Search - about-us

 
 
JAPAN
Jun 11, 2000

Central America, Japan plan to cooperate in dealing with disasters

Top-level Japanese and Central American officials will meet in Tokyo in early August to discuss cooperation in weathering a spate of hurricane-triggered floods and other natural disasters that have afflicted the region in recent years.
JAPAN
Jun 11, 2000

Four killed, several hurt in blast at Gunma plant

An explosion Saturday at a chemical plant in Ojima, Gunma Prefecture, killed four people and injured at least 27 — many by flying shards of glass, officials said.
JAPAN
Jun 11, 2000

Man claims false molestation arrest

NARA — It should have been just another day for Takeshi Yamamoto, 56, when he climbed aboard a Kintetsu train at Koriyama Station at 7:38 a.m. on May 10.
SOCCER / World cup
Jun 11, 2000

Pressure off for Japan in Kirin Cup

At least Philippe Troussier didn't kiss his players this time. After Japan had demolished Jamaica 4-0 in their third-place playoff at the King Hassan II Cup in Casablanca on Tuesday, the Frenchman must have felt tempted.
JAPAN
Jun 11, 2000

Children's book publishers searched over alleged cartel

The Fair Trade Commission has searched six publishers of children's books over allegations they had formed a cartel, sources close to the case said Saturday.
JAPAN
Jun 11, 2000

Makeup TOEFL exam scheduled for July 8

A popular English-proficiency test that was canceled nationwide Friday due to a problem with testing booklets has been tentatively rescheduled for July 8, the exam organizer said Saturday.
COMMENTARY / World
Jun 11, 2000

A summit of little consequence

The recent summit held by U.S. President Bill Clinton and Russian President Vladimir Putin resembled a rendezvous of two ships moving in opposite directions. Putin has just reached the epicenter of power, Clinton is departing. Putin has just begun his historic record, Clinton is finishing his. Putin...
COMMENTARY
Jun 11, 2000

Mori casts doubt on Japanese democracy

When Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori said that Japan is a "kami no kuni" (country of the gods), it can be argued he was doing little more than expressing a personal religious belief before a group of like-minded, Shinto-supporting Diet members. U.S. media claims that he was trying revive Japanese nationalism...
COMMUNITY / How-tos / GETTING THINGS DONE
Jun 11, 2000

How to say goodbye

I have over the years researched readers' questions diligently, but never have I been quite as well prepared as for this column, on how to get married in Japan. I would like to tell you why. On May 25, William Sherman and I proceeded through the process as outlined below. Bill has had three postings...
JAPAN
Jun 11, 2000

Eco-friendly taxis ply Kyoto

KYOTO — Kyoto has long been a mecca for school excursions, especially in May and June, but only recently have environmentally friendly taxis been gaining popularity as a means of touring the city.
CULTURE / Art
Jun 11, 2000

The oldest gold in the Andes

The Andes are probably the only place in the world where a great civilization rose and flourished without ever developing a written method of record keeping. Though it stretched over 2,500 km, and involved elaborate economic and cultural exchanges between the coastal lowlands and the mountain heights,...
LIFE / Travel
Jun 11, 2000

A journey to golf's front line

PYONGYANG -- I don't know who was more surprised, the caddie, the minder or myself. It was a pretty average tee shot, but a ricochet of applause had startled the birds from the trees. We were not alone after all. Waiting for us over the hill were dozens of Young Pioneers, beaming, red-scarved children,...
JAPAN
Jun 11, 2000

Policy forum links politicians, public

OSAKA — Candidates who intend to run from the Osaka No. 9 constituency in the June 25 general election spoke before 280 people at a "kokai toron kai" policy forum held recently in Ibaraki Ward.
JAPAN
Jun 10, 2000

Report cites need for tech knowledge

Japanese people should gain more knowledge about science and technology and actively participate in the decision-making process about related issues, the government said in an annual report released Friday.
BUSINESS
Jun 10, 2000

Keidanren urges structural reform

Takashi Imai, chairman of the Federation of Economic Organizations (Keidanren), called on the government Friday to implement structural reforms to achieve sustainable economic recovery.
JAPAN
Jun 10, 2000

LDP-led bloc the only way, Nonaka says

A coalition government led by the Liberal Democratic Party represents the only viable choice when voters go to the polls June 25, according to the party's No. 2 man.
JAPAN
Jun 10, 2000

Products of nation's inmates up for sale

Items made by inmates at the nation's prisons and correctional facilities went on sale Friday at Tokyo's Science and Technology Museum to promote understanding of such institutions.
BUSINESS
Jun 10, 2000

0.5% '99 growth first rise atop minus line in two years

The economy grew 0.5 percent in fiscal 1999 from the year before, recovering from negative growth logged for the preceding two years but slightly falling short of the government target of 0.6 percent growth for fiscal 1999, the Economic Planning Agency said Friday.
JAPAN
Jun 10, 2000

EBC chair urges politicians to work for deregulation

Foreign businesses in Japan expect political leaders to facilitate fair competition by promoting further deregulation and harmonizing Japanese standards with global rules, said Isabelle Hupperts, chairwoman of the European Business Community.
CULTURE / Art / CERAMIC SCENE
Jun 10, 2000

The pure and silent voices of Shino

Shino pottery, so pure and calm, has since its birth in the late 16th century tugged at the heartstrings of the Japanese. A Shino chawan (tea bowl) figured prominently in Yasunari Kawabata's masterpiece novel, "A Thousand Cranes." There is a divine presence in the best of Shino wares. When one gazes...
JAPAN
Jun 10, 2000

Wind storm hurts 17 in Kanto, Tokai

Strong winds brought on by a low pressure system hovering over Japan hit the nation's eastern and central regions Friday, injuring 17 people and disrupting transportation services in the Kanto and Tokai regions, officials said.
CULTURE / Music
Jun 10, 2000

A thick Kyoto sound, with all the right elements

"Thick," "intense," "heavy." These are the words people use to describe the new "Kyoto sound." The Kyoto band Elements is at the forefront of this movement, shown by the sellout sales of their latest recording, "Singular Sky," upon its release last month.
JAPAN
Jun 10, 2000

Mori unveils IT aid plan to visiting ASEAN leaders

Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori has unveiled a new assistance program to promote the use of information technology in Southeast Asia as part of Japan's efforts to focus on the IT issue at the Okinawa Group of Eight summit, a Foreign Ministry official said.
COMMENTARY / World
Jun 10, 2000

Why Japanese voters reject politics

Political stagnation and a feeling of powerlessness are often cited among the reasons that Japanese hate politics.
COMMENTARY / World
Jun 10, 2000

Aborigines raise their cause's profile

SYDNEY -- On its way from Greece to the Sydney Olympics 2000, the Olympic flame this week passed by Uluru, a huge rock rearing up out of the vast emptiness of the "dead heart" of Australia. Watching it were Aborigines, this country's inhabitants for the past 50,000 years, to whom Uluru is sacred.
CULTURE / Art
Jun 10, 2000

Filmmaker lights a fire under corruption

Well known for kaiju (monster) films populated by giant luminaries such as Godzilla, Mothra and Rodan, Toho Inc. now brings us "Cross Fire," an sf thriller about a pyrokinetic office lady at odds with Japanese corruption. Adapted from a novel by best-selling author Miyuki Miyabe, the movie is directed...
CULTURE / Art
Jun 10, 2000

Moments of decision in old Manila

In celebration of the Independence Day of the Republic of the Philippines June 12, British photographer Peter Oxley is presenting an exhibit entitled "Just a Moment" June 12-16 at the City Club of Tokyo. The title is inspired by Henri Cartier-Bresson's advice that the key to taking a truthful photograph...
EDITORIALS
Jun 9, 2000

Justice for all in Chile

The fight for justice in Chile moves forward. The decision by a Chilean court to strip former dictator Gen. Augusto Pinochet of his congressional immunity from prosecution is proof that the wheels of justice may turn slowly, but they grind nonetheless. The ruling may still be appealed to the supreme...

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.