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EDITORIALS

Feb 2, 2008

Bite of a consumer watchdog

Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda, who in his latest policy speech called for creating a system in which citizens and consumers become "leading players," is eager to establish a Consumer Agency. A series of irregularities such as false labeling and data fabrication involving food, construction and paper manufacturing...

COMMENTARY / World

Feb 1, 2008

Suharto puzzle still in play

By Kevin Rafferty

HONG KONG — In death, Indonesia's former President Suharto was praised as a great and almost saintly ruler. At Suharto's state funeral Monday, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono saluted the casket, one general to another, and declared "His service is an example to us."

EDITORIALS

Feb 1, 2008

Mediation averts confrontation

Thanks to mediation efforts by Lower House Speaker Yohei Kono and Upper House President Satsuki Eda, the ruling and opposition parties have averted a fierce confrontation over the government's tax code bill, which includes maintaining provisionally raised gasoline and road-related taxes for 10 years...

COMMENTARY

Feb 1, 2008

Nice words no match for border dispute

By Frank Ching

HONG KONG — Forty-five years ago, China and India — the world's two most populous countries — were at each other's throats, fighting a bloody war along their common border. Ten years ago, when India conducted underground nuclear tests, its defense minister said the country needed to develop nuclear...

EDITORIALS

Feb 1, 2008

Lackluster speech for the final year

U.S. President George W. Bush failed to put forth bold proposals or ideas in his final State of the Union address. The economy, once a political asset, is now joining the unpopular Iraq war as a liability for Mr. Bush, as he acknowledged when he said, "As we meet tonight, our economy is undergoing a...

COMMENTARY / World

Jan 31, 2008

Japan-China relations: Building a creative partnership requires creative approaches

By Qinghong Wang and Fan Li

"When Fukuda comes, Fuku ('fortune' in Japanese and Chinese) has arrived!"

EDITORIALS

Jan 31, 2008

Gaps amid higher employment

The economic crisis of Japan's "lost decade," in which companies plagued with bad loans went bust, appears to be a thing of the past. The unemployment rate, once above 5 percent, came down to 3.8 percent in December. The employment rate for university graduates has risen for four consecutive years. But...

COMMENTARY / World

Jan 31, 2008

Say no to nukes in the Arctic

By Daisaku Ikeda

"The Arctic is the barometer of the globe's environmental health. You can take the pulse of the world in the Arctic. Inuit, the people who live farther north than anyone else, are the canary in the global coal mine.''

EDITORIALS

Jan 31, 2008

Moves toward devolution

This will be an important year for the government's plan to push devolution. A government panel for devolution will start submitting to the government a series of recommendations around June. The first main recommendation will concern the relegation of more powers to local governments in implementing...

COMMENTARY / World

Jan 30, 2008

New approach for the DPJ

By Tobias Harris

When the Lower House of the Diet passed the antiterror special measures law on Jan. 11, it became clear that the Democratic Party of Japan is not in control of the political situation. After briefly setting the agenda in the aftermath of the July 29 Upper House election by opposing the refueling mission...

COMMENTARY / World

Jan 30, 2008

Bring open resource to textbooks, teaching

By Richard Baraniuk and Jimmy Wales

PRAGUE — As the founders of two of the world's largest open-source media platforms — Wikipedia and Connexions — we have both been accused of being dreamers. Independently, we became infected with the idea of creating a Web platform that would enable anyone to contribute their knowledge to free...

COMMENTARY / World

Jan 30, 2008

Asia's high stake in Persian Gulf stability

By Michael Richardson

SINGAPORE — Could a radio operator, whose identity is unknown, cause a war between the United States, the world's most powerful nation, and energy-rich but radical Iran? Perhaps not. But it now appears that someone — maybe a prankster — almost triggered a shootout between the two sides earlier...

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

Kabukicho: Tokyo’s ‘stadium of desire’

Mount Fuji is considered one of Japan's most iconic symbols and is a major draw for tourists. It's still a mountain, though, and potential hikers need to properly prepare for any climb.

What it takes to save lives on Mount Fuji

By Alex K.T. Martin

SUSTAINABLE JAPAN

Ishii Iron Works remakes self for workers, new energy

Ishii Iron Works remakes self for workers, new energy

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