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EDITORIALS
Jan 23, 2011

Making sense of Tucson

There are times when the United States seems like a strange and distant place. That distance has seemed larger than usual in the aftermath of the shooting of U.S. Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, an incident that claimed six lives and wounded 14 others. The reaction in the U.S. to that horrific incident...
CULTURE / Books
Jan 23, 2011

Exposing China's murky moguls

THE PARTY: The Secret World of China's Communist Rulers, by Richard McGregor. Harper, 2010, 320 pp., $27.99 (hardcover) The rise of modern China to economic giant and politico-military superpower has mesmerized politicians and business leaders and led to much wishful thinking about China's future development....
BASEBALL / BASEBALL BULLET-IN
Jan 23, 2011

An inside look at selection for Japan's Hall of Fame

When Hiromitsu Ochiai is inducted into the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame this coming summer, it will be a very convenient situation. As manager of the defending Central League champion Chunichi Dragons, Ochiai will also pilot the 2011 CL All-Star team, and the HOF induction ceremony will take place...
JAPAN
Jan 22, 2011

U.S. neutral over 'Daioyu' sovereignty: Obama adviser

HONG KONG (Kyodo) The United States does not recognize any claims regarding the sovereignty of the Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea, which are administered by Japan but claimed by both China and Taiwan, an adviser to President Barack Obama said Friday.
JAPAN / Media / Japan Pulse
Jan 21, 2011

Thirst growing overseas for nihonshu

Last year more nihonshu than ever was shipped overseas. From Seoul to San Francisco, tipplers are saying kampai to sake.
JAPAN
Jan 21, 2011

Osaka Hanshin store starts annual whale sale: 3 tons of Atlantic hunt

Hankyu Hanshin Department Stores Inc. kicked off its annual whale meat sale Thursday in central Osaka.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Jan 21, 2011

The Mornings reveal new depths on debut

"I was in a mosh pit at (Tokyo concert venue) Koiwa Bushbash when Shingo landed on top of me and dislocated my shoulder."
Japan Times
CULTURE / Art
Jan 21, 2011

A shot of Ardbeg in temple grounds

There's a faint scent of incense as you crawl through a knee-high door into a pebble-filled corridor that leads into a white igloo-like space, just big enough to fit three people. "This is my meditation room," says Akiyoshi Taniguchi, the curator who is introducing Kurenboh, a tiny modern gallery located...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Jan 21, 2011

Bo Ningen

Sporting chest-length, jet-black hair that obscures each of the four members' facial features, Bo Ningen look like what might have happened if Sadako from "The Ring" had crawled out of the well and found herself on stage fronting a psych-rock band. Add in song titles such as "Koroshitai Kimochi," which...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music / IN THE RECORD
Jan 21, 2011

Groove Patrol

Creator of the Audio Tokyo Electronic Music Festival and director of Eggworm, Groove Patrol (aka Nick Clarke), gives The Japan Times a peek into his record bag.
Japan Times
BASKETBALL
Jan 21, 2011

Strong fitness helps Apache during grueling stretch

The Tokyo Apache wrapped up a hectic eight games in 14 days with a 79-78 overtime victory over the Takamatsu Five Arrows on Wednesday.
JAPAN
Jan 21, 2011

U.S. alliance vital for national security: Kan

Prime Minister Naoto Kan stressed Thursday the importance of the Japan-U.S. alliance and the importance of the continued presence of American forces in Okinawa for the national security.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / TOKYO FOOD FILE
Jan 21, 2011

Fujiya Honten Grill Bar: cheap and tasty eats on your feet

Now that the holiday feasting is just a fast-fading memory, it's time to tighten the belt and rein in the spending. No more high-end splurges: These days we're staying strictly street level.
COMMENTARY / World
Jan 20, 2011

Exposing globalization's dark side

WATERLOO, Ontario — The pronouncement of "the end of history" may have been a tad premature, yet, in a flat world, globalization — the intensified exchange of goods, services, capital, technology, ideas, information, legal systems and people — has brought "the end of geography" closer.
EDITORIALS
Jan 20, 2011

Moment of truth nears

Former Democratic Party of Japan chief Ichiro Ozawa, on the advice of his attorneys, turned down a request Tuesday to submit to interrogation ahead of his expected indictment on allegations of falsely reporting political funds. The request had come from lawyers appointed by the court to act as prosecutors...
Reader Mail
Jan 20, 2011

Speak out on 'universal' standards

I would like to respond to Greg Hutchinson's Jan. 13 letter, "Americans should avoid lecturing." This discussion began with an exchange of letters in the Dec. 19 and Dec. 26 Readers in Council in which the question was raised as to whether an American should give advice to the Japanese on issues related...
JAPAN
Jan 20, 2011

Key ministers meet to weigh tax hike

Key Cabinet ministers agreed Wednesday to map out comprehensive proposals on social welfare and tax reforms, with an eye to hiking the sales levy, by June as they met for the first time to explore ways to cope with the problems of a rapidly aging society and mounting government debt.
COMMENTARY / World
Jan 19, 2011

Hu's momentous U.S. visit

HONG KONG — The pomp and circumstance marking President Hu Jintao's arrival in Washington could define a dangerous moment in relations between the United States and China. Political hype and pressures could easily poison the atmosphere and prevent progress on the proliferation of business, economic...
Japan Times
MORE SPORTS / ICE TIME
Jan 19, 2011

Resurgent Mao to lead strong team at Four Continents

Following last month's dramatic national championships in Nagano, where Miki Ando won her first title in six years and Takahiko Kozuka broke through for his inaugural victory in a major senior competition, Japan will send a loaded squad to next month's Four Continents Championship in Taipei.
JAPAN / EXPLAINER
Jan 18, 2011

Russian-held isles: So near, so far

On the morning of Nov. 1, Dmitry Medvedev became the first Russian leader to set foot on one of the four islands off Hokkaido seized by the Soviets at the end of World War II that Japan has long wanted returned.
BASKETBALL
Jan 16, 2011

Steady Satterfield leads Broncos past Evessa

KASUKABE, Saitama Pref. — There's no doubt that Kenny Satterfield has had a stabilizing presence for the Saitama Broncos this season.
JAPAN / Media / BIG IN JAPAN
Jan 16, 2011

Almost time for Japan to break out the bubbly for bubble 2.0

Remember the bubble? In case you don't, Shukan Gendai (Dec. 20) reminds us that the economic bubble of the late 1980s was an era of rocketing salaries, stock prices and property values, yet accompanied by little inflation. Wealth was seen everywhere. Catching a cab downtown at night required flashing...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Art / WEEK 3
Jan 16, 2011

Calligraphy writ large takes in choreography, too

Japanese calligraphy is a challenge at the best of times. So why go to the trouble of using a piece of paper as large as the side of a bus, and a brush that's almost two meters long and weighs 50 kg?
Japan Times
LIFE / WEEK 3
Jan 16, 2011

Back to the future of a 'hotel for 2001'

The year was 1979. His Imperial Majesty Emperor Hirohito was in the 54th year of his reign. Japan's prime minister was Masayoshi Ohira. In 1979, people still paid for goods with ¥500 bills. There was no consumption tax or Internet, there were no cell phones and no Japanese were playing in the U.S. major...
COMMENTARY / World
Jan 15, 2011

Israel's nuclear option in Iran

LOS ANGELES — Revelations in former U.S. President George W. Bush's recently published memoirs show that he declined an Israeli request to destroy Syria's secret nuclear reactor in the spring of 2007. While the revelation may appear merely to be a historical footnote, more profoundly it raises new...

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