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Japan Times
CULTURE / Art
May 25, 2006

Art of Africa

Everyone has an idea about "Africa." Pestilence, famine and genocide top many people's lists. Others think of boundless natural wonder and sprawling metropolises bursting with life. But the truth of it is, there is no one "Africa." There are only Africans, and they defy generalization.
JAPAN
May 24, 2006

Danish director films 'most soothing' robot

A Danish director is making a documentary on Japan's therapeutic Paro robot, which looks like a baby harp seal, to show how "the world's most soothing robot" helps patients.
SOCCER / PREMIER REPORT
May 21, 2006

Henry says money not reason he chose to stay with Gunners

LONDON -- According to Thierry Henry, he had not thought about signing a new contract with Arsenal before last Wednesday's Champions League final defeat by Barcelona. The match over, Henry said he would start to think about his future.
CULTURE / TV & Streaming / CHANNEL SURF
May 21, 2006

See how Japan's TV entertainment evolved in Fuji TV's drama "The Hit Parade" and more

The model for the modern Japanese talent agency or "production company," which dominates all aspects of show business in Japan, was created by the late Shin Watanabe and his wife, Misa, in 1955. This Friday and Saturday Fuji TV will present a special two-part drama, "The Hit Parade" (9 p.m. each night),...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
May 19, 2006

It's all music for Warp label

Warp, home to sonic pioneers such as Aphex Twin, and Boards of Canada is arguably the most influential electronica label in the world. But don't tell Warp founder Steve Beckett. For Beckett, who began the label with now deceased partner Rob Mitchell in a Sheffield record store in 1989, genre, and in...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Stage
May 18, 2006

Tamasaburo Bando and Kodo reach for primitive emotions

Kabuki and taiko drumming seem worlds apart: kabuki is a quintessentially urban art form based on nuance and restraint; taiko drumming, from the festival world of matsuri and shrine dances, thrives on athleticism and exuberance. But recently they have been brought together by an unusual collaboration...
COMMENTARY / World
May 17, 2006

An 'OPEC' with nuclear weapons?

LONDON -- When I was in Moscow a few months ago I got into an argument with a retired high-level NATO official.
EDITORIALS
May 16, 2006

HIV toll rising in Japan

In the 23 years since the HIV virus was discovered, AIDS has become recognized as a "disease of the poor," one that is "incurable" but "100 percent preventable," in the words of its co-discoverer, Professor Luc Montagnier, president of the World Foundation for AIDS Research and Prevention. While over...
Japan Times
LIFE / Style & Design
May 16, 2006

Stylewise

Sport couture
COMMENTARY
May 16, 2006

Pioneers turned paper into must-reads

LOS ANGELES -- It was a remarkably sad coincidence that within the span of a few days, two of the world's more influential newspaper figures died.
CULTURE / Books
May 14, 2006

Asia needs to fill its brand deficit

ASIAN BRAND STRATEGY by Martin Roll, Palgrave Macmillan, 2005, 272 pp., $42.50 (cloth). Shizuka Arakawa's graceful spins and spirals enthralled a nation as she won Japan the gold medal in women's figure skating at the Winter Olympics. But few would have cheered more loudly than Tokyo rice producer Toyorice...
SOCCER / PREMIER REPORT
May 13, 2006

Success stories cap memorable season for Premier League

LONDON -- After a couple of disappointing high-profile matches, those who rarely attend football games but love to put the boot into the national sport were almost at grievous bodily harm level with their attacks.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / PERSONALITY PROFILE
May 13, 2006

Shin Maeda

In 1937 Spanish artist Pablo Picasso immortalized Guernica, symbol of the Basque nation, which suffered ruthless bombing during the Spanish civil war. For the Spanish pavilion in the Paris Exposition, Picasso produced a large black-and-white mural that protested the destruction of Guernica. It was said...
COMMENTARY
May 13, 2006

A quiet burial of a scandal that will haunt Washington

NEW DELHI -- With global attention focused on the U.S.-led face-off with Tehran over the nuclear issue, Pakistan has ingeniously seized the opportunity to give a quiet burial to the worst proliferation scandal in world history, involving the Pakistani transfer of nuclear knowhow and equipment to three...
EDITORIALS
May 12, 2006

Messy energy politics

Two decades ago, Europe and the Soviet Union first pondered a long-term energy-based relationship, one in which the Soviets would use their considerable energy reserves to fuel European economies. The prospect of European reliance on Soviet supplies triggered concern in the United States and some European...
COMMENTARY / World
May 11, 2006

Seeing Europe as a museum

WARSAW -- In the late 19th century, Europe viewed Asia mainly as either a source of inspiration for its artists or a focus of imperial ambition. Asians, for their part, viewed Europe as either a model of modernity, as in Meiji Japan, or a barometer of decay, as in China.
COMMENTARY / World
May 11, 2006

A power to resist the currents of history

One cold morning in December 1941, I was running through the frozen streets of Tokyo during the predawn hours, delivering newspapers. I saw this as my way to contribute to the family finances. I was 13 at the time, my father was bedridden with rheumatism, and my four elder brothers had been sent off...
COMMENTARY / World
May 11, 2006

Alliances to meet this century's threats

WASHINGTON -- In 1970 I traveled to Egypt as part of a delegation representing the United States at the funeral of President Gamal Abdel Nasser. Back then, Egypt was closely aligned with the Soviet Union. When we arrived in Cairo, it seemed that everywhere one looked there was evidence of the Soviet...
COMMENTARY / World
May 10, 2006

North-South fault line in global politics

On April 28 developing countries voted as a group at the United Nations to shelve management reforms proposed by Secretary General Kofi Annan in the wake of the oil-for-food scandal. Annan had requested more discretion and latitude in hiring, shifting and firing his staff, and controlling the organization's...
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Issues / THE ZEIT GIST
May 9, 2006

Local fury at Hardy perennial

Last month, as they have every year for decades, a small crowd of people gathered under fat cherry blossoms in Tokyo's Aoyama Park, carrying red lanterns, placards and peace symbols.
MORE SPORTS
May 8, 2006

Oyama strong at Salonpas, sails to top of moneyleaders

Shiho Oyama maintained her comfortable lead with a final-round 70 to win the Salonpas World Ladies by six shots Sunday, claiming her fifth career victory on the Japan LPGA tour and second of the year.
BUSINESS / JAPANESE PERSPECTIVES
May 8, 2006

In search of Galbraithian wisdom for Japan's woes

John Kenneth Galbraith died last month. He was arguably one of the most influential economists of our time. One wonders what his comments would have been, had he been asked to say something about the course of the Japanese economy during these past few months.
MORE SPORTS
May 7, 2006

Zhang leads China to 5th straight Uber Cup title

Olympic gold medalist Zhang Ning edged archrival Mia Audina Tjiptawan and China went on to beat the Netherlands 3-0 to win its fifth straight Uber Cup women's world team badminton title and 10th overall on Saturday.

Longform

Tetsuzo Shiraishi, speaking at The Center of the Tokyo Raids and War Damage, uses a thermos to explain how he experienced the U.S. firebombing of March 1945, when he was just 7 years old.
From ashes to high-rises: A survivor’s account of Tokyo’s postwar past