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EDITORIALS
May 2, 2001

Strike two for Mr. Wahid

It is hard to believe, but Indonesia seems to be heading toward yet more political chaos. That country's Parliament voted Monday night to censure President Abdurrahman Wahid for a second time. That sets the stage for an impeachment vote later this year, which would set off widespread demonstrations by...
CULTURE / Film
May 2, 2001

Artcore

There's a scene in "Boogie Nights" in which porno director Jack Horner, played by Burt Reynolds, spells out his life dream: to make a "real movie" with hardcore action, something with a story that would make people want to stay beyond the money shot to find out how it ends.
CULTURE / Film
May 2, 2001

Don't go messing with the Iron Ladies

Satree-Lex Rating: * * * Japanese title: Attack Number HalfDirector: Yongyoot Thongkongtoon Running time: 105 minutes Language: Thai, with Japanese subtitlesNow showing A lot of men say that femininity is a dying art. Women are no longer interested in polishing that side of themselves and, consequently,...
CULTURE / Film
May 2, 2001

A war movie of guts, glory and heavy gloss

Merdeka Rating: * Director: Yukio Fuji Running time: 114 minutes Language: JapaneseNow showing War movies have a hard time telling the truth about one of humankind's most universal acts. Even when filmmakers loudly proclaim their intention to get it right, they nearly always make their films as...
CULTURE / Film
May 2, 2001

Generation X

While this month may mark artcore's high tide on Tokyo screens, the wave has been building over the past few years. Here's a quick review of some of the more controversial and boundary-pushing films to have opened here within the past six months alone:
JAPAN / CABINET INTERVIEW
May 2, 2001

Toyama sticks by controversial textbook

Newly appointed education chief Atsuko Toyama, continuing the policy of her predecessor, said her ministry will not seek additional revisions to a controversial history textbook even if South Korea officially lodges requests to this end.
JAPAN
May 2, 2001

Koseki admits embezzlement, breach of trust as KSD chief

Tadao Koseki, former president of mutual aid foundation KSD, pleaded guilty Tuesday to embezzling about 81 million yen from the organization and to breach of trust that caused it to incur losses of 168 million yen.
JAPAN
May 2, 2001

Employee dies after storefront stabbing

OSAKA -- A 33-year-old supermarket employee died after being stabbed Tuesday morning during a scuffle near the store in Ibaraki, Osaka Prefecture, police said.
CULTURE / Art
May 2, 2001

The golden age of Flemish art

"In the early 17th century, Antwerp was a kind of Hollywood," said Paul Huvenne, director general of Antwerp's Royal Museum of Fine Arts. "There were more painters in the city than bakers!"
BUSINESS
May 2, 2001

IY Bank aims to change banking Monday

The battleground for retail banking will shift to convenience stores Monday when Ito-Yokado Co.'s IY Bank opens on a vast network of ATMs at Seven-Eleven stores nationwide.
COMMENTARY
May 2, 2001

An end to hopes of change?

The surprising triumph of maverick reformer Junichiro Koizumi as leader of the Liberal Democratic Party and prime minister of Japan could ironically wind up sabotaging hopes for periodic changes in the nation's government.
CULTURE / Art
May 2, 2001

'Girly photographer' charts her own course

It is has been about a decade since the debut of the onnanoko shashinka, an immensely popular group of young Japanese female photographers whose work was largely characterized by simple subjects reflecting their everyday life, captured with a point-and-shoot aesthetic. Initially, the best known of the...
CULTURE / Art
May 2, 2001

Hitchcock and human nature

Alfred Hitchcock is an icon of the film world, like the Beatles are to rock and pop. Often referred to as the greatest director of all time, the English filmmaker produced art for the masses, using avant-garde techniques and character psychology with universal relevance.
JAPAN
May 1, 2001

Cabinet paving way to female prime minister?

The new Cabinet breaks with tradition in several ways -- it has a record number of women, including the first female foreign minister, and a woman is third in line to take over the prime minister's job in an emergency.
BUSINESS
May 1, 2001

Major retailers strive to form new identity

One of the most popular areas on the food floor at Isetan's Tachikawa branch offers not groceries, but quick recipes for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
BUSINESS
May 1, 2001

Topix chart anticipating brighter future?

The Tokyo Stock Price Index of all issues listed on the first section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange finally closed above 1,341.82 points on April 26, bringing the closely watched chart to a point where investors are recommended to start buying shares.
Events
May 1, 2001

'Memoirs of a Geisha' muse vents spleen at author

KYOTO -- Arthur Golden's "Memoirs of a Geisha" sold over 4 million copies and lingered on the New York Times best seller list for 58 weeks. The story of a country girl sold into virtual slavery who rises to become one of Japan's most celebrated geisha captivated the world.
JAPAN / CABINET INTERVIEW
May 1, 2001

Moriyama eyes judicial reform, backs death penalty

It is important to carry out judicial reforms in order to ensure that the public has better access to legal services, according to newly appointed Justice Minister Mayumi Moriyama.
BUSINESS
May 1, 2001

Myline phone system kicks off with glut of applications

Twelve telecom carriers kicked off today the "Myline" phone service that allows subscribers to select preferred carriers.
JAPAN
May 1, 2001

Release of bilingual CD aims to soothe Tokyo-Seoul discord

Cultural exchanges between Japan and South Korea have made steady progress since the first deregulation of Japanese popular culture in South Korea in 1998, according to Kiyomi Kaneko, secretary general of the Foundation for Promotion of Music Industry and Culture (Promic).
COMMENTARY
May 1, 2001

Bush strains cross-Atlantic ties

LONDON -- In a world of disorder, fluidity and shifting power centers, one factor has remained fixed and constant for all states, all governments and all national leaders: the supreme importance of relations with the United States, and how to handle them.
JAPAN
May 1, 2001

State to expand care for victims of road accidents

A new system expanding the scope of subsidized nursing care for people suffering serious long-term injuries from traffic accidents will be set up in July, Transport Ministry officials said.
LIFE / Travel
May 1, 2001

Taking Japan's back trails to far towns

Lonely Planet Publications has recently added to its 560-strong stable of travel books by producing a series of hiking guides, including one dedicated to the tracks and trails of Japan.
MORE SPORTS / THE DUKE OF HAZARDS
May 1, 2001

Faldo designing plans for the future

Nick Faldo, a six-time major winner, shot 151 (75-76) in the first two rounds of the Masters last month and missed the cut. This means he earned nothing.

Longform

Sumadori Bar on Shibuya Ward's main Center Gai street targets young customers who prefer low-alcohol drinks or abstain altogether.
Rethinking that second drink: Japan’s Gen Z gets ‘sober curious’