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CULTURE / Books
Jun 11, 2006

Explore the beauty of stoneware

JAPANESE WOOD-FIRED CERAMICS by Masakazu Kusakabe & Marc Lancet. Iola, Wisconsin: Krause publications, 2005, 320 pp., $44.99 (paper) The art of making ceramics originated in Japan during prehistoric times, and over recent centuries has evolved to rank higher even than painting in the eyes of this country's...
BUSINESS
Jun 10, 2006

Nonpermanent workers' training shortfalls hit

Part-time and contract workers in the manufacturing sector get less training than their permanent, full-time colleagues, raising concern that young people may not be gaining enough skills, according to a government report.
COMMENTARY / World
Jun 10, 2006

Intolerance to the arts is growing in India

MADRAS, India -- The recent anger against director Ron Howard's latest film, "The Da Vinci Code," reminds us that intolerance against artistic freedom is growing in a world that we thought was past caring about such issues.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY
Jun 10, 2006

Scholar offers illumination on the 'Lotus Sutra'

Gene Reeves, who sounds like he might be an American cowboy but is in fact an internationally respected Buddhist scholar of the highest order, also ranks physically impressive: as tall as he is broad, with a fulsome beard used to going its own way.
EDITORIALS
Jun 8, 2006

The act of a professional?

Mr. Yoshiaki Murakami, who has drawn intense public attention as Japan's most controversial investment fund manager, was arrested Monday by the Tokyo Public Prosecutor's Office on suspicion of violating the Securities and Exchange Law. He is suspected of having engaged in insider stock trading when his...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Art
Jun 8, 2006

Seikado Bunko Art Museum shows off one-of-a-kind collection

Depictions of swashbuckling fights on Japanese battlefields have often graced the silver screen, bringing international fame to the samurai and his indispensable sword. Admired for their craftsmanship, swords hold a special place in Japan not only as weapons, but as an art form as well.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Jun 8, 2006

Behind the scenes is where he preferred to be

"I founded the school in the first place because my father taught me I should do something for young people when I reached the age of 50.'' -- Shohei Imamura (in an interview with a former student in 1994)
JAPAN
Jun 5, 2006

Gentler ecological lifestyle, products catching on in Japan

A U.S. lifestyle proposal that combines consumerism with a bit of ecological conscience is proving a hit in this shopping-crazy land, where workaholic salarymen are looking for quick fixes for stress and thinking green is becoming fashionable.
SOCCER / PREMIER REPORT
Jun 3, 2006

Chelsea's spending spree may backfire in the end

LONDON -- Chelsea has new tactics as it prepares to dominate European football next season.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / PERSONALITY PROFILE
Jun 3, 2006

Theodore Skillman and Paul Guilfoile

In May 2004, 26 people representing six international schools in the Kanto area met and formed the first International Alumni Council, Japan.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Art
Jun 1, 2006

"Vu Dan Tan -- Tanorigami: Suitcases of a Pilgrim"

Art-U Room Closes in 11 days
CULTURE / TV & Streaming / CHANNEL SURF
May 28, 2006

Look back on the Vietnam War in NHK's "The Time That Moved History" and more

More than 30 years after the end of the Vietnam War, Americans are still debating whether or not it was right to intervene in a civil conflict that itself was a product of someone else's (i.e., France) colonial adventure.
JAPAN
May 27, 2006

Panel mulls teacher license renewals

A subpanel of a government advisory body on education agreed Friday to make currently employed teachers subject to license renewals, education ministry officials said.
BUSINESS
May 27, 2006

Corporate culture of deceit wreaks havoc on wealth and markets

Unethical conduct by corporate executives and employees -- ranging from outright fraud to excessive salaries and perks for CEOs -- can inflict much greater financial damage than deadly terrorist acts, visiting American experts warned in a recent symposium in Tokyo.
CULTURE / Music
May 26, 2006

Tab Benoit et al "Voice of the Wetlands"

Perhaps the only good to come out of the Hurricane Katrina disaster has been the many excellent New Orleans music compilations, whose profits are going to those dispossessed by the storm and the ensuing chaos. The most political and most passionate of these is Tab Benoit and company's "Voice of the Wetlands."...
BUSINESS
May 25, 2006

New Keidanren chief urges Asia diplomatic thaw

The new chairman of the Japan Business Federation (Nippon Keidanren) has urged the government to swiftly resolve the nation's conflict with its Asian neighbors over Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's repeated visits to Yasukuni Shrine.
JAPAN
May 25, 2006

Education bill won't promote militarism: Koizumi

heavy importance on an education suitable to a new era and is aimed at nurturing admirable manpower for the benefit of Japan," he told a special parliamentary committee. The bill -- drafted by the ruling coalition and approved by the Cabinet on April 28 -- is a longtime goal of the conservatives, who...
EDITORIALS
May 22, 2006

Repairing a lifelong ideological rift

The top leaders of the pro-Seoul and pro-Pyongyang groups of Korean residents in Japan met last week, ending almost 60 years of hostilities and marking the start of reconciliation. Mr. Ha Byeong Ok, president of pro-Seoul Mindan (Korean Residents Union in Japan) and Mr. So Man Sul, chairman of pro-Pyongyang...
EDITORIALS
May 21, 2006

Mr. Matsui's apology

'Mind the gap," the British warn commuters stepping off trains. It's good advice in East-West relations, too, since there are some gaps that appear to be unbridgeable. A rather wide one was revealed last week in the hubbub in the United States over the apology of New York Yankees left fielder Hideki...
JAPAN / Media / MEDIA MIX
May 21, 2006

Ishihara flies over the hurdles toward his own 2016 Olympic gold

Politicians often get elected because of promises they make. In his one term as governor of Tokyo, comedian Yukio Aoshima didn't accomplish anything noteworthy, but he did keep the one promise that got him elected: He canceled the World City Exposition that many constituents thought would be a waste...
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / PERSONALITY PROFILE
May 20, 2006

Norma Diaz de Polski

Mention Argentina, and two stereotypes spring to mind: soccer and beef.
JAPAN
May 18, 2006

Japan holds onto sixth place in mathematics theses

Japan ranks sixth in the number of internationally published math theses, the same position it has held since being surpassed by China in 2000, the National Institute of Science and Technology Policy said Wednesday.
JAPAN
May 18, 2006

Annan asks Koizumi to give air support to U.N. in Iraq

Visiting U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan asked Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi on Wednesday to provide air support for U.N. activities in Iraq, opening the possibility that the Air Self-Defense Force will get a new mission there.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Art
May 18, 2006

"Yankee Doodle Flea Market & Art Show"

Hillside Terrace Daikanyama Friday to Sunday
COMMENTARY / World
May 16, 2006

Cops of the South Pacific

SYDNEY -- Australia is far from happy about becoming the unofficial, reluctant policeman of the South Pacific. The latest tally of young, politically inept countries that expect Canberra to keep the peace for them has risen to four. And that's not counting the nearest potential hot spot, Indonesia's...
Japan Times
LIFE
May 14, 2006

Home and away

Young Japanese lead the way in a cultural exchange set to erode their homeland's hidebound mentality
BUSINESS
May 13, 2006

Softbank plans online university

Softbank Corp. said Friday the education ministry has accepted its application to set up a four-year, all-online college.
CULTURE / Music
May 12, 2006

Fatboy Slim

Fatboy Slim, aka Norman Cook, is the DJ everyone can love: drunken college meatheads, glow-stick-toting ravers, classic rock lovers and parents of small children alike. His popularity has gone beyond mere love for his music; it has crept into the arena of institutional adoration.
COMMENTARY / World
May 11, 2006

A power to resist the currents of history

One cold morning in December 1941, I was running through the frozen streets of Tokyo during the predawn hours, delivering newspapers. I saw this as my way to contribute to the family finances. I was 13 at the time, my father was bedridden with rheumatism, and my four elder brothers had been sent off...

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