Search - 2003

 
 
JAPAN
Jan 23, 2005

Koizumi's old faction now under funding scrutiny

The ruling Liberal Democratic Party faction to which Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi once belonged is suspected of failing to submit official reports on details of funds distributed to its member lawmakers, sources said Saturday.
Japan Times
Features
Jan 23, 2005

Rapa Nui

Easter Island has been many things in the three centuries it has been known to the West: mooted landing site of UFOs; exotic long-haul holiday destination; and favorite location of the Discovery Channel -- to name just a few.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Jan 23, 2005

Interpol well suited for success after all

Image isn't everything. If it was, then the New York four-piece known as Interpol would have already become one of the biggest rock bands on the planet. While their tailored suits and runway-ready haircuts have brought them plenty of press, the band is actually earning recognition the old-fashioned way,...
Japan Times
Features
Jan 23, 2005

Women to the fore in study of statues

At midday on March 29, 1914, a yacht named Mana, flying the British colors, dropped anchor in the tiny inlet of Cook's Bay, Hanga Roa. On board was an anthropologist who would carry out the first systematic survey of the Easter Island statues, and who would also record the last memories of a dying generation...
Japan Times
Features
Jan 23, 2005

The riddle of rongorongo

The earliest documented reference to rongorongo was made by a French missionary, Eugene Eyraud, who wrote in 1864 that he thought "the primitive script a custom which [the islanders] preserve without searching for the meaning."
CULTURE / Books / THE ASIAN BOOKSHELF
Jan 23, 2005

As Japan goes through a transformation, so too might those who do the observing

JAPAN'S QUIET TRANSFORMATION: Social Change and Civil Society in the Twenty-first Century, by Jeff Kingston. London and New York: RoutledgeCurzon, 2004, 358 pp., 3,657 yen (paper). Nothing is permanent but change. The idea of transience has a long tradition in Japan, coming to the fore at times and receding...
JAPAN
Jan 22, 2005

Crown Princess may take in games

Crown Princess Masako may accompany Crown Prince Naruhito to attend the opening ceremony for the 2005 Special Olympics World Winter Games next month in Nagano Prefecture, Imperial Household Agency officials said Friday.
BUSINESS
Jan 22, 2005

MMC, DaimlerChrysler eye coverup settlement

Mitsubishi Motors Corp. said Friday it has been negotiating with DaimlerChrysler AG on a settlement in connection with the latter's equity stake in Mitsubishi Fuso Truck & Bus Corp., which was spun off from MMC in January 2003.
JAPAN
Jan 22, 2005

Health panel backs use of thalidomide

A health ministry panel decided Friday to designate the sedative thalidomide as a priority research drug for bone marrow cancer treatment, more than 40 years after it was banned for causing severe birth defects.
JAPAN / 10 YEARS AFTER
Jan 21, 2005

Quake-preparedness a patchwork effort

The thicket of wood houses and small shops that line the warren of alleys just east of Tokyo's Sumida River in the Higashi-Mukojima 1-chome district has been deemed "highly dangerous" by disaster-preparedness authorities.
JAPAN
Jan 21, 2005

Tokyo under fire for deporting refugees

Japan has long caught flak for being closed to asylum-seekers, and the deportation this week of two Kurds from Turkey — despite their U.N. recognition as "mandate refugees" — has brought the government under a fresh attack.
BUSINESS
Jan 21, 2005

Wage talks reflect big divide; bonus boost favored over raises

Japan's annual spring talks between unions and management on wages and working conditions started Thursday with no tension apparent but with the spreading pay gap between major and smaller companies expected to draw attention.
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Jan 20, 2005

Examining the exotic ins and outs of marrying a foreigner

Elsewhere in the world, mixed marriages are no big deal. In Japan, however, the kokusai kekkon (international marriage) is still an issue tinged with exoticism and other-worldliness. Witness the enormous success of manga series "Daalin wa Gaikokujin" (My Darling is a Foreigner), and you'll see the point....
JAPAN
Jan 19, 2005

Japan defies U.N., deports refugees

Acting with uncharacteristic speed, the Justice Ministry bundled a Kurdish father and his son, both U.N.-recognized refugees, onto a plane and sent them back to Turkey on Tuesday, a day after they visited the Immigration Bureau to extend their provisional release.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Stage
Jan 19, 2005

Castle of the truly absurd

One night in deep midwinter, K. arrives at an inn in a snow-covered village beneath a mighty castle which may or may not exist. K., played by Tetsushi Tanaka, claims he has been hired by the castle as a land surveyor.
EDITORIALS
Jan 19, 2005

An opportunity for Indonesia

It is an old cliche, but there may be good reason why the Chinese word for "crisis" consists of characters that mean "danger" as well as "opportunity." The earthquake and tsunami that devastated many South Asian communities in the last week of 2004 are truly a "crisis" for Indonesia. The danger is obvious:...
BASEBALL / Japanese Baseball
Jan 18, 2005

Fighters finalize new contracts

The Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters said Monday they have formally signed former Daiei Hawks pitcher Brandon Knight and infielder Erick Almonte, who once played for the New York Yankees.
MORE SPORTS
Jan 18, 2005

Federer blasts Santoro in first round

MELBOURNE, Australia -- Top-ranked Roger Federer quickly dispelled any thoughts that the new year might bring a letdown by the man who dominated men's tennis last year, blasting 54 winners to win his first-round match at the Australian Open on Monday over France's Fabrice Santoro 6-1, 6-1, 6-2.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Jan 16, 2005

Diplo throws funky DIY marketing into the mix

"The goal is to expose the artist." Wesley Pentz is on the phone from Hawaii, explaining how he publicizes up-and-coming hip-hop talent. "It's basically putting promotion and marketing in your own hands," he explains. Contrary to what you may think, Pentz is not a record executive; he's a DJ with a passion...
JAPAN
Jan 16, 2005

Foreigners soon to own 200 golf courses in Japan

The number of golf courses in Japan owned by foreign investors is set to top the 200 mark soon and account for about 10 percent of the nation's 2,400 courses, industry sources said Saturday.
MORE SPORTS
Jan 15, 2005

Fukuhara-Sakamoto win mixed title

Ai Fukuhara partnered Ryusuke Sakamoto to a straight-sets victory over Masato Watanabe and Hime Togo in the final Friday to win their first mixed doubles title at the table tennis national championships.
JAPAN
Jan 12, 2005

State seeks to fund only quality foreign students

The Internal Affairs and Communications Ministry urged the government on Tuesday to review its policy on foreign students because their academic performance has been declining.
JAPAN
Jan 11, 2005

Palestinians to receive more funds

Japan will extend an additional $60 million in financial and humanitarian aid to the Palestinian Authority following the weekend election to choose a new Palestinian leader, officials said Monday.

Longform

Mount Fuji is considered one of Japan's most iconic symbols and is a major draw for tourists. It's still a mountain, though, and potential hikers need to properly prepare for any climb.
What it takes to save lives on Mount Fuji