Economy | ANALYSIS
Households to take hit from tax hike
by Tomoko Otake
The consumption tax increase will hit every household in Japan hard, with many people’s financial future hanging on whether their wages rise enough to offset the hike's impact.
Soccer | PREMIER REPORT May 11, 2013
Moyes facing monumental task in taking over for Ferguson
by Christopher Davies
David Moyes has been constantly overlooked by England’s top clubs. Since 2007, by which time Moyes had been in charge of Everton for five years, Chelsea have had five managers, Spurs and Manchester City three each. For whatever reason, Moyes, chosen as Manager of ...
Soccer | PREMIER REPORT May 4, 2013
Not everyone in England would welcome Mourinho back with open arms
by Christopher Davies
Jose Mourinho wants to be where people love him. “In England I am loved by the fans and the media, fairly criticized or credited when I deserve,” he said after Real Madrid’s Champions League knockout by Borussia Dortmund. How quickly he forgets. So do ...
Soccer | PREMIER REPORT Apr 27, 2013
Suarez case latest to show F.A.'s flaws
by Christopher Davies
Whatever punishment had been handed down to Luis Suárez would have been criticized. That the Liverpool striker was banned for 10 games for sinking his teeth into the arm of Chelsea’s Branoslav Ivanovic has outraged some (mainly on the red half of Merseyside) because ...
Soccer | PREMIER REPORT Apr 20, 2013
Third place a good finish for Arsenal
by Christopher Davies
A season which has seen Arsenal knocked out of the domestic cups by League Two Bradford City and Championship struggler Blackburn Rovers, with critics and Gunners fans pointing angry collective fingers at Arsène Wenger, is likely to end with humble pie once again being ...
Soccer | PREMIER REPORT Apr 13, 2013
Man City better off keeping Mancini
by Christopher Davies
According to some reports, Manchester City has lined up various replacements should Roberto Mancini be fired this summer. This, of course, presupposes the club’s power brokers have met to discuss possible successors in case they decide to fire the Italian. Apart from this unlikely ...
Soccer | PREMIER REPORT Apr 6, 2013
Di Canio hiring destined for disaster
by Christopher Davies
Blunderland FC is searching for a new manager. Chairman Ellis Long heads a board meeting. Long: “How about Paolo di Canio?” One stunned director almost spits out a mouthful of coffee. “Mr. Chairman, di Canio has never managed higher than League One and his, ...
Soccer | PREMIER REPORT Mar 30, 2013
England no lock for 2014 World Cup
by Christopher Davies
No English clubs left in the Champions League and a growing possibility of Montenegro, Ethiopia, Uzbekistan and Panama at the 2014 World Cup but not England. March has not been a good month for the country that gave the world its favorite sport. The ...
Sports | PREMIER REPORT Mar 22, 2013
Montenegro a challenge for England
by Christopher Davies
It is a moment Jonathan Pearce will never forget. Pearce, who now has a leading role in the BBC’s football commentating team, was covering the 1994 World Cup qualifying game between San Marino and England for the commercial radio station Capital Gold in November ...
Sports | PREMIER REPORT Mar 16, 2013
Stakes high in Aston Villa-QPR battle
by Christopher Davies
Two in-form teams go head-to-head Saturday in a game that will go a long way to deciding the Premier League fate of Aston Villa and Queens Park Rangers. Despite the specter of relegation that hovers over both clubs, each approaches the showdown in a ...
Soccer | PREMIER REPORT Mar 9, 2013
Time for England to stop whining
by Christopher Davies
“Show me a good loser and I’ll show you a loser.” — Vince Lombardi Vince Lombardi knew a thing or two about winning, leading the Green Bay Packers to victory in the first two Super Bowls. For him, winning was not the most important ...
Soccer | PREMIER REPORT Mar 2, 2013
Benitez never had chance with Chelsea
by Christopher Davies
Like all Chelsea managers, Rafa Benitez was a dead man walking from day one. Of the previous eight during the Abramovich era, only Guus Hiddink wasn’t fired, but the Dutchman was on loan from the Russian Football Federation for three months. Even the trigger-happy ...
Soccer | PREMIER REPORT Feb 23, 2013
Wenger getting diminishing returns
by Christopher Davies
The case for the prosecution is now stronger than that put by the defense. The English media have been reluctant to criticize Arsene Wenger because no manager has been more helpful during the 16 years he has been in charge at Arsenal, yet as ...