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BUSINESS
May 22, 2007

Different roads to eco-friendly vehicles

Hybrids, plug-in hybrids, diesel-powered cars, vehicles running on ethanol and fuel-cell cars — these are among the major environment-friendly vehicles under development to reduce carbon dioxide emissions, a major cause of global warming.
BUSINESS
May 22, 2007

SMFG reports 35.7% drop in net profit

The Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group, one of Japan's three largest banking groups, reported Monday that group net profit dropped 35.7 percent to 441.4 billion yen in 2006 because of losses from consumer lending affiliate Promise Co. and weak banking operations.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Issues / THE ZEIT GIST
May 22, 2007

Seeing from the Korean side

In February this year over 300 people attended the performing arts festival at a junior high school in Okayama. It was much the same as any other arts festival at any other junior high school in Japan; the students sang, danced, played music and performed skits for an audience made up of family and friends....
JAPAN
May 20, 2007

Grisly crimes spark rethink of 'safe' Japan

A mother beheaded by her son. A baby who suffocated after being stuffed by his parents in the baggage compartment of a motorbike while they played pachinko. A murderous shooting spree during a hostage standoff.
Japan Times
LIFE / WEEK 3
May 20, 2007

Citizen journalists aim to serve all

For Kenichiro Masuyama, who lives in Matsumoto City in central Japan's scenic Nagano Prefecture, news that more foreign visitors than ever before are now coming to savor the region's delights is hardly a surprise.
JAPAN
May 18, 2007

Trail to Obara said overlooked in '92 death

Second of two parts
BUSINESS
May 18, 2007

Economy grew just 0.6% in quarter

The economy grew 0.6 percent in the January-March quarter for the ninth consecutive quarter of growth after corporate spending slowed, the Cabinet Office said in a preliminary report released Thursday.
BUSINESS
May 18, 2007

Toyota throws hybrid models into Lexus lineup

Toyota Motor Corp. introduced two top-of-the-line Lexus LS sedans in Japan on Thursday, hoping the cars' hybrid technology will accelerate the automaker's efforts to establish Lexus as a premium brand on the world stage.
Japan Times
JAPAN
May 16, 2007

Documentary traces 'ritual' of Japan election campaign

In Japan, candidates who run for office generally don't rise naturally from the grass roots. Many are molded into politicians by extremely organized election campaigns.
Japan Times
JAPAN
May 16, 2007

Emperor craves long walks; Empress invisibility

What would the Emperor do if he could shed his weighty crown for a day and roam freely among the common people?
Reader Mail
May 16, 2007

Witnesses to crimes must act

My comments concern an April 23 news story about the arrest of a man who raped a 21-year-old girl aboard a train last summer. Some Japanese people who talked about this crime said "kawaiso" (I am sorry for her). But none had a word to say about the passengers in the car who knew what was happening but...
EDITORIALS
May 16, 2007

Referendum law raises questions

The Upper House on Monday enacted a law that establishes procedures for a national referendum to revise the Constitution. The legislation was backed by the Liberal Democratic Party, Komeito, one member of the opposition Democratic Party of Japan and an independent. The law's provisions concern the most...
SUMO
May 15, 2007

Sumo and an American woman's search for Hinkaku

The summer basho is underway and I, an American woman who has never been to Japan, am so excited.
Reader Mail
May 13, 2007

Don't stereotype the mentally ill

The horrendous massacre of 32 Virginia Tech students by Seung-Hui Cho has caused a frenzy within the news media, talk show hosts and the general public regarding the long hypothesized link between acts of violence and mental illness. Although the true causal origin of Cho's decision to engage in a murderous...
BUSINESS
May 12, 2007

Pentax can let go of Hoya ties: camera exec

Backed by brisk earnings in 2006, a senior executive at Pentax Corp. said Friday the firm was confident it could go it alone without Hoya Corp.

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