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COMMENTARY
Mar 2, 2010

U.S. 'torture memo' lawyers got off too easily

NEW YORK — The recent statement by the U.S. Justice Department's Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) that the two lawyers who wrote the so-called torture memos merely exercised "poor judgment" is a disservice to justice. This is a topic that should be properly addressed by a serious inquiry...
JAPAN / Media / MEDIA MIX
Feb 28, 2010

Gold against the soul: The media and the Olympics

When Japan Newsweek editor Keigo Takeda said that it was all over during the live broadcast of Fuji TV's Sunday night newsmagazine "Journal" on the second day of the Vancouver Winter Olympics, he was talking about Japanese news coverage of the games.
SOCCER / PREMIER REPORT
Feb 27, 2010

Terry, injuries concern for Capello

LONDON — What a mess.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Feb 27, 2010

Toyoda's tears win over Japan

He hasn't bowed in apology. He hasn't resigned. But this week Toyota President Akio Toyoda did perform one of the typical rituals of a Japanese executive under attack: He wept publicly.
BUSINESS / ANALYSIS
Feb 26, 2010

Communication breakdown at the top

A lack of crucial information in the top ranks of Toyota Motor Corp. may have prevented the world's largest automaker from swiftly responding to many defect claims and accidents overseas before massive recalls.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Feb 24, 2010

Don't expect an assertive Toyoda

Americans are likely in for a surprise if they expect Toyota President Akio Toyoda to put on a show of authoritative "the-buck-stops-here" clout at Wednesday's congressional hearing on the automaker's massive recalls.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Feb 22, 2010

Japan hopes Toyoda can clean tainted image

Japan is looking to Toyota President Akio Toyoda's appearance before U.S. lawmakers this week to help burnish an image marred by a flood of recalls — and to prevent grievances over the issue from fanning broader political tensions.
COMMENTARY / World
Feb 21, 2010

Uncertainty beyond the Greek financial crisis

NEW YORK — As euro-zone leaders face growing uncertainty in financial markets about the public finances of Greece and other member countries, their statements, albeit somewhat vague, underscore a much larger story — one that will force firms and investors to question their assumptions about Europe's...
CULTURE / Books
Feb 21, 2010

Truly unique version of the foreigner's tale

Like a Yemenese bride-to-be who first sees the countenance of her fiance in a photo presented by relatives, Rebecca Otowa experienced a presentiment of her future in a black-and-white image of a building, a 350-year-old farmhouse in rural Japan.
BUSINESS
Feb 11, 2010

Toyota tries to cover all bases

WASHINGTON — In public, Toyota is running apologetic TV ads and vowing to win back customers' trust. Behind the scenes, the besieged carmaker is trying to learn all it can about congressional investigations, maybe even steer them if it can.
COMMENTARY
Feb 10, 2010

In search of a big, new idea

Governments everywhere are nowadays being overpowered by the problems and tasks they face.
Japan Times
BASEBALL
Feb 7, 2010

History, tradition helped to undermine Valentine

Fourth in a four-part series
Japan Times
CULTURE / Art
Feb 5, 2010

This 'Garden of Painting' needs to be perennial

I can imagine walking out of "Garden of Painting: Japanese Art of the '00s" and feeling immensely satisfied.
COMMENTARY / World
Feb 3, 2010

Islamic case for religious liberty

ANKARA — Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of the Orthodox Church recently said on American TV that he feels "crucified" in Turkey, upsetting many Turks. Sadly, he is right. Yet his complaint is not with Islam but with the secular Turkish Republic.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Issues / JUST BE CAUSE
Feb 2, 2010

Non-Japanese suffrage and the racist element

On Jan. 17, Takeo Hiranuma made this statement about fellow Diet member Renho:
Japan Times
LIFE
Jan 31, 2010

Sorge's spy is brought in from the cold

Toshiko Tokuyama was 14 years old when she found out that her uncle had been a spy, and that he had just died in a prison in Tokyo. It was 1943 then, and she was too young to really know what the word "spy" meant, let alone allow it to alter her impression of the man she respected like a father.
COMMENTARY
Jan 29, 2010

Building on Copenhagen

Last month the 15th Conference of the Parties to the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP15) closed by announcing the Copenhagen Accord drawn up by major participating countries. Although the process produced some positive results — such as calls for steps to hold the global temperature...
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink
Jan 29, 2010

Chocolate bars for whisky lovers

A tawny port pairs wonderfully with Stilton. Grand Marnier tastes great on vanilla ice cream. Chianti seems to suit a Margherita pizza. And whisky? Well, that goes with haggis.
JAPAN
Jan 28, 2010

Ozawa's sway over DPJ remains absolute

Defying prosecutors and claiming his innocence over a shady 2004 land purchase, Ichiro Ozawa has shown no indications of giving up his status as the administration's kingpin.
BASKETBALL / NBA / NBA REPORT
Jan 27, 2010

Van Gundy the definition of disingenuous

NEW YORK — Jeff Van Gundy's insincerity, his most important product, was on full display Friday throughout ESPN's coverage of the Lakers' victory over the Knicks.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / WHO'S WHO
Jan 26, 2010

Artist perseveres to embrace life in Japan, keep tapped to Iran roots

Award-winning Iranian artist Mansour Kordbacheh has lived in Japan for 21 years and feels the weight of it on his shoulders.
Japan Times
LIFE
Jan 24, 2010

'The wartime leaders of Japan were heroes'

General Toshio Tamogami, 61, was the chief of staff of Japan's Air Self-Defense Force between March 2007 and November 2008 despite having a history of lobbing verbal missiles at "leftists," China and Japan's so-called war-renouncing Constitution. In 2008, he pulled these and other themes together in...
JAPAN / Media / MEDIA MIX
Jan 24, 2010

A 'stable' life for Ozawa, yakuza, sumo stars

In the Jan. 25 issue of Aera, show-business reporter Yoshiko Matsumoto, writing about the persistence of image, related an anecdote about Seiji Maehara. The land minister was traveling coach on a domestic JAL flight and after the airplane landed he helped other passengers remove their belongings from...

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A boom for business tourism in Japan?