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Japan Times
CULTURE / Stage
Aug 6, 2003

O, what a tangled web we weave

Though nowhere near as all-encompassing as the Renaissance in Europe, the closed, feudal world of shogunal Japan did throw up a few periods of vigorous artistic expression in the more than two and a half control-freak centuries it lasted. One of these was about 200 years ago, from 1804-1830, during what...
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Aug 6, 2003

Flash memory card formats vie for prominence

Not quite a VHS vs. Betamax sequel. But again, two consumer electronics giants find themselves in opposing camps in a format battle as they crank up production of removable flash memory cards.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music / HIGH NOTES
Aug 6, 2003

Doug Wamble's: "Country Libations"

At first listen, Doug Wamble's debut CD, "Country Libations," sounds like a compilation. At different points, Wamble flatpicks country swing, booms out heartfelt gospel, plays slide Delta blues, swings hard on pre-bop jazz and intersperses moments of free jazz. This range and choice of styles is initially...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music / HIGH NOTES
Aug 6, 2003

Kings of Leon: "Youth and young Manhood"

The story about the Kings of Leon, a Nashville-based rock band touted as the next big thing, is that the four young men, with their tight bell-bottoms and shaggy hair are pure throwbacks. Having grown up shuttling between Memphis and Oklahoma City with their itinerant Pentecostal preacher father, the...
BASEBALL / BASEBALL BULLET-IN
Aug 6, 2003

Hanshin's magical season brings back memories of 1985

Sometimes history repeats itself. Eighteen years ago, in 1985, the Hanshin Tigers entered the month of August with a healthy lead in the Central League standings. The weather was as scorching as the Tigers who then, as now, played their home games at historic Koshien Stadium.
JAPAN
Aug 6, 2003

Groups flouting highway discount system

Some 760 groups of businesses in different industries receive special heavy-user highway-toll discounts each year worth about 110 billion yen, a member of a panel discussing the privatization of highway-related public entities said Tuesday.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Aug 6, 2003

Tanaka set to escape indictment for fraud

Prosecutors are expected to decide against indicting former Foreign Minister Makiko Tanaka, who stands accused of misusing the salary of her state-funded secretary, investigative sources said Tuesday.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music / HIGH NOTES
Aug 6, 2003

Rough Trade Shops: "Post Punk 01"

When punk hit a recession-ridden U.K. in 1975-'76, using a rudimentary version of rock 'n' roll as a platform to scream obscenities and threaten to smash the state, it was enough to ignite outrage across the land. And then, before your grandfather could curse "They should bring back military service,"...
EDITORIALS
Aug 5, 2003

Japan's role in Korea talks

The good news about North Korea is that it is now willing to talk in an expanded forum including Japan, South Korea and Russia. Whether this will lead to substantial progress in the nuclear standoff has yet to be seen, but at least the way is open for six-nation talks attended also by the United States,...
BUSINESS
Aug 5, 2003

Five firms plan PC collection tieup

A Mitsubishi Electric Corp. subsidiary and four other companies will team up to collect and recycle used personal computers beginning in October.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Aug 5, 2003

Tsutaya rental chain charts diversification course

The nation's largest rental video chain hopes to stay ahead of its rivals by diversifying, inaugurating a point-card system in tieups with off-industry partners and offering its customers more convenience and comfort.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Issues / THE ZEIT GIST
Aug 5, 2003

If you can't beat the Japanese, serve them

If you're looking for contentment in Japan, serve the Japanese. At least that's the impression one gets from being around Andy Lunt, Kerry Cox and Johnny Miller.
BUSINESS
Aug 5, 2003

Execs less downbeat over economy after pickup in earnings, share prices

An increasing number of major Japanese businesses are less pessimistic about the economy, as earnings and share prices have started picking up, according to a recent Kyodo News survey of executives at 100 big firms.
SOCCER / J. League
Aug 5, 2003

Suzuki seals deal with Zolder

Japan striker Takayuki Suzuki will join newly promoted Belgian first-division club K Heusden Zolder from Kashima Antlers on loan until the end of next June, the J. League first-division side said Monday.
SOCCER / World cup
Aug 5, 2003

New coach happy with Beckham

Real Madrid's coach said Monday that David Beckham is experiencing some problems communicating with his new teammates as he works hard to fit into the all-star side of the Spanish soccer powerhouse.
COMMENTARY
Aug 5, 2003

How the reforms have failed

"Market fundamentalism" describes the view that it is desirable to leave all economic activity to a free market. This is because a free, competitive market is "efficient" or, more exactly, "cost-efficient," say advocates of this theory.
COMMUNITY / How-tos / LIFELINES
Aug 5, 2003

NHK fees, will-writing and shipping

The NHK man Dear Lifelines: Recently my wife, who is Japanese, answered the door to an NHK rep. She was warned that not paying the monthly fee of 1,000 yen could wind her up in court. She paid.
BUSINESS
Aug 5, 2003

Daiei to seek revival body's support

Struggling retail giant Daiei Inc. and its four main creditor banks plan to seek support from the state-backed Industrial Revitalization Corp. of Japan for Daiei's so-called Fukuoka business, sources said Monday.
BUSINESS
Aug 5, 2003

Sweden to get Toshiba mail-sorters

Toshiba Corp. said Monday it has won a $12 million contract to supply the Swedish postal service with advanced mail-sorting equipment.
BUSINESS
Aug 5, 2003

Takefuji sanctions negligible: S&P

Standard & Poor's said Monday that the Finance Ministry's administrative sanctions on Takefuji Corp. will have only a slight impact on the firm's ratings.
BUSINESS
Aug 5, 2003

BOJ's share purchases slow

The Bank of Japan said Monday its purchases of shares from banks totaled 1.52 trillion yen as of July 31, an increase of 14.5 billion yen from July 20.
BUSINESS
Aug 5, 2003

Task force targets pension system shirkers

The welfare ministry and the Social Insurance Agency have launched a task force to help resolve the problem of unpaid national pension premiums in a bid to restore trust in the system, government officials said Monday.
BASEBALL / MLB
Aug 4, 2003

Beirne tosses two-hitter in Kintetsu's 4-1 victory over Lotte

Kintetsu hurler Kevin Beirne pitched a two-hitter over the distance for his fifth win as the Kintetsu Buffaloes beat the Chiba Lotte Marines 4-1 at Osaka Dome on Sunday.
COMMENTARY
Aug 4, 2003

Get real about the Iraq war

LONDON -- Supporters of the war against Iraq have a point: The row in Britain about the "evidence" of former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein's deadly intentions toward the West is more froth than substance.
COMMENTARY / World
Aug 4, 2003

Responsibility for Hiroshima

As Aug. 6 approaches each year, I cannot help wondering how my best friend perished in the atomic bombing of Hiroshima in 1945. Possibly, like many other children, he was burned to death under a collapsed school, where I found the scattered, burned bones of children a few days after the bombing. He was...

Longform

An illustration features the Japanese signs for "ganbare" (good luck) and the Deaflympics, which will be held between Nov. 15 and 26.
A century of Deaf sport finds its moment in Tokyo