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EDITORIALS
Nov 1, 2008

Economic damage control

Prime Minister Taro Aso on Thursday evening announced a ¥26.9 trillion economic stimulus package in an effort to minimize damage to the Japanese economy from the global financial crisis. The current economic turmoil could have a devastating effect on people's lives. As Mr. Aso said, "The economy is...
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / JAPAN LITE
Nov 1, 2008

The secret of living to 200

It takes a special kind of person to live on a small island of 688 people — a crazy person. And it takes a special island to put up with 688 crazy people.
Japan Times
BASEBALL / Japanese Baseball
Oct 31, 2008

Equaling Oh's HR record proved difficult

Third in a three-part series
EDITORIALS
Oct 30, 2008

Unconvincing MSDF report

Last week the Defense Ministry made public an interim report on the death of a petty officer 3rd class from an acute subarachnoid hemorrhage 16 days after a "training fight" on Sept. 9 at the Maritime Self-Defense Force's First Service School in Etajima, Hiroshima Prefecture. The petty officer, who had...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Oct 30, 2008

Tokyo film competition rewards tantalizing tales

When I was at the Pusan International Film Festival in South Korea a few weeks ago, I discussed the Tokyo International Film Festival with some journalists, who disagreed with my assertion that TIFF's Competition section was a dumping ground for movies that couldn't make it at other film festivals. They...
CULTURE / TV & Streaming / CHANNEL SURF
Oct 26, 2008

TV tributes to an artificial heart innovator, Picasso and Sadaharu Oh

The subject of this week's edition of "Professional: Shigoto no Ryugi" ("The Professionals") (NHK-G, Tuesday, 10 p.m.) is 56-year-old Chisato Nojiri, the leader of a special-project team that recently developed a new type of artificial heart.
JAPAN
Oct 22, 2008

Lower House passes MSDF antiterror bill

The Lower House approved a special antiterrorism bill Tuesday to enable the Maritime Self-Defense Force to continue refueling multinational warships engaged in counterterrorism operations in the Indian Ocean — a key goal of Prime Minister Taro Aso for this Diet session.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Oct 16, 2008

Tokyo International Film Festival offers rough but ambitious lineup

Though it's eight years older than PIFF, the Tokyo International Film Festival, which runs Oct. 18 to 26, has always come across as the neglected little brother in terms of Asian film events. For years, TIFF had the reputation of being mainly a showcase for Japanese studios and distributors, who trot...
JAPAN / CABINET INTERVIEW
Oct 2, 2008

MSDF mission above Diet politics: Hamada

Japan's involvement in antiterrorism efforts in the Indian Ocean must continue regardless of which party holds power in the Diet, new Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada said in an interview.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Oct 2, 2008

Web society opts to stay anonymous

Like a lot of 20-year-olds, Kae Takahashi has a page on U.S.-based MySpace, and there is no mistaking it for anyone else's.
Japan Times
Reference / SO WHAT THE HECK IS THAT
Sep 30, 2008

Jitensha odantai

Dear Alice,
CULTURE / TV & Streaming / CHANNEL SURF
Sep 28, 2008

Fall dramas about geisha, Ganesha and funereal pandemonium

NHK starts a new six-month-long asa-dora (morning drama) on Monday. These popular serials traditionally launch the careers of the young actresses who play the heroines, but "Dan Dan" (More and More; NHK-G, M-F, 8:15 a.m.; BS-2, M-F, 7:45 a.m.) stars twins Mana and Kana Mikura, who appeared in an asa-dora...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film / SHORT TAKES
Sep 26, 2008

"Wanted"

Director: Timur Bekmambetov
JAPAN
Sep 25, 2008

Nakasone, Hamada face tough issues right away

Prime Minister Taro Aso filled the key foreign and defense portfolios with hereditary Diet members, perhaps in the hope their prominent family names will serve the Liberal Democratic Party well in the looming Lower House election.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Sep 25, 2008

Aso policies seen as short-term fix

Prime Minister Taro Aso's choices for finance and economic ministers failed to impress economists Wednesday, who said they are not likely to take bold measures to shore up an economy threatened by the global economic downturn.
EDITORIALS
Sep 24, 2008

Secretive mission to wind down

The government has decided to terminate the Air Self-Defense Force's aerial transportation mission in Iraq by yearend, citing the expiration of the United Nations resolution authorizing multinational forces' deployment in Iraq as well as the improved security situation there. Fortunately, the ASDF has...
CULTURE / TV & Streaming / CHANNEL SURF
Sep 21, 2008

The making of 'the world's most beautiful woman,' amatuer a capella, and house remodeling

Japanese contestants have figured prominently in recent international beauty pagents, in particular the Miss Universe contest, which endeavors to find the most gorgeous woman in the world. The runnerup in 2006 was Kurara Chibana, and last year the winner was Riyo Mori.
Japan Times
TENNIS
Sep 18, 2008

Jankovic relishes chance to compete for top ranking

Jelena Jankovic is determined to draw strength from her U.S. Open final defeat and regain the top spot in the world rankings at this week's Toray Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo.
COMMENTARY / World
Sep 14, 2008

Nepali 'democracy' unlikely to push peace

ATLANTA — Nepal's special assembly has chosen Maoist chief Prachanda as prime minister over Sher Bahadur Deuba, a three-time former prime minister from the Nepali Congress party.
CULTURE / TV & Streaming / CHANNEL SURF
Sep 14, 2008

Atelier Bravo, 'What's So Bad About Dictatorship' and 'Shanghai Typhoon'

Atelier Bravo is an artists collective based in Fukuoka whose eight members are developmentally disabled.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Sep 12, 2008

She, herself and AI

With her sights set on achieving her long-held ambition of winning a Grammy award, Los Angeles-born and Tokyo-based vocalist AI is adamant that dreams only come true with hard graft.
Japan Times
LIFE / Travel / HOTELS & RESTAURANTS
Sep 12, 2008

Royal Park Hungarian celebration

The flavors and colors of Hungary will adorn the Royal Park Hotel from Sept. 13 to Oct. 13 during its Hungarian Weeks 2008 promotion, organized with the cooperation of the Embassy of the Republic of Hungary.
COMMENTARY / World
Sep 8, 2008

Russia must change course

Since the collapse of the Soviet Union, it has seemed that new rules were being established for the conduct of international relations in Central and Eastern Europe and Central Asia. The watchwords were independence and interdependence; sovereignty and mutual responsibility; cooperation and common interests....
JAPAN / Media / MEDIA MIX
Sep 7, 2008

Hoshino still getting skewered over Olympic failure

The Beijing Olympics is history, but the debate continues over Japan's showing. Last week, Fuji TV's Sunday night newsmagazine, "Sakiyomi," held a discussion on whether or not the government should increase its budget for Olympic athletes. Three of the four celebrity guests in the studio thought that...
CULTURE / TV & Streaming / CHANNEL SURF
Sep 7, 2008

Emperor's 50th wedding anniversary, middle-aged detective dramas, and Japan's first seeing-eye dog

April 10 will mark the 50th wedding anniversary of the Emperor and Empress, and TV Asahi will preview the milestone this week with a two-part overview of the life of the Empress, "Michiko-sama no Hanseiki (Michiko's Half-century)" (Monday and Tuesday, 7 p.m.)
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / WHEN EAST MARRIES WEST
Sep 6, 2008

A dog by any other name

OK, I admit it. For humor's sake, I do on occasion stretch the truth.
Japan Times
SPORTS / ODDS AND EVENS
Sep 3, 2008

Kitajima, softball team showed mettle in Beijing

Editor's note: This is the second of a two-part series. Part one appeared in Sunday's newspaper.

Longform

After pandemic-era border regulations eased, Indian migrants began returning to Japan. Their population now stands at more than 50,000 across the country.
How remote work is rewriting the migrant experience in Japan