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Japan Times
JAPAN / CABINET INTERVIEW
Oct 7, 2010

Okazaki to beef up consumer agency

Tomiko Okazaki, newly appointed National Public Safety Commission chairwoman and new state minister in charge of consumer affairs, intends to give the Consumer Affairs Agency more clout.
JAPAN
Oct 6, 2010

Maehara blames Senkaku run-in on trawler's 'malicious' skipper

A Chinese trawler's collisions last month with two Japan Coast Guard vessels near the Senkaku islets were "malicious" actions on the part of the fishing boat skipper, but Tokyo is willing to talk with Beijing to prevent similar incidents, Foreign Minister Seiji Maehara reiterated Tuesday.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY
Oct 5, 2010

British pie man to pass on pastry prowess to new owner

We've all heard the tale of a pie man selling his wares to a certain Simple Simon. But this time, the pie man is selling the whole shop.
MULTIMEDIA
Oct 5, 2010

METI study group Mongolia-bound to dig up new rare earth resources

Japan, the world's biggest importer of rare earth metals, plans to send a study group to Mongolia this month as it tries to diversify its supply sources.
COMMUNITY / How-tos / LIFELINES
Oct 5, 2010

Kids' camps; more on Baha'i

Baha'i outreach MN thanks us for writing about her community (Lifelines, Sept. 21).
MORE SPORTS / ICE TIME
Oct 3, 2010

Shoji makes a splash in international debut

With world junior champion Kanako Murakami moving up to the senior ranks this season, there may have been some trepidation in Japanese skating circles about who would represent the next wave of young talent among the ladies.
JAPAN
Oct 2, 2010

Big Issue finds home; homeless in charge

The Big Issue Japan Ltd., a publisher that hires homeless people to sell its magazine on the streets, opened on Friday Japan's first shop managed by homeless people in a former convenience store in Nishi-Umeda subway station.
JAPAN
Oct 1, 2010

Rocky road ahead for Kan as DPJ addresses economy

The top priority for Prime Minister Naoto Kan and the Democratic Party of Japan during the extraordinary Diet session Friday will be to clear a supplementary budget to kick start the feeble economy.
JAPAN
Oct 1, 2010

China frees three Fujita employees

Three of the four Japanese construction employees being detained by Chinese authorities on suspicion of entering a restricted military zone were released Thursday in a sign that Sino-Japanese relations may be on the mend.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Oct 1, 2010

China steps up efforts to tempt returnees and stem 'brain drain'

Having worked for two years at a tech company in Japan and picked up the language, Qiu Zhaohua has decided to return to China, lured by a job in the eastern tech hub of Dalian that pays as much as 200,000 yuan (about $29,000) a year — a handsome starting salary by China's standards.
BUSINESS
Oct 1, 2010

Nomura Asset betting on Chinese tourists

Nomura Asset Management Co. began operations Thursday of a mutual fund investing in companies that benefit from spending by Chinese tourists in Japan.
Reader Mail
Sep 30, 2010

Can Kan make a dignified landing?

Regarding the Sept. 27 article "Kan rejects Beijing's demand for apology": Prime Minister Naoto Kan must find himself between a rock and a hard place. His position was already tenuous enough before the fishing boat incident off the Senkaku Islands. Now he faces a demand from China for an apology —...
JAPAN
Sep 29, 2010

Kan hopes to meet with Wen in Europe

Reversing a decision to skip next week's Asia-Europe Meeting, Prime Minister Naoto Kan will make a three-day trip to Brussels starting Sunday, where Tokyo is exploring the possibility of organizing talks with Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshito Sengoku said Tuesday.
Japan Times
LIFE / Digital
Sep 29, 2010

Japanese facility aimed at creating a sun on Earth

Outside a small town in Gifu Prefecture is a little-known scientific research establishment engaged in a project to "create a sun on the Earth." If successful, this venture will profoundly affect the lives of most people in the world.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Sep 28, 2010

Matsumoto to focus on global green efforts

With less than a month to go before the convention on biological diversity in Nagoya, newly appointed Environment Minister Ryu Matsumoto said he is doing his best to make the international meeting a success.
COMMENTARY / World
Sep 28, 2010

Local politics cries out for partisan competition

OSAKA — With its constant factional infighting and Cabinet shuffles, Japanese national politics is a disheartening affair for the concerned voter. Last year's historic elections, however, demonstrated that voters can oust unpopular governments, and that party competition and accountability is emerging...
JAPAN / EXPLAINER
Sep 28, 2010

COP10 to take on genetic, indigenous issues

From Oct. 18 to 29, the 10th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations' Convention on Biological Diversity, known as COP10, takes place in Nagoya.
Japan Times
JAPAN / CABINET INTERVIEW
Sep 26, 2010

Corporate tax cut, EPAs key: Ohata

Newly appointed Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Akihiro Ohata believes Japan needs to pull out all the stops to boost its economy, including drafting an extra budget, lowering corporate tax and forging more economic partnership agreements with other countries.
JAPAN / Media / MEDIA MIX
Sep 26, 2010

Home truths: To buy or not to buy?

During a recent sojourn in the United States, I talked with friends and relatives about the housing situation, specifically the value of their homes in the wake of the subprime fiasco of 2007-08. Those who bought high just before the bubble burst are feeling queasy now that property values have descended...
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / WHEN EAST MARRIES WEST
Sep 25, 2010

It's a dog's world — cute and crazy

I don't feel old and don't look old either, although my wife and bathroom mirror both disagree. Yet, I am approaching the age where I would not mind a grandchild.
EDITORIALS
Sep 24, 2010

Competitive renewable energy

The trade and industry ministry has drafted a plan to have power utility companies buy all electricity generated from renewable energy sources. Currently they only buy surplus solar-generated electricity from photovoltaic (PV) panels installed at homes. In addition to this, power companies would have...
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink
Sep 24, 2010

We all deserve eggplants in fall

There is a famous old Japanese saying about aki nasu or fall eggplants: "Aki nasu yome ni kuwasuna" — "Don't let the daughter-in-law eat fall eggplant."
BUSINESS
Sep 23, 2010

APEC tourism ministers meet amid Senkakus row

NARA — Amid growing tensions between Japan and China, the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation kicked off its tourism conference Wednesday in the ancient capital of Nara, where delegates discussed regional tourism trends since the economic crisis of 2008, when they last met, and ways to improve Asia's...

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