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BUSINESS / GERMAN JOURNALIST SYMPOSIUM
Oct 27, 2008

Germany struggles to strike economy-environment balance

Germany's ambitious targets for reducing carbon dioxide emissions — coupled with its policy of phasing out nuclear power generation — pose a very serious challenge for the competitiveness of German industries, Daniel Goffart, a senior editor for politics and the economy at Handelsblatt, told the...
JAPAN / Media / MEDIA MIX
Oct 26, 2008

The 'tough love' of sumo and the military can turn ugly

Euphemism is a required art for anyone who communicates with the public, be they politicians or PR flacks. The idea is to change or otherwise soften concepts that may be considered too blunt. Matters regarding sex, bodily functions and death are often euphemized so as not to offend delicate sensibilities,...
COMMENTARY
Oct 23, 2008

Remember the China lesson

Each visit to China is a reminder of the power of global liberalizing influences. China has come a long way since the Tiananmen Square massacre of prodemocracy activists nearly two decades ago. It has opened up to the extent that it hosted this month an Asia-Europe conference of nongovernmental organizations...
COMMENTARY
Oct 23, 2008

Africa and the unstoppable rise of English

Just over half of Africa's 52 countries speak French, but the number is dropping. This month Rwanda defected, announcing that henceforward only English will be taught in the schools. It would not be overstating the case to say that this caused alarm and despondency in France.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Q&A
Oct 23, 2008

Aso's team digging for 'buried funds'

With Prime Minister Taro Aso's government and ruling coalition lawmakers busy compiling a second economic stimulus package by the end of this month, the latest political catchphrase has become "Kasumigaseki maizokin," or buried funds in the Kasumigaseki district, the seat of the central government.
Japan Times
LIFE / Digital
Oct 21, 2008

Dining on the Web

Every day at around 4 p.m., as the air cools down, the sky takes on a purple hue and schoolchildren make their way home, hordes of people across Japan — predominantly female, predominantly in their 30s — start furiously typing on their PCs. They all have one burning question on their minds: "What...
Japan Times
Reference / SO WHAT THE HECK IS THAT
Oct 21, 2008

JR gestures

Dear Alice, Until recently I lived in Tokyo and commuted on the JR Chuo Sobu Line from Kameido Station. I made it a practice to ride in the last compartment of the train, just so I could enjoy the spectacle of the driver making those sincere hand gestures at each and every station. I've seen the same...
BASEBALL / BASEBALL BULLET-IN
Oct 19, 2008

Sky PerfecTV gives up on broadcasting MLB games

Did you enjoy watching Major League Baseball telecasts throughout the season live on Sky PerfecTV?
CULTURE / Books / THE ASIAN BOOKSHELF
Oct 19, 2008

A video archive that is music to the ears

JAPANESE VOICES: A Video Archive of Singing Styles and Techniques in the Japanese Language. Compiled, written and edited by Ichiro Nakayama. English translation by Mika Kimula under the supervision of Christopher Yohmei Blasdel. Osaka: Ad Popolo, 2008, Vol. I, 148 pp. (paper); Vol. II, Musical Examples,...
COMMENTARY / World
Oct 18, 2008

Japan in a post-U.S. world

Besides the economic damage, the global financial crisis has dangerous strategic implications for Japan.
Japan Times
BASKETBALL
Oct 18, 2008

Sun hopes to help Phoenix rise in Eastern Conference

The bj-league begins the Sun Ming Ming era on Saturday.
SUMO / SUMO SCRIBBLINGS
Oct 17, 2008

Why is ousted Wakanoho dishing the dirt now?

In recent weeks, sumo has been taking hits left, right and center.
EDITORIALS
Oct 17, 2008

Stepping up to the bench

Oct. 15 was the deadline for municipal election management commissions to submit lists of citizens who might serve as lay judges in district courts under a new system that starts next May. Six lay judges will sit with three professional judges in trials dealing with serious crimes such as murder, arson...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Oct 17, 2008

Truth but still no comfort, 63 years on

There were no Korean subtitles during the screening of "63 Years On" at the Pusan International Film Festival on Oct. 4, which was strange since the 60-minute documentary about the Japanese Imperial Army's sex-slave policy during World War II is a Korean production.
BUSINESS
Oct 16, 2008

Political merit seen in forex-tapped rescues

Flush with cash after crawling out of its own bad-debt crisis, Japan is offering funding to help prop up crumbling financial firms around the world — a move that some hope may bolster this nation's standing on the international stage.
COMMENTARY / World
Oct 13, 2008

Are Democrats better for the U.S. economy?

BALTIMORE — As each new day brings word of another Wall Street bailout even more colossal than the last, one question presents itself with ever-increasing force: Why does America's economy perform so badly under Republican presidents?
SOCCER / SOCCER SCENE
Oct 13, 2008

Japan must forget about UAE game with Uzbekistan qualifier looming

If Japan's friendly against the United Arab Emirates was designed to give a confidence boost ahead of this week's World Cup qualifier against Uzbekistan, it is difficult to see how it achieved anything but the opposite.
COMMENTARY
Oct 13, 2008

Afghan war is unwinnable

The main purpose of British generals, it sometimes seems, is to say aloud the things that American generals (and British diplomats) think privately but dare not say in public. Things like: "We're not going to win this war."
EDITORIALS
Oct 12, 2008

Urgent and exceptional action

An action plan agreed Friday in Washington by finance ministers and central bank governors of the Group of Seven major economies states that they will "take decisive action and use all available tools to support systemically important financial institutions and prevent their failure." The plan calls...
Reader Mail
Oct 12, 2008

Keeping public parks safe

Regarding the Oct. 9 letter "Kids don't feel right in park," B.K. Cottle says his daughter has told him she doesn't enjoy the park because of "these people" -- who, according to Cottle, are "the prostitutes, their clients, the drunks, smokers and pedophiles." While the drunks might be obvious, I previously...
Reader Mail
Oct 12, 2008

Train distance in question

Regarding the Oct. 9 article "Japan punctuality lets duo go the Guinness 24-hour train distance": I enjoyed reading this article very much as I have been a fan of Japanese railways for 20 years. But I doubt that Corey Pedersen and Mike Kim set a new world record. My own calculation is that the duo covered...
Reader Mail
Oct 12, 2008

Abortion makes rape sadder

Greg Hutchinson argues in his Oct. 5 letter, "Out of Gloria Steinem's league" (which was a response to my Sept. 25 letter, "Right to life has priority"), that rape should be the exception for allowing an abortion (besides the health of the mother). I question whether it makes sense to take that innocent...
Japan Times
Features
Oct 12, 2008

1,000 years of 'Genji'

"Genji Monogatari," known as "The Tale of Genji" in English, is believed by many scholars to be the first full-length novel in world literature. Marking the 1,000th anniversary since its creation, today's Timeout introduces this masterpiece that draws readers into a beautiful world gone by full of passion,...
BASKETBALL
Oct 11, 2008

Evessa begin quest for fourth straight championship

A year ago, Osaka Evessa fans, opponents and media members shared a common inquiry: Will Kensaku Tennichi's team complete its quest for a three-peat?
Japan Times
BASKETBALL
Oct 11, 2008

Rizing aim for successful second season

The expansion Rizing Fukuoka defied the odds last season, winning eight of 11 games, including a wild-card upset triumph over the host Takamatsu Five Arrows, to advance to the playoff semifinals.
COMMENTARY
Oct 9, 2008

Criteria for good leadership

The argument that in a time of crisis experience in government is a necessary qualification for high office has some appeal, but it is not a conclusive reason for choosing a leader. This question became a focus of Britain's two main political parties recently at their respective annual conferences.

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