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SUMO / SUMO SCRIBBLINGS
Apr 29, 2009

Is sumo truly the Japanese national sport?

For the 140 or so years non-Japanese have known of the existence of sumo, many have referred to it as Japan's national sport. But are they correct about the status of this ancient form of wrestling found only in these islands, misinformed entirely, or just partly right?
Japan Times
LIFE / Digital / IGADGET
Apr 29, 2009

From dust-gathering tapes to the digital age

Walkman brand still standing: Sony's latest additions to the once-venerable Walkman brand, the NW-X1050 and NW-X1060 (released last week), base their appeal on a wide range of features for watching video and playing music. Each of the pair sports a 3-inch OLED touch-screen display, which has a 432×240-pixel...
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Issues / THE ZEIT GIST
Apr 28, 2009

Berlitz blitz against union bogs down

After the second court hearing on April 20 in Berlitz Japan's lawsuit against unionized teachers, the legal fight seems bogged down in a form of trench warfare.
COMMENTARY
Apr 28, 2009

Politicians on the make

The image of members of Parliament (MPs) in Britain has been damaged by recent revelations about the way in which MPs — including ministers and some senior members of opposition parties — have taken advantage of the rules about expenses to feather their own nests. Some MPs have also been accused...
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Voices / VIEWS FROM THE STREET
Apr 28, 2009

What's the most fun you can have in Japan for free?

EDITORIALS
Apr 27, 2009

'We don't torture'

That was then U.S. President George W. Bush's emphatic response in 2005 when asked about how his government questioned terrorist suspects in U.S. custody. The release of four previously secret memos by the U.S. Justice Department reveals — in excruciating detail — just what U.S. interrogators were...
MORE SPORTS
Apr 27, 2009

Sturm proves too strong for Sato

KREFELD, Germany (AP) Challenger Koji Sato was no match for German champion Felix Sturm and suffered his first defeat after being stopped in the seventh round of Saturday night's WBA middleweight title fight.
BUSINESS / THE VIEW FROM EUROPE
Apr 27, 2009

Blunders with North show Japan still child at handling media

Earlier this month, when many in Japan were enjoying the arrival of spring and the accompanying cherry blossoms, something else was in the sky, something much more dangerous than a warm breeze: a three-stage missile, launched from North Korea.
Reader Mail
Apr 26, 2009

Ichiro and Dice-K 'irresponsible'

The Japanese people were thrilled when Japan repeated as World Baseball Classic champions last month, with Major League stars like Ichiro Suzuki and Daisuke Matsuzaka performing as integral parts of the team. In the interim, however, Ichiro was forced to go on the disabled list with an illness and miss...
ENVIRONMENT / OUR PLANET EARTH
Apr 26, 2009

Ignorance of 'sustainability' is not an option

Judging from the last month's headlines, it's clear we are collectively still not getting it — despite how much we know about the environment. In fact, it seems the more we know, the less we learn.
CULTURE / TV & Streaming / CHANNEL SURF
Apr 26, 2009

60-second success stories, Japanese baritone in Estonia, and tales of drifter Manjiro

Answers to questions that probably never occurred to anyone except the producers of this variety show are the subjects of "Jinsei ga Kawaru Ippun no Fuka-ii Hanashi" ("Profoundly Satisfying One-Minute Stories About Life-changing Incidents") (Nihon TV, Mon., 8:54 p.m.). Celebrities discuss anecdotes that...
COMMENTARY / THE VIEW FROM NEW YORK
Apr 26, 2009

Recalling 'the fall of the Yasuda Auditorium' and the end of Japan's student movement

At a friend's Easter Sunday dinner party, I asked, "What do you think the student movement of the '60s in the U.S. accomplished?" One guest answered, "Obama's election." Unexpected but true: in this country, the opposition to the Vietnam war went hand in hand with the movement that culminated, in federal...
JAPAN / Media / MEDIA MIX
Apr 26, 2009

Media silence on first lady's school visit shows Japan's education gap

Earlier this month, while her husband, the president of the United States, met with other world leaders at the G20 summit, Michelle Obama visited a school for "disadvantaged" girls in North London and was moved to tears by the students' hard work and talent. In an emotional speech, she hailed the young...
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / JAPAN LITE
Apr 25, 2009

Expand your options to enjoy budding boost of flower power

Now that the cherry blossom season is over, many of us sit under the bare cherry trees and ponder: What next? For two weeks of O-hanami we had a place to go, a place to meet and a party to indulge in. Life seems dull now without cherry blossom-viewing parties.
EDITORIALS
Apr 25, 2009

Tent villages highlight shortfalls

The establishment of a tent village in Tokyo's Hibiya Park during the New Year's holidays to help unemployed temporary workers is a sobering reflection of these hard times. In the tent village, nonprofit organization and labor union activists gave advice on a variety of matters ranging from finding employment...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Art
Apr 24, 2009

Netsuke: delicate treats for the dandies of Edo

Until modern times, Japan seems to have been almost unique in having no tradition of jewelry, apart from the stone beads and gold accessories found in burial mounds from the last few centuries of the prehistoric period until circa seventh century. Elaborate necklaces, bracelets and diadems could be seen...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Apr 24, 2009

'Gran Torino'

You can take Clint Eastwood out of the "Dirty Harry" movies, but you can't take Dirty Harry out of ol' Clint. So it would seem upon viewing "Gran Torino," an Eastwood-directed film in which the 79-year-old plays a tough retiree who goes vigilante to take on gangbangers terrorizing his neighborhood.
CULTURE / Film
Apr 24, 2009

'Gran Torino'

You can take Clint Eastwood out of the "Dirty Harry" movies, but you can't take Dirty Harry out of ol' Clint. So it would seem upon viewing "Gran Torino," an Eastwood-directed film in which the 79-year-old plays a tough retiree who goes vigilante to take on gangbangers terrorizing his neighborhood.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Apr 24, 2009

Eisler: international author of mystery

Start with an image. A man walking down a street in Tokyo. Steep, like San Francisco. Maybe Daikanyama. As the man walks toward Shibuya, two men follow in the shadows.

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