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COMMENTARY / THE VIEW FROM NEW YORK
Dec 30, 2002

Pomp, ceremony and the U.S. presidency

NEW YORK -- A new book by Christopher Anderson is called "George and Laura: Portrait of an American Marriage." Andersen, who also wrote "Jack and Jackie" and "Bill and Hillary," may not always be "respectful," to quote a reviewer, toward America's First Couples, but the appearance of his latest book...
EDITORIALS
Dec 27, 2002

Resuscitate local economies

Japan's economy for 2003 poses inevitable questions. Will deflation get worse or better? How far will banks go to shed their dud loans? If the United States goes to war with Iraq, how will it affect the economy? In these increasingly uncertain times, forecasting is a tricky business. Offering stock answers...
EDITORIALS
Dec 24, 2002

Afghan revival depends on security

Sunday marked the first anniversary of the establishment of an interim government in Afghanistan following the collapse of the Islamic fundamentalist Taliban regime. Earlier this month, Mr. Hamid Karzai, head of the transitional government that took over from an interim administration in June, noted...
COMMUNITY / How-tos / LIFELINES
Dec 24, 2002

Clothing homeless volunteering and kids' art classes

Donating old clothes Being the season of good cheer and giving rather than receiving, here are some ways to help those less fortunate than ourselves.
EDITORIALS
Dec 23, 2002

Pay cuts demand job security

It has been a long time since the word "shunto" -- the spring labor offensive -- stood for its traditional meaning. With the domestic economy caught in a deflationary spiral, the idea of winning across-the-board wage concessions from management on top of regular pay increases no longer holds water. So...
EDITORIALS
Dec 20, 2002

A bigger Europe for what purpose?

At a summit last weekend in Copenhagen, the European Union reached a historic agreement to add 10 new members. Expansion will nearly double the size of the union, but it only underscores a long-standing question: What is the ultimate goal of the EU? There is, as yet, no convincing answer.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music / THE SECOND ROOM
Dec 20, 2002

The yearend holidays are groovin'; Big news for Empress "D"; party picks

Peace, Love, Unity, Respect. Peace on Earth, goodwill toward men.
EDITORIALS
Dec 17, 2002

Check the spread of missiles

The seizure and release of a North Korean ship carrying Scud missiles bound for Yemen highlights two serious international issues: Pyongyang's readiness to export destabilizing weapons and the proliferation of ballistic missiles. The ship and its cargo were released because there was no apparent violation...
COMMENTARY
Dec 16, 2002

Britain braces for dilemma

LONDON -- At the speed of an express train, a formidable new dilemma is hurtling toward the British government: how to respond to the prospect of a written constitution that the leaders of the European Union are determined to have. Drafts are already being circulated and will be finalized in the next...
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / BEST BAR NONE
Dec 15, 2002

Close encounter with a UFO navigator

By the time you read this, Raphael Sebbag will be celebrating the 20th anniversary of his arrival in Japan. He will not only be able to reflect on how much he's seen change in that time, but he will also be able to take responsibility for having engineered some of those changes as a DJ in Tokyo's club...
SOCCER / PREMIER REPORT
Dec 13, 2002

Transfer market reveals evidence of shadowy money trail

LONDON -- During the Nineties the Football Association launched what was to be a four-year inquiry into alleged "bungs" -- dodgy transfer dealings where various middle men, ranging from agents to club managers and chairmen, were alleged to have benefited illegally.
BASKETBALL / NBA / NBA REPORT
Dec 12, 2002

Tomjanovich should add Washington to staff

NEW YORK -- If Sacramento Kings president Geoff Petrie, a two-time NBA Executive-of-the-Year winner, wants to earn permanent Petey Props, he will apply for the NBA's first legal exception.
COMMENTARY
Dec 12, 2002

Which is worse, adultery or promiscuity?

JEJU, South Korea -- Adultery or promiscuity: Which is worse? Oddly enough, that question hung over discussions at the United Nations-ROK conference* that convened last week at this South Korean resort. Those of us debating "changing security dynamics and their implications for disarmament and nonproliferation"...
Japan Times
ENVIRONMENT / OUR PLANET EARTH
Dec 12, 2002

A fresh approach

Ten years ago, at the first Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Severn Cullis-Suzuki got the chance to make the speech of her life.
COMMENTARY / World
Dec 11, 2002

Relax, Australia's not invading anyone

SYDNEY -- To hear some Southeast Asian leaders sound off lately, a casual observer might suspect Australia is about to invade Indonesia or Malaysia or even the Philippines. Such is the folly of listening to "news" as whipped up by audience-boosting television channels fed by headline-grabbing politicians....
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Dec 11, 2002

All I want for Christmas is the third of the tonic chord

As 2002 draws to a close, public halls are bracing themselves for the regular flood of yearend classical music concerts featuring Beethoven's Symphony No. 9 "Choral."
MORE SPORTS
Dec 8, 2002

'El Nino' takes golfing world by storm

MIYAZAKI -- As a kid growing up, Sergio Garcia dreamed of being a soccer star for his beloved Real Madrid. With no disrespect to his potential soccer abilities, it is probably a good thing that he chose to become a professional golfer. Since turning pro in 1999, "El Nino" has taken the golfing world...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music / JAZZNICITY
Dec 8, 2002

More than meets the ear

There's just not enough time to write up every good jazz band in Tokyo. As the year draws to an end, I find myself with a backlog of quality musicians who play regularly in the capital. So, in order not to leave out any great picks, here's a Christmas list for your listening pleasure. These players'...
Japan Times
COMMUNITY
Dec 7, 2002

Journeying back to tribal roots with eagle feather

Two years ago, after more than a decade in Japan, Shirley (Blackstar) Macdonald and her husband, Chris, decided it was time to go home. Now they run Eagle Feather Gallery in Victoria, British Columbia, with a magnificent cedar house in deep forest north of the city. A long way from working in Tokyo,...
COMMENTARY / World
Dec 6, 2002

Blocs should transcend members' shortcomings

CHIANG MAI, Thailand -- As long as regional cooperation develops in various parts of the world, it is only natural that some concerns are voiced from time to time, especially about the composition of these groupings.
MORE SPORTS
Dec 5, 2002

Ono replaces Kimura at Sanfrecce

Takeshi Ono on Wednesday was named the new manager of Sanfrecce Hiroshima following the departure of Takahiro Kimura, who resigned earlier in the day after his side was relegated to the second division on the final day of the J. League season.
COMMENTARY / JAPAN IN THE GLOBAL ERA
Dec 2, 2002

Women's creativity waiting to be tapped

LAUSANNE, Switzerland -- Several months ago, I mentioned I would be addressing the gender question in a future article. I received several letters urging me to do so. A couple of correspondents, however, argued that the question of women is a purely domestic affair and not relevant to the theme of "Japan...
Japan Times
LIFE / Lifestyle / JET STREAM
Dec 2, 2002

Single mom, sons taste the expat life

In August this year, Nhora Prieto, a native of Colombia, and her two sons arrived in the tiny town of Shichinohe, Aomori Prefecture -- with a population little over 10,000 -- where she now works as an assistant language teacher of English.
COMMENTARY
Dec 1, 2002

Strange public works allergy

Sunday saw the opening of the long-delayed Morioka-Hachinohe extension of the Tohoku Shinkansen (Northeast Japan bullet-train line). Local people will be happy. But don't expect great outbursts of joy elsewhere. Japan is into one of its periodic antipublic works moods.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY
Dec 1, 2002

'Mongrel' seeker after new self-understandings

"One day, people will realize they are a mongrel people with a mongrel history."
JAPAN
Nov 30, 2002

Ruling parties to pull out of JNR accord

The three ruling parties said Friday they will withdraw from an agreement with the Social Democratic Party aimed at resolving a 16-year dispute between former workers of the defunct Japanese National Railways and Japan Railway group firms, coalition officials said.
JAPAN
Nov 30, 2002

Princess Aiko nears first birthday

Princess Aiko, the first child of Crown Prince Naruhito and Crown Princess Masako, will celebrate her first birthday Sunday.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Nov 30, 2002

Car-sharing gears up to find a foothold

SEIKA, Kyoto Pref. -- Sonoko Umemura, an official at the Kansai Economic Federation in Osaka, reserves a car by mobile phone when she travels to Kansai Science City so that she can drive to research centers scattered across an area not well served by the public transportation system.

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