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Japan Times
OLYMPICS
Jul 31, 2012

Kitajima's 100-meter reign ends in defeat

Breaststroke specialist Kosuke Kitajima's chance to nab an unprecedented triple-double at the Olympics has ended.
Japan Times
JAPAN / EXPLAINER
Jul 24, 2012

100 years of Summer Games

When the 293 Japanese athletes compete in the London Games that start Friday, they will represent a century of the participation in the Summer Olympics, starting with marathoner Shiso Kanakuri and sprinter Yahiko Mishima in Stockholm in 1912.
OLYMPICS
Jul 23, 2012

Costas' criticism sparks discussion over tributes

Should the International Olympic Committee permit individuals or groups to make political statements during the Olympics?
Japan Times
OLYMPICS
Jun 9, 2012

Matsuda eyes rematch against Olympic legend Phelps

An athlete can tell you a tale with words that are as relevant as live action. Use your imagination to fill in the details.
EDITORIALS
May 24, 2012

The Facebook fizzle

The initial public offering (IPO) for Facebook, the social networking website, generated a media frenzy rarely seen since the dot.com bubble over a decade ago. Those who missed out on Friday's IPO could still buy shares through Tuesday, although the offering produced more press than profit — at least...
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Our Lives
May 19, 2012

Grateful architect has grand designs in store for disaster-prone Japan

The first thought that tumbled through architect Albert Abut's head as he sat in his car watching an intersection in Shibuya undulate last year during the Great East Japan Earthquake was "Is my family safe?" A quick call to his wife confirmed she and their 6-year-old daughter were fine.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
May 8, 2012

Convenience store chains go with flow, grow

The nation's top three convenience store chains last month posted record annual operating profits for the 2011 business year despite the sluggish, disaster-stricken domestic economy.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Issues / THE ZEIT GIST
Apr 10, 2012

Rape victim marks 10 years on lonely crusade for justice

It surely isn't very often that elite Japanese bureaucrats hear the words to the national anthem quoted at them — by a foreigner. Earlier this year, Australian national Catherine Fisher says she pulled the words of "Kimigayo" from her head during a frustrating meeting with officials from the ministries...
JAPAN / Science & Health / NATURAL SELECTIONS
Mar 11, 2012

Obesity on the rise as Japanese eat more Western-style food

When Japanese people are ordering food, how many times do you hear them asking for "oomori" (large size)? It's the equivalent of asking for "supersize" in a U.S. fast-food joint.
EDITORIALS
Feb 21, 2012

Court warning to prosecution

In the trial of former Democratic Party of Japan leader Mr. Ichiro Ozawa, who is accused of violating the Political Funds Control Law, the Tokyo District Court on Feb. 17 rejected as evidence the prosecution's record of certain oral statements made by his former secretary concerning Mr. Ozawa's alleged...
Japan Times
JAPAN / EXPLAINER
Feb 14, 2012

Literary awards run spectrum

When writer Shinya Tanaka won the prestigious Akutagawa Prize last month, he said, "I deserve this," paraphrasing U.S. actress Shirley MacLaine at the Academy Awards ceremony in 1984.
Japan Times
LIFE / Travel
Jan 29, 2012

Cultural treasures for all to see

There are outstanding tourist attractions throughout Tamil Nadu, and visitors to the gorgeous coastline can boost the local economy and enjoy themselves while learning a lot from locals about their post-tsunami experiences.
COMMENTARY / World
Jan 12, 2012

U.S. overlooks the true tolls of its wars

As the United States officially ended the war in Iraq last month, President Barack Obama spoke eloquently at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, lauding troops for "your patriotism, your commitment to fulfill your mission, your abiding commitment to one another," and offering words of grief for the nearly 4,500...
JAPAN
Jan 12, 2012

Onus on aides as Ozawa 'can't recall' fund details

Ichiro Ozawa maintained Wednesday he had nothing to do with the alleged falsification of political funding reports, telling the Tokyo District Court he left all financial matters to his secretaries and doesn't remember what one of his secretaries says he told the political don about how the money in...
COMMENTARY
Jan 5, 2012

Why Obama will (won't) win re-election in 2012

Could 2012 turn conventional wisdom on its head? Here's the conventional wisdom: U.S. President Barack Obama's re-election is vulnerable to the weak economy and high joblessness. Here's what might happen: The economy gradually improves, and although unemployment stays high (exceeding 8 percent), what...
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / CLOSE-UP
Jan 1, 2012

Mayumi Kagita: A fusion of cultures revealed in dance

On Nov. 19, the Pit hall of the New National Theatre, Tokyo, in Shibuya, was filled with hundreds of eager theater-goers. They had come to see a performance of "Onna Goroshi Abura no Jigoku" ("The Women-Killer and the Hell of Oil"), a play written by Chikamatsu Monzaemon (1653-1724) — Japan's greatest...
Japan Times
JAPAN / EXPLAINER
Nov 22, 2011

Last trial brings dark Aum era to end

The Supreme Court on Monday rejected an appeal by condemned killer Seiichi Endo, lowering the curtain on the trials over the cult's heinous crimes, which began in the 1980s and culminated in the 1995 nerve gas attack on the Tokyo subway system.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Nov 16, 2011

Soap linked to 471 cases of wheat allergy

A mail-order soap has caused at least 471 people to suffer wheat allergy reactions, including unconsciousness, and the distributor and manufacturer are trying to recall millions of the bars while the health ministry is alerting consumers to the dangers.
Japan Times
BASEBALL / Japanese Baseball
Nov 6, 2011

Hawks sweep Lions, reach Japan Series

The invitation ticket for the Japan Series had been delivered before the game was officially over.
BUSINESS
Oct 12, 2011

Citigroup halts soliciting for some retail products

Citigroup Inc. has stopped soliciting clients for some retail banking products in Japan as it awaits the outcome of a government investigation into its compliance with local rules, two sources said.
EDITORIALS
Oct 8, 2011

Mr. Ozawa pleads not guilty

Former Democratic Party of Japan leader Ichiro Ozawa pleaded not guilty to the charge of conspiring with his three secretaries to falsify reports of his fund management body Rikuzankai, at the start of his trial at the Tokyo District Court on Thursday. The trial has a special character since it is based...
COMMENTARY / World
Oct 5, 2011

Reformer for the delusional

The only vote that matters in Russia's 2012 presidential election is now in, and Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has cast it for himself. He will be returning as Russia's president next year.
BUSINESS
Oct 4, 2011

Citigroup faces new FSA penalty

Citigroup Inc. may be penalized by regulators for the third time since 2004 after a local retail banking unit possibly breached rules by failing to fully explain product risks to customers, two sources said.
Japan Times
BASEBALL / HIT AND RUN
Oct 4, 2011

Hawks euphoric after triumph, focused on winning Japan Series title

For a few precious hours, the rigors of a demanding season were forgotten as the Fukuoka Softbank Hawks sprayed one another with bottle after bottle of beer.

Longform

Construction takes place on the Takanawa Gateway Convention Center in Tokyo, slated to open in 2025.
A boom for business tourism in Japan?