Economy
Fed to start tapering bond purchases this year: Bernanke
by No Author
The Federal Reserve maintains its $85 billion-a-month asset purchase program, but says it could begin scaling back later this year.
Voices | VIEWS FROM THE STREET Dec 1, 2009
What should the new government do to improve life for foreign residents?
Romain Martin, 25 Video editor (French) The transport system in Japan is very good, but I would like to see the prices lowered. I know it’s all privatized, but things like shinkansens are so expensive. Tatjana Minow (German) Pharmaceuticals, 33 The housing situation in ...
Music Nov 27, 2009
A revolution off the record
As the clock struck midnight on Dec. 31, 1999, hundreds of thousands worldwide were reveling in clubs and arenas to the sounds of records played by their favorite DJs. Little were they to know that in the space of 10 years the record was ...
Voices | VIEWS FROM THE STREET Oct 20, 2009
What do you think of U.S. President Barack Obama receiving the Nobel Peace Prize?
Sam Bourque, 32 Unemployed (Canadian) It was more theatrical than anything else. It was about the momentum Obama can generate rather than anything he has achieved. It brings into question the legitimacy of the prize. Aya Ando, 22 Student (Japanese) Obama talks about peace ...
CD Review Oct 16, 2009
Dizzee Rascal "Tongue N' Cheek"
Rascal is back with a new album that sees him move into the mainstream with an effortlessness that nobody would have predicted back in 2003. What we have instead of the old gritty rapper persona is a little, well, surreal. “See me on the ...
Concert Preview Oct 9, 2009
Sinden
Keeping true to form, the latest edition of Ganban Night sees the event bring across an overseas DJ who is both genre defying and currently favored by the hipster crowd. London-based Graeme Sinden is a DJ known for sets that fly through genres ranging ...
Voices | VIEWS FROM THE STREET Sep 29, 2009
What do you think of the new guideline linking visa renewal to health insurance enrollment?
Dave Callaghan, 37 Soccer coach (Brit) It isn’t a very good idea. I can understand that Japan wants us to be insured, but the system seems unreasonable. I think the money will be used to pay for the new government’s policies. Andrew Hogan, 27 ...
Language | BILINGUAL Sep 16, 2009
How to write a speech for a wedding in Japan
If you are nonnative and have decided to marry a Japanese, congratulations are in order. But prepare for a world of worry if you plan to have the kekkonshiki (結婚式, wedding) in Japan. I went through this experience recently. Your partner — the hanayome ...
Voices | VIEWS FROM THE STREET Sep 1, 2009
Do you have a message for the next prime minister of Japan?
Hiroshi Ikeya, 65 Food industry worker After the election, the prime minister — who will definitely be Yukio Hatoyama — should try to reinvigorate the economy. I really hope he can manage to do this. Yoko Taniguchi, 38 IT public relations Please take care ...
Voices | VIEWS FROM THE STREET Aug 11, 2009
Who would you like to see triumph in the upcoming election?
Naomi Imai, 48 Part-time worker I read a comparison of all the political parties in a newspaper this morning, and I think that New Komeito has the best policies, so they may be in with a chance on Aug. 30. Sebastian Nowak, 34 Businessman ...
Concert Preview Jun 5, 2009
Big Beach Festival
We’ve come a long way since every record Fatboy Slim touched would turn to platinum. Despite experiencing less chart success, though, the star — also known as Norman Cook — can still fill the biggest venues anywhere in the world. On June 6, he ...
Events Outside Tokyo May 1, 2009
Watch out, Beedle's about
One big difference between dance music and rock is the way enthusiasts select what to listen to: While rock fans tend to listen to full albums, dance-music types generally listen to a single song by an anonymous artist or compilations put together in a ...
Events Outside Tokyo Apr 17, 2009
Defected celebrates a decade on the dance floor
In the decade since Defected Records released its first single, Soulsearcher’s “Can’t Get Enough,” the label has become a byword for soulful house in Britain and has grown to be one of the biggest independent record labels on the international dance scene. On April ...