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Reader Mail
Jul 11, 2007

Slow response to toxic pollution

Regarding Stephen Hesse's June 27 article, "Is this a poisons coverup?": Some other questions might be: Who was responsible for building the Jinkanpo incinerator so close to a housing area at the U.S. Naval Air Facility at Atsugi? Why didn't the Japanese government take greater care to safeguard the...
Reader Mail
Jul 11, 2007

No sweat in being averse to hugs

Regarding Mark Schreiber's July 1 translation ("Will 'free hugs' take hold in Japan?") of a Weekly Playboy article: I accept that the Japanese are not likely to hug each other in public, but neither is it common practice in Australia. The concept of "personal space" is very prevalent, and one does...
COMMENTARY / World
Jul 10, 2007

Pro-Taiwan, not anti-China

TAIPEI — In 2003, while still serving as U.S. deputy assistant secretary of state for East Asia, I was asked by Taiwanese reporters what the U.S. view would be on the proposal for Taiwan to hold a national referendum with the 2004 election. My convoluted answer could have been summarized more concisely...
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Issues / THE ZEIT GIST
Jul 10, 2007

Wronged employees seek redress through mediation

Imagine you feel wronged by your employer and find simply sharing your work woes with friends and chat groups inadequate. You want compensation and acknowledgment that your employer acted unjustly.
Reader Mail
Jul 8, 2007

Inventor of 'ethnic cleansing'

I was deeply saddened to read Gregory Clark's article. It seems that all Clark did was check a few Serbian Web sites to get his education on Balkan history. Clark falsely states that the Croatian Ustashi murdered some 1 million Serbs during World War II, when in reality the number of Serbs that perished...
Reader Mail
Jul 8, 2007

Different take on the Serbs

As an Australian Serb who migrated to Australia in the late 1980s, I would like to thank Gregory Clark for his July 2 article, "Serbia owed justice." The reason is that for many years I have been reading so much nonsense published by the media about the Serbs and how evil they are. It's so rare to...
Reader Mail
Jul 8, 2007

'Kawaii' trend is not dead

Regarding the June 30 article "Miss Universe director turns Japanese into women of worldm": I find it quite rich that the one person who actively works for an event that is nothing more than an archaic display of male chauvinism and sexism has the guts to scoff at the "kawaii (cute)" ideal in Japanese...
Japan Times
LIFE / REFUGEES AND JAPAN
Jul 8, 2007

Sit-ins win new home, in Canada!

All Kurdish asylum-seeker Erdal Dogan wanted was a peaceful home for himself and his family.
Reader Mail
Jul 4, 2007

How dare China criticize Japan

Regarding the June 22 article "Don't deny Nanjing death toll: Beijing": I find it cynical for China to say that Japanese lawmakers show a lack courage for claiming that the "Rape of Nanking" death toll has been grossly inflated. Beijing demands that Japan face historical facts, but as a complete outsider,...
Reader Mail
Jul 1, 2007

A concrete or a conceptual road?

The June 24 editorial, "The new Silk Road," is very interesting, but it has many flaws. First of all, for new readers and people with little knowledge of the Silk Road, the editorial does not give much information about the history of the Silk Road. It does not explain how the idea for a new Silk Road...
Reader Mail
Jul 1, 2007

More than a mother's life

Regarding the June 21 article "Jehovah's Witness shuns blood, dies": The medical establishment has a duty to protect life. When a member of the Jehovah's Witnesses sect gave birth in May by Caesarean section and then refused a blood transfusion to save her life, the Osaka hospital's decision to allow...
Reader Mail
Jul 1, 2007

Unwelcome candidate in Japan

Regarding the June 20 article "Fugitive Fujimori is asked to run for Diet": It is completely unbelievable to me that a man like Alberto Fujimori is given the chance to participate in Japanese politics after all the stealing and twisted politics he is alleged to have taken part in as the president of...
COMMENTARY / COUNTERPOINT
Jul 1, 2007

Food for thought — and a writ to go

Dear Reader: Today I bring you news of the most chilling and awful purport. Don't worry, it doesn't affect you — at least I hope it doesn't. It is yours truly who is getting the short end of the chopstick on this one. I tell you, I feel as if I've been reborn with a greasy spoon in my mouth — but...
JAPAN / Media / MEDIA MIX
Jul 1, 2007

Immigrant workers in Japan caught in a real racket

The debate over whether Japan should allow foreign workers in to make up for current and future labor shortages is dominated by the so-called foreign trainee program, which is overseen by the Japan International Training Cooperation Organization (JITCO). The program is itself the subject of a debate,...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Jun 29, 2007

David Helfgott: Genius reborn

Critical praise — not public adulation — has eluded piano virtuoso David Helfgott since his life inspired the hit movie 'Shine.' But that's fine by him
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / NIHONSHU
Jun 29, 2007

Taste receptors bow to flavor god

It used to be said that the human tongue perceived flavor in the form of four basic tastes: sweet, sour, salty and bitter. Then a Japanese scientist, Ikeda Kikunae (1864-1936), detected a rich, satisfying taste common to meat, cheese and Japanese dashi (stock) — among other things — which couldn't...
Reader Mail
Jun 27, 2007

Profiting off a soft target

Regarding the June 17 article "Sony apologizes for using cathedral in violent video game": As a longtime resident of Japan and a one-time Sony investor, I would like to ask the responsible people at Sony Computer Entertainment to consider the consequences if they had used another place besides Manchester...
Reader Mail
Jun 27, 2007

Flaky respect for a contract

Regarding the June 12 Lifelines column under "Renewal fees revisited": A correspondent writes that he has refused to pay a rental contract renewal fee even though the contract obliges him to do so, and that he still lives in his apartment. The correspondent cites as justification a court decision supporting...
COMMENTARY / World
Jun 25, 2007

Tobacco watch on public health policy

BANGKOK — A powerful consensus is emerging among health advocates and public officials around the world that the tobacco industry should not have any influence on public health policies.
Reader Mail
Jun 24, 2007

Appalling amount of plastic waste

Regarding a recent article about trash on Mount Fuji: As a frequent visitor to Japan, which I love, I am appalled at the amount of consumption and disposal that goes on. Most citizens are quite scrupulous about putting the right materials into recycling bins, but the quantities are staggering. So many...
Reader Mail
Jun 24, 2007

Poor case for conservatism

George Will's June 4 article, "Making a case for U.S. conservatism," was a reminder of how out of touch conservative intellectuals can be. Will's self-importance really comes through when he implies that the Republican Party's return to the traditional philosophical precepts of conservatism would be...
Reader Mail
Jun 24, 2007

Tenure at American universities

Regarding Takamitsu Sawa's June 12 article, "School tinkering that hurts": Contrary to Sawa's assertion, it is publishing prowess -- not instructional effectiveness -- that still determines tenure at American universities. Moreover, assistant professors are able to advance to associate professors and...
Reader Mail
Jun 20, 2007

Lee's Yasukuni visit disappointing

Regarding the June 8 article "Lee courts discord with Yasukuni visit": Lee Teng-hui was regarded as a democracy advocate during his years as Taiwan's president. The Taiwanese fully appreciate his contributions to Taiwan's society and economy. But his June 7 visit to Yasukuni Shrine (to offer a prayer...
Reader Mail
Jun 20, 2007

Time to prevail on Pyongyang

Regarding the June 5 article "North Korea family was desperate to escape": I was so touched by the plight of the four refugees and the worsening social and economic situation in North Korea. This family made a very dangerous move and could have perished at sea. I believe that many have tried to take...
Reader Mail
Jun 17, 2007

Distortion of Canberra's policies

Once again, Owen Eather, in his June 6 letter "Principled stand helped East Asia," manages to distort my remarks completely. In my May 28 Opinion page article, "More compelling than common sense," I say nothing about Australia's economic progress. I say nothing about the merits, or otherwise, of U.S....
Reader Mail
Jun 17, 2007

Multicultural challenges await

Regarding Mark Schreiber's June 10 translation ("Students: Take this job and shove it") of a recent Flash article: I have to admit that, being a senior business student at York University in Toronto, Canada, I somewhat envy Japanese graduates who have the luxury of declining multiple-job offers on such...

Longform

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