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BUSINESS
May 22, 2002

Nissan, Toyota gear up to win lion's share of minivan market

Nissan Motor Co. and Toyota Motor Corp. are gearing up for keener competition in the minivan market, auto industry officials said Tuesday.
BUSINESS
May 22, 2002

Toyobo hit by securities appraisals

OSAKA -- Toyobo Co. said Tuesday its group net balance fell into the red in the 2001 business year due mainly to appraisal losses on securities holdings.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Art
May 22, 2002

The star-spangled chawan

...
Japan Times
JAPAN
May 22, 2002

Clinton pushes concept of interdependence rather than globalization

Creating an integrated world community in which nations can discuss global issues such as security and aid for developing countries together with the United Nations is one of the biggest challenges for the 21st century, former U.S. President Bill Clinton said Tuesday in Tokyo.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Stage
May 22, 2002

Generous with their talents

Nestled among the markets, cafes and residential manshon of northern Nogizaka in Tokyo's Minato Ward is a tiny studio theater called Studio Akasaka Playbox.
BUSINESS
May 22, 2002

Matsushita, Toray to build plasma displays

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co. and Toray Industries Inc. said Tuesday they will build a second domestic plant to manufacture plasma display panels to push their joint global PDP output above 1.5 million units a year.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Stage
May 22, 2002

The goodness of small things

The stage of "Masurca Fogo" represents choreographer Pina Bausch's aesthetic world. And what a wide world it is: The 22 dancers are drawn from far and wide, and the music ranges from Brazilian samba and Portuguese fado, to k.d. lang and Duke Ellington.
BUSINESS
May 22, 2002

Toshiba creates slim, flexible LCD

Toshiba Corp. said Tuesday it has developed what it claims is the world's first large flexible liquid crystal display, paving the way for showing images on curved screens and foldable LCDs.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music / HIGH NOTES
May 22, 2002

Theo Bleckmann and Ben Monder

Vocalist Theo Bleckmann only occasionally sings in an identifiable language, a trait that reinforces the impression that he is of another world, a messenger graced with an ethereal sense of beauty and a childlike fascination for exploring the unknown. His style is evocative and beckoning rather than...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music / J-POPSICLE
May 22, 2002

For Utada, third time's, uh, same-ish

Set for a June 19 release, Hikaru Utada's third album, "Deep River," doesn't contain any major surprises, staying true to the pop/R&B synthesis that has proven so successful for the singer since she burst onto the scene with her debut single, "Automatic/Time Will Tell," back in December 1998.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Art
May 22, 2002

The beautiful game becomes art

Soccer commentators, in their hyperbolic struggle to convey the excitement of the sport, sometimes refer to it as an art. This analogy isn't totally offside, as there's no denying the aesthetic element of a sport requiring so much strength, speed and coordination. But what happens when the kinetic art...
BUSINESS / ON THE FRONT LINE
May 22, 2002

Watch for consequences of yen's surge

The yen has suddenly begun surging on the world currency market, hitting a five-month high of just over 125 to the dollar.
CULTURE / Music / HIGH NOTES
May 22, 2002

Tara Jane O'Neil and Daniel Littleton

The underground railroad that crisscrosses the United States, connecting the apartments and rehearsal spaces and basement studios of indie musicians who seem to make a living out of thin air, has created its own social dynamic. It seems naive to talk about "scenes" in terms of single cities, like Austin...
BUSINESS
May 22, 2002

Caribbean may end up top banana in paper manufacturing

Banana paper may provide cash-strapped Caribbean countries with the best hope for a brighter future.
BASEBALL / MLB
May 22, 2002

Tatsunami grand slam keeps Dragons on fire

Kazuyoshi Tatsunami hit a grand slam in the bottom of the ninth inning off Yakult's Ryota Igarashi (3-1) to give Chunichi its eighth win in a row and the first "sayonara" victory of the season -- a 7-3 win over Yakult at the Nagoya Dome.
CULTURE / Music / HIGH NOTES
May 22, 2002

Vicente Amigo

Flamenco guitarist Vicente Amigo has "duende," that mysterious Iberian quality similar to "soul" that inspires the most passionate expressions of Spanish culture. This week he brings it to Tokyo for two performances accompanied by fellow flamenco musicians and dancers from Spain, along with backing from...
BUSINESS
May 22, 2002

Airline SkynetAsia gets approval for operations

A Miyazaki-based airline venture obtained government approval Tuesday to launch flights in August between Miyazaki airport and Haneda airport in Tokyo, setting itself up to become the third new major domestic airline after Skymark Airlines Co. and Hokkaido International Airlines Co. (Air Do).
Japan Times
CULTURE / Art / NEW ART SEEN
May 22, 2002

From the edges of 'reality'

At the most basic level of classification, most paintings can be assigned to one of two broad but fairly clear-cut categories: representational or abstract. This is to say that what appears on the canvas has generally evolved either from people, places or things found in the real world; or from ideas...
EDITORIALS
May 21, 2002

A nation is born

The long-thwarted hopes and dreams of the East Timorese people were realized when their country was born at midnight Sunday night. The celebrations were spectacular, but they were also tinged with fear: The world's newest nation faces daunting challenges. Fortunately, East Timor enjoys widespread support...
SUMO
May 21, 2002

Musashimaru, Chiyotaikai stay undefeated as ozeki fall

Yokozuna Musashimaru had little trouble toppling rank-and-filer Akinoshima to remain undefeated Monday but Musoyama, Tochiazuma and Kaio all fell on a day of bad luck and shoddy sumo for ozeki at the Summer Grand Sumo Tournament.
SOCCER / J. League / ON THE BALL
May 21, 2002

Fans getting feisty at World Cup ticket no show

With the World Cup getting ever closer, soccer fans are getting increasingly worried about the whereabouts of their tickets.
Japan Times
JAPAN / KANSAI BEAT
May 21, 2002

High-flying Tigers pitch for orphans

NISHINOMIYA, Hyogo Pref. -- With the Hanshin Tigers having their best start in years this season, the pride of the Kansai area has been the center of public and media attention.
JAPAN
May 21, 2002

Titanium dioxide plus sunlight spells clean

The exterior walls of the Toto Research Institute in Chigasaki, Kanagawa Prefecture, look like patchwork; some square areas are dark with stains while others are spotless.

Longform

Sociologist Gracia Liu-Farrer argues that even though immigration doesn't figure into Japan's autobiography, it is more of a self-perception than a reality.
In search of the ‘Japanese dream’