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COMMENTARY / COUNTERPOINT
Aug 24, 2008

'Nation of copycats' maligns Japan's fine science and technology

One of the most commonly discussed issues of national character in Japan revolves around the question of personal creativity. Put simply, it is this: Are the Japanese lacking in the DNA of originality?
EDITORIALS
Aug 24, 2008

Epidemic of anxiety

Japanese are more worried than ever, according to a Cabinet Office survey released recently. More than 70 percent of Japanese — the highest percentage ever — say they are worried about their everyday lives and the future. Nearly two-thirds of people said their standard of living went unchanged in...
JAPAN
Aug 20, 2008

S. Korea envoy pushes North to meet pledge

It is in North Korea's interests to carry out its pledge to complete a probe into the abduction of Japanese nationals, South Korea's chief delegate to the six-party talks on the North's denuclearization said Tuesday.
EDITORIALS
Aug 19, 2008

Russian lesson for the 21st century

Russia and Georgia have signed a ceasefire agreement that calls for the withdrawal of Russian troops to their positions before the outbreak of hostilities in South Ossetia began. Russia at first refused to begin the pullout until "extra security measures" ordered by Russian President Dmitri Medvedev...
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / WHEN EAST MARRIES WEST
Aug 16, 2008

Geeks I have known

The meeting itself is not unusual. I have had students seek my consul before — on all kinds of topics.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Aug 16, 2008

Traditional nuptials revived to up tourism

Some 2,500 tourists were on hand to watch as 22-year-old bride Noriko Kageyama and groom Takanori Nakazawa paraded through the streets of Inawashiro town in Fukushima Prefecture one Saturday in June.
EDITORIALS
Aug 16, 2008

Another chance for North Korea

North Korea has agreed to set up a committee to reinvestigate its abduction of Japanese nationals with the goal of completing the probe by this fall. Japan, for its part, has agreed to lift some of its sanctions against the North simultaneously with the start of the reinvestigation. North Korea should...
Japan Times
LIFE / Travel / BACKSTREET STORIES
Aug 15, 2008

Good cool hunting in Edogawa

In Tokyo, when the going gets hot, the cool go to Hawaii, or flee to mountain resorts. Others plunk down their yen for a dip in a hotel or amusement-park pool. The rest of us steam in the stupefying humidity and hope our flip-flops don't fuse to the tarmac. Surely there's some inexpensive, convenient,...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Aug 15, 2008

'Sex and the City'

Hmmm. This is tough. Trashing "Sex and the City" is like saying you don't own one pair of great strap-on heels or a little black dress. It's like admitting to years of celibacy. Immediately, you're seen as less than a woman (the modern definition of one anyway), one with no sense, no taste, weird and...
Japan Times
Events / Events Outside Tokyo
Aug 15, 2008

Comike — the cradle of cosplay

If you're intrigued by cosplay (short for "costume play"), then this is where it all began: Comic Market, or Comike or Comiket, as it's variously known.
JAPAN
Aug 14, 2008

Cautious response to investigation counseled

Japanese experts welcomed Wednesday's developments between Japan and North Korea in Shenyang, China, as critically important, but also warned that Japan should not be in a rush to lift sanctions.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Aug 14, 2008

Kutcher gets lucky — in Vegas and in life

Model turned actor and TV producer Ashton Kutcher is the first to admit he's a very lucky man. In the mid-1990s he auditioned for several U.S. TV series before joining "That '70s Show," which in 1998 launched his career as a nationally known face.
Japan Times
LIFE / Style & Design
Aug 12, 2008

Jimmy Choo, Mickey Mouse, Fred Perry and more

Fashion mouse Disney has inspired a lot of people, from little girls to Superbowl champions. Even designer Vivienne Tam has now taken inspiration from her childhood and decided to pay tribute to the famous mouse with a capsule collection of playful dresses for this fall/winter season.
COMMUNITY / How-tos / LIFELINES
Aug 12, 2008

'Gyoza' heaven for carnivores, plus help for hungry vegans

A vegan friend is coming over to visit B, and he's at a loss as to what to feed him.
BUSINESS / THE VIEW FROM EUROPE
Aug 11, 2008

Beijing squeezed by Olympic ideals, populist distortions

When the Olympic games were awarded to Beijing in 2001, more than a few questions were raised about the host country. It was clear from the start that China was not just making a bid to host a sporting event — it was claiming a place in the developed world.
LIFE
Aug 10, 2008

Some look forward to a harmonious future

The following is from the text of an e-mail sent to Jeff Kingston from Cindy Yang, a Chinese university student.
Japan Times
LIFE / Travel
Aug 10, 2008

Nanjing now: philosophy, history and Jacuzzis

Nanjing is a bustling city of 7 million, about six times its population before the Japanese rampage of 1937, and looks like many of the other modern, gleaming urbanscapes that have mushroomed up across China.
COMMENTARY / World
Aug 9, 2008

U.S.-India nuclear deal weakens nonproliferation

On Aug. 1 the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) endorsed a "safeguards agreement" with India that would allow inspections of nuclear facilities that India designates as "civilian."
OLYMPICS / 2008 BEIJING OLYMPICS
Aug 9, 2008

Beijing joyfully steps forward

BEIJING — There are numerous slogans plastered on walls and Web sites with equal frequency in Beijing. The "One World, One Dream" Olympic motto and "Light the passion, share the dream" theme for the torch relay are prominently featured.
Japan Times
JAPAN / CABINET INTERVIEW
Aug 8, 2008

China wanted poisonings hushed up, Komura admits

At Beijing's request, Japan refrained from divulging that China suffered a food poisoning outbreak from pesticide-tainted "gyoza" dumplings made by the same firm whose frozen gyoza sickened people in Japan, Foreign Minister Masahiko Komura admitted Thursday.
Reader Mail
Aug 7, 2008

Tighten the leash on spammers

Recently, since I started venturing out into Web sites, my address has somehow been intercepted and I'm starting to receive seven to eight junk e-mails per day. A businessman I know counts about 100 spams every morning awaiting deletion. I don't pay my e-mail provider for the privilege of serving as...

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