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Japan Times
JAPAN
Dec 30, 2003

Helper-dog law opening doors, minds

Dozens of new laws and amendments take effect in Japan every year, but only a few open up new worlds for people.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Dec 30, 2003

Tokyo hopes Pyongyang, like Libya, eases nuclear posturing

Security issues concerning North Korea, including its nuclear arms program, will remain at the top of Japan's diplomatic agenda in 2004, with Tokyo hoping to see substantial progress following Libya's recent renunciation of weapons of mass destruction.
COMMENTARY
Dec 29, 2003

Japan eyes penalty options

Resumption of six-party talks aimed at halting North Korea's nuclear-arms development, originally planned for December, has been postponed to sometime beyond January. Since the United States and North Korea remain deadlocked over the wording of a joint statement on the abolition of North Korea's nuclear-arms...
JAPAN
Dec 28, 2003

DBJ to tie loans to environment efforts

The governmental Development Bank of Japan will from next April offer a new loan with interest rates linked to recipient companies' commitments on environmental measures, DBJ officials said Saturday.
EDITORIALS
Dec 28, 2003

Behind the veil in France

Sometimes when we read about a political decision being taken in another country, the response seems both easy and obvious. Chechen independence, an Iraqi trial for toppled leader Saddam Hussein, approval of the Kyoto treaty to slow global warming, disapproval of the Israelis' land-gobbling border fence:...
Japan Times
JAPAN
Dec 27, 2003

ASDF advance team off to Mideast

A 20-member Air Self-Defense Force team left Narita airport Friday for Kuwait and Qatar, spearheading Japan's deployment of military units to undertake humanitarian activities in Iraq.
EDITORIALS
Dec 27, 2003

Mr. Gadhafi's change of heart

Mercurial Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi has pulled off another coup. Last week's announcement that Libya would give up all its programs to develop weapons of mass destruction (WMD) has turned the former pariah into an international statesman. Surprising though the move may have seemed, it was the result...
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / BEST BAR NONE
Dec 26, 2003

Round 'bout midnight

It's that time of the year again, when everybody is steadily moving into party mode as the big countdown approaches. Some punters will simply be dancing in the streets to celebrate. Others will take to the expressways: Reportedly over 6,000 bosozoku (hot-rodders and hot-doggers on motorcycles) choked...
EDITORIALS
Dec 25, 2003

It's Pyongyang's move

The good news about nuclear nonproliferation is that Iran and Libya, both of which have long been suspected of harboring nuclear ambitions, have apparently changed their minds. The bad news is that North Korea, which already has nuclear-weapons programs, remains adamant about keeping them, thus clouding...
COMMENTARY
Dec 22, 2003

Courageous decision on Iraq

LONDON -- The Japanese government's decision to send members of the Self-Defense Forces to take part in humanitarian efforts in Iraq was a courageous one.
JAPAN / Media / MEDIA MIX
Dec 21, 2003

Year's top commercials 'ad' up to great Japanese TV

Anyone who reads this column regularly probably believes that I find Japanese television completely worthless. It's not true; or, at least, not completely true. I think Japanese TV commercials are very good and often more representative of the hopes and dreams of the nation than the programming is.
JAPAN
Dec 20, 2003

Hinomaru hoisted at all spring graduation events

All public elementary, junior high and high schools in Japan raised the Hinomaru during their spring graduation ceremonies, according to an education ministry survey released this week.
COMMUNITY
Dec 20, 2003

Over 4,000 babies delivered and still counting

Dr. Hideki Sakamoto is late for the very best of reasons. "I had an emergency at the hospital, but am happy to be able to say that mother and baby are both doing well."
JAPAN
Dec 19, 2003

Smaller yearend shrine turnout expected

Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples are expected to draw fewer visitors during the upcoming New Year's holidays than they did in 2003, the National Police Agency said Thursday.
MORE SPORTS
Dec 17, 2003

Record season earns Fudo MVP

Four-time consecutive money leader Yuri Fudo was selected as this season's Most Valuable Player on the Japanese women's golf tour, the Japan LPGA said Tuesday.
EDITORIALS
Dec 13, 2003

A triumph for Mr. Wen

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao is a happy man -- and with good reason. His four-day visit to the United States this week was a huge success, a personal triumph for the premier as well as a trip that helped advance his nation's relations with the U.S. His host, U.S. President George W. Bush, is probably less...
COMMENTARY
Dec 13, 2003

Not a two-party system yet

LONDON -- Is Japan becoming a "normal" parliamentary democracy with a two-party system? Commentators outside and inside Japan have suggested that the Nov. 9 general election may have fundamentally altered the balance of power in Japan and that, with the growth of the Democratic Party of Japan, the country...
EDITORIALS
Dec 12, 2003

Russian reality test for Kyoto

It is still unclear whether Russia has decided to withdraw from the Kyoto Protocol on global warming. But reports that Moscow had rejected the proposal refocused international attention on the appalling lack of progress since the agreement was negotiated more than five years ago. Despite the now considerable...
Japan Times
LIFE / Travel
Dec 12, 2003

'Land of Fire' with history burning in its mokkosu heart

Few things puff up local pride like a local hero. Sendai dotes on its "One-Eyed Dragon," warrior Date Masamune. Kagoshima loves its plump 19th-century rebel Saigo Takamori. And Kumamoto adores its old daimyo lord Kato Kiyomasa.
BUSINESS
Dec 11, 2003

Firms create a prototype for multi-OS

Denso Corp. and Toshiba Corp. said Wednesday they have jointly developed what they believe to be the world's first prototype of a multioperating systems environment that will support both the Windows and Tron OSs.
COMMENTARY
Dec 11, 2003

New Zealand seeks bigger splash in Asia

WELLINGTON -- It's clear that New Zealand's size is both a curse and a blessing. The curse is easy to see: New Zealand is so small that it's hard to get the attention of other governments. New Zealand is responsible for 0.22 percent of world trade. There are more Indonesian civil servants than New Zealanders....
BUSINESS
Dec 10, 2003

Curbs eyed for nonprescription drugs

A health ministry advisory panel plans to urge the government to place sharp limits on the scope of nonprescription drugs to be sold by convenience stores and other retailers that do not employ pharmacists, including cold and allergy medicines.
JAPAN
Dec 9, 2003

Japanese feel affinity with not-too-distant Finland: ambassador

Finland and Japan may be at opposite ends of the scale when it comes to the size of their populations, but the links between the two countries are very close, according to Finnish Ambassador Eero Salovaara.
COMMUNITY / Issues / THE ZEIT GIST
Dec 9, 2003

Burden of proof impossible to bear

It may not have been exactly what the government has in mind by the cliche "international cooperation," but dozens of ordinary Japanese folk recently gave up a precious Sunday to help out foreigners in trouble.
BASEBALL / MLB
Dec 6, 2003

Kazuo's list at four

Kyodo News Free agent infielder Kazuo Matsui said Thursday he has narrowed his choices of where to play next season to four major league teams.
JAPAN
Dec 5, 2003

Bagabandi submits war internee info

Visiting Mongolian President Natsagiin Bagabandi on Thursday handed over documents on about 110 Japanese transferred to Mongolia after being detained by the Soviet Union after World War II.
Japan Times
LIFE / Travel
Dec 5, 2003

Akihabara -- not just a treat for the tourists

Growing up means putting away your toys. At least that's the accepted view. But in truth, adults don't forsake toys -- we just buy more expensive and interesting ones.
COMMENTARY
Dec 3, 2003

Lots of debate, little action

The problems with Japan's education system are well known -- poor teaching in the universities; class disintegration (gakkyu hokai) in the schools -- to name but a few. So many students, unwilling to put up with the pressures and rigidities of the existing school system, are now dropping out of school...

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