Search - 2005

 
 
JAPAN
May 10, 2006

Police raid mob office, real estate agent in building probe

Tokyo police searched the headquarters of a Yamaguchi-gumi underworld affiliate Tuesday in connection with the arrest the previous day of its boss for allegedly illegally transferring the property rights of a building in Shibuya Ward.
BUSINESS
May 10, 2006

Matchmakers to get official image boost in bid to curb falling birthrate

The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry wants to improve the image of matchmaking firms in an effort to promote marriage and reverse the declining birthrate, according to ministry officials.
Japan Times
LIFE / Lifestyle
May 9, 2006

Universal access -- if you speak Japanese

Despite 2 million foreign residents and calls for internationalization from within, Japan has a long way to go before becoming a multilingual society. The current state of health care is no exception. Be it university hospitals with cutting-edge research facilities or your neighborhood dental clinic,...
BUSINESS
May 9, 2006

Isetan group net profit leaps 48.3%

Department store chain Isetan Co. said Monday its group net profit in fiscal 2005 jumped 48.3 percent from the previous year to 18.71 billion yen due to good sales at the parent company's stores and its overseas arms, as well as the consolidation of Kyushu-based Iwataya Department Co. into its results....
COMMENTARY
May 8, 2006

China unlikely to double-deal over Korea

LOS ANGELES -- China is acting in bad faith on the Korean nuclear issue. That's the provocative suggestion now coming from some Western intelligence circles. It's a scary, foul and ultimately upsetting thought. It may also be wrong.
BASEBALL / BASEBALL BULLET-IN
May 7, 2006

Giants pitcher Powell: 'Best month I ever had'

Congratulations to Yomiuri Giants pitcher Jeremy Powell on being named Central League Pitcher of the Month for April. Powell won all four of his starts on successive Tuesdays, April 4, 11, 18 and 25, finishing the month with a league-leading 1.03 ERA, two shutouts and three complete games.
MORE SPORTS
May 7, 2006

Oyama stretches lead at Salonpas World Ladies

Overnight leader Shiho Oyama played patiently in blustery conditions Saturday and stretched her lead to five shots going into the final round of the Salonpas World Ladies.
CULTURE / Books
May 7, 2006

Following the great haiku poet on the road

BASHO'S JOURNEY: The Literary Prose of Matsuo Basho, translated with an introduction by David Landis Barnhill. State University of New York Press, 2005, 191 pp., $19.95 (paper). The great haiku poet Matsuo Basho (1644-1694) was first represented to the West just over a century ago. This was in W.G. Aston's...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Art
May 4, 2006

"Jim Lambie -- P.I.L"

Mizuma Art Gallery Closes in 10 days
JAPAN
May 2, 2006

Female, elderly entrepreneurs on the rise as society grays

The number of women and elderly people preparing to start new businesses has been rising amid the aging of the population and consequent decrease in the number of small and midsize companies as their owners retire, a recent government report says.
Japan Times
LIFE / Lifestyle
May 2, 2006

A long life on the island

Reaching 100 has long fascinated societies. The century mark is regarded as an almost supernatural seal of hardiness and good health.
BUSINESS / JAPANESE PERSPECTIVES
May 1, 2006

Global inflation changing economic fundamentals

Ajoint statement released April 21 by finance minis- ters and central bankers of the Group of Seven major economies in Washington noted that the global trend in economic expansion has entered its fourth year, with inflationary pressures relatively contained despite the surge in crude oil prices.
CULTURE / Books / THE ASIAN BOOKSHELF
Apr 30, 2006

Shower of light on Eastern philosophy

LIGHT FROM THE EAST: A Gathering of Asian Wisdom, by Frank MacHovec. Stone Bridge Press, 175 pp., 2005, $16.95 (paper). The notes to this book tell us that author Frank MacHovec is a retired psychologist who began his study of Eastern philosophies as a Marine during the Korean War, one who wanted to...
MORE SPORTS
Apr 29, 2006

Deep Impact is the horse to beat

Deep Impact, Japan's triple crown winner in 2005, is back Sunday for his second running this year following a 3 1/2-length victory March 19.
JAPAN
Apr 28, 2006

1.13 billion yen to crime victims in '05

The government paid about 1.13 billion yen in benefits to 394 crime victims and their relatives during fiscal 2005, down 114 million yen and 54 people from the previous year, the National Police Agency said in a report released Thursday.
BUSINESS
Apr 28, 2006

Earnings solid at JFE, Kobe Steel

Major steelmakers JFE Holdings Co. and Kobe Steel Ltd. both reported strong earnings Thursday for fiscal 2005 to March 31, thanks to robust domestic and overseas demand.
EDITORIALS
Apr 28, 2006

An unprecedented payment

Japan and the United States have reached an agreement on how they will share the cost of relocating 8,000 U.S. Marines plus some 9,000 dependents from Okinawa to Guam. Japan will shoulder 59 percent or $6.09 billion (710 billion yen) of the total $10.27 billion (1.2 trillion yen) cost.
Japan Times
Events / Events Outside Tokyo
Apr 28, 2006

Artist's mini worlds of clay

The online biography of clay artist Rinshiro Fujiki, born in Asahikawa City in Hokkaido in 1984, claims that at kindergarten he was "imprisoned" and forced to watch the TV series "Thunderbirds." The precocious Fujiki, who struggled at sports, then experienced what it was like to be the most popular boy...
JAPAN
Apr 27, 2006

Aneha, seven associates in building fraud held

Disgraced architect Hidetsugu Aneha and seven of his associates were arrested Wednesday in a sweep of key figures linked to the building safety fraud that has rocked the country, but the specific charges they face as yet are not tied to the scam.
BUSINESS
Apr 27, 2006

Marubeni mulls joining buyout of Westinghouse

Marubeni Corp. is considering joining Toshiba Corp.'s $5.4 billion acquisition of Westinghouse Electric Co. of the U.S., company officials said Wednesday.
SPORTS / E-LIST
Apr 26, 2006

Giants plowing on; Kiyohara vowing plows

So the Yomiuri Giants are some 49,000 games above .500 less than a month into the season. The E-List figured the Giants would have to be much better than they were last season, when the Giabbit cried so many tears over Yomiuri's crummy season he looked like a strung-out teenager who wore eyeliner in...
JAPAN
Apr 26, 2006

More seniors opting for personalized wills

It hardly seems likely a kit called "Let's Write Our Will" would be a best-seller, but since its debut last year it has been a hit with elderly people.

Longform

Figure skater Akiko Suzuki was once told her ideal weight should be 47 kilograms, a number she now admits she “naively believed.” This led to her have a relationship with food that resulted in her suffering from anorexia.
The silent battle Japanese athletes fight with weight