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COMMENTARY
Dec 26, 2007

China puts muscle to policy

NEW DELHI — Rising economic and military power is emboldening Beijing to pursue a more muscular foreign policy. Having earlier preached the gospel of its "peaceful rise," China is now beginning to take the gloves off, confident of the muscle it has acquired.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Dec 26, 2007

Lightning-fast arms named robot of the year

A mechanical arm that picks 120 items a minute from a conveyor belt won Japan's Robot of the Year award last week, defeating a dozen other flashier finalists, including a walking humanoid, a firefighter robot and a transparent torso for simulating surgery.
EDITORIALS
Dec 25, 2007

U.S. lightens Japan's burden

The United States has agreed to Japan slightly reducing its burden-sharing costs for maintaining U.S. military facilities in the country over three years starting in April — after the current two-year accord expires in March. In the talks, Japan sought a substantial cut due to its massive national...
LIFE / Language
Dec 25, 2007

'A Happy Winter Holiday' to you one and all

In many places, celebrations will be getting into full swing. But if you're in Japan, by the time you read this, Christmas (kurisumasu) will have already been forgotten. Like everywhere else, in the runup before, there have been carols sung and trees and lights and images of Santa hung up, especially...
EDITORIALS
Dec 25, 2007

Rewarding hospital doctors

The government and the ruling parties have decided to raise the medical fees paid to medical institutions for doctors' services by 0.38 percent from fiscal 2008. The upward fee revision is the first since fiscal 2000, but the margin of the raise is too small to stem the collapse of medical services,...
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / WORDS TO LIVE BY
Dec 25, 2007

Natsuki Maeda

Shop clerk Natsuki Maeda, 19, is a charismatic fashion leader in Tokyo's world-famous Shibuya 109 building, the epicenter of cool threads for girls and for women who, regardless of their age, would like to look as young as they feel. Working in one of the 100 shops here is synonymous with celebrity status,...
COMMENTARY
Dec 24, 2007

U.S., Australia 'still mates'

HONOLULU — "Australia's Path Bends Away from the U.S.''
COMMENTARY / World
Dec 24, 2007

Christmas letter to Pope Benedict XVI

HONG KONG — Until three years ago, you had a well-earned reputation as the fierce watchdog of the doctrine of the Roman Catholic Church. You were nicknamed "God's Rottweiler."
COMMENTARY
Dec 24, 2007

Opportunity for progress in Middle East

NEW YORK — Recent reports by The Associated Press that Hamas leaders seek a ceasefire agreement with Israel should be wholeheartedly embraced as they offer hope of halting the vicious cycle of violence that has plagued both Israelis and Palestinians.
Japan Times
LIFE
Dec 23, 2007

Japan's 'Hidden Christians'

"It is 12:30 p.m. in Nagasaki, on March 17, 1865. Father Bernard Petitjean, a priest of the French Societe des Missions Etrangeres, hears a noise at the back door of his little chapel. On opening he is surprised to find a group of 15 middle-aged Japanese men and women — surprised because all native-...
Japan Times
LIFE
Dec 23, 2007

From Bliss to blood

Some scholars say Japan's Christian history began long before the so-called "Christian century" (1549-c.1640). Their claim takes us all the way back to 7th- and 8th-century Nara, where Nestorian Christians from Persia are said to have built churches, operated a leper hospital and even converted the Empress...
SOCCER / PREMIER REPORT
Dec 22, 2007

Wenger's young Gunners in fine form during Carling Cup

LONDON — Arsenal not only has the best first team in the Premier League, but it's second XI is also capable of beating England's finest.
BUSINESS
Dec 22, 2007

What every travel agent knows: 'Tis the season to splurge

Although the economy remains weak and the prices of oil and other commodities continue to rise, many Japanese consumers throw caution to the wind come holiday season.
JAPAN
Dec 22, 2007

MSDF exit elated al-Qaida, Taliban: Afghan ambassador

Since the 9/11 terrorist attacks in the United States, Afghanistan has been the battleground for the global war on terrorism.
BASKETBALL
Dec 22, 2007

Apache, Evessa set for big showdown

It's a big weekend for the bj-league.
BUSINESS
Dec 22, 2007

KDDI, Willcom win ministry panel nod for wireless broadband

KDDI Corp. and smaller rival Willcom Inc. won the endorsement of a government advisory panel Friday to offer wireless broadband Internet access in the country.
JAPAN
Dec 21, 2007

High court upholds 20-year term for Shigenobu

The Tokyo High Court on Thursday upheld a 20-year prison term for one of the most notorious members of the Japanese Red Army, saying she played an indispensable role in plotting and aiding the 1974 seizure of the French Embassy in The Hague.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Dec 21, 2007

Inspired by repression

I am a very private person," says Marjane Satrapi, author of "Persepolis" and co-director of the new film based on her graphic novels. It's a curious statement coming from someone who's poured her own life into an autobiographical novel, but as she repeatedly pointed out to The Japan Times, it's not...
JAPAN / ALSO OUT THERE
Dec 21, 2007

To survive a corporate scandal or to crumble

Reflecting a year that was jam-packed with food makers' scandals, including false labeling, the Japan Kanji Aptitude Testing Foundation announced earlier this month that "nise," meaning "fake," best symbolized 2008 in a single character.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / TOKYO FOOD FILE
Dec 21, 2007

Rounding off a great year in food

The winter solstice is hard upon us; the days of wassail, mince pies and figgy pudding close behind. As is our custom, the final Food File column of the year is a tightly stuffed Christmas stocking of musings over 12 months of dining out. But before settling back and sifting through the fragrant lees...
Japan Times
SOCCER
Dec 19, 2007

Yamaguchi looks back on outstanding year at FSU

As final exams winded down at Florida State University last week, many students were likely ready to make the long trek home for the holidays. Although it's probably a safe bet it didn't take them over 20 hours in a plane to get there.
EDITORIALS
Dec 19, 2007

Shocking attack with a licensed gun

The shooting rampage last week in Sasebo, Nagasaki Prefecture, is shocking. A gunman in camouflage gear entered a sports club and fired a shotgun more than a dozen times, killing two people and injuring six others, including two children. Later, the gunman killed himself with the same gun on the grounds...
Japan Times
LIFE / Digital
Dec 19, 2007

Five crackers for your seasonal techno-stocking

With Christmas just around the corner, most Japan Times readers will doubtless have their shopping lists all but completed, with bountiful stockings prepared for all their kith and kin.
Japan Times
JAPAN / EXPLAINER
Dec 18, 2007

Japan has its Christmas cake and eats it, too

'Tis the jolly holiday season and the streets are filled with bright illumination, sparkling decorations and cheerful Christmas songs to mark the big day next week.

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