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COMMENTARY
Jan 18, 2005

Same old contrived hysteria

Japan seems headed for yet another bout of emotional confrontation with North Korea and China.
COMMENTARY / THE VIEW FROM MOSCOW
Jan 17, 2005

Unprecedented migration has EU on edge

MOSCOW -- Barbarian invasions from the east are old news for old Europe. Over the centuries, restless nomads kept rolling through the area -- sometimes to kill, sometimes to plunder, and sometimes to plunder and stay.
EDITORIALS
Jan 16, 2005

English as you like it

So, you want to learn English or at least learn it better. Even if you don't, there is sure to be someone -- a teacher, a spouse, a child, a boss -- who thinks your life, your career prospects or even just your vacation options would be greatly enhanced if you did. No problem there, you think; Japan...
CULTURE / Books / THE ASIAN BOOKSHELF
Jan 16, 2005

Bridge between Japan and Britain

Until World War II, Japanese language and culture were studied at few institutions outside Japan, and only a small number of scholars specialized in Japanese studies. Among the independent organizations devoted to promoting an understanding of Japan, its history and culture, two traced their origins...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Jan 16, 2005

Carlos Barbosa-Lima: "Frenesi"

Brazilian guitarist Carlos Barbosa-Lima, who first studied with classical guitar master Andres Segovia, has been honing his technique for over four decades. His crisp acoustic tones and fluid soloing blend classical precision with street-dancing cool. On his 26th recording, "Frenesi," the audiophile...
Japan Times
LIFE / Travel / NATURE TRAVEL
Jan 16, 2005

There's white gold on them thar African isles

'Where there's muck, there's brass." In the north of England "brass" means "cash," but the old adage about dirt and money still rings true. And you don't get much muckier than an overcrowded seabird colony on a small Atlantic island.
EDITORIALS
Jan 15, 2005

Bad options in Iraq

With elections scheduled to take place in less than three weeks, the situation in Iraq continues to deteriorate. There are real doubts that a national vote can be held, a prospect that would seriously -- if not fatally -- undermine the legitimacy of the resulting government.
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / WHEN EAST MARRIES WEST
Jan 15, 2005

Freezin' in a winter wonderland

Winter lies heavy on Japan. In this country, that means ski slopes, hot sake, common-pot stews, frosty smiles, rosy cheeks and -- at least for those in the highlands or up north -- buckets of snow. It's but one cozy chapter of the chipper romance that all Japanese feel for the four seasons.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY
Jan 15, 2005

Student summit: food safety a growing concern

While his two brothers followed their father into local government service, Akimi Fujimoto took a different path. "My father had two working lives, as a government official and helping my mother farm our land in Niigata. There was no way I ever wanted a desk job."
Japan Times
LIFE / Travel
Jan 14, 2005

Kobe: picturesque city by the sea

As last month's terrible tsunami off Sumatra and the subsequent tidal waves showed only too well, the shiftings of the earth's crust can lead to horrific natural calamities. Sitting atop one of the world's geological hot spots, Japan is of course no stranger to these phenomena. And the ever-present threat...
CULTURE / Books / THE ASIAN BOOKSHELF
Jan 13, 2005

Jakuemon: A man for the ladies

NAKAMURA JAKUEMON IV: The Art of Onnagata Acting, by Rei Sasaguchi, photos by Yutaka Umemura, Akira Iwata, Fumio Watanabe. Designed and published by Rei Sasaguchi, 2004, 116 pp., 3000 yen (cloth). This very interesting, beautifully designed book is an essay on the art of onnagata, the kabuki actor playing...
LIFE / Lifestyle / ON THE BOOK TRAIL
Jan 13, 2005

"The Time Wreccas," "Winnie's Magic Wand"

"The Time Wreccas," Val Tyler, Puffin Books; 2005; 338 pp. Children's fiction these days is so all-knowing, so cynical, even, that possibly only a first-time writer can bring back to it the naivete that it has all but lost. Perhaps Val Tyler, author of "The Time Wreccas" has not noticed how popular...
CULTURE / Art / NEW ART SEEN
Jan 12, 2005

Blue skies over architectural utopias

The latest offering from the Mori Art Museum lives up to its big name: "Archilab: New Experiments in Architecture, Art and the City, 1950-2005." The first architecture exhibition at the Mori, this is a big show, ambitious in both scale and manner of presentation. Featuring drawings, videos and maquettes...
MORE SPORTS
Jan 10, 2005

Inoue rediscovers winning form

Japanese heavyweight judoka Kosei Inoue put the disappointment of his shock Olympic defeat behind him Sunday as he won the Kano Cup international tournament in his comeback to competitive judo.
JAPAN / Media / MEDIA MIX
Jan 9, 2005

Highlights and lowlights of a year in the media

Media Person of the Year: Bae Yong Joon
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / PERSONALITY PROFILE
Jan 8, 2005

Lyn Hazzard

Women of Yokohama recognize good, reliable newcomers to their community when they see them. They invite their allegiance to the Yokohama International Women's Club.
JAPAN
Jan 7, 2005

Underground economy expected to boom

"No money and you're dead" is essentially what yakuza characters in novels and comic books say, and they mean that literally.
COMMENTARY / WASHINGTON UPDATE
Jan 6, 2005

Lessons from last year's landmark U.S. election

WASHINGTON -- The last election that we just endured is still being quantified and dissected. From the seemingly endless forums and reviews that have flowed since Nov. 2, we are learning a bit about how our elections are run and won.
Japan Times
ENVIRONMENT / OLD NIC'S NOTEBOOK
Jan 6, 2005

Buckwheat booze lifts locals' spirits

The first flurries of snow usually fall here where I live in Kurohime in mid-November, just at the start of the hunting season.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Art
Jan 5, 2005

Following the line to enlightenment

In order to write an article about renowned Zen master Tanchu Terayama's Hitsuzendo calligraphy exhibition, I was offered the rare opportunity to visit his mountain retreat in Ibaraki Prefecture to participate in a workshop with Terayama himself. I first got a call from Terayama's most dedicated student,...
JAPAN
Jan 4, 2005

Stay-with-parents crowd balks at common-law life

needs to do away with the stigma that society puts on illegitimate children. In addition, the government should improve public support for single mothers," she said. "It's good to have a society with less pressure on people to live standardized lifestyles."
COMMENTARY
Jan 4, 2005

Britain governed by nannies

LONDON -- British Prime Minister Tony Blair is often accused of being a "control freak," meaning someone who places the emphasis on presentation rather than content, but the accusation that he and his colleagues have become obsessed with "political correctness" is closer to the mark.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Voices / VIEWS FROM THE STREET
Jan 4, 2005

Why has literacy dropped so dramatically?

Ana Mickle Stay at home mom, 34 There's been an upsurge in new forms of entertainment in recent years. I don't think school hours should be extended. I think students should do better with the time they have -- the kids should have a life. Schools should work on truancy rates.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Issues / THE ZEIT GIST
Jan 4, 2005

Racism is bad business

The Community Page has commented at length on socially-sanctioned exclusionary practices in Japan. However, it has rarely touched upon their quantifiable, longer-term effects.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Jan 1, 2005

Inn finds revival by welcoming foreigners

With its plain concrete and tile exterior and glass double doors, Sawanoya looks like any other ordinary Japanese inn.
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / JAPAN LITE
Jan 1, 2005

Bless your house, TV for the new year!

A male voice called out. I ran downstairs and there was a Buddhist priest, dressed in full robes, standing in my genkan. At first I panicked, "Am I dead?" No, that's what Catholic priests do, not Buddhist priests. He smiled and looked at me expectantly. I smiled back, wondering why in the world a Buddist...

Longform

Once smoky, male-dominated spaces, today's net cafes, like Kaikatsu Club, are working to make their operations more attractive to women customers.
The second life of Japan's net cafes