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BASKETBALL / NBA / NBA REPORT
Feb 12, 2004

Play of Knicks puts Isiah in better position to wheel and deal

NEW YORK -- Dealing from weakness, Isiah Thomas was able to obtain Stephon Marbury when the Knicks were sinking out of the standings because he was willing to relinquish draft picks, youth and desirable contracts.
COMMENTARY
Feb 10, 2004

'Next big thing' key to growth

During Japan's bubble-economy years of fiscal 1987-1990, consumer spending grew at an annualized 5.5 percent in real terms. But during the Heisei recession of fiscal 1991-2001, consumer-spending growth slowed to an annualized 1.0 percent. Most experts agree that the slowdown in consumer spending, which...
BUSINESS
Feb 10, 2004

Zoellick set to discuss beef ban, WTO talks

U.S. Trade Representative Robert Zoellick is to arrive in Japan on Tuesday, according to Japanese officials.
EDITORIALS
Feb 6, 2004

Little hope for six-nation talks

The six-nation talks, aimed at finding a negotiated solution to halting North Korea's nuclear development, are scheduled to resume in Beijing on Feb. 25 after a six-month interlude. Since the resumption of the talks has been struggling to make headway along a slippery road, we would like to hope that...
BUSINESS
Feb 5, 2004

Think tanks see 4.9% growth in October-December period

The economy is estimated to have expanded at an average annualized rate of 4.9 percent in real terms in the October-December quarter, according to projections by nine major economic research institutes.
Japan Times
LIFE / Lifestyle / ON THE BOOK TRAIL
Feb 5, 2004

"The Pig Scrolls," "Blood Red Horse"

"The Pig Scrolls," Paul Shipton, Puffin Books; March 2004; 224 pp. Author Paul Shipton warns us at the outset of his (sort of) Greek-style epic that though every effort was made to ensure the accuracy of the material, the Great Library of Alexandria was closed on the Tuesday afternoon he tried to go...
BASEBALL / BASEBALL BULLET-IN
Feb 4, 2004

It's now or never for new Giants catcher

The story made headlines on the front page of several Japanese sports newspapers Jan. 25: The Yomiuri Giants in a money trade bought the contract of catcher Katsunori Nomura from the Hanshin Tigers, and just why would the transfer of a back-up backstop who, in fact, did not play a game at the varsity...
JAPAN
Feb 4, 2004

Japan to bring up abductions issue

Japan will take up the issue of Japanese nationals abducted to North Korea in the 1970s and 1980s during six-party talks later this month in Beijing, a senior Foreign Ministry official said Tuesday.
COMMUNITY / How-tos / LIFELINES
Feb 3, 2004

Tenant rights and health care for foreigners

Tenant rights Two years ago, I rented an apartment through a realtor, and paid lots of money -- two-months deposit, one-month thank you money, and realtor fee -- thinking that after two years, we could renew our contract and somehow use the place longer to compensate for the initial payments we had...
COMMENTARY / World
Jan 31, 2004

Mad cow disease: a blessing in disguise

Mankind's history is rife with examples of natural phenomena radically changing its existence, the ice ages and small pox to name two. HIV has had a profound effect on sexual behavior the world over. Now, a mysterious protein -- a prion -- is about to change the eating habits of many people in the West...
JAPAN
Jan 30, 2004

Japan turns up heat on North Korea as sanctions bill clears Lower House

The House of Representatives passed a bill Thursday that will allow Japan to unilaterally impose economic sanctions on North Korea, paving the way for its endorsement by the full Diet by the end of next week.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language
Jan 29, 2004

Japan is learning to love (and loving to learn) Chinese

Every day, it seems, more and more Japanese want to communicate -- in Chinese. One million Japanese, says Web magazine ChinaGate, are learning Mandarin and other Chinese dialects. At Japanese universities and schools, Mandarin has overtaken French and German to become the most popular language after...
COMMENTARY / World
Jan 28, 2004

Troubles cast a shadow on EU future

LONDON -- Europe's currency has never been stronger. The European Union has been portrayed as a "post modern" association of states that have moved beyond the use of force to a more rational organization of their relations. Though still hobbled by inflexibilities, its economies are forecast to show stronger...
BUSINESS
Jan 27, 2004

Kanebo, Kao again delay integration accord

Kanebo Ltd. and Kao Corp. said Monday they have again postponed signing a formal agreement to integrate their cosmetics businesses.
JAPAN
Jan 27, 2004

Parties agree on 'citizen judge' plan

The two governing coalition parties reached a final agreement Monday on a format for a new "citizen judge" system, deciding to place three professional and six lay judges on criminal trial panels, party lawmakers said.
BUSINESS / JAPANESE PERSPECTIVES
Jan 26, 2004

Japan's lone intervention effort reveals poor risk management

Just a few weeks after the new year began, the U.S. dollar dropped to the 105 yen range for the first time in three years and four months, and also hit a new low of $1.28 against the euro.
COMMENTARY
Jan 26, 2004

Fog of politics obscures war

For most Americans, World War II began Dec. 7, 1941, when Japanese forces attacked Pearl Harbor. Europeans date the beginning of the war to the 1939 invasion of Poland. Few Westerners appreciate the length and savagery of the Sino-Japanese war that was already in full force even by then.
JAPAN
Jan 24, 2004

China relays Pyongyang overture

North Korean leader Kim Jong Il has told a senior Chinese official that there are "positive movements" in the relationship between Pyongyang and Tokyo.
COMMENTARY / World
Jan 23, 2004

Reliving the romance of nation-building

SYDNEY -- So you think your one-hour-plus commute into Tokyo each morning is agony! Pity passengers on Australia's newest train trip -- two days and two nights. And paying $12,000 for the privilege.
BUSINESS
Jan 21, 2004

G7 wants currency stability: Tanigaki

Finance Minister Sadakazu Tanigaki said Tuesday the Group of Seven major nations agree that foreign-exchange rates should reflect economic fundamentals, and any G7 action will be based on that belief.
EDITORIALS
Jan 18, 2004

Europe's tower of Babel

A funny thing happened on the linguistic fringes of the European Union earlier this month. A group of demonstrators had gathered outside Dublin Castle in Ireland, where talks on an EU constitution were being held, to demand that the EU officially recognize the Irish language. Then Ireland's minister...
COMMENTARY / World
Jan 12, 2004

Let the Saudis choose their revolution

SYDNEY -- In November 2003, U.S. President George W. Bush described what he termed the third pillar of America's security: "global democratic revolution." If Iraq and Afghanistan were the first "beneficiaries" of this revolution, then it seems almost certain that Saudi Arabia will feature somewhere in...
CULTURE / Books / THE ASIAN BOOKSHELF
Jan 11, 2004

Discriminating professor takes provincial view of Izumo

IZUMO-JIN: The People of Izumo, by Daisetsu Fujioka, translated by Caroline E. Kano and Toshiko Yamakuse. Matsue: Harvest Publications, 2002, 138 pp., with maps. 1200 yen (paper).
Japan Times
COMMUNITY
Jan 11, 2004

Home sweet (old) homes

To buy a dream home is an aim shared by many, and in this respect Satoshi and Yumiko Takano were no different from millions the world over.
BUSINESS
Jan 9, 2004

Japan, U.S. plan to restore faith in beef

WASHINGTON (Kyodo) Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Shoichi Nakagawa and U.S. Agriculture Secretary Ann Veneman ended a meeting here Wednesday without discussing concrete steps toward lifting Japan's ban on imported American beef.
SOCCER / PREMIER REPORT
Jan 9, 2004

Scrutiny will increase if Eriksson becomes Chelsea manager

LONDON -- Will he stay or will he go?

Longform

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