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EDITORIALS
Feb 5, 2008

Mother-and-child health care

In addition to the fight against global warning, Japan could exercise its leadership at July's Group of Eight summit to promote international cooperation in protecting the health of mothers and infants in developing countries. The Japanese government plans to propose an action guideline at the summit...
BUSINESS
Feb 5, 2008

Takeda to purchase local Amgen unit

Takeda Pharmaceutical Co., Japan's largest drugmaker, agreed to buy the local unit of Amgen Inc., gaining cancer and arthritis medicines.
COMMENTARY
Feb 4, 2008

Geopolitical risks on the rise

DAVOS, Switzerland — At the recent World Economic Forum meeting of top political, business, intellectual and civil-society leaders, the discussions centered on a range of major international challenges — from new threats to the growing strain on water and other resources.
BUSINESS / THE VIEW FROM EUROPE
Feb 4, 2008

For Russia and Japan, bad blood not as thick as it seems

The great industrialist Henry Ford once proclaimed "history is bunk." But when it comes to international business, this wisdom does not always prevail.
COMMENTARY
Feb 3, 2008

Election should settle the war question

LOS ANGELES — The current race for the White House might just prove to be a great clarifier on the Iraq war. This is undoubtedly the high-profile foreign-policy problem that the world would like our electoral system to resolve decisively.
Japan Times
LIFE / Travel / ON THE ROAD
Feb 3, 2008

Nano's low price comes at a cost

It's hardly surprising that Tata Group Chairman Ratan Tata chose the theme from the film "2001: A Space Odyssey" as the soundtrack to his unveiling of the Nano mini-car. Simply put, this car is epoch-making. It is the Ford Model T of India.
EDITORIALS
Feb 3, 2008

Late response to food poisoning

News that more than a thousand people have suffered food poisoning after eating insecticide-tainted gyoza meat and vegetable dumplings imported from China has set off alarms about food safety. Traces of the organo-phosphate methamidophos were found in the frozen gyoza. This chemical is so lethal that...
COMMENTARY / World
Feb 2, 2008

Gaza's past holds lessons for the future

PRAGUE — When the Gaza Strip was plunged into darkness last week as a result of the Israeli fuel blockade, many people around the world were surprised. But the optimism produced by the Annapolis peace process, which included U.S. President George W. Bush's promise of an agreement in 2008 to create...
JAPAN
Feb 2, 2008

Radio contact lost with trans-Pacific balloonist

Japanese and U.S. authorities launched a search Friday after radio contact was lost early in the morning with a hot-air balloonist attempting to cross the Pacific Ocean from Tochigi Prefecture to North America, one of his supporters said.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Feb 2, 2008

Gas levy vital for maintaining rural roads

Provisional higher tax rates for gasoline and cars are now the main bone of contention in the divided Diet. The Liberal Democratic Party-New Komeito ruling bloc has submitted a bill to extend the rates, due to expire March 31, for another 10 years. Revenues from the levies are used to build and repair...
COMMENTARY / World
Feb 1, 2008

Suharto puzzle still in play

HONG KONG — In death, Indonesia's former President Suharto was praised as a great and almost saintly ruler. At Suharto's state funeral Monday, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono saluted the casket, one general to another, and declared "His service is an example to us."
JAPAN
Feb 1, 2008

Food-inspection system has many holes

Food inspectors and consumers on Thursday questioned the effectiveness of food importing regulations after large amounts of organophosphate in frozen "gyoza" dumplings made in China were blamed for sickening scores of people nationwide.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Feb 1, 2008

Arcade Fire: 'a goofy bunch of people'

They're a funny bunch, Arcade Fire. Last year saw the Montreal-based band graduate from indie darlings to arena stars touring North America and sharing a stage with Bruce Springsteen and U2. Their second album, "Neon Bible," entered the Billboard chart at No. 2 last March and has since sold upward of...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Feb 1, 2008

'Tokyo Shonen'

Ever watch BS-i, the satellite channel owned and operated by the TBS network? I thought not. Or maybe you did, flipping through the 100 or so channels on J-COM, giving it only a glance. Too bad, because under producer Tamon Andrew Niwa, BS-i has become a lab for interesting experiments in TV and film...
COMMENTARY / World
Jan 31, 2008

Japan-China relations: Building a creative partnership requires creative approaches

"When Fukuda comes, Fuku ('fortune' in Japanese and Chinese) has arrived!"
CULTURE / Art
Jan 31, 2008

New Shirokane art complex

New Shirokane art complex 3-1-15 Shirokane, Minato-ku, Tokyo
COMMENTARY / World
Jan 30, 2008

New approach for the DPJ

When the Lower House of the Diet passed the antiterror special measures law on Jan. 11, it became clear that the Democratic Party of Japan is not in control of the political situation. After briefly setting the agenda in the aftermath of the July 29 Upper House election by opposing the refueling mission...
Japan Times
MORE SPORTS
Jan 30, 2008

Competing for Japan a challenge for ice dancing Reeds

Cathy and Chris Reed lived a nomadic life growing up. Just when it looked like it had finally settled down, they found themselves back on the road again.
BASKETBALL / NBA / NBA REPORT
Jan 30, 2008

Kidd, Wade don't deserve to be All-Stars

NEW YORK — As mentioned in a previous column regarding Shaquille O'Neal, referees are usually first to recognize when a player earns or exhausts All-Star treatment.
BASKETBALL
Jan 30, 2008

Joho, Blackwell receive accolades

Shooting guard Masashi Joho provided the late-game heroics for the Tokyo Apache on Sunday, scoring the game-tying layup on his team's final possession of the fourth quarter to force overtime. He then scored 11 more points (nine on 3-pointers) in OT, finishing with a season-high 22 points as the Apache...
JAPAN / Q&A
Jan 30, 2008

Road taxes: Pork-barrel or necessity?

The government submitted a tax reform bill to the Diet Jan. 23 that includes a clause to continue the provisional higher rates imposed on auto-related levies for another 10 years, drawing opposition from the Democratic Party of Japan, which wants the higher rates that have been in place for more than...
Japan Times
JAPAN / ALSO OUT THERE
Jan 30, 2008

Finessing the pen-twirl becomes a fine science

Unlike Tamagotchi or the Nintendo DS, the latest Japanese gadget does not bleep, comes without voice recognition system and will not connect to the Internet.

Longform

Japan's growing ranks of centenarians are redefining what it means to live in a super-aging society.
What comes after 100?