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COMMENTARY / THE VIEW FROM NEW YORK
Oct 29, 2012

Evidence of the Showa Emperor's deep regret

Checking the galley of the endnotes to "Persona," my biography of Yukio Mishima with Naoki Inose, I decided to augment a note on Japan's monarchical system. The tenno institution had a singular meaning for Mishima, and I set aside substantial space in the book for the subject.
Reader Mail
Oct 28, 2012

Fukushima No. 2 and March 11

Gregory Clark neglects to mention in his Oct. 23 opinion piece, "The case for nuclear power," that the Fukushima No. 2 Nuclear Power Plant barely survived the earthquake.
Reader Mail
Oct 28, 2012

Invitation to multiculturalism

In Michael Hoffman's Oct. 21 article " 'Only immigrants can save Japan,' " Hidenori Sakanaka is quoted as saying: "A new Japanese civilization will realize a multi-ethnic community, which no nation has ever achieved, and, in due course, it will stand out as one of the main pillars of world civilization."...
Reader Mail
Oct 28, 2012

Revisiting the Sino-Indian war

Brahma Chellaney's Oct. 19 opinion piece, "Lessons of the Sino-Indian war," on the Sino-Indian frontier war of October 1962, accusing Beijing of surprise and unprovoked aggression against India, seriously distorts the facts.
Reader Mail
Oct 28, 2012

More views on gun control

Regarding the Oct. 22 article "Hattori's mom appeals for wider U.S. gun control effort," as a lifelong member of the National Rifle Association and a certified pistol and personal protection instructor, I would like to comment on this matter.
Reader Mail
Oct 28, 2012

Tragedies make bad laws

I wonder who the parents of the six children killed last year in April by a mobile crane in Tochigi Prefecture blame: the driver or the crane?
CULTURE / Books
Oct 28, 2012

Is poetry lost or found in translation?

BRIGHT MOON, WHITE CLOUDS: Selected Poems of Li Po, edited and translated by J.P. Seaton. Shambhala, 2012, 224 pp., $14.95 (paperback) KANEKO TOHTA: Selected Haiku 1937-1960, translated by The Kon Nichi Translation Group. Red Moon Press, 2012, 256 pp., $12.00 (paperback) Two books of poetry, both pocket-size,...
BASEBALL / Japanese Baseball
Oct 28, 2012

Japan Series helps put Canada on baseball map

Baseball is hardly the first thing that springs to mind when Canadian sports are discussed. Hockey is king in Canada, and slap shots and glove saves stoke the nation's fire more than home runs or diving catches ever could.
Japan Times
LIFE
Oct 28, 2012

Sexy's back for womenswear

For what seems like an eternity, kawaii (cute) fashion has ruled the Japanese womenswear roost, and at times it's looked as if we would never see a return to edgy, chic styles.
SOCCER / PREMIER REPORT
Oct 27, 2012

Away CL ties frustrate English clubs

The best league in the world?
Japan Times
MORE SPORTS / ICE TIME
Oct 27, 2012

Sweep at Skate America illustrates Japan's strength early in season

The senior Grand Prix season began with a bang for Japan as Takahiko Kozuka, Yuzuru Hanyu and Tatsuki Machida swept the medals at Skate America last Saturday.
Japan Times
BASKETBALL
Oct 27, 2012

Cinq Reves comeback falls short against Grouses

Playing the first regular-season home game in franchise history, the expansion Tokyo Cinq Reves trailed by 18 points after one quarter on Friday evening.
EDITORIALS
Oct 27, 2012

Treat Okinawans with respect

The alleged rape on Oct. 16 of an Okinawan woman by two U.S. servicemen outside her apartment building in the city of Okinawa has stoked great anger among the prefecture's residents. Adding insult to injury, Defense Minister Satoshi Morimoto and Vice Foreign Minister Shuji Kira made insensitive remarks...
JAPAN
Oct 27, 2012

Axed manager's sexual harassment lawsuit against Prada Japan fails

The Tokyo District Court on Friday quashed a demand by a former manager of Prada Japan that the firm pay her ¥58 million in damages for sexual harassment, ruling that telling her to lose weight wasn't so bad given that Prada is in the fashion business.
Japan Times
LIFE / Lifestyle / Japan Pulse
Oct 26, 2012

The secret allure of the surgical mask

What started as a trend for the shy is growing into a style choice for some.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Oct 26, 2012

Festival/Tokyo theater event to give Asia a starring role

Japan has been on a bit of a losing streak for a while now. In 2010, it was overtaken as the world's second-largest economy by China, and in 2011 the nation was rocked by the Great East Japan Earthquake and the ensuing tsunami and nuclear crisis.
Japan Times
BASKETBALL / BJ-LEAGUE NOTEBOOK
Oct 26, 2012

Quick start gives perennial struggler Oita hope for successful year

The Oita HeatDevils entered the 2012-13 having played 328 regular-season games over the past seven seasons. The HeatDevils lost 200 of those games — a nice round number — and won on 128 occasions.
Reader Mail
Oct 25, 2012

Insanity of U.S. gun ownership

No one who lives in Japan can truly understand the insanity that allows all Americans to own nearly any sort of gun. While long guns such as rifles and shotguns could be argued by some as a defense against tyranny, handguns have no such defense. I truly feel for Mieko Hattori, but her heartfelt words...
Reader Mail
Oct 25, 2012

American arrogance here to stay

Regarding Sadaaki Numata's Oct. 9 opinion piece, "The evolving dimensions of U.S.-Japan relations,": Even though Numata's appeal for equal footing with the United States is amply justified by international standards or under international law, America's arrogant and hegemonic mind-set will be here to...
Reader Mail
Oct 25, 2012

When in Japan, learn Japanese

Regarding Akky Akimoto's Oct. 17 article, "Apple should team up with local companies to solve Maps dilemma": While I fully agree that Apple should have tested the Japanese maps better, and should customize their options more, the article mentions the fact that many available apps that are more Japan-specific...
Reader Mail
Oct 25, 2012

Administration is not ownership

Regarding Ayako Mie's Oct. 12 analysis article, "No quick Senkakus fix, but return to status quo likely," Mie writes, "China has yet to indicate it is willing to back down and work to restore badly frayed bilateral ties." The flip side of this statement is that Japan has yet to indicate its willingness...
Reader Mail
Oct 25, 2012

Tragic, but gun rights needed

Regarding the Oct. 22 article "Hattori's mom appeals for wider U.S. gun control effort," I have always been heart-sickened by the death of this young man. Who knows what he could have created for his nation, his people, the world? That being said, those firearms she wants removed were a fundamental reason...
Reader Mail
Oct 25, 2012

Taking the measure of ice

Regarding Michael Richardson's Oct. 18 opinion piece "Is geography behind sea-ice paradox?": First, let's be clear that climate is changing, as it has throughout the course of history. However, the author seems blind to some rather obvious issues. For example, the Arctic Ocean is the smallest and shallowest...
Reader Mail
Oct 25, 2012

Appeals falling on deaf ears

Regarding "Hattori's mom appeals for wider U.S. gun control effort," the poor woman is appealing to a nation that looks upon gun ownership with almost religious zeal and for many American males, gun ownership is a rite of passage and sign of macho toughness. America celebrates the gun.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Oct 25, 2012

Netlabels Ano(t)raks and Canata Records give the old DIY spirit a go with some new tools

Dai Ogasawara's fledgling online label Ano(t)raks has released music from six Japanese artists from the Kansai region since the summer. However, Ogasawara, who lives in Aomori Prefecture, has yet to meet any of them.
BUSINESS
Oct 25, 2012

METI eases regulations so nonutilities can offer power

JIJI
Japan Times
CULTURE / Art
Oct 25, 2012

What is art in the face of disaster?

Broadly speaking, two types of art have emerged in response to the Great East Japan Earthquake and the ensuing tsunami and nuclear crisis. On the one hand there is art that has been made for the crisis — that is to say, for the benefit of those who were or are suffering from its manifold effects. On...
Japan Times
BASKETBALL
Oct 24, 2012

Chaos continues in Osaka as Evessa fire coach

How the mighty have fallen.
BASEBALL / Japanese Baseball
Oct 24, 2012

Former Dodger Houlton uses veteran poise to eliminate Dragons

D.J. Houlton didn't know what to expect, and there was a good chance no one else did either.

Longform

After the asset-price bubble crash of the early 1990s, employment at a Japanese company was no longer necessarily for life. As a result, a new generation is less willing to endure a toxic work culture —life’s too short, after all.
How Japan's youth are slowly changing the country's work ethic