Search - 2013

 
 
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Jul 16, 2014

Reflections on the dark side of a tropical island

Naomi Kawase was once Japan's best-known female director abroad; now she is one of its most internationally prominent directors, regardless of gender.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Jul 16, 2014

Escape From Tomorrow

An audacious kick-in-the-ribs at the Disney kingdom, "Escape From Tomorrow" is cool, cool stuff — albeit in a clunky and kitsch Ed Wood kind of way.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
Jul 16, 2014

More than 17,000 sign petition for genitalia artist under arrest

Thousands of people have signed a petition demanding that police free a Tokyo artist arrested on obscenity charges for distributing data that allowed recipients to make 3-D models of her vagina.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Stage
Jul 16, 2014

Europe rewards edgy dramatists

Tim Etchells, artistic director of Forced Entertainment, the English company whose "The Coming Storm" was a highlight of last year's Festival/Tokyo, told me then that they now play abroad more than at home — mainly because festival organizers pay their costs. In contrast, producers are loathe to take...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Stage
Jul 16, 2014

Suitcase 'Macbeth' packs a punch

Cultures collide on the small square stage of Mansai Nomura's pared-down "Macbeth," in which the actor/director draws on the restrained aesthetics of noh and the agility and wit of kyōgen traditional comic theater as he transplants his version of Shakespeare's blood-soaked Scottish play to medieval...
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC / Science & Health / FOCUS
Jul 16, 2014

Chinese town trades lead poison test results for milk

After a test showed farmer Zhao Heping's toddler grandson had high levels of lead in his blood two years ago, local officials in China's Hunan province offered the child medicine, he says — and milk. In return, Zhao says, officials asked that he hand over his grandson's blood test results.
BUSINESS
Jul 16, 2014

Chinese bitcoin firm joins Atlas ATS in bid for Mt. Gox assets

BitOcean, a Chinese bitcoin startup, joined with New York-based exchange platform Atlas ATS Inc. to bid for the assets of Mt. Gox, the exchange platform that filed for bankruptcy in Japan earlier this year.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Jul 15, 2014

YMO's Yukihiro Takahashi recruits Towa Tei, Cornelius, Yoshinori Sunahara, Tomohiko Gondo and Leo Imai for an impressive supergroup

One of the unspoken rules in the progress-fixated world of electronic music is that you don't get bonus points for dwelling on past glories. So when Yukihiro Takahashi — drummer, vocalist and dapper elder statesman of electro-pop — convened a star cast of musicians at Tokyo's Ex Theater Roppongi...
BUSINESS / Companies
Jul 15, 2014

Backlog of orders, savvy marketing stave off carmaker crisis

A backlog of orders as well as concerted marketing efforts by carmakers have minimized the impact from April's consumption tax hike on sales between April and June — but there are still concerns about sales volume after July, the chairman of the nation's automaker lobby said Tuesday.
BUSINESS / Companies
Jul 15, 2014

Strike halts Toyota's S. Africa production

Toyota Motor Corp. and Ford Motor Co. are stopping production at South African plants as a strike in the manufacturing industry stems the supply of components.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Companies
Jul 15, 2014

Line applies to TSE for IPO that could see value exceed ¥1 trillion

Line Corp., operator of Japan's most popular mobile messaging service, has submitted an application for an initial public offering to the Tokyo Stock Exchange, sources said.
SUMO / SUMO SCRIBBLINGS
Jul 15, 2014

Will Nagoya put Hakuho within reach of Taiho's 32-yusho record?

With 29 Emperor's Cup wins to date, yokozuna Hakuho is already the third most successful grand champion in the almost 260 years of sumo's recorded history. Only Taiho, who was primarily active through the 1960s with 32 wins, and Chiyonofuji, active from the 1970s to the early '90s with 31 wins, stand...
Japan Times
BASEBALL / Japanese Baseball / HIT AND RUN
Jul 14, 2014

NPB, MLB keeping track as Otani continues to blossom

Shohei Otani struck out 12 batters over seven innings on July 2 and fanned 16 in a complete-game effort in his next start July 9. He was in the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters' starting lineup twice in the days between those outings on the mound and hit two home runs during a July 5 contest against the...
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Issues / THE FOREIGN ELEMENT
Jul 14, 2014

From Yokosuka rape to U.S. court victory, 'Jane' commits her 12-year ordeal to print

Rape victim Catherine Fisher reveals the story behind her 12-year fight with the U.S. military and Japanese authorities in her new book, 'I am Catherine Jane.'
BUSINESS / Tech
Jul 14, 2014

Samsung suspends China supplier following child labor allegations

Samsung Electronics Co., the world's largest smartphone maker, said it suspended a supplier in China after finding evidence of illegal hiring.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Politics
Jul 13, 2014

Abe: Change rules for female workers

After sexist heckling debacle, prime minister seeks to repair LDP's image with renewed pledge to boost female participation in the workforce.
Japan Times
JAPAN / ADVANCES IN PROGRESS
Jul 13, 2014

Cyberdyne's HAL suits give lift to mobility-challenged

Robotics engineer Yoshiyuki Sankai, 56, has been driven by his passion for innovative technology for about half a century.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / ADOPT ME!
Jul 13, 2014

A cat named Meshibe: time out for fun

Meshibe was one of a number of kittens stuffed in a cardboard box and abandoned. Fortunately, the kittens came to ARK.
Japan Times
BASEBALL / Japanese Baseball / NPB NOTEBOOK
Jul 12, 2014

Luna an All-Star snub despite playing at high level

Hector Luna will probably spend the All-Star break relaxing, when really, he should be working. Instead, the Chunichi Dragons third baseman will be on the outside looking in during the NPB All-Star Series July 18 and 19.
Japan Times
LIFE / Digital / JAPAN WEB WATCH
Jul 12, 2014

The pros and cons of kids owning smartphones

Smartphones are everywhere now, and their diffusion has spread from adults to students in high school, then junior high and now even elementary school. The trend has led to the question: When and how should kids use smartphones?
BASKETBALL
Jul 11, 2014

Retired Shiga Lakestars big man Gomez begins new career in coaching

Veteran forward Dionisio Gomez announced his retirement last week, ending a pro basketball career that began in 2003 in the USBL.
Japan Times
LIFE / Style & Design / ON: FASHION
Jul 11, 2014

Summer's here — yukata, sales and back-to-school satchels

Mintdesigns' refreshing yukata
Japan Times
BASKETBALL
Jul 11, 2014

Ryukyu Golden Kings won't re-sign league icon Newton

Big man Jeff Newton, who has played on a bj-league record six championship teams, will not be back with the Ryukyu Golden Kings for the 2014-15 season, his longtime agent Wallace Prather told The Japan Times on Friday.
COMMENTARY / World
Jul 11, 2014

Germany's triumph in Brazil was no surprise

Everything about the 7-1 German victory over Brazil in a World Cup semifinal was logical and even overdue. The entire German soccer system has been working toward this moment since 2001.

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