Search - people

 
 
JAPAN
May 22, 2010

Reference guide of Japanese 'useful phrases' released

An expert panel from the Cultural Affairs Agency has publicized a conversation phrase reference for Japanese-language teachers of nonnative learners that details the minimum necessary expressions in everyday life.
SOCCER / PREMIER REPORT
May 22, 2010

Betrayal of Triesman an absolute disgrace

LONDON — Imagine having dinner with a friend you trusted. You talk freely about your marriage . . . maybe your job . . . perhaps discussing a future business deal.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Japan Pulse
May 21, 2010

Municipal meet-ups and pet-owner get-togethers for shy singles

Tired of speed-dating? Maybe your local government can help you in your hunt for the One.
EDITORIALS
May 21, 2010

Familiar name wins in Philippines

There is a timeless quality to Philippine politics. The names in any election are familiar, as are the issues. Yet even in this amberlike world, the most recent presidential election seemed particularly populated by ghosts. In the top slot, Mr. Benigno Aquino III, son of the slain human rights icon and...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
May 21, 2010

'Legion'

"Legion" may not be a great film, but if you wanted to pick one film that was symptomatic of America in the early 21st century, this is it: a movie about angels . . . with machine guns.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Stage
May 21, 2010

Directing the flow of theatrical creativity

Any time you go to a theater in Japan you are sure to be handed several colorful flyers for other shows — and among them you will almost certainly find the face of Tetsuya Chiba. At 46, and the father of three boys, Chiba is one of the country's most popular and best-known stage actors, known as much...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
May 21, 2010

'Brothers'

"There are those who go to war and those who are left behind, with each experiencing a different kind of hell." This is a translation of an excerpt from a letter found among the possessions of a Nagasaki woman widowed when her husband was killed in action during World War II. Though it was displayed...
CULTURE / Japan Pulse
May 20, 2010

Daburu Koron hit big time with pun-riddled riddles

Comedians live and die by popularity of their gags. With pun-riddled riddles, Daburu Koron have found a sweet spot.
JAPAN / Q&A
May 20, 2010

Foot-and-mouth a hammer blow for Miyazaki farms

After the first case of foot-and-mouth disease was detected April 20 in Tsuno, Miyazaki Prefecture, the outbreak has spread quickly, making headlines in major papers and TV news programs and battering the prefecture's economy.
JAPAN
May 20, 2010

JCP chief rates his U.S. visit a big success

Japanese Communist Party Chairman Kazuo Shii said Wednesday his recent visit to the United States was a success and he was able to convey the JCP's vision on nuclear weapons and Japan-U.S. relations.
EDITORIALS
May 20, 2010

Threat to livestock industry

The outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in Miyazaki Prefecture is the worst on record in Japan. As of Tuesday, infection was confirmed in animals at 126 farms and facilities in one city and four towns. The number of cattle and pigs that are to be culled has climbed to some 253,000, due to the farm ministry's...
JAPAN
May 19, 2010

NPOs' social roles still in stage of infancy

When he set up a nonprofit organization 35 years ago to sell organic vegetables, Kazuyoshi Fujita never expected his pursuit would grow into a big business.
EDITORIALS
May 19, 2010

Free speech and public servants

The Tokyo High Court on May 13 upheld a lower court ruling that fined Mr. Shinichi Ujibashi, a former deputy division chief of the health, labor and welfare ministry, ¥100,000 for distributing copies of the Japanese Communist Party newspaper the day before the September 2005 Lower House election. He...
COMMENTARY / World
May 19, 2010

North Korea gambles once again

SEOUL — North Korean leader Kim Jong Il's recent visit to China has further complicated South Korea's response to the probable culprit — North Korea — in the sinking of its warship, the Cheonan, on March 26. The debate about how to respond is complicated even more by the fact that the Cheonan's...
LIFE / Language / KANJI CLINIC
May 19, 2010

Soak up a sprinkling of rain-component kanji

The kanji compound word for Japan's annual rainy season — set to commence in early June — is the poetic 梅雨 ("plum rain," baiu/tsuyu), but any resident of the archipelago whose closets have been invaded by noxious green mold during 梅雨 will appreciate why it was originally written 黴雨 ("moldy...
COMMENTARY
May 19, 2010

Coalition off to a good start

Britain's May 6 general election was different from previous elections both in the way the campaigns were conducted and in its final outcome.
JAPAN / Q&A
May 18, 2010

Referendum law in effect but no amendments eyed

Three years since its Diet passage, the national referendum law takes effect Tuesday, paving the way for amending the Constitution.

Longform

Eme-Ima Kitchen is one of over 10,000 kodomo shokudō in Japan. A term first used in 2012 to describe makeshift eateries offering free or cheap meals to disadvantaged kids, it now refers to a diverse range of individuals, groups and organizations working to provide not only food but a sense of belonging to both children and adults.
Japan’s ‘children’s cafeterias’ are booming — but is that a good thing?