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EDITORIALS

Jan 15, 2007

For lack of clean water

The United Nations Development Program's Human Development Report 2006, which focuses on water and sanitation, says that a deepening global water crisis threatens prospects for human development in the 21st century. Some 1.1 billion people lack access to clean water and 2.6 billion people are without...

EDITORIALS

Jan 15, 2007

Accountability in product safety

A series of accidents involving consumer products has led to a revision of the law to ensure product safety. The revised law should serve as an incentive for better quality control on the part of manufacturers. Public concern about product safety deepened after reports of 28 cases of carbon monoxide...

EDITORIALS

Jan 14, 2007

ETA's fatal miscalculations

When is a ceasefire not a ceasefire? When it is punctuated by bombings. Yet, even after taking responsibility for a blast that killed two people, the Basque separatist group ETA claims that it is adhering to a permanent ceasefire declared in March.

EDITORIALS

Jan 13, 2007

Likely more of the same

On Wednesday night in Washington, U.S. President George W. Bush delivered the most important speech of his presidency -- his long-awaited "new strategy" for Iraq. In fact, much of its key provisions had been leaked to the press. And upon close examination, it is difficult to see where the strategy heralds...

EDITORIALS

Jan 12, 2007

Opportunity in Somalia

Somalia's recent history is sad and confusing. The war-torn country has had 14 governments in 15 years; none has been able to stabilize the country. Most recently, Ethiopia sent troops into Somalia to drive the ruling Union of Islamic Courts from power and restore the government of President Abdullahi...

EDITORIALS

Jan 11, 2007

Baby boomers can continue to shine

A large number of postwar baby boomers reach retirement age this year. The working population, aged 15 to 64, will decrease by several hundred thousand people every year while the number of citizens aged 65 or older will continue to increase.

EDITORIALS

Jan 11, 2007

Uphold self-defense principles

The Defense Agency was upgraded to the Defense Ministry on Tuesday in accordance with a law revision supported by the Liberal Democratic Party, Komeito and the Democratic Party of Japan. The defense minister can now directly ask the Finance Ministry for funding for the Self-Defense Forces as well as...

EDITORIALS

Jan 10, 2007

Caring for the victims of crime

The government's first white paper on crime victims says that 222 of 258 measures designed to help crime victims have been implemented. The basic law for crime victims, which took effect in April 2005, requires the government to report annually on the progress of support for crime victims. It is hoped...

EDITORIALS

Jan 10, 2007

Candidates who can win

As it has become certain that an Upper House election, which will decide the nation's political direction, will be held July 22 unless the regular Diet session is extended, political parties have started serious preparations. While the opposition Democratic Party of Japan's leader Ichiro Ozawa is busy...

EDITORIALS

Jan 9, 2007

Driving a train under pressure

On the morning of April 25, 2005, a "rapid service" (express) commuter train derailed along a curve between Tsukaguchi and Amagasaki stations on the West Japan Railway Co.'s Fukuchiyama Line in Hyogo Prefecture, slamming into a nine-story condominium building near the tracks. The accident killed 106...

EDITORIALS

Jan 8, 2007

World epidemic defies retreat

The HIV/AIDS epidemic continues to grow more than 25 years after the epidemic was identified, despite worldwide efforts to prevent and contain it. According to a recent update on the epidemic jointly issued by UNAIDS (Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS) and WHO (World Health Organization), an estimated...

EDITORIALS

Jan 7, 2007

Toyota as No. 1

Fifty years ago, Toyota Motor Co., a virtually unknown upstart, entered the U.S. market. Last month, Toyota predicted that it would become the world's largest automaker in 2007, overtaking General Motors. In U.S. auto sales for 2006, Toyota passed Chrysler Group and became No. 3. That is a remarkable...

One of the many entrances to the Kabukicho neighborhood in Tokyo’s Shinjuku Ward.

Kabukicho: Tokyo’s ‘stadium of desire’

Japan's growing ranks of centenarians are redefining what it means to live in a super-aging society.

What comes after 100?

By Tomoko Otake

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Tsukuba massif granite, one of the world’s few heritage stones

Tsukuba massif granite, one of the world’s few heritage stones

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