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Mariko Kato
For Mariko Kato's latest contributions to The Japan Times, see below:
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / WHO'S WHO
Feb 16, 2010
Instinct key for singer-entrepreneur
For a musician and entrepreneur with many professional faces, Australian Donna Burke is surprisingly wary of constantly taking work-related calls.
JAPAN
Feb 13, 2010
Kyoto plans kimono revival with metropolitan designs in Tokyo
Kyoto will open a casual kimono store in Tokyo in March aimed at spreading the traditional outfit among metropolitan women, the city announced Friday.
JAPAN
Feb 6, 2010
Quick rise, meteoric fall mark career of troubled yokozuna
In his 11-year career, sumo wrestler Asashoryu stomped out record-breaking wins to become the undisputed champion of the past decade. Yet his reign was littered with scandals that floored the traditional sport, where athletes are expected to act with decorum both in and out of the ring.
JAPAN
Feb 5, 2010
Valentine's chocolate defies recession
As many businesses continue to shake their heads over how tough it is to make sales in these financially difficult times, "cheaper is better" is the strategy of the day, with shops slicing prices for everything from "gyudon" (beef on rice) to jeans.
JAPAN
Jan 29, 2010
Guiding hand for Indonesian nurses
Cultural barriers faced by Indonesian nurses who come to this country to work are gradually being lowered, but the government has yet to help the Japanese hospital staff adapt, according to Keio University professors who recently launched an in-house training program to teach the employees how best to welcome the new additions.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / WHO'S WHO
Jan 26, 2010
Artist perseveres to embrace life in Japan, keep tapped to Iran roots
Award-winning Iranian artist Mansour Kordbacheh has lived in Japan for 21 years and feels the weight of it on his shoulders.
JAPAN
Jan 22, 2010
Stop the presses — foreign media pulling out of Japan
Major foreign media outlets are leaving Japan in droves, a sign of financial difficulties at home as the news industry struggles with falling advertising revenue. But observers note that Japan is also losing its appeal as the most newsworthy country in Asia, with China now the hot spot.
JAPAN
Jan 20, 2010
Students want jobs at ANA, traders, Shiseido
As student job seekers struggle amid the worst employment situation in years, All Nippon Airways topped their list of sought-after employers for a second year, while troubled Japan Airlines fell to 52nd place, according to a recent survey conducted by a major job-hunting Web site.
JAPAN / Q&A
Jan 20, 2010
Mileage members fret over their points earned on JAL, credit cards
With Japan Airlines filing for bankruptcy and undergoing court-led rehabilitation, consumers are worried about how this may affect their mileage points and points they have saved by using JAL credit cards.
JAPAN
Jan 15, 2010
Tokyo library reaching out to foreign community
Whether to read a Pulitzer Prize-winning author in English, flick through global editions of Vogue magazine or delve into foreign encyclopedias, the Tokyo Metropolitan Library wants more foreigners to visit and take advantage of its free multilingual resources.
Japan Times
JAPAN / EXPLAINER
Jan 12, 2010
Japan life: Etiquette by the numbers
Have you ever tried to shake hands with a Japanese only to be bowed at instead?
JAPAN
Jan 5, 2010
Jobless ranks exit shelter, are relocated
The holiday-season shelter run by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government closed Monday, and some 800 lodgers were taken to different accommodations to continue their hunt for homes and jobs.
JAPAN / LOOMING CHALLENGES
Jan 5, 2010
Experts say Japan must change how it is handling low birthrate
The government has been grappling with a low birthrate for 20 years, but experts say the Hatoyama administration must step up the game if Japan is to maintain a leading role on the international stage.
JAPAN
Dec 30, 2009
Will warmer ties burn Taiwan?
For many countries China is a key partner in international relations, whether in recovering from the financial crisis or tackling climate change. And this is no less true for Taiwan, whose government is sidelining long-term political disputes with the mainland for the sake of improving economic ties.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Dec 29, 2009
Tokyo homeless shelter opens
A holiday-season shelter set up by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government opened Monday in Shibuya Ward to take in hundreds of laid-off workers.
Japan Times
JAPAN / READERS' FUND
Dec 21, 2009
Refugees struggle to survive funding cuts
Last in a series
Japan Times
JAPAN / READERS' FUND
Dec 19, 2009
Charity keeps Manila kids afloat
When Typhoon Ketsana triggered the worst floods in 40 years in Manila and surrounding areas in September, among those who suffered most were the children living in the slums near Laguna Lake.
JAPAN
Dec 9, 2009
Taiwan out in cold on climate issue
TAIPEI — A sightseeing train stands abandoned on a mountainside in southern Taiwan. The railway in Alishan, a popular destination for Japanese tourists, should be taking thousands of visitors every day past red cypresses for panoramic views.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Nov 27, 2009
Entrepreneurs lack serious support
Entrepreneurship must be encouraged more if Japan is to play a key role on the global stage, and foreign entrepreneurs are in a great position to lead the way, experts said at a recent conference in Tokyo.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Nov 20, 2009
'Runaway sites' latest Net-based exploitation of young girls
First there were the "enjo kosai" Internet sites where underage girls hook up with adult males in exchange for money. Now there's a new type of Web site that unites girls running away from home with men offering a place to stay in return for sexual favors.

Longform

A statue of "Dragon Ball" character Goku stands outside the offices of Bandai Namco in Tokyo. The figure is now as recognizable as such characters as Mickey Mouse and Spider-Man.
Akira Toriyama's gift to the world