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EDITORIALS
Mar 23, 2009

Getting the record straight

The resignation March 16 of Mr. Shintaro Kubo as president of Nippon Television Network Corp., who took responsibility for an erroneous news report, underlines the importance of mass media people following the basics of journalism — obtaining evidence to support remarks made by news sources. The report...
Reader Mail
Mar 22, 2009

Useless engineering achievement

Humanoid robots really bug me. The unveiling of the humanoid robot HRP-4C (shown in the March 17 photo titled "MODEL OF TECHNOLOGY"), accompanied by an all too predictably maudlin caption describing how "its face can exhibit expressions of surprise via 42 actuators," and news that it will debut at a...
ENVIRONMENT / OUR PLANET EARTH
Mar 22, 2009

Our mantra of continuous growth has left us on ecological brink

If print media are any indication, change is in the air. Readers are sourcing news in new ways, and newspaper sales are declining as a result.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / TOKYO FOOD FILE
Mar 20, 2009

Bruschetta, beer — this must be northern Italy

Great news. Stefano Fastro, owner-patron- chef of one of our favorite Italian restaurants, Kagurazaka's inimitable Ristorante Stefano, has just opened a new place. Better news yet, it's not a spinoff or an attempt to duplicate his original operation. In fact, it's completely different in feel, although...
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / TOKYO FOOD FILE
Mar 20, 2009

Brusca: Bruschetta, beer — this must be northern Italy

Great news. Stefano Fastro, owner-patron- chef of one of our favorite Italian restaurants, Kagurazaka's inimitable Ristorante Stefano, has just opened a new place. Better news yet, it's not a spinoff or an attempt to duplicate his original operation. In fact, it's completely different in feel, although...
Reader Mail
Mar 19, 2009

Media should choose high road

Thank you for publishing Gwynne Dyer's solidly written March 15 article, "Planets like Earth appear to be out there." It provides timely, insightful, scientifically based, thought- provoking information that is a pleasure to read while one considers the wider implications.
JAPAN
Mar 18, 2009

Charges against Okubo to shape Ozawa's fate

Democratic Party of Japan President Ichiro Ozawa indicated Tuesday he will decide whether to resign by March 24 depending on what charges, if any, are brought against his chief secretary, Takanori Okubo.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Mar 10, 2009

Father put in detention ahead of deportation

The Tokyo Regional Immigration Bureau placed Filipino Arlan Calderon in detention Monday and extended for one week the provisional release of his wife, Sarah, and Japan-born daughter, Noriko, after the couple held firm to their desire to stay in Japan with the girl and not be deported.
JAPAN
Mar 10, 2009

Abductee kin to meet North spy

Relatives of a Japanese woman abducted by Pyongyang will meet a former North Korean spy Wednesday in hopes of learning her fate, Foreign Minister Hirofumi Nakasone said Monday.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Mar 7, 2009

LDP members to return Nishimatsu cash

Two ruling party lawmakers who received political funds from scandal-tainted Nishimatsu Construction Co. denied any wrongdoing Friday but said they have decided to return the money for ethical reasons.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Mar 6, 2009

Japanese tots doze less than global counterparts: expert

Infants and toddlers in Japan have shorter sleeping hours than those in the United States, Europe and other parts of Asia, a sleep psychologist said Wednesday.
COMMENTARY / World
Mar 3, 2009

Kremlin too blinkered to save its monopoly

CAMBRIDGE, England — Ever since Vladimir Putin came to power a decade ago, the Kremlin regime has relied on two pillars: the security forces and energy exports. By suppressing internal rivals and absorbing their assets, the regime created a dual monopoly.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Feb 28, 2009

Power of words eludes politicians

Japanese prime ministers aren't known for the impact they make with their words, or straight talk with the public.
JAPAN
Feb 24, 2009

Fading Aso's hour to shine

The government is elated that Prime Minister Taro Aso will become on Tuesday the first head of state to meet with U.S. President Barack Obama at the White House.
JAPAN
Feb 24, 2009

Tokyo relieved no drama in Obama's Japan policy

Prime Minister Taro Aso's political situation may be tenuous when he meets Tuesday in Washington with President Barack Obama, but so far the new administration's rhetoric and policies toward Japan appear mainly to be firmly rooted in that of his predecessor, George W. Bush.
JAPAN
Feb 19, 2009

Opposition parties smell blood

The opposition parties, not satisfied with Finance Minister Shoichi Nakagawa's abrupt resignation Tuesday and scenting the possibility of a bigger scalp, demanded Wednesday that Prime Minister Taro Aso apologize for the political turmoil.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Feb 18, 2009

No way out left for Aso, experts say

The resignation of Finance Minister Shoichiro Nakagawa following his disgraceful display in Rome has further weakened Prime Minister Taro Aso and could prove to be the straw that breaks the Cabinet's back, political observers said Tuesday.
Japan Times
Events / WHERE IT'S AT
Feb 17, 2009

Correspondents, PR reps warm ties at annual 'Hacks & Flacks' dig

The relationship between a journalist and a corporate public relations representative can be a tense one. Journalists, pressured by deadlines, hound the PRs for precise and prompt information, while PRs, irritated and a bit bewildered by the incessant questioning, respond with gritted teeth.
Japan Times
JAPAN / EXPLAINER
Feb 17, 2009

Accelerating Toyota forced to downshift

Figures for just the past five years show how much Toyota Motor Corp. has prospered. During that period, the carmaker continued to post record sales, profits, production and sales units, ultimately taking the top of the hill from General Motors Corp.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Feb 15, 2009

Tokyo juiced up for Clinton visit

Bureaucrats in Tokyo are finally feeling the love from Washington as U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton prepares to grace Japan with her first overseas visit Monday as America's top diplomat.
JAPAN
Feb 14, 2009

Aso's handout foes face trump card: poll

Prime Minister Taro Aso's ¥2 trillion cash handout program, his key stimulus plan, is under threat after former Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, arguably Japan's most popular lawmaker, openly dismissed its importance.
COMMENTARY / COUNTERPOINT
Feb 8, 2009

In an 'Era of Decline,' let's look to youth to quell 'panic of the mind'

"We are living in extremely hard times. . . . I have been reading news- papers for 60 years, and I can't recall any era when the local news pages have appalled me more."

Longform

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