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COMMENTARY
May 5, 2003

Unity needed on nuclear issue

North Korea's statement that it already has nuclear weapons is most likely an exercise in diplomatic brinkmanship aimed at drawing the United States into direct dialogue. But if the statement is true, the security environment surrounding Japan and Northeast Asia will undergo fundamental change.
BASEBALL / BASEBALL BULLET-IN
May 4, 2003

New skipper Lee hopes to change fortunes of BlueWave

It was obvious some big news was coming when the Orix BlueWave indicated during their April 23 "nighter" against the Seibu Lions at Sapporo Dome there would be a press conference after that game. It came as little surprise when manager Hiromichi Ishige was fired, and a lot of eyes were opened when Californian...
COMMUNITY
May 4, 2003

Volleys that rang the death knell of an age

Oda Nobunaga is known as the man who dragged Japan out of its blood-soaked medieval past and cleared the way for the 264-year Tokugawa Shogunate to follow. This he achieved by dint of his advanced grasp of military strategy -- and especially by being the first to realize the deadly potential of firearms....
Japan Times
COMMUNITY
May 4, 2003

Let's fight

It's early afternoon on a hot spring Sunday in Tokyo, and in the tranquil neighborhood park of Kodaira a fight is shaping up. Children still hurtle round the playground in one corner of the park, but at the far end, three men, burly and imposing, circle menacingly round a fourth. A crowd has gathered...
BUSINESS
May 3, 2003

Ruthless foreigners given bad-news role

Japan's regional banks are turning to a tried and true method of conveying bad news: asking a foreign third-party to do it for them.
Japan Times
ENVIRONMENT / WILD WATCH
May 1, 2003

Feathered friends of the forest

In a passive way, plants have got birds sussed. They use them, abuse them (ever seen a thrush drunk on fermenting apples?) and mess with their digestive systems. Birds are willing pawns, though; brightly colored flowers and gaudy berries send a simple signal to the bird brain that shouts -- energy! ...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music / HIGH NOTES
Apr 30, 2003

Matthew Sweet: "Kimi ga Suki * Life"

When applied to pop musicians, the term "big in Japan" tends to be pejorative, as if Japanese fans were less discriminating than those in the rest of the world. The only way to dispel the condescension inherent in the term is by example.
JAPAN
Apr 30, 2003

Hatfield of U.S., Devakula of Thailand to be decorated

Former U.S. Sen. Mark Hatfield and Thai Privy Councilor Thep Devakula will be honored with the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Sacred Treasure, the second-highest decoration awarded regularly by the Japanese government, the Cabinet Office said Tuesday.
COMMUNITY / How-tos / LIFELINES
Apr 29, 2003

Overstaying visas, noisy neighbors and DIY trading

Visa overstaying I'm a Ukranian Citizen now in Japan. I have overstayed my tourist three-month visa. If I would like to go back to my country, what should I do? Can I buy an air ticket without a visa? Do they have money or other kinds of penalties for this type of case? -- Tokyo Don
EDITORIALS
Apr 29, 2003

A crucial contingency package

How should Japan deal with a military attack from abroad? This question has acquired greater urgency amid heightened regional security concerns. However, military contingency legislation now before the Diet should be debated from a long-term perspective. At stake is the fundamental question of how to...
BUSINESS
Apr 29, 2003

Little light seen at end of job search

Job prospects for those leaving universities next spring appear nearly unchanged from this year, according to a Kyodo News poll.
JAPAN
Apr 28, 2003

Koizumi aide pessimistic on North Korea talks

A top diplomatic aide to Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi said Sunday he does not expect multilateral talks on the North Korean nuclear standoff to lead to a "good agreement."
COMMENTARY
Apr 28, 2003

Fair, transparent foreign aid

Last September the Japanese government was stunned by a lawsuit filed with the Tokyo District Court by 3,861 residents of Indonesia's Sumatra Island. The plaintiffs said their life had been disrupted by a dam for hydroelectric power and flood control built with Japan's official development assistance....
JAPAN
Apr 27, 2003

Koizumi to discuss Iraq, North Korea in Europe

Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi left Japan on Saturday for Britain, the first leg of an eight-day European tour, to discuss postwar Iraq and the situation in North Korea with British Prime Minister Tony Blair.
JAPAN
Apr 26, 2003

Missile defense system debate heats up

As concerns mount over the threat posed by North Korea, the debate over Japan introducing missile defense systems is heating up.
JAPAN
Apr 26, 2003

Ghana envoy seeks more investment

Increased Japanese investment in the Republic of Ghana would be "mutually beneficial" to both sides, Ghanaian Ambassador to Japan Dr. Barfuor Adjei-Barwuah told The Japan Times on Friday.
COMMENTARY
Apr 26, 2003

A Pyrrhic victory in Iraq

When the war in Iraq began March 19, speculation was rife about its likely duration. Predictions ranged from very short (less than 10 days) to fairly long (over a month) to very long (a protracted Vietnam-type war). As it turned out, the fighting effectively ended in a little over three weeks. But it's...
Japan Times
JAPAN
Apr 25, 2003

Competition showcases diplomats' Japanese-language skills

Some took the opportunity to look back on the historical relationship between their countries and Japan. Others focused on everyday life in today's Tokyo, like sending e-mail by mobile phone.
JAPAN
Apr 24, 2003

Outlying regions want a piece of the action, too

Anticipating that the upcoming Visit Japan campaign will prove successful, businesses and local governments are developing strategies to draw prospective foreign tourists out of major cities and into their regions.
JAPAN
Apr 23, 2003

10 of 12 suspected cases of SARS turn out to be negative

A health ministry panel said Tuesday that 10 of the 12 SARS cases in Japan classified as either "suspected" or "probable" are not the deadly virus, but judgment is being withheld on the remaining two cases.
EDITORIALS
Apr 22, 2003

The meaning of low interest rates

The global economic outlook remains dim despite the swift and decisive coalition victory in Iraq. In Japan the prospects are darker still, with deflation getting worse, not better. Stock prices are at their lowest level in about 20 years. Banks are still burdened with piles of bad debt. Prime Minister...
Japan Times
LIFE / Travel / ON THE ARCHIPELA-GO
Apr 20, 2003

Seeking tranquillity in Tohoku

Nobody goes to Tohoku. The region used to be known as Michinoku, meaning, quite literally, "the end of the road." Even today, its six prefectures -- Aomori, Akita, Iwate, Yamagata, Miyagi and Fukushima -- are among the least developed for tourism in Japan. However, if you venture north, you'll find that...
JAPAN
Apr 20, 2003

Government to fight war-displaced

The government said Friday it will fight a compensation lawsuit filed by more than 600 war-displaced Japanese left behind in China and urged a court to reject the plaintiffs' claims.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY
Apr 20, 2003

All roads still lead to Paris

Mother, grandmother, createuse extraordinaire, Hanae Mori is a woman of impeccable taste, the holder of many coveted awards and Japan's -- and Asia's -- only member of the prestigious, Paris-based Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture.
EDITORIALS
Apr 19, 2003

U.N. resolution in abduction cases

The nuclear standoff with North Korea has tended to overshadow the country's human rights abuses, including the abduction of Japanese nationals. It is fitting, therefore, that the U.N. Human Rights Commission has adopted a resolution condemning Pyongyang's human rights record.
JAPAN
Apr 18, 2003

Pyongyang urged to heed human rights resolution

Japan on Thursday urged North Korea to take seriously a resolution issued by the U.N. Human Rights Commission that criticizes the North's human rights abuses.
JAPAN
Apr 17, 2003

Tokyo welcomes proposed dialogue, hopes to be included in future talks

Japan on Wednesday welcomed proposed trilateral talks between North Korea, the United States and China over Pyongyang's nuclear weapons development but called for its own inclusion in the future.
JAPAN
Apr 17, 2003

'Chicago' director cancels over SARS

The director of the Oscar-winning "Chicago" has canceled a promotional tour to Japan due to concerns over severe acute respiratory syndrome, film industry sources said Wednesday.
BUSINESS
Apr 17, 2003

Fuji Heavy, Saab plan car together

Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd. and Saab Automobile AB of Sweden said Wednesday they will collaborate on the development of a new Saab vehicle and on the distribution of Saab vehicles in Japan.

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