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COMMUNITY / Our Lives / JAPAN LITE
Sep 25, 2004

Look at the moon! Hiraite, chong, chong

My next-door neighbor Kazu-chan was standing in my "genkan." "Amy, I've signed you up to take part in the dance performance on Respect for the Aged Day." This national holiday was observed on Monday, but our island celebrated it on Thursday, the autumnal equinox.
BUSINESS
Sep 25, 2004

Winter bonus to climb 4% on average

This winter's employee bonus will average 672,000 yen -- up 4.4 percent from a year earlier -- for 278 major Japanese companies that struck deals with unions over the spring and summer, a private research institute said Friday.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / PERSONALITY PROFILE
Sep 25, 2004

Joan Burk

This year, the Association of Foreign Wives of Japanese celebrates its 35th anniversary. Founder Joan Burk says she has a special bond with the unique organization. "I think of AFWJ as my baby," she wrote from her present home in Canada. "I will always be interested in everything about AFWJ and its members....
Japan Times
COMMUNITY
Sep 25, 2004

New Center for Creative Arts up and running

Anyone passing the South Korean Embassy in Tokyo's Moto Azabu in recent months may well have wondered about the flag reading "RBR -- New Center for Creative Arts" flying from the building opposite. Also the steady flow of visitors -- every age, color, race and creed.
COMMENTARY / World
Sep 25, 2004

Subtle changes under Hu

HONOLULU -- The ascent of Hu Jintao to the third of the top three posts in China's hierarchy will most likely cause subtle changes in Beijing's relations with the United States and with China's neighbors North Korea, South Korea, Japan, and Southeast Asia -- but not on the sensitive issue of Taiwan....
COMMENTARY
Sep 25, 2004

High-tech barriers to better ties

NEW DELHI -- Catchphrases like "enhanced engagement," "strategic partnership" and "sustained interaction" are bandied about to describe the new U.S.-Indian relationship. A novel, hyperbolic tag, NSSP, or Next Steps in Strategic Partnership, was added to the diplomatic lexicon when on January 13, 2004,...
COMMENTARY / WASHINGTON UPDATE
Sep 25, 2004

Senate control up for grabs on election day

WASHINGTON -- The meandering pattern of the presidential race has captured the attention of most Americans. But there are other important stakes that will be decided on Nov. 2, including 33 seats in the U.S. Senate and all 435 members of the House of Representatives.
EDITORIALS
Sep 24, 2004

Elaboration needed on UNSC bid

I n New York this week, Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi has focused his diplomatic efforts on Japan's bid for permanent membership in the United Nations Security Council. At the Japan-U.S. summit meeting on Tuesday, Mr. Koizumi sought President George W. Bush's active support for this quest. What he...
SOCCER / J. League
Sep 24, 2004

Urawa Reds run ends

Substitute Lucas headed home the only goal of the game in the 53rd minute Thursday as FC Tokyo ended Urawa Reds' winning run in the J. League's second stage with a 1-0 victory at home.
BASEBALL / Japanese Baseball
Sep 24, 2004

Iguchi homer leads Hawks past Fighters

Tadahito Iguchi slammed a game-ending solo homer in the bottom of the 12th as the Pacific League-leading Fukuoka Daiei Hawks edged the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters 7-6 at Fukuoka Dome on Thursday.
SUMO
Sep 24, 2004

Kaio takes possession of lead

Grand champion Asashoryu was handed his third loss of the Autumn Grand Sumo Tournament on Thursday, while ozeki Kaio took sole possession of the lead.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / NIGHT SPY NEWS
Sep 24, 2004

Another world

The newly opened Amanis Cafe is indeed another world, compared to its surroundings in Roppongi. It is huge, occupying almost half of the Roi Building's sub-basement level. And it is sumptuous -- with thick carpeting and wood paneling throughout.
Japan Times
LIFE / Travel
Sep 24, 2004

Northern delights of Sapporo

Despite its easy proximity, brought by the relatively short flying time from Tokyo, an air of remoteness still hangs over Hokkaido. Physically the island is more a last outpost of Siberia than an integral part of Japan. In Hokkaido, little rice grows, scant cherry trees bloom, no rainy season descends,...
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / BEST BAR NONE
Sep 24, 2004

Hiding in the heart of Babylon . . .

Six is the number of trees in Roppongi (the kanji for the area literally reads "six trees"). Three sixes is the number of the beast, as everyone knows. And I've often thought that if you tripled the amount of mayhem to be found in Roppongi on any given night, you'd have a rough approximation of hell....
COMMENTARY / World
Sep 24, 2004

Bets off on Australian election

SYDNEY -- The long reign of Prime Minister John Howard is coming to an end if the latest pre-election opinion polls are any guide. But who believes polls? Certainly nobody caught up in a new round of election frenzy suddenly sweeping Australia.
SUMO
Sep 23, 2004

Asashoryu retains piece of lead

Grand champion Asashoryu remained tied for the lead at the Autumn Grand Sumo Tournament on Wednesday after a gritty win over sixth-ranked maegashira Kakizoe.
OLYMPICS
Sep 23, 2004

Japan Olympians to prepare for tour

Hiroyuki Tomita, Takehiro Kashima and Isao Yoneda, who were all part of the gold medal-winning men's gymnastics team at the Athens Olympics, will compete in the World Cup series in Europe this fall, gymnastics sources said Tuesday.
BASEBALL / MLB
Sep 23, 2004

Rakuten, Livedoor battle for Sendai team

Rakuten president Hiroshi Mikitani says he'll make a formal application Friday to set up a professional baseball team based in Miyagi Prefecture north of Tokyo -- a move that would put the firm in direct competition with fellow Internet services company Livedoor.
BASEBALL / MLB
Sep 23, 2004

Ichiro bears down on Sisler's hits record

ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Ichiro Suzuki went 5-for-5 to pull within 14 hits of equaling George Sisler's major league record of 257 as the Seattle Mariners overpowered the Anaheim Angels 7-3 on Tuesday night.
MORE SPORTS
Sep 23, 2004

Kurihara looking to play overseas

Japan national wing spiker Megumi Kurihara will leave corporate team NEC next month, citing playing style differences with the V. League team, team sources said Wednesday.
BASEBALL / Japanese Baseball
Sep 23, 2004

Dragons near CL flag

Hirokazu Ibata drove in two runs Wednesday night as the Chunichi Dragons closed in on their first Central League pennant in five years with a 3-0 win over the Yakult Swallows.
BUSINESS
Sep 23, 2004

Mad cow scare bludgeons Nakau

Fast food chain operator Nakau Co. said Wednesday it will close up to 28 outlets due to a halt in sales of "gyudon" beef-and-rice dishes triggered by the mad cow disease scare.
BUSINESS
Sep 23, 2004

Vodafone unveils 3G models for yearend season

Vodafone K.K. on Wednesday unveiled seven cell phone models for the yearend shopping season.
BUSINESS
Sep 23, 2004

August trade surplus logs first decline in 14 months

Japan's trade surplus fell 26 percent in August from a year earlier to 576.1 billion yen, marking its first decline in 14 months as higher oil prices pushed up overall import prices, the Finance Ministry said Wednesday.
Japan Times
ENVIRONMENT / ANIMAL TRACKER
Sep 23, 2004

Herring gull

* Japanese name: Segurokamome * Scientific name: Larus argentatus * Description: Herring gulls are large, noisy, boisterous birds. They are white with light gray backs, black wingtips and pink legs that have webbed feet. A key identifying mark is the red spot on the lower tip of their yellow bills....
ENVIRONMENT / OUR PLANET EARTH
Sep 23, 2004

Good stuff, people and advice on how to tailor your consumption

It's back-to-school time again, and whether you are going back, sending your child off, or just getting swept up in the streams of backpack-wielding kids, change is in the air. Time for new books, new people and new gossip, and time to clear the desk even if only for a place to rest your head.

Longform

Sumadori Bar on Shibuya Ward's main Center Gai street targets young customers who prefer low-alcohol drinks or abstain altogether.
Rethinking that second drink: Japan’s Gen Z gets ‘sober curious’