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CULTURE / Books / THE ASIAN BOOKSHELF
Jul 20, 2003

Excesses of the exotic: Siam in the eyes of the West

SIAM & THE WEST: 1500-1700, by Dirk Van der Cruysse, translated from the French by Michael Smithies. Chiang Mai: Silkworm Books, 2002, 564 pp., $32.50 (paper). Relations between Siam (now Thailand) and the rapacious West were distinguished by Siam's never having been colonized. The European powers --...
Japan Times
COMMUNITY
Jul 20, 2003

Scents of slimness

For most people, losing weight is about as easy as climbing a mountain on all fours. It's tough work. But for those who still want to try shedding calories (however daunting that might seem), there are any number of dieting methods and theories -- from simply exercising to becoming vegetarian; from eating...
CULTURE / Music / J-POPSICLE
Jul 20, 2003

Yokoyama's ship finally comes in

Ken Yokoyama is crazy.
JAPAN
Jul 20, 2003

More people favor stricter rules on traffic safety

An increasing number of Japanese approve of stricter rules on traffic safety, including the use of seat belts and driving under the influence of alcohol, according to a government survey released Saturday.
COMMENTARY / THE VIEW FROM MOSCOW
Jul 20, 2003

'Potter': the order of parents

MOSCOW -- It is normal for a parent to distrust the things kids like. Having heard enthusiastic reports about some new product, be it a toy, computer game or movie, an average parent issues a suspicious grunt, thinking that it is probably overpriced, stupid and aggressive, and that the kid will never...
JAPAN / Media / MEDIA MIX
Jul 20, 2003

Life's a drag for all those 'guilty' parents

State Minister Yoshitada Konoike's comment July 11 that the parents of the 12-year-old boy accused of murdering a 4-year-old in Nagasaki should be "dragged through town" and "beheaded" shocked a lot of people. He later apologized, but added that he did believe in the "principle" behind what he said,...
JAPAN
Jul 20, 2003

Satellite system to link ambulances, trained doctors

Researchers have developed a remote diagnostic system that can send doctors medical information on patients while they are still in an ambulance and heading for the hospital.
EDITORIALS
Jul 20, 2003

Driving Jesus crazy

Sooner or later, there had to be a backlash against the largely American phenomenon of preempting political debate by injecting "Jesus" into whatever social or political argument happened to dominate the hour. The fad started several years ago and quickly found favor among a surprisingly broad swath...
CULTURE / Books / THE ASIAN BOOKSHELF
Jul 20, 2003

Taking readers to the edge

RUNNERS IN THE MARGINS: Poems by Akira Tatehata, translated by Hiroaki Sato. Vermont: P.S A Press, 2003, 103 pp., $12.95 (paper) The poet Akira Tatehata has a wide-ranging imagination as rich, and yet as controlled, as the brush of the most delicate artist. His poems are sometimes playful, sometimes...
JAPAN
Jul 20, 2003

Doi denies she will quit over scandal

Social Democratic Party leader Takako Doi denied speculation Saturday that she will resign to take responsibility for the arrest of former party lawmaker Kiyomi Tsujimoto, who is being questioned over the misuse of the salaries of her state-paid secretaries.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Jul 19, 2003

Japan Highway on the road to ruin; 617.477 billion yen in debt: document

A set of secret documents allegedly compiled by Japan Highway Public Corp. suggest that the semigovernmental corporation is in a state of capital deficit.
JAPAN
Jul 19, 2003

U.S. to give back idle Yokohama land

Japan and the United States agreed in principle Friday to the return of idle land at four sites in Yokohama currently overseen by U.S. forces, Foreign Ministry officials said.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Jul 19, 2003

English class flexes the ear muscles

Many people in Japan blame the education system for their inability to communicate well in English, even though they have studied the language for years in school.
JAPAN
Jul 19, 2003

Government won't fight worker comp for suicide

The labor ministry said Friday it will not appeal a high court ruling that effectively provided worker compensation to the wife of a Toyota Motor Corp. employee who committed suicide in 1988 as a result of overwork.
JAPAN
Jul 19, 2003

METI pushes more robust framework on greenhouse gases

The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry released an interim report Friday on global warming, calling for a new framework that covers the majority of ozone-depleting greenhouse gas emissions.
MORE SPORTS
Jul 19, 2003

Kawaguchi hopes to make 49ers roster

Former Japan linebacker Masafumi Kawaguchi confidently vowed to make the San Francisco 49ers final roster and become the first Japanese player in the NFL as the 30-year-old Ritsumeikan University alumni heads to the Niners' training camp.
EDITORIALS
Jul 19, 2003

'Kenpo' deficit widens

Japan's health insurance system for private-sector employees (Kenpo) is sinking deeper into deficit. It is estimated that eight of 10 health insurance associations booked losses in fiscal 2002. At this rate, an increase in insurance premiums seems inevitable.
BASEBALL / MLB
Jul 19, 2003

Matsuzaka, Takahashi on Nagashima's wish list

Seibu Lions right-hander Daisuke Matsuzaka and Yomiuri Giants outfielder Yoshinobu Takahashi were among 33 professional players recommended Thursday for the Japanese national baseball team for the Olympic qualifying tournament in Sapporo this fall.
JAPAN
Jul 19, 2003

Suicidal kidnapper collected nude photos

Police have confiscated photographs of naked women and a list of women's names from a Tokyo condo in which a 29-year-old man had allegedly confined four elementary schoolgirls, investigative sources said Friday.
BUSINESS
Jul 19, 2003

Execs call for political manifestos

KARUIZAWA, Nagano Pref. -- Business executives called Friday on the nation's political parties to show voters their manifestos so that they can compete on the basis of concrete policy goals in the next general election.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / PERSONALITY PROFILE
Jul 19, 2003

Yuki Horibe

COCOS ISLANDS -- When Yuki Horibe was planning a university break in order to gain some overseas experience, she looked at a world map. She said: "I wanted a small, tropical island. I wanted to learn English. I wanted diving. I found Christmas Island, and thought, 'Every day is Christmas. That should...
BUSINESS
Jul 19, 2003

Insurance policyholders warned to wise up, do their homework

In a bid to prevent frailty in the life insurance sector from potentially exploding into the political and banking scenes, the House of Councilors on Friday enacted legislation allowing troubled life insurers to lower their promised payouts to policyholders.
BASEBALL / MLB
Jul 19, 2003

Tigers prey on Carp

Shinjiro Hiyama led off the eighth inning with a solo roundtripper for the go-ahead run as the red-hot Hanshin Tigers comfortably picked up from where they left off before the All-Star break, beating the Hiroshima Carp 4-3 at Koshien Stadium on Friday.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Jul 19, 2003

Tsujimoto arrested over fraud

Tokyo police on Friday arrested former Diet member Kiyomi Tsujimoto on suspicion of committing fraud by skimming government salaries for her policy secretaries.

Longform

The volunteer lifesavers of Nishihama Surf Lifesaving Club never know what's in store at the start of their day.
It's no simple day at the beach for Japan's volunteer lifesavers