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BUSINESS
Oct 17, 2012

Beer sales, Aussie unit shrink Kirin's forecast

Kirin Holdings Co. has cut its 2015 sales forecast because of a weaker outlook for its domestic beer operations and slower growth in its Australian subsidiary.
COMMUNITY / Issues / LABOR PAINS
Oct 16, 2012

Labor law protects expectant and new mothers — to a point

I had a labor consultation with a woman who said: "The other day I told my company I was pregnant. My boss asked me to quit because the firm can't afford to give me time off. One of my coworkers once resigned before giving birth but I want to stay on. Do I have to quit now that I am pregnant?"
BUSINESS
Oct 12, 2012

IPhone continues to rock Japanese cellphone market

Since arriving in Japan in 2008, Apple Inc.'s iPhone series has won the love of many Japanese cellphone users long accustomed to phones heavily customized for the domestic market.
CULTURE / Film
Oct 12, 2012

Territorial disputes don't rain on Asia's largest parade of cinema

There was very little talk at the 17th Busan International Film Festival, Asia's biggest movie event of the year, of the ongoing conflict between Japan and South Korea over ownership of those rocks in the Japan Sea. It so happens that the festival's Asian Filmmaker of the Year Award was being given to...
BASEBALL / Japanese Baseball
Oct 11, 2012

Yamamoto named Japan's manager for WBC

Without a captain, a boat can't depart from port.
BUSINESS
Oct 10, 2012

Currency swap expansion will lapse

Tokyo and Seoul agreed Tuesday not to extend their expanded currency swap accord amid heightened territorial tensions.
EDITORIALS
Oct 10, 2012

A new Mr. Romney, a new race

The first United States presidential debate between President Barack Obama and Republican challenger Gov. Mitt Romney was held last Wednesday in Denver, Colorado. By all accounts, Mr. Romney prevailed, setting the tempo for the debate and making the president look listless and defensive in comparison....
JAPAN / EXPLAINER
Oct 9, 2012

North Korea abductees mark decade since coming home

Oct. 15 will mark the 10th anniversary since five Japanese citizens were repatriated from North Korea after being abducted by Pyongyang's agents in the 1970s. The government claims that the North has failed to properly address the fate of 12 more Japanese abductees that remain missing, while others say...
COMMUNITY / Voices / HOTLINE TO NAGATACHO
Oct 9, 2012

Let Inoue's antinuclear Jizo, forged in Hiroshima, guide Japan's future

Dear Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda,
BASEBALL / Japanese Baseball
Oct 8, 2012

Giants catcher Abe rises above pack

Shinnosuke Abe perked up at the news the Detroit Tigers' Miguel Cabrera had won the Triple Crown.
Reader Mail
Oct 7, 2012

Give East Asians a greater say

The Sept. 27 editorial "Confrontation may hurt economy" is right to presume that the recent flareup between Japan and China over the Senkaku Islands is unlikely to be a one-time event. We can expect even stronger reactions in China if Japan builds a base on the islands or starts offshore drilling for...
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / CLOSE-UP
Oct 7, 2012

Shigesato Itoi shares lots of 'delicious life'

Shigesato Itoi is an established name in the Japanese cultural scene, but what he is known for may differ depending on who you ask.
EDITORIALS
Oct 7, 2012

Disabled still face discrimination

Nearly 90 percent of the public believes that disabled people still face discrimination in society, according to a recent survey by the Cabinet Office. That was six points higher than those answering the same in the last survey in 2007. Clearly, the general public feels strongly that people with disabilities...
SOCCER / PREMIER REPORT
Oct 6, 2012

Villas-Boas slowly but surely turning reputation around

When the media decides a manager is not to its liking for whatever reason, it takes time, trophies and charm to turn it around because humble pie is not a diet the press enjoys.
BUSINESS
Oct 6, 2012

BOJ refrains from stimulus despite political pressure

The Bank of Japan held off from more easing after adding to stimulus last month, preserving its policy firepower despite increased political pressure and signs of an economic contraction.
BUSINESS
Oct 5, 2012

Caution urged on BOJ bond deals

New Vice Finance Minister Koichi Takemasa urged "extremely cautious consideration" of proposals for the Bank of Japan to buy foreign bonds.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Oct 5, 2012

Cusack delves into the dark with 'The Raven'

"One of the negative things about the Internet," actor John Cusack remarks when asked about rumors surrounding casting in his new film, "The Raven," "is unnecessary information. Stuff that doesn't serve any real purpose and can be detrimental to someone's ego or ... like I say, useless. Hopefully a good...
Reader Mail
Oct 4, 2012

Nothing snappy about next poll

Why does The Japan Times use the words "snap election" when referring to Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda's plans?
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Oct 2, 2012

Olympus deal a slow cure for Sony

In the end, Sony Corp.'s alliance in the medical equipment business with scandal-tainted Olympus Corp. will help the loss-making electronics giant, it's just a matter of giving it enough time, analysts say.
EDITORIALS
Oct 2, 2012

Somber marking of Japan-China ties

On Sept. 29, Japan and China marked the 40th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic relations. Unfortunately, bilateral ties are in a sorry state, with mutual distrust the deepest since ties were normalized due to a dispute over the Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea. Leaders of both countries...
BUSINESS / THE VIEW FROM EUROPE
Oct 1, 2012

Flip-flop on no-nuclear energy policy bodes ill for the future of Japan

On Sept. 14, the Japanese government presented to the public a new national energy strategy. This long-awaited plan included as its focal point the objective of eliminating nuclear power by the end of the 2030s. Less than a week later, however, Japan's hopes for a nuclear-free world were dashed. In the...
Japan Times
LIFE
Sep 30, 2012

Teleworking: Home sweet ... office

On March 13, 2011, just two days after the Great East Japan Earthquake, as massive aftershocks rocked the capital and fears of a radioactive cloud spreading over the country seemed all-too real, Yasuyuki Higuchi, president of a Tokyo-based software company, sat down and typed an email to his 2,200 staff....
COMMENTARY
Sep 29, 2012

Two missed opportunities for Japan in island disputes

Since I have been requested to express my views on the territorial issues concerning the Takeshima islets and Senkaku Islands on several occasions recently, I thought it opportune to compile them into one coherent argument.
Japan Times
BASKETBALL
Sep 29, 2012

Former Evessa star Washington claims he is 'blackballed' despite exoneration

The Osaka Evessa and bj-league office claimed that Lynn Washington, one of the league's original superstars, retired on April 9 after he was exonerated of all charges following his arrest and 18 days in Osaka Prefectural Police custody.

Longform

Bear attacks have dominated Japanese news headlines in recent months, with 13 people so far having been killed by the animals.
Japan’s bears have been on their killing spree for more than 100 years