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SUMO
Jan 1, 2005

2004 was the year of Asashoryu in sumo

When he went undefeated at the New Year meet to kick-start his 2004 campaign, the message hit home like an 18-wheeler barreling full-throttle down a highway: Move out of the way, or get squashed like a grape. The choice was simple.
EDITORIALS
Jan 1, 2005

Royal bridge to the people

The new year has been ushered in by the auspicious news of a long-awaited announcement: Princess Nori, the only daughter of the Emperor, is engaged to Mr. Yoshiki Kuroda, a Tokyo Metropolitan Government employee. We congratulate them heartily and hope that they will serve as a bridge between the Imperial...
JAPAN
Jan 1, 2005

Movie portrays struggle of ethnic Korean who became Rikidozan

A new Japanese-South Korean joint film about professional wrestler Rikidozan celebrates his short, tragic life. Rikidozan, known as Yokdosan in Korean, was a national hero in Japan in the 1950s and 1960s. But few Japanese knew at the time that he was an immigrant from the Korean Penisula because the...
Japan Times
JAPAN
Dec 31, 2004

Princess Nori's engagement announced

Princess Nori, the only daughter of Emperor Akihito, will marry Yoshiki Kuroda, a Tokyo Metropolitan Government employee, the Imperial Household Agency said Thursday.
BUSINESS
Dec 31, 2004

Probe sheds light on Seibu Railway share shenanigans

Former Kokudo Corp. Chairman Yoshiaki Tsutsumi sold up to 3 billion yen in shares of subsidiary Seibu Railway Co. to each of three buyers before a report-falsification came to light in October, according to the buyer companies.
Japan Times
Dec 31, 2004

Princess Nori's engagement announced

Princess Nori, the only daughter of Emperor Akihito, will marry Yoshiki Kuroda, a Tokyo Metropolitan Government employee, the Imperial Household Agency said Thursday.
BASEBALL / BASEBALL BULLET-IN
Dec 29, 2004

Eagles hope to soar in first year with acquisition of Iwakuma

Here is my final column of 2004, the most tumultuous year in the history of Japanese pro baseball.
JAPAN
Dec 29, 2004

Daiei, Misawa to get IRCJ bailout

The Industrial Revitalization Corp. of Japan made it official Tuesday: It will support ailing retailer Daiei Inc. and Misawa Homes Holdings Inc. in what would be the biggest and probably the last case taken on by the bailout agency.
CULTURE / Stage
Dec 29, 2004

Celebrating ourselves and others on stage in 2004

Many of the best theatrical stagings on these shores this year tackled issues having to do with the current chaotic state of the world. The focus of the best productions in Japan was how to understand, communicate and cope with others from quite different cultural and ethnic backgrounds; or, as part...
JAPAN
Dec 28, 2004

Reports of Japanese fatalities yet to be confirmed

Foreign Ministry and embassy officials were trying Monday to confirm reports that several Japanese may have been killed in the massive tsunamis that hit South and Southeast Asia the previous day.
JAPAN
Dec 28, 2004

Nori betrothal declaration Thursday

The Imperial Household Agency will formally announce the engagement of Princess Nori and Yoshiki Kuroda, a Tokyo Metropolitan Government official, on Thursday.
BUSINESS
Dec 28, 2004

Yoshinoya cooks up a 573 million yen profit

Yoshinoya D&C Co., which used to be the country's largest "gyudon" chain before U.S. beef was banned a year ago, said Monday it returned to profitability during the three months ended Nov. 30.
COMMUNITY / How-tos / LIFELINES
Dec 28, 2004

Boating, studying and moving to Japan

The last column of the year! Where did the weeks go?
Japan Times
JAPAN
Dec 28, 2004

Returning tourists recount tidal terror

Japanese tourists arriving home from Thailand described the terror they experienced on beaches and hotels on the resort island of Phuket, which was struck Sunday by tsunamis triggered by the world's strongest earthquake in 40 years.
Dec 28, 2004

Reports of Japanese fatalities yet to be confirmed

Foreign Ministry and embassy officials were trying Monday to confirm reports that several Japanese may have been killed in the massive tsunamis that hit South and Southeast Asia the previous day.
EDITORIALS
Dec 26, 2004

A summer date with Harry Potter

To the delight of her young readers, her publishers and booksellers everywhere, British author J.K. Rowling last week announced that she had delivered to the printers the manuscript of "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince," Book 6 in her phenomenally popular fantasy series. It should have come as...
COMMENTARY
Dec 26, 2004

The will to clean up politicos

MANILA -- Political parties are essential components of democratic governance. Democracies require political parties as these offer the voter political choices at election time. They also represent and channel divergent social interests and diffuse them in what is typically a protracted political process....
JAPAN
Dec 26, 2004

Political parties amassed 319.6 billion yen in donations last year

Political parties raked in 319.6 billion yen in 2003, marking a 10.8 percent rise from 2002 and the first increase in three years, according to a tally of government political fund reports.
EDITORIALS
Dec 25, 2004

The year of the blog

Whether you're sick to death of the word "blog" or have no idea what it means, you are equally abreast of the times, linguistically speaking. Merriam-Webster, the U.S. dictionary publisher, recently declared it the most looked-up term on its Internet site this year, not counting profanities and perennial...

Longform

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