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COMMENTARY

Jul 3, 2006

Regaining the spirit to build

By Takamitsu Sawa

I had thought that Japan's Internet mogul Takafumi Horie, arrested Jan. 23 by public prosecutors for allegedly violating the securities and exchange law, was likely to be the last person to "pay the price" for the excesses associated with the nation's bubble economy from 1987 to 1990.

EDITORIALS

Jul 3, 2006

For Tokyo, a drop in the rankings

How is a city supposed to feel when it has just learned it is no longer the world's most expensive in which to live? Peeved, since there's a certain cachet attached to being No. 1 anything? Relieved, since a reputation for overpricing isn't the kind of cachet any self-respecting city actually needs?...

EDITORIALS

Jul 2, 2006

Touching base before stepping down

Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi and U.S. President George W. Bush have reaffirmed not only their five-year "very friendly relationship" but also the strong ties between the two nations in a meeting at the White House, their 13th summit -- which may be their last.

COMMENTARY / COUNTERPOINT

Jul 2, 2006

Hedge your bets: Conform, but don't act like you belong

By Roger Pulvers

'The barriers of racial feeling [between Japanese and foreigners], of emotional differentiation, or language, of manners and beliefs, are likely to remain insurmountable for centuries."

EDITORIALS

Jul 1, 2006

Revitalizing Japanese agriculture

The fiscal 2005 white paper on agriculture, made public last month, covers the first year of the implementation of the nation's basic plan for food, agriculture and agricultural communities that was adopted in March 2005. The plan is based on the 1999 basic law, which spells out four fundamental goals:...

COMMENTARY / World

Jun 30, 2006

European ruling upholds school racism

By Ivan Ivanov

PRAGUE -- I am what many people call a "Gypsy." I prefer the term "Roma." There are more than 10 million of us across Europe. The vast majority of us live in Third World conditions -- denied access to adequate housing, health care, and education.

EDITORIALS

Jun 30, 2006

The new king of steel

After five months of bitter resistance, the management of Arcelor, Europe's largest steel maker, last weekend agreed to a merger with Mittal Steel. If the deal goes through -- shareholders still have their say -- it will create the world's largest steel company. Equally important, the agreement could...

COMMENTARY

Jun 30, 2006

Rewriting the line on Japan

By Frank Ching

HONG KONG -- There are encouraging signs that both China and Japan are looking for ways to ease the prolonged deadlock between their two countries and improve relations -- an essential prerequisite to any strengthening of East Asian regional integration and the eventual emergence of an Asian community....

COMMENTARY

Jun 29, 2006

A wise man's vision of Pax Asia Pacifica

By Ralph Cossa

HONOLULU -- "Are the United States and East Asia ready for the creation of a 'Pax Asia Pacifica' as a logical successor to the 'Pax Americana,' which has provided peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region for decades?" This question was foremost on former Philippine President Fidel Ramos' mind when...

COMMENTARY / World

Jun 29, 2006

A friend of African dictators?

By David Wall

LONDON -- Who would have thought that the Chinese Communist Party would become sensitive to world opinion? Strange as it may seem, Western criticism of China's growing involvement in Africa has triggered outpourings of justificatory articles in CCP-controlled media as well as trips this year by Chinese...

COMMENTARY / World

Jun 29, 2006

WTO: a call for 'enlightened negotiators'

By Seiichi Kondo

The current multilateral trade negotiations under the auspices of the World Trade Organization (WTO) are approaching the moment of truth. The major gridlock among key players, such as Japan, the United States, the European Union and Brazil seems, however, difficult to be unlocked at the series of ministerial...

COMMENTARY / World

Jun 29, 2006

Judgment in Phnom Penh

By James A. Goldston and Dina Nay

PRAGUE -- Three decades after the Khmer Rouge killed a quarter of Cambodia's 7 million people, a court to try the most responsible surviving leaders is set to open its doors.

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

Smile! It’s ‘Sanrio Time,’ now and ever after

Smile! It’s ‘Sanrio Time,’ now and ever after

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