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Japan Times
LIFE / Travel
May 10, 2014

Takachiho: Gods and gorges in divine Miyazaki

The already cloudy sky darkens perceptibly as our car descends into Takachiho Gorge. This area of extreme scenic beauty — carved out of the earth by lava flow from Kyushu's volatile Mount Aso and further eroded by local rivers such as the Gokase — is already fairly hidden, in an untrampled corner...
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC
May 9, 2014

Families of S. Korea ferry victims march on presidential palace

Parents of children killed when a passenger ferry sank last month led a somber march on South Korea's presidential palace in the early hours of Friday morning, where they demanded to meet with President Park Geun-hye.
BASKETBALL / BJ-LEAGUE NOTEBOOK
May 5, 2014

Fukuoka coach Duncan reflects on team's eventful season

Canadian coach James Duncan's arrival in Kyushu signaled the start of the Rizing Fukuoka's revival in the second half of the season.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Voices / HOTLINE TO NAGATACHO
May 5, 2014

Caroline Kennedy, dive with me in Okinawa and it'll change your mind

I entreat you, Ambassador Kennedy, to help protect the marvelous coral reef ecosystem at Oura Bay in northeast Okinawa from certain destruction under the U.S.-Japan plan for military expansion.
Japan Times
LIFE / Lifestyle
May 3, 2014

Japan's solitary ode to ink

Exhibits on display at the Yokohama Tattoo Museum suggest the goverment's view of body ink is out of touch with reality
COMMENTARY / COUNTERPOINT
May 3, 2014

Obama's pivot to Asia: Rebalance and reassure

Summits are all about symbolism and optics and on that score U.S. President Barack Obama's swing through Asia was a qualified success. Another few nails were hammered into the coffin of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) with officials now edging toward a face saving TPP-Lite, but Americans paid little...
Japan Times
JAPAN / History / JAPAN TIMES GONE BY
May 3, 2014

Empress-Dowager Shoken laid to rest; crackdown in Shanghai's foreign quarters; Olympic preparations; Lebanese businessman Japan's top tax-payer

One of the notable landmarks in the modern history of Japan was the funeral ceremony held Saturday night for Her Majesty, the late Empress-Dowager (Shoken, empress consort of Emperor Meiji), who passed away on April 9.
CULTURE / TV & Streaming / CHANNEL SURF
May 3, 2014

German documentaries explore WWI history; Yukie Nakama stars in Mitsuko Mori biopic; CM of the week: Merry Maids

This year marks the 100th anniversary of the start of World War I, a conflagration whose causes most people probably don't understand. This week, NHK will present a series of German documentaries, "Doomsday World War I," on its BS1 channel that attempt to explain the so-called war to end all wars, with...
Japan Times
JAPAN
May 2, 2014

Viewers target NHK chief Momii

A citizens' group launches a campaign against right-leaning NHK Chairman Katsuto Momii, demanding his immediate resignation and calling on viewers to stop paying their NHK subscription fees.
ASIA PACIFIC
May 2, 2014

Chinese man seeks smog-based divorce

A Beijing man is seeking to divorce his wife after she took their son to a tropical province to escape the capital's notorious smog, saying the long-distance relationship had destroyed their marriage.
Japan Times
BASKETBALL / BJ-LEAGUE NOTEBOOK
May 1, 2014

Toyama's Joho named league MVP

Shooting guard Masashi Joho and forward Ira Brown form a dynamic one-two punch for the Toyama Grouses, a partnership that has helped the Hokuriku-based team make significant improvements — notably a steady increase in wins — in each of their three seasons together.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Apr 30, 2014

Manga about work at Fukushima No. 1 stirs locals' ire

Cartoon characters who suffered nosebleeds after a visit to the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear plant are turning into a headache for manga publisher Shogakukan.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Stage
Apr 30, 2014

Fast lane awaits kabuki actor's bold lead debut

Some roles demand quick changes of clothes or character, but in the whole wide world of theater, "Haji Momiji Ase no Kaomise" ("A Blushing Maple Perspires in Public") — aka "Date no Juyaku" ("The 10 Roles of the Date House") — is probably the only play in which a single actor plays 10 roles, both...
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Issues / THE FOREIGN ELEMENT
Apr 28, 2014

Five activists win court fight but battle against Tokyo university is not over

The Tokyo High Court recently upheld the acquittal of the 'Hosei Five' on charges under the Law for the Punishment of Acts of Violence in a case that became a rallying point for students across Japan.
BASKETBALL
Apr 27, 2014

Golden Kings finish regular season in style

The Ryukyu Golden Kings shattered their own league record for victories in the regular season, and the Toyama Grouses tied the old mark on an action-packed Sunday, the final day of the bj-league's ninth season.
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC
Apr 27, 2014

The exodus from Everest

The Everest circus is leaving town. With the decision to cancel climbing this year, Sherpas from the 39 expeditions camped at the foot of the mountain are dropping tents and packing gear. Helicopters fly over the Icefall that leads into the Western Cwm, recovering equipment stashed there before the tragic...
Japan Times
JAPAN / Media / BIG IN JAPAN
Apr 26, 2014

Mini-revolutions may add up to a change

1949. The war was over. Slowly, a numbed populace rose from the dead. That year, 2.7 million babies were born — a record high, never surpassed.
Japan Times
BASEBALL / Japanese Baseball / NPB NOTEBOOK
Apr 26, 2014

Balentien, Swallows trying to see bright side

Wladimir Balentien doesn't subscribe to the theory held by some that it's easier to rebound from a slump that comes early in the year as opposed to one closer to the finish line.
Japan Times
MORE SPORTS
Apr 25, 2014

Phelps finishes second behind Lochte in 100m butterfly

Michael Phelps suffered a narrow loss to old rival Ryan Lochte in his comeback to competitive swimming on Thursday, but still showed enough to suggest he will be a force to be reckoned with.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Apr 24, 2014

The amazing thing about a modern Spider-Man

Too often, superheroes are clueless about what women want. Sure, they can catch the villains and save the world, but when it comes to relationships, they stink.
Japan Times
SOCCER / J. League / J. LEAGUE NOTEBOOK
Apr 23, 2014

Strong start sees new-look Vissel avoid past mistakes

Past disappointments may have persuaded Vissel Kobe fans to temper their expectations when the club unveiled its latest signings over the offseason, but Saturday's table-topping win over Kashima Antlers has surely prompted a rethink.
BASKETBALL / BJ-LEAGUE NOTEBOOK
Apr 23, 2014

Bambitious excited about future after debut season

Nobody realistically expected the Bambitious Nara to win 35 or 40 games in their inaugural season. After all, an expansion team must endure a lot of growing pains as a first-year franchise during a challenging 52-game schedule.
BASKETBALL / BJ-LEAGUE NOTEBOOK
Apr 23, 2014

Bambitious excited about future after debut season

Nobody realistically expected the Bambitious Nara to win 35 or 40 games in their inaugural season. After all, an expansion team must endure a lot of growing pains as a first-year franchise during a challenging 52-game schedule.
Japan Times
MORE SPORTS
Apr 21, 2014

Kiryu happy to forgo giant strides for steady progress

Having shed the flashy, eye-catching pink shorts of his high school and grown his hair longer, Japanese sprinter Yoshihide Kiryu has begun a new chapter in his track career, aiming to step up to the next level in a new environment.
Japan Times
JAPAN / NATIONAL SPOTLIGHT
Apr 20, 2014

'STAPgate' shows Japan must get back to basics in science

On Jan. 30, as NHK kicked off its evening news program with upbeat music, footage aired of a young woman with immaculately coiffed brown hair wearing pearl earrings and her trademark "kappogi," a Japanese-style white apron.
Japan Times
WORLD / Science & Health
Apr 20, 2014

Telescope to probe deepest space

Cerro Armazones is a crumbling dome of rock that dominates the parched peaks of the Chilean coastal range north of Santiago.
BASKETBALL
Apr 19, 2014

Iwate cruises past Gunma, keeps victory streak alive

The Iwate Big Bulls have won 20 of 26 home games and have a rock-solid 17-6 road mark. That's currently good for third place in the bj-league's ultra-competitive Eastern Conference, which has four 30-plus win teams, twice as many as the Western Conference.
Japan Times
BASKETBALL
Apr 19, 2014

Nakama set to retire

Never a superstar, but always a hard-working, team-first player, shooting guard Jumpei Nakama has enjoyed popularity and the respect of his peers since the bj-league's inception in 2005. He's been a fan favorite throughout the country as the league has grown nonstop for nearly a decade.
COMMENTARY / World
Apr 19, 2014

NCAA shamed into feeding their athletes

The debate over paying American college athletes ramped up with basketball's March Madness ,giving the press a perfect opportunity to harp on the unfairness of a billion-dollar business built on the backs of unpaid labor.
Japan Times
JAPAN / CHUBU CONNECTION
Apr 18, 2014

Nagoya appliance recycling drive reaps success

The city of Nagoya started collecting small household appliances for recycling in February and announced April 11 that it had received more than 31,000 kg of machinery in just two months — five times more than anticipated.

Longform

Totopa in Tokyo’s Shinjuku Ward was picked by consultants TTNE as the best sauna of the year.
Japan’s sauna movement: Relax, refresh, repeat