma function will be moved outside their prefecture.
Japan Times
LIFE / WEEK 3
Mar 21, 2010

Moves afoot to make Japanese holidays a pleasure not a pain

It's a seasonal phenomenon in Japan: lines of cars 40-km long and more clogging expressways; super- jammed shinkansen terminals and airports; and hot-spring resorts besieged by visitors crammed cheek to cheek in the steaming baths, imo-arai-style (literally, "washing potatoes in a bucket").
BASKETBALL / NBA / NBA REPORT
Mar 17, 2010

Dunleavy's firing a surprise move by Clippers

NEW YORK — For those of you not on the Clippers' e-mail list, permit me to recap Mike Dunleavy's unforeseen capsizing last week.
COMMENTARY / World
Mar 16, 2010

Rudd stakes job on health care

SYDNEY — It's a big gamble, but Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd is ready to take it. He will go into an election on the strength of his stance on, of all things, health care.
COMMENTARY
Mar 16, 2010

Obama needs a push to normalize Cuba ties

NEW YORK — Several years ago, during my first visit to Cuba to attend a health-related meeting, I witnessed a demonstration. As friends and I walked into the Bodeguita del Medio, a traditional restaurant famous for the number of illustrious visitors who had dined there over the years, a young Cuban...
JAPAN
Mar 16, 2010

Hatoyama's brother quits 'ousted' LDP

Former internal affairs minister Kunio Hatoyama, whose older brother, Yukio, is the prime minister, served notice Monday that he was exiting the Liberal Democratic Party, saying he was ready to form a new force.
SOCCER / PREMIER REPORT
Mar 13, 2010

Premier League teams continues to excel in Europe

LONDON — A good week for English clubs in the Champions League. What many observers believe is the weakest Manchester United side in almost 20 years still beat AC Milan 7-2 on aggregate, while Arsenal, which always seem a work in progress, thumped FC Porto 5-0 at Emirates Stadium.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Mar 12, 2010

Regional resonance

In a metropolis the size of Tokyo, it is no surprise that there are several large orchestras and a number of high-quality concert halls. But the number of orchestras performing daily can be hard to keep track of, particularly as some have very similar names: Tokyo Symphony Orchestra, Tokyo Metropolitan...
JAPAN
Mar 10, 2010

'Cove' Oscar won't end Taiji dolphin kill

TAIJI, Wakayama Pref. — The gala crowd in Los Angeles cheered as "The Cove" won the best documentary Oscar with its grisly portrayal of dolphin slaughter. But residents of this small port shown in the film abhorred the attention and said it will not end their centuries-old tradition.
JAPAN
Mar 10, 2010

Kids at pro-North high schools fret tuition waiver snub

For Om Kwan Ja, excluding "chosen gakko" pro-Pyongyang schools from the government's tuition-waiver program would mean more than just having to shell out extra cash for her kids' education. It's a problem that touches on her family's identity, especially for her son, who is studying at Tokyo Korean Junior...
JAPAN
Mar 9, 2010

Yosano faults Tanigaki rule, eyes LDP exit

Ex-Finance Minister Kaoru Yosano indicated Monday he may leave the Liberal Democratic Party and form a new party, saying LDP President Sadakazu Tanigaki "is not qualified" to lead since he has failed to attack the current administration's shortcomings and thus hasn't attracted voters.
JAPAN / Media / Japan Pulse
Mar 9, 2010

Internet Go BOOM: Visual Kei's Deep Throat

In a long interview with Tokyo Damage Report, an anonymous music executive familiar with the Visual Kei scenes lights a short fuse.
COMMENTARY
Mar 8, 2010

New device apt to kindle greater interest in reading

The first thing that catches your eye when you open the yousho (imported books) section of Amazon Japan's home page is an advertisement for the Kindle DX Wireless Reading Device. The Kindle DX ad, which first appeared last summer, claims that a reader can perform a wireless download of any of more than...
JAPAN / Media / MEDIA MIX
Mar 7, 2010

DPJ needs schooling on equality

When the Democratic Party of Japan swept to power last year, many people expected Japanese politics to become more rational. The Liberal Democratic Party had maintained a status quo that stifled meaningful change, and the DPJ supposedly won by promising to move forward.
JAPAN / ANALYSIS
Mar 3, 2010

Decks cleared, DPJ focuses on poll

With Tuesday's Lower House passage of the fiscal 2010 budget securing the way for its enactment by the end of March, the ruling Democratic Party of Japan will now focus on passing as many key policies as it can to bring visible results to voters before the summer Upper House election.

Longform

Construction takes place on the Takanawa Gateway Convention Center in Tokyo, slated to open in 2025.
A boom for business tourism in Japan?