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COMMENTARY

Jul 24, 2002

Chirac sets out to win voters' hearts

By Andre Fontaine

PARIS -- Once again, some 150,000 people lined the Champs Elysees on July 14 to watch the Bastille Day parade. At noon, President Jacques Chirac received 6,000 guests at the traditional party held in the palace gardens. At 1 p.m., as he has always done since his first election in 1995, he gave an interview...

EDITORIALS

Jul 23, 2002

Invisible hand vs. sleight of hand

During the past few weeks, the world has rendered a verdict on U.S.-style capitalism and the results are not pretty. Markets are plunging, the dollar is shedding value against major currencies and executives have been thrown to the lions. There is a crisis of confidence in U.S. business, and rightfully...

COMMENTARY

Jul 23, 2002

Who can succeed Koizumi?

By Kenzo Uchida

A sense of frustration prevails as the marathon Diet session nears its end. Since it convened in January, the scandal-racked legislature has achieved very little, and the political situation has become increasingly unstable.

COMMENTARY

Jul 23, 2002

Musharraf challenged on several fronts

By Farhan Bokhari

ISLAMABAD -- In its eagerness to intensify its fight against domestic terrorism, the government of Pakistani President Gen. Pervez Musharraf has scored important gains recently.

COMMENTARY

Jul 22, 2002

Tokyo, Seoul narrowing gap

By Kiroku Hanai

The Japanese people's sense of Japan-South Korea friendship has heightened following the World Cup soccer tournament cohosted last month by the two countries. After South Korea advanced to the semifinals, many Japanese cheered the team on to an extent that puzzled some South Koreans.

EDITORIALS

Jul 22, 2002

A nuclear conundrum

The world is increasing its reliance on nuclear energy. For many people, that is a dangerous development. For many others, it is the only responsible choice. The truth is energy-policy decisions are becoming increasingly difficult. A national debate -- in Japan and elsewhere -- is a necessity. Ultimately,...

COMMENTARY / JAPAN IN THE GLOBAL ERA

Jul 22, 2002

'Domesticists' rule amid idea drought

By Jean-pierre Lehmann

LAUSANNE, Switzerland -- I do not live in Japan, although I first set foot (a rather small foot at 4 years old) on Japanese soil in 1949 and knew the country throughout the 1960s, '70s, '80s and '90s, when I either lived there temporarily or commuted frequently. My visits this century have been far fewer...

EDITORIALS

Jul 21, 2002

New Cabinet, old problems

South Korean President Kim Dae Jung continues to make history. This month he selected the first female prime minister, a ground-breaking move in male-dominated South Korean society. Predictably, the decision has been derided as a political gesture to shore up the government's faltering support; opposition...

COMMENTARY

Jul 21, 2002

Will Jiang cling to power?

By Harvey Stockwin

HONG KONG -- As top politicians in the Communist Party of China consult and confer with each other at Beidaihe during their annual seaside retreat, one key question facing them is whether 76-year-old President and CPC Secretary General Jiang Zemin will seek to extend himself in office.

EDITORIALS

Jul 20, 2002

Crucial issue in Nagano poll

Nagano Prefecture, whose assembly early this month passed a no-confidence motion against Gov. Yasuo Tanaka, is bracing for the election of a new governor. The key candidate will be Mr. Tanaka himself, who on Monday automatically lost his job but vowed to seek a fresh mandate. The key question for voters...

EDITORIALS

Jul 19, 2002

A milestone in privatization

It appears that Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi has come a step closer to his cherished goal of privatizing postal services -- a showcase for his structural reform plans. However, last week's Lower House vote on a postal reform package -- which effectively ensures its Diet passage by the end of this...

COMMENTARY / World

Jul 19, 2002

Rise of Indian hawk threatens peace hopes

By Gautaman Bhaskaran

When newly appointed Indian Deputy Prime Minister Lal Krishna Advani recently said that he had no faith in Pakistani President Gen. Pervez Musharraf, his words could not be brushed aside as they once might have been. Advani's recent promotion to his new post is believed to signal the rise of hawks in...

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

Kabukicho: Tokyo’s ‘stadium of desire’

Ichiro Suzuki, one of the most iconic players in NPB and MLB history, was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame with 99.7% of the vote.

With Hall of Fame induction, Ichiro makes himself heard loud and clear

By Jason Coskrey

SUSTAINABLE JAPAN

Ishii Iron Works remakes self for workers, new energy

Ishii Iron Works remakes self for workers, new energy

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