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COMMENTARY / World
Apr 30, 2010

A cloud over airplane safety

PRINCETON, N.J. — When airports across Europe reopened after the closure caused by the eruption of Iceland's Eyjafjallajokull volcano, it was not because the amount of ash in the atmosphere had dropped, but because the risk that the ash posed to airplane safety had been reassessed. Was it new scientific...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Art / INSIDE ART
Apr 30, 2010

Japan's modern art gets an online boost

T he Bank of Japan has come under a lot of fire of late, but there's at least one thing it can be proud of: the work of former employee Rasa Tsuda.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Apr 30, 2010

Only got 4Minutes to take the world

T he five young members of 4Minute sit dressed in tight, black leather outfits at a luxury hotel in Ebisu, Tokyo. It's one day before their Japanese debut, but they show no signs of nerves.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Apr 30, 2010

Acid Mothers Temple

Since being formed by band leader Makoto Kawabata in the mid 1990s, Osaka's premier purveyors of heavy psychedelic rock and modern kosmische musik have existed in an ever-mutating series of iterations, incorporating dozens of members, collaborators and former members. The intimidatingly- titled "Battle...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Apr 30, 2010

Arabaki Rock Fest

Boasting its biggest lineup to date, the 10th edition of Miyagi Prefecture's Arabaki Rock Fest includes nearly 120 acts. Attracting an average annual weekend crowd of 35,000, the outdoor concert features six stages of live music from morning till night on Saturday and Sunday. Those staying overnight...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Art
Apr 30, 2010

In the hope that death does not do us part

In "Do Not go Gentle Into That Good Night," the 20th-century Welsh poet Dylan Thomas famously defied death with the words, "Rage, rage against the dying of the light." In a more conceptual art way, the Japanese-born New York-based Shusaku Arakawa (b.1936) is similarly indignant. He wants to make dying...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Art
Apr 30, 2010

Rising from the ashes of Pompeii

In the Christian era that succeeded the pagan one, the destruction of the Roman cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD was always thought of in apocalyptic terms, much like the Biblical destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah by "fire and brimstone." It was felt that the...
Japan Times
LIFE / Lifestyle
Apr 29, 2010

Why cook food when it is better for you raw?

Sixteen years ago, the Boutenkos were a family in crisis. Mother Victoria was overweight and depressed. Her husband, Sergei, had arthritis. Their teenage son was battling diabetes, while their daughter suffered from asthma.
COMMENTARY
Apr 28, 2010

U.K. overdoses on change

British politics has been turned upside down by recent events. The traditional two-party battle between Labour and Conservatives has been thrown into confusion by a big surge in support for a third party, the Liberal Democrats. The likely result could be a "hung parliament," with the Conservatives being...
ENVIRONMENT / OUR PLANET EARTH
Apr 25, 2010

Will arrogance and ignorance doom our biosphere?

This year, 2010, is the United Nations' International Year of Biodiversity — which is a very good thing. But why this critically important global concern gets just one year is seriously worth debating.
Japan Times
LIFE
Apr 25, 2010

Tabi-maker steps out in style

Ryo Yonehara is the 30-year-old president of Tabi-ji, a Nara-based company making and selling tabi (traditional Japanese split-toe footwear).
JAPAN
Apr 23, 2010

'Cove' director reacts to base ban

The director of "The Cove" said Thursday that a decision by a U.S. military base in Japan to ban the Oscar-winning film on dolphin killings and protests at the local distributor's office won't silence the film's message on saving dolphins.
EDITORIALS
Apr 23, 2010

Let campaigning join digital age

Momentum has increased in the Diet to allow use of the Internet during election campaigns. The ruling and opposition parties are now engaged in consultation over the matter.
Events / Events Outside Tokyo
Apr 23, 2010

Petit Louvre stresses art education for kids, which is no small feat

Volcanic ash might have put the kibosh on the family trip to Europe, but a piece of Paris awaits you in Nagano Prefecture.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Apr 23, 2010

Inspector Cluzo mix rock, blues, funk — no bass

Last year, French rock group The Inspector Cluzo played 185 concerts in 23 countries. Despite linguistic and cultural differences between the guitar-and-drums duo and their audiences, they had little difficulty spreading their basic message: "F-ck the bass player."
Japan Times
CULTURE / Art / ART BRIEF
Apr 23, 2010

"Taylor Deupree: Unseen"

NADiff ClosesApril 25
Japan Times
CULTURE / Art / ART BRIEF
Apr 23, 2010

"Wilhelm Sasnal: 16 mm films"

Rat Hole GalleryCloses June 6
Japan Times
CULTURE / Art
Apr 23, 2010

Taking a name for themselves

"What's in a name? Juliet asks in "Romeo and Juliet." Half a world away, two close contemporaries of Shakespeare, though painters not writers, could have offered some answers: reputation, privilege, commissions and ultimately value.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Art
Apr 23, 2010

Molding the way for new silverwork design

Raising, chasing, casting, forging, reticulation, repousse . . . even the terms that describe metalworking can be daunting to the novice, while the processes themselves prove metal to be one of the most difficult materials to tame. But what if you had a malleable metal substance that would take shape...
JAPAN
Apr 22, 2010

Geos school chain files for bankruptcy

Geos Corp., a major operator of foreign-language schools, has filed for bankruptcy with the Tokyo District Court with debts of ¥7.5 billion, and rival G.communication Co. will take over some of the defunct company's schools, the two companies announced Wednesday.
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Apr 21, 2010

New JLPT format: boon for some, bane for most

For students trying to leap the cavernous divide between Level 3 and Level 2 of the Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) (日本語能力試験), a new test being held for the first time on July 4 breaks the task into two smaller, more manageable hops. Other students, though, might find that progress...
JAPAN
Apr 17, 2010

Media get glimpse of Nara's 1,300th anniversary celebrations

NARA — A press preview of the celebrations for the 1,300th anniversary of the founding of Heijyo-kyo as Japan's ancient capital, which officially begin on April 24, was held Friday, as Nara officials scramble to put the final touches on an event they hope will boost the area's appeal as a tourist destination....
Japan Times
COMMUNITY
Apr 17, 2010

Fuji veteran brings kids English Adventure

If you hike in the Chichibu mountains this summer in Saitama Prefecture, you may stumble across an American-style summer camp with huge tents and 50 to 60 school kids exploring nature with walks and tree-climbing adventures and enjoying campfires and roasting marshmallows.
MORE SPORTS
Apr 16, 2010

Roethlisberger to learn fate soon

PITTSBURGH (AP) NFL commissioner Roger Goodell says he will decide soon whether to punish Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger for his off-the-field troubles.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Stage
Apr 16, 2010

Director-actor Hideto Iwai proves that anything is possible when you come out of hiding

Tokyo-based Hi-bye, whose name means "crawling-death" (from the Japanese hi-hi, meaning "to crawl," and the English farewell, "bye-bye") was founded in 2003 by playwright, director and actor Hideto Iwai, 35, and has built a reputation for its keen observations of the darker and weaker aspects of humans...

Longform

Atsuyoshi Koike, the president and CEO of Rapidus, says there is a “sense of urgency” when it comes to Japan’s efforts in manufacturing semiconductors. “We have to make sure we are successful,” he says.
Atsuyoshi Koike’s big game: Fourth down and 2 nanometers to go