Search - 2005

 
 
COMMENTARY
Jun 12, 2006

A tenable vision of efficiency

Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's structural reforms for creating a "simple, efficient government" have entered the final phase. In late May, the Diet enacted the administrative reform promotion law and four related bills aimed at continuing Koizumi's reform programs after he steps down in September...
COMMENTARY / World
Jun 12, 2006

Arms race widening in Southeast Asia

Southeast Asia's return to prosperity since the financial crisis of 1997 has brought a regionwide splurge on new weapons. Most Southeast Asian countries are, indeed, now busily modernizing their armed forces. So far, most have done so without compromising their autonomy in security matters. But with...
EDITORIALS
Jun 11, 2006

Whither the newspaper?

What does the future hold for newspapers? It all depends on what you think a newspaper is and where on the planet you are standing. If you are a literal-minded type who considers the concept inseparable from actual newsprint and your view is restricted to, say, North America or Japan or Australia or...
CULTURE / Books
Jun 11, 2006

Explore the beauty of stoneware

JAPANESE WOOD-FIRED CERAMICS by Masakazu Kusakabe & Marc Lancet. Iola, Wisconsin: Krause publications, 2005, 320 pp., $44.99 (paper) The art of making ceramics originated in Japan during prehistoric times, and over recent centuries has evolved to rank higher even than painting in the eyes of this country's...
SOCCER / PREMIER REPORT
Jun 10, 2006

Overconfidence could sink England against Paraguay

MUNICH -- England will beat Paraguay in their World Cup opener on Saturday.
BUSINESS
Jun 10, 2006

42 public works projects axed in '05

The government canceled 42 public works projects for being unnecessary or inefficient in fiscal 2005, up by 30 from the prior year, for a total of 840 billion yen, according to a government white paper released Friday.
Japan Times
Events / Events Outside Tokyo
Jun 9, 2006

Journalists capture life through a lens

The monthly photojournalism magazine Days Japan is currently exhibiting award-winning images from its 2nd International Photojournalism Awards at the Konica Minolta Plaza in Shinjuku, Tokyo. The exhibition, titled "Living on Earth 2006," runs through June 19.
BUSINESS
Jun 9, 2006

Taiwan OKs cuts in size of big eye tuna fishing fleet

Taiwan has agreed to reduce the size of its big eye tuna boats by 41 percent to 280 vessels by the end of 2007 from 474 vessels in 2005 in response to the decline in big eye stocks worldwide, the Fisheries Agency announced Thursday.
JAPAN
Jun 8, 2006

Elevator firm raided over deadly lift malfunction

Police raided locations Wednesday linked to Tokyo-based elevator maker Schindler Elevator K.K. and a housing corporation, suspecting that professional negligence or poor maintenance caused the fatal crushing of a teenager on a lift last weekend.
BUSINESS
Jun 7, 2006

Baby boomers asked to cure farming exodus

The government expressed hope Tuesday that baby boomers, who will begin retiring next year, will take an interest in becoming farmers and help revive the moribund agricultural sector.
BUSINESS
Jun 7, 2006

FT questions fairness of arrests

The Financial Times raised questions in its lead editorial Tuesday about whether financial authorities are being even-handed in their arrest of investment fund chief Yoshiaki Murakami for suspected insider trading.
BUSINESS
Jun 7, 2006

Japan said not ready for Iran oil halt

OSAKA -- Japanese oil industry experts warned Tuesday the country would be ill-prepared to deal with the impact an attack on Iran could have on the flow of Middle Eastern crude.
BUSINESS
Jun 7, 2006

U.S. pressures Japan to resume preparation for triangular mergers by '07

The United States urged Japan on Tuesday to make appropriate preparations, in terms of taxes and qualifying securities, for introducing easier conditions next May for facilitating mergers and acquisitions.
BUSINESS
Jun 6, 2006

Murakami fund to sell Hanshin stake to Hankyu

The investment fund led by Yoshiaki Murakami announced Monday that it is selling its shares in Hanshin Electric Railway Co., paving the way for Hankyu Holdings Inc.'s takeover bid for Hanshin.
BUSINESS / JAPAN-U.S.-CHINA SYMPOSIUM
Jun 5, 2006

Regional tensions cast long shadow

See related stories: "U.S. sets negotiating table on Iran for Tokyo, Beijing" "Japan, China need to go back to school "
COMMENTARY / World
Jun 4, 2006

France's weak incentive to earn income

LONDON -- France's chronic malaise is marked by periodic explosions of protest. The two most recent episodes -- the rioting and arson in French cities last autumn and the successful student campaign earlier this year against a new law governing young labor-market entrants -- seem to have little in common....
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / CLOSE-UP
Jun 4, 2006

How shall we dance?

This summer, the movie that shot Johnny Depp to Hollywood stardom, Tim Burton's 1990 fantasy "Edward Scissorhands," comes to Japan as a live dance stage created and directed by Matthew Bourne.
JAPAN
Jun 3, 2006

20% of Japan's population over 65

2005 saw the number of Japanese age 65 and older topped 20 percent of the total population for the first time, according to a government white paper released Friday.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / PERSONALITY PROFILE
Jun 3, 2006

Theodore Skillman and Paul Guilfoile

In May 2004, 26 people representing six international schools in the Kanto area met and formed the first International Alumni Council, Japan.
MORE SPORTS
Jun 2, 2006

Italian Rossi stays with Yamaha

Defending world MotoGP champion Valentino Rossi will remain with Yamaha for the 2007 season, the Japanese manufacturer announced Thursday.
BUSINESS
Jun 2, 2006

ShinGinko has 20.9 billion yen loss

ShinGinko Tokyo Ltd., a bank the Tokyo Metropolitan Government founded last year aimed at small companies, said Thursday it posted a net loss of 20.9 billion yen in its first business year to March.
JAPAN
Jun 2, 2006

90,650 people disappeared in 2005

The National Police Agency said Thursday that 90,650 people left their homes and were unaccounted for last year, falling 5.6 percent from the previous year for the third year of decline.
EDITORIALS
Jun 1, 2006

From recovery to resilience

A devastating earthquake hit Indonesia over the weekend, even as the country is still struggling to recover from the magnitude-9 earthquake and tsunami off Sumatra Island that killed about 168,000 people in the country in December 2004.
JAPAN
Jun 1, 2006

Overwork health claims rise to 330

A record high 330 people became eligible for labor compensation due to mental and heart diseases caused by excessive work in fiscal 2005, marking a rise of 36 cases, or 12.2 percent, the Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry said Wednesday.
BUSINESS
Jun 1, 2006

Nippon Sheet Glass profit up 2.3%

Nippon Sheet Glass Co. said Wednesday its group net profit rose 2.3 percent to 7.76 billion yen in the 2005 business year as proceeds from sales of securities holdings outweighed the impact of higher crude oil and other raw materials costs.
EDITORIALS
May 31, 2006

'Benevolent act' undermines pension

An illegal practice by the Social Insurance Agency came to light last week. Social insurance offices in Osaka, Nagasaki and 24 other prefectures have waived premium payments into the national pension (kokumin nenkin) program by more than 110,000 low-income people without their application.
JAPAN
May 31, 2006

Environment white paper places focus on Minamata

The 2006 white paper on the environment features Minamata disease in its opening article as the year marked the 50th anniversary of the official recognition of the mercury-poisoning malady, and it blames the government for its failure to act.

Longform

Visitors walk past Sou Fujimoto's Grand Ring, which has been recognized as the largest wooden structure in the world.
Can a World Expo still matter? Japan is about to find out.