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Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Issues / THE ZEIT GIST
Jun 22, 2010

Can't vote? No problem, you're empowered!

What are you planning to do with yourself this summer? If you're Japanese, have you given any thought to the country's upcoming Upper House elections?
EDITORIALS
Jun 21, 2010

Parties circle consumption tax

The ruling Democratic Party of Japan and the No. 1 opposition Liberal Democratic Party have announced their manifestos for the July 11 Upper House election. Noteworthy is the DPJ's mention of the possibility of raising the consumption tax as a way to rebuild state finances.
COMMENTARY / World
Jun 15, 2010

Large-scale agriculture won't cure hunger

BRUSSELS — The World Bank, U.N. Food and Agricultural Organization, International Fund for Agricultural Development, and U.N. Conference on Trade and Development Secretariat recently presented seven "Principles for Responsible Agricultural Investment."
CULTURE / TV & Streaming / CHANNEL SURF
Jun 13, 2010

'Superpowers' explained; super-beautiful women ranked; CM of the week: Suntory Black Oolong Tea

The appeal of NHK's half-hour science show "Suiensa" (NHK-E, Tues., 6:55 p.m.) is pretty simple: Cute young women carrying out scientific experiments. The premise is even simpler: Answer an everyday question scientifically.
Japan Times
BASKETBALL / HOOP SCOOP
Jun 12, 2010

Okada top Japanese in bj-league

First in a two-part series
Japan Times
LIFE / Travel / HOTELS & RESTAURANTS
Jun 11, 2010

Open-air bar at the Prince

The Tokyo Prince Hotel's open-air "Beer Restaurant Garden Island" will run through Sept. 24.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / BY THE GLASS
Jun 11, 2010

It's down to earth in the Napa Valley

A certain amount of hubris might be expected from the representatives of some of Napa Valley's most famous wineries. Surely the Californians, who flew into Japan last month to show off their wares at Tokyo's American Club, would not miss the opportunity to brag a little about the big impact their wines...
Japan Times
ENVIRONMENT / OLD NIC'S NOTEBOOK
Jun 6, 2010

Chips for the kids and all

I have just returned to my study after two days and a night spent in the woods with a group of young people who are visually disadvantaged. Some of them had no eyesight at all, some could just barely make out shades and vague shapes.
CULTURE / TV & Streaming / CHANNEL SURF
Jun 6, 2010

2010 World Cup preview; Ryuichi Sakamoto on drum-and-bass; CM of the week: DoCoMo

Nobody expects the Japanese national team to go very far at the upcoming FIFA World Cup in South Africa, but that isn't going to stop television stations from dreaming. TBS will get the ball rolling, so to speak, on Thursday night with a special two-hour preview, "2010 FIFA World Cup Kaimaku Zenyasai"...
EDITORIALS
May 30, 2010

Sumo perks to the wrong guys

The image of the Japan Sumo Association has been tarnished again, this time by the discovery that senior members of an organized crime group obtained tickets for special ringside seats at sumo tournaments apparently with the help of two sumo stablemasters. It has also surfaced that ozeki Kotomitsuki...
LIFE
May 30, 2010

By definition, who are 'adult learners' anyway?

Defining "adult learners" isn't easy. After all, youths in Japan can vote and drink at the age of 20, yet when attending university they are not considered adults.
CULTURE / TV & Streaming / CHANNEL SURF
May 23, 2010

Snapping with SMAP in Setagaya; swordplay with Shingo; CM of the week: Sky Perfect TV

"Pussuma" (TV Asahi, Tues., 11:15 p.m.) started way back in 1998, making it one of Japanese TV's longest running variety shows. Eternally hosted by aging idol Tsuyoshi Kusanagi and loud-mouthed actor-comedian Yusuke Santamaria, the nonsensical title is meant to cash in on Kusanagi's membership in SMAP....
JAPAN
May 21, 2010

Former negotiator lays base woes on Okinawa

Every story has more than one side.
Japan Times
LIFE / Travel / HOTELS & RESTAURANTS
May 21, 2010

In-season tomatoes hit Grand Hyatt

The Italian restaurant Fiorentina at the Grand Hyatt Tokyo is showcasing tomatoes, which are in season in Italy and Japan.
JAPAN
May 15, 2010

Carrying on the art of silent film narration

Midori Sawato knows how to act, from princess to samurai to thief — but only with her voice.
Events / WHERE IT'S AT
May 11, 2010

Cycling community offers helping hand to fair trade

During the three weeks between the Earth Day Festival in Tokyo on April 17 and Waorld Fair Trade Day last Saturday, cyclists and supporters of fair trade were busy threading their way through the dense Tokyo traffic with the help of a map that connected the dots between some of the main outlets selling...
COMMENTARY / World
May 7, 2010

War epics on screen skip mass slaughter of civilians

SAN FRANCISCO — Does the history diet fed to Americans by Hollywood promote an unhealthy national memory? The latest screen epic about American heroism in World War II — the HBO miniseries "The Pacific" — is clouded by an unintended irony.
COMMUNITY / Issues / THE ZEIT GIST
May 4, 2010

Eikaiwa on the ropes after fall of Geos

RICHARD SMART Special to The Japan Times A chain of English conversation schools is closed down. Thousands of employees are left worrying whether they will get paid or keep their jobs. Students are told refunds will not be given on advance payments for lessons. G.communication steps in to pick up the...
JAPAN / Media / MEDIA MIX
May 2, 2010

He's unusual, so why not just kill him

In a review of the book "Shikei de Ii desu" ("The Death Sentence Is OK With Me") that appears in the Feb. 26 issue of Kinyobi, critic Tatsunori Yagashiwa asks if a society that "disregards illness" can properly judge criminal suspects.
COMMENTARY
Apr 21, 2010

Hong Kong treads the democracy tightrope

The Hong Kong government announced earlier this month that it had nominated a leading jurist, Justice Geoffrey Ma, to be the next head of the judiciary, succeeding Chief Justice Andrew Li, who served in that post since the former British colony became a special administrative region of China in 1997....
BASKETBALL / BJ-LEAGUE NOTEBOOK
Apr 16, 2010

Rowsom's role in Oita's turnaround worthy of honors

Brian Rowsom deserves to be on the short list of candidates for the bj-league's coach of the year honors.
JAPAN / EXPLAINER
Apr 13, 2010

Screeners set to take on costly public-funded entities

With a sagging approval rating, Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama and his Democratic Party of Japan may be hoping for a turnaround with the second round of screening of costly government-backed entities that starts April 23.
CULTURE / TV & Streaming / CHANNEL SURF
Apr 11, 2010

Aya Ueto as police detective, 'mystery assessments' variety show; CM of the week: McDonald's

If you want to guarantee sponsors for your drama series, hire actress Aya Ueto. At the moment she's appearing in a record-breaking 19 TV commercials, which is probably why she manages to star in more than one series a year.
BASKETBALL / BJ-LEAGUE NOTEBOOK
Apr 9, 2010

Kings face uphill fight to retain title

The Ryukyu Golden Kings have faced plenty of adversity this season. Losing shooting guard Shigeyuki Kinjo and big man Jeff Newton, the league's regular-season and playoff MVP last season, for significant chunks of time, has tested the team's resilience and competitive spirit.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Apr 9, 2010

'Alice in Wonderland'

One pill makes you larger, and one pill makes you small, but the ones that Tim Burton gives you don't do anything at all. Go see "Alice."

Longform

Dangami House is a 180-year-old former samurai residence of the Kato clan, who ruled over Ozu, Ehime Prefecture, until the Meiji Restoration.
A house, a legacy and the quiet work of restoration in rural Japan