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BASKETBALL
Jan 27, 2007

A big step: bj-league stages 1st All-Star Game

GINOWAN, Okinawa -- Pick a sport, any sport, and the following is a guarantee: All-Star games are fun events for fans and players alike.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Jan 27, 2007

December CPI up just 0.1%

Japan's core consumer price index in December rose at a slower pace than expected, the government said Friday, adding to doubts that the Bank of Japan will raise interest rates next month.
SOCCER / J. League
Jan 26, 2007

New Reds boss Osieck looking to succeed in ACL

SAITAMA -- To look for a perceptible change in the Urawa Reds this coming season, one will have to turn to their attempts to win the Asian Champions League because new coach Holger Osieck insists he won't be changing a winning formula on the domestic front.
JAPAN
Jan 25, 2007

Kyuma: U.S. invasion of Iraq a mistake

The U.S. invasion of Iraq was a mistake based on a faulty assumption, Defense Minister Fumio Kyuma said Wednesday in a rare criticism from Washington's closest Asian ally.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Art / NEW ART SEEN
Jan 25, 2007

A great space waiting to be filled

Wow. It's huge.
BASKETBALL
Jan 24, 2007

Washington earns weekly accolade

Osaka Evessa power forward Lynn Washington is the Circle K Sunkus Player of the Week, the bj-league announced Tuesday.
EDITORIALS
Jan 24, 2007

Arms race in space?

News that China destroyed one of its satellites with a ground-based ballistic missile should cause international concern since it could trigger an arms race in outer space. China is the third country to carry out such a test following the United States and the former Soviet Union, which conducted similar...
BUSINESS
Jan 23, 2007

Economic outlook still rosy: Cabinet

Despite weak indicators for private consumption, the economy continues to recover thanks to brisk business activity and capital investment, the Cabinet Office said Monday in its monthly economic report for January.
COMMENTARY
Jan 22, 2007

Unshackling Japan's defense

On Jan. 9 the Defense Agency was upgraded to full ministry status. At a ceremony marking the change, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said it was a major step from the "postwar regime" toward a foundation for national rebuilding.
EDITORIALS
Jan 22, 2007

Popularity ebbs before battle

The ruling Liberal Democratic Party and the opposition Democratic Party of Japan have held their party conventions and adopted policy programs for 2007, setting the stage for July's Upper House election, which will decide the future course of Japan. While the prelude for the watershed political battle...
EDITORIALS
Jan 21, 2007

Holding off on a rate hike

The Bank of Japan's Policy Board has decided to maintain the overnight call rate, the key short-term interest rate, at 0.25 percent -- the rate it adopted last July when it scrapped its zero interest rate policy. The final conclusion of the Policy Board's discussions last week departs somewhat from BOJ...
COMMENTARY / COUNTERPOINT
Jan 21, 2007

Ah, those good old bad old '80s days

W hen did Japan begin to change and enter its present phase of burgeoning nationalism? (I hesitate to call it "new" nationalism, because it's actually just a rehashing of old myths for 21st-century consumption.)
Japan Times
LIFE / WEEK 3
Jan 21, 2007

Personal style gurus for common people

When Japan's star pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka inked a $52 million deal to play for the Boston Red Sox in mid-December, one of the most memorable comments he made in a packed news conference on his return from the United States was that he was frustrated with having to go through an agent in the negotiations....
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Jan 19, 2007

'Tamamoe'

"Oh what a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to deceive," wrote Sir Walter Scott -- words of wisdom for married cheaters, who rarely turn out to be as clever in their sexual games as they first imagined. Too often passion overcomes prudence as hard-to-explain credit card bills and "business...
BUSINESS
Jan 19, 2007

Widely awaited BOJ rate hike a no-show

The Bank of Japan held its key short-term interest rate steady Thursday, confounding predictions of a rate hike by market-watchers and avoiding an expected clash with lawmakers.
COMMENTARY
Jan 18, 2007

Unhappy state of education

LONDON -- Very few parents in Britain or Japan are happy about the state of education available to their children. The response of politicians in both countries to these concerns is inadequate and sometimes dangerous.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Jan 18, 2007

Automakers target emissions as way to stay ahead

The growing gap in profitability among the world's automakers is becoming more apparent, as seen in the contrasting fortunes of Toyota Motor Corp., whose sales have been growing strongly, and ailing U.S. giant General Motors Corp., which is struggling to stem a tide of red ink.
BASKETBALL
Jan 17, 2007

Aoki earns weekly MVP accolade

The bj-league's shortest player, Kohei Aoki, of the Tokyo Apache, was selected as the Circle K Sunkus Player of the Week, the league announced Tuesday.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Jan 17, 2007

Aso wants to be next LDP chief: Tanigaki

Taro Aso lost to Shinzo Abe in last September's Liberal Democratic Party presidential election, but the outspoken foreign minister still secretly hopes to prevail next time.

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