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BUSINESS
Aug 18, 2011

Banks may be facing ratings cut

Japanese banks' credit ratings and share prices may decline as global regulators consider measures that seek to avoid the use of public funds to rescue failing lenders, Mitsubishi UFJ Morgan Stanley Securities Co. said.
EDITORIALS
Aug 18, 2011

Pondering victims and the future

Japan on Monday marked the 66th anniversary of its surrender to the Allied Powers in World War II amid unprecedented circumstances. Both those who attended the anniversary ceremony at Tokyo's Budokan and other Japanese must have superimposed the Tohoku-Pacific region devastation from the March 11 earthquake...
COMMENTARY
Aug 17, 2011

Ten ways to reduce America's budget deficit

It's true: Deficit reduction isn't an economic panacea. It won't instantly boost the economy or the stock market. It won't automatically end financial turmoil. But none of this means that we should ignore deficits. Allowing the government's debt to spiral upward tempts a full-blown future financial crisis....
COMMENTARY
Aug 17, 2011

ASEAN faces a Chinese dilemma

As the United States and Europe struggle with heavy debts and weak growth, China increasingly powers the expansion of nearly every economy in the Asia Pacific region. It raises a critical question, particularly for Southeast Asia and Australia: Which are the ties that bind — those of commerce and rising...
BUSINESS
Aug 17, 2011

UPS resumes Iwate package delivery

United Parcel Service Inc. is resuming the remainder of its services halted in Iwate Prefecture after the March earthquake and tsunami.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY
Aug 16, 2011

Man eating sharks — and mercury, group warns

What's the first thing you think of when you hear the word "shark"? For many, it's a gaping maw of razor-sharp teeth or a dorsal fin cutting ominously through the water behind an oblivious swimmer. John Williams' iconic Jaws score is probably running through your mind as you read this. Sharks are Hollywood's...
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Issues / THE ZEIT GIST
Aug 16, 2011

Volunteers feel for Tohoku, but their duties lie in Nepal

In the physiotherapy ward at Katmandu's Bir Hospital, a middle-aged woman lay in bed, her back strapped to a big mechanical device. Rukmini Roka, 56, who suffers from chronic backache, struggled to stretch her legs as required by the special therapy machine.
BASKETBALL
Aug 16, 2011

Allred finalizes deal with Hannaryz

Former NBA center Lance Allred has agreed to contractual terms to play for the Kyoto Hannaryz this season, the bj-league team announced on Monday.
Reader Mail
Aug 14, 2011

Innate keys to a bright future

One of the many interesting and unique aspects of Japanese culture that I experienced as a foreigner in Japan from 2003 to 2010 was jishuku. Jishuku refers to voluntary moderation in one's actions, typically after a terrible event or occurrence involving loss of life or human suffering. Jishuku is a...
Reader Mail
Aug 14, 2011

Power-saving mindset has limits

Regarding the Aug. 10 article "Nuclear power debate heating up": I strongly disagree with the notion that just because we seem to be doing fine amid the current electricity deficit, Japan will be just fine without nuclear power plants in the future.
Reader Mail
Aug 14, 2011

Cracks in foreign press reports

If I had not been to China, I would probably agree with Brahma Chellaney's assessment of rising social unrest in Tibet, Xinjiang and Inner Mongolia (Aug. 6 article, "Cracks in the Chinese wall").
EDITORIALS
Aug 14, 2011

Changing times

Many Japanese felt that an era had ended with the announcement of the last print edition of Pia, the "Time Out" of Japan. Providing information on film showings, stage productions, concerts and art exhibitions as well as various countercultural events, Pia was founded in 1972 by university students influenced...
JAPAN / Media / BIG IN JAPAN
Aug 14, 2011

A heady witches' brew of midsummer nightmares

Aside from the Summer High School Baseball Tournament at Koshien Stadium and NHK documentaries reminiscing about World War II, mid-August tends to be a quiet time and most of Japan's weekly magazines skip an issue.
Reader Mail
Aug 14, 2011

Conditions don't allow free trade

Contrary to Michael Sutton's assertion in his Aug. 10 article, "What in the world happened to free trade?," I think that free trade is impossible. Sutton attacks the easy target of protectionism, but governments do not control the real world. It is dominated instead by greed, fear and prejudice.
Reader Mail
Aug 14, 2011

Emergency care system in trouble

Regarding the July 24 Kyodo article "Hospitals turn away patients at record rate": The central and local governments need to exercise strong leadership in getting hospitals and the public to take steps to streamline Japan's emergency care system.
SOCCER / PREMIER REPORT
Aug 13, 2011

Man United still set the standard

Selecting the elite group from which the 2012 English champion will come is easy: Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester City.
BUSINESS
Aug 13, 2011

Honda ups India bike presence

Honda Motor Co., the world's biggest motorcycle maker, will expand its network of dealers and service outlets in India by 25 percent and introduce new models to gain sales in the nation.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Art
Aug 12, 2011

"Summer Museum For Kids and Grown-ups: Traversing the Times, Places and Attributes Of People Described in Art"

One of the most intriguing themes or motifs in art throughout the ages has been "human beings." In the collection of the Osaka City Museum of Modern Art, there are many works covering this familiar, and universal subject.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Aug 12, 2011

'The Tree of Life'

When "Days of Heaven" was finally released in 1978 (see last week's review) after two years of perfectionist fiddling in the editing room, director Terrence Malick was given a blank check by his patron at Paramount, industrialist Charles Bluhdorn, to develop his next project. Malick assembled a small...
Reader Mail
Aug 11, 2011

Risky assumptions about China

I have two comments regarding Michael Richardson's Aug. 3 article, "U.S. reputation suffers in Asia":
Reader Mail
Aug 11, 2011

Imported food looking better

Regarding the Aug. 9 Kyodo article "Stop claiming food is safe, ministry told": I have lived in Japan for more than 20 years, and had always trusted the quality and safety of food in Japan. In fact, for years I have read labels and signboards to identify the origin of the food before buying it. Any fresh...
Reader Mail
Aug 11, 2011

Evidence on the health effects

In his Aug. 4 letter, Scott Hards wrote that "we simply don't have any hard evidence as to the health effects of small doses of radiation over the long term. All the 'experts' claiming that cancer risk goes up by a certain percentage if you absorb so much radiation are basing their conclusions on statistical...
Reader Mail
Aug 11, 2011

All the best to elderly Japanese

I am saddened to learn that elderly people (over 65) in Japan are living alone and dying alone, and that their bodies often remain undiscovered for days. I feel that senior citizens are the foundation pillars of a country and deserve respect and proper care, not only from their own families but from...
Reader Mail
Aug 11, 2011

Girlfriend isn't personal property

Regarding the Aug. 8 editorial "Dating restrictions": Research into the relationships of high school students suggests that many girls experience highly controlling or abusive partners, which is sadly unsurprising. What does surprise me is that in the year 2011, someone would still suggest that "The...
COMMENTARY / World
Aug 11, 2011

Making hay at the Ames straw poll

Being in politics, said Minnesota Democrat Sen. Eugene McCarthy, is like coaching football: You have to be smart enough to understand the game and dumb enough to think it is important. The game of presidential politics is especially arcane in the cunning weirdness of the Ames straw poll, a quadrennial...

Longform

Ichiro Suzuki, one of the most iconic players in NPB and MLB history, was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame with 99.7% of the vote.
With Hall of Fame induction, Ichiro makes himself heard loud and clear