Search - people

 
 
COMMENTARY / World
Jan 10, 2004

New defenses for new realities

LONDON -- British defense and security policy has been undergoing a radical reappraisal, as security gurus in their think tanks and military commanders in their operations rooms ponder the unfolding implications of defending a vulnerable island in a world of global terror, rogue states, international...
EDITORIALS
Jan 9, 2004

Settling labor disputes efficiently

One notable development in Japan's labor relations is the rapid increase in disputes between individual employers and workers, such as those involving sudden dismissals and unpaid wages. To settle these disputes legally and quickly, the government has decided to set up a "labor tribunal system."
JAPAN
Jan 9, 2004

Pollen sufferers can thank cold summer for easier 2004

Tree pollen levels are expected to be lower than average in 2004 due to the cold summer last year, according to weather information provider Weathernews Inc.
BUSINESS
Jan 9, 2004

Takeda in diabetes tieup with U.S. firm

Takeda Chemical Industries Ltd. said Thursday it has agreed with Andrx Corp. of the United States to jointly develop a drug for diabetes on the basis of their existing products for treating the disorder.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Jan 8, 2004

Travel agencies on guard for SARS but see no heavy cancellations yet

Japanese tour agencies are on the lookout for the spread of SARS in China and other destinations but have not detected any large-scale cancellations following the confirmation of the first case of the season in China this week, agencies said Wednesday.
JAPAN
Jan 8, 2004

Pyongyang sought talks with trade chiefs

North Korea sought a secret meeting in Beijing with Shoichi Nakagawa, minister of economy, trade and industry, as well as his predecessor, Takeo Hiranuma, late last year, sources close to bilateral affairs said Wednesday.
BASKETBALL / NBA / NBA REPORT
Jan 8, 2004

Move for Marbury was a winner for New York Knicks

NEW YORK -- The answer: Burberry, Blackberry and now seats to see Marbury.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Science & Health / NATURAL SELECTIONS
Jan 8, 2004

Shedding light on dark matter

These days, you never hear people complaining that science destroys the wonder of the world. They wouldn't dare. For a beautiful example, look at what was discovered last year. A satellite -- the Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe (WMAP) -- confirmed one of the strangest, most wondrous proposals about...
COMMENTARY / World
Jan 8, 2004

2003: worst and best of times for U.N.

Twelve months ago, the international community heaved a sigh of relief as the major powers appeared to reach a compromise on how to manage Iraq. But Washington's determination to act on its own cut short the role of U.N. weapons inspectors and challenged the very notion that the organization has a role...
Japan Times
LIFE / Lifestyle / ON THE BOOK TRAIL
Jan 8, 2004

"The Legend of Spud Murphy," "Lily Quench and the Dragon of Ashby"

"The Legend of Spud Murphy," Eoin Colfer, Puffin Books; March 2004; 90 pp. If you have no clue why your older siblings rave about author Eoin Colfer, you're probably too young to have read about the wild escapades of Colfer's hero, Artemis Fowl. But his latest book, "The Legend of Spud Murphy," is your...
JAPAN
Jan 8, 2004

LDP mulls openness, primaries for candidates

A Liberal Democratic Party reform committee wants to adopt an open system for recruiting candidates to run in national elections, according to a draft of the plan made available to Kyodo News.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Jan 8, 2004

Dollar now expected to hit 100 yen

The dollar fell to its lowest point against the yen in more than three years this week, prompting fast, sustained and solitary dollar-buying intervention by the Finance Ministry.
JAPAN
Jan 8, 2004

Government targets top gang leaders

The government is planning legal amendments that would make it easier for victims of gang violence to sue those in the top echelons of these organizations for damages.
EDITORIALS
Jan 7, 2004

Constitution just the beginning

Afghanistan's drive toward democracy reached a major milestone Sunday when the "loya jirga," or grand council, approved a new constitution. The country, which the charter defines as an "Islamic state," will have a popularly elected president and a bicameral legislature. Human rights will be respected,...
Japan Times
JAPAN
Jan 7, 2004

Raising retirement age eases, adds strains

Isomi Suzuki believes he is one of the lucky few to be able to continue his career even after reaching age 60, the common retirement age in Japan.
JAPAN
Jan 7, 2004

Man arrested in store blackmail case

A 62-year-old man was arrested Tuesday on suspicion of attempting to blackmail major discount store chain Don Quijote Co. last year.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Jan 7, 2004

Fukuda cool on specter of secular alternative to Yasukuni

It is premature for the government to establish a secular memorial as an alternative to Tokyo's Yasukuni Shrine, which honors the nation's war dead, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuo Fukuda said Tuesday.
COMMENTARY / WASHINGTON UPDATE
Jan 7, 2004

Dean shows green is still king in American politics

WASHINGTON -- Things look a little rosier in the U.S. economy at the moment, with the stock market roaring at last. You may remember that 2002 was the worst year for the stock market for 25 years. The Dow closed in 2002 at 8,341.63, down 16.8 percent. In 2003 it closed at 10,453.92, the highest in almost...
COMMENTARY / THE VIEW FROM MOSCOW
Jan 7, 2004

Putin's plan takes aim at democracy

MOSCOW -- 2004 is a leap year. Merely an astronomical convenience in most countries, in Russia a leap year has been traditionally regarded as a bad year, potentially charged with calamities. Ironically enough, none of the country's worst years was a leap year: neither 1917, when the Communists took power,...
JAPAN
Jan 6, 2004

Fallout over Yasukuni continues

South Korean Ambassador to Japan Cho Se Hyung voiced further anger Monday over the visit paid by Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi to Yasukuni Shrine on New Year's Day.
EDITORIALS
Jan 6, 2004

Danger signs in Serbia

It would be easy to dismiss the results of last week's poll in Serbia as "a protest vote." The strong showing of hardline nationalists certainly reflects the country's economic difficulties and the humiliations that have followed the war-crimes trials of former leaders. The problem is the nationalists...
JAPAN
Jan 6, 2004

Koizumi opens year with Iraq-dispatch resolve

Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi reiterated his resolve Monday to send Ground Self-Defense Force troops to Iraq to help in the country's reconstruction, despite the repeated attacks there believed carried out by insurgents and terrorist elements.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Jan 6, 2004

Mobile phone giants strive for pre-eminence in 3G market

Anticipating that third-generation services will dominate the mobile phone market within a few years, NTT DoCoMo Inc., KDDI Corp., and Vodafone K.K. are rolling out new handsets with a range of advanced 3G functions.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Voices / VIEWS FROM THE STREET
Jan 6, 2004

Do you want to travel to Japan?

Sam Kanne Broadcasting, 25

Longform

Ayumi Matsuki, a priestess at Yoshiwara Shrine, shows off some "o-mamori" charms. She says visitors to the shrine have increased since the NHK drama “Unbound” began airing this month.
Tracing Tsutaya Juzaburo, Edo’s media maverick