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COMMENTARY / THE VIEW FROM MOSCOW
Aug 18, 2002

Putin faces oil slick on Iraq

MOSCOW -- To strike or not to strike seems to be the question in Washington these days. A part of the "axis of evil," terrorist-lair Iraq, an old foe, is currently under the scrutiny of U.S. President George W. Bush's administration. While military planners weigh various strategic options for crushing...
EDITORIALS
Aug 18, 2002

Books in the wild

''Goe, little booke," wrote the English poet Edmund Spenser when he sent his "Shepheard's Calender" out into the world back in 1579 and inspired a flurry of contemporary authors to adopt the metaphor of books as children sent to seek their fortune. In a modern twist on an old idea, some enthusiastic...
COMMENTARY
Aug 18, 2002

Unprovoked U.S. attack could be costly

WASHINGTON -- President George W. Bush says he hasn't made up his mind about "any of our policies in regard to Iraq." But to not attack after spending months talking about regime change is inconceivable. Unfortunately, war is not likely to be as simple and certain as he and many others seem to think....
JAPAN
Aug 18, 2002

Typhoon may brush Tokyo Monday

Powerful Typhoon Phanfone, approaching Tokyo from the south Saturday, may come close to the capital on Monday afternoon, the Japan Meteorological Agency said.
JAPAN
Aug 18, 2002

80% of 'baby hotels' fall short of government's guidelines

Almost 80 percent of the privately run nurseries in Japan that care for infants at night fail to meet government operational guidelines, according to a health ministry survey.
Japan Times
JAPAN / WEEKEND WISDOM
Aug 18, 2002

Veteran voyeur gives the skinny on Hibiya Park lovebirds

In Tokyo's Hibiya Park, just by the Hibiya gate entrance, couples can often be seen laying claim to benches surrounding a large fountain.
COMMUNITY
Aug 18, 2002

Something in the air: the charged debate over negative ions

Yes, there's definitely something in the air this year -- and it's not just the regular brew of pollutants and particulates.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Aug 18, 2002

A man of truly noble blood

In 1987, Salif Keita released "Soro," and, though it was not his first album, for many listeners around the world it served as an introduction to the musician's unique sound: soaring West African-style vocals set to a new blend of traditional African rhythms and electric pop arrangements. He matched...
CULTURE / Books / THE ASIAN BOOKSHELF
Aug 18, 2002

Aum documentary holds up a mirror to Japanese society

RELIGION AND SOCIAL CRISIS IN JAPAN: Understanding Japanese Society Through the Aum Affair, edited by Robert J. Kisala and Mark R. Mullins. Hampshire: Palgrave (St. Martin's Press/Macmillan), 2001, 228 pp., $68 (cloth) It is frequently observed that social change and resulting social crises often give...
JAPAN
Aug 18, 2002

Kawaguchi aims to boost ties on first visit to China

Foreign Minister Yoriko Kawaguchi will visit China for the first time Sept. 8-10 in a bid to improve relations that have been soured by politicians' visits to Tokyo's Yasukuni Shrine, government sources said Saturday.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Aug 18, 2002

Living Dead returns with 'group gestalt'

Bob Weir says he can use some serious beach time. The former Grateful Dead guitarist and vocalist is taking a breather a short while after bounding off stage following a well-received set by his band RatDog at last weekend's Mount Fuji Jazz Festival.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY
Aug 18, 2002

Tourmaline trinkets

It's all systems go. The negative-ion air conditioner, negative-ion fan and negative-ion dehumidifier are all plugged in and humming away, dutifully belching out zillions of the negatively charged particles that, their manufacturers say, take on dust and neutralize pollutants around the house.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY
Aug 18, 2002

'Operation Friendship' set for takeoff

The gates of the U.S. Air Force's Yokota base at Fussa in western Tokyo will be opened to the public next weekend, when the annual "Friendship Days" event is expected to attract around 200,000 visitors to soak up the razzmatazz festival atmosphere, watch fireworks and flybys and get up close to and even...
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / WHEN EAST MARRIES WEST
Aug 18, 2002

What a pair they are

If you are a viewer of Japanese television, you have no doubt seen a pair of celebrities known as the Kano sisters. Single-handedly -- or perhaps double-handedly is more appropriate -- these two have lent new meaning to the term "boob tube."
JAPAN / Media / MEDIA MIX
Aug 18, 2002

59 yen burgers wolfed down by bargain-hunters

Late last month, a man in New York filed a lawsuit against four fast-food restaurant chains claiming that they were responsible for his obesity problems. Blaming advertisements that supposedly mislead consumers into thinking that their products "are good for you," the man and his lawyers hope to win...
CULTURE / Books / THE ASIAN BOOKSHELF
Aug 18, 2002

A monarchy for the masses

THE PEOPLE'S EMPEROR: Democracy and the Japanese Monarchy 1945-1995, by Kenneth J. Ruoff. Harvard University Press: Cambridge, Ma., 2001, 331 pp., $45 (cloth) This intriguing and rewarding monograph examines the manner in which the Emperor system has been reinvented in postwar Japan to reflect and reinforce...
CULTURE / Music / HOGAKU TODAY
Aug 18, 2002

Do you have an attitude problem?

This April, a Ministry of Science and Education directive took effect requiring that Japanese musical instruments be taught in all public junior high schools. This is revolutionary in Japan, as the education system has basically ignored Japanese music for more than a hundred years. Suddenly schoolteachers...
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / THE WAY OF WASHOKU
Aug 18, 2002

Quick kitchen revision before term begins

Washoku is a feeling as much as it is a style of cooking or a way of seasoning. Mastering basic techniques — no matter what the season or the ingredients used — and developing the confidence to adapt recipes will help you to incorporate the style into your own cooking repertoire.
CULTURE / TV & Streaming / CHANNEL SURF
Aug 18, 2002

There's two sides to every story . . .

Despite his ubiquity in the media, the comedian Beat Takeshi is never asked to appear on NHK's sogo (general) channel, which is why his one-minute appearance last New Year's Eve on NHK's annual song contest received a lot of media attention. Considering that other popular comedians are also conspicuously...
Japan Times
JAPAN
Aug 18, 2002

Holidaymakers pack returning planes, trains

Tokyo-bound trains, airplanes and expressways were crowded Saturday with travelers as the rush of people returning from their summer vacations peaked.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / NIHONSHU
Aug 18, 2002

Drinking without thinking

Although more than half the fun at sake pubs is being an active participant in choosing what you drink, there are times when you don't want to make that effort. There are times when what you want is simply to chat, or even -- heaven forbid -- to talk business. On days like this, Gin no Kura can take...
Japan Times
COMMUNITY
Aug 18, 2002

Shopping for negative ions

Why, how, and even whether negative ions are beneficial to health may be the subject of highly charged scientific debate, but that's done nothing to dampen a craze for products boasting this invisible asset that's gripping the Japanese market.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / BEST BAR NONE
Aug 18, 2002

A good place to keep cool

It really is too hot to wander far from home -- unless, of course, you're heading for a beach. Even the government recognizes this fact, with the official four-day summer O-bon holiday being one of three officially sanctioned and nationally observed annual vacation periods (the other two being New Year...
SOCCER / J. League / ON THE BALL
Aug 17, 2002

Japanese players need to be more creative

"I get the impression that the players are too mechanical," said Masakuni Yamamoto, Japan's Olympic team coach, in delivering a strong message to Japanese players and soccer officials after holding his first training session with the under-21 squad Tuesday.
BASEBALL / MLB
Aug 17, 2002

Lions roar back to down Buffs

Kazuo Matsui hit a two-run tie-breaking homer in the bottom of the seventh inning Friday as the front-running Seibu Lions batted back from a nine-run deficit to a 12-10 victory over the Kintetsu Buffaloes for their fifth win in a row.
BASEBALL / MLB
Aug 17, 2002

'Little' Matsui getting major attention

Aside from the hype surrounding Giants' Hideki Matsui and whether he will use his free agency to join the majors -- more specifically, the New York Yankees -- the "Little" Matsui is generating as much attention from the major league scouts.
JAPAN
Aug 17, 2002

Japan proceeds with spy satellite plan despite U.S. concerns

Japan's plan to deploy reconnaissance satellites to monitor military movements in East Asia will get off the ground in November, when the Cabinet Satellite Information Center starts up the system's nerve center in Tokyo.
EDITORIALS
Aug 17, 2002

Indonesia's new order?

Indonesia has just concluded its annual legislative session by adopting reforms that could transform the nation's politics. During its two-week session, the People's Consultative Assembly agreed to ease the military out of politics and to let voters directly elect the president. These are potentially...
JAPAN
Aug 17, 2002

Professors to visit Afghanistan

A group of professors from five Japanese women's universities will visit Afghanistan for 10 days beginning Aug. 24 to prepare a training program for female Afghan teachers that will be held in Japan next year, Ochanomizu University said Friday.

Longform

"Shake hands with Lima-chan," a statue that shares the name of the Peruvian capital looks in the direction of Peru, where a sister statue, "Sakura-chan," is located. Erected in Yokohama's Rinko Park in 1999, it commemorates Peruvian-Japanese friendship.
The journey of Peru’s Nikkei: Finding identity in Japan