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JAPAN
Sep 19, 2008

Ministry received Mikasa tip in 2007, Ota admits

The farm ministry was first tipped off about Mikasa Foods' distribution of inedible tainted rice in January 2007 but was unable to uncover any wrongdoing, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Seiichi Ota told the Diet on Thursday.
CULTURE / Film
Sep 19, 2008

Downey Jr. revels in newfound 'A-list' status

So I'm sitting at the "Iron Man" press conference, watching the trailer for the umpteenth time, waiting for Robert Downey Jr. to appear, and I'm thinking, what should I ask him if I can get a question in? Not that I will. I think most distributors have a rule now not to call on the tall, skinny guy...
Japan Times
LIFE / Travel / BACKSTREET STORIES
Sep 19, 2008

Daimyos and deluge around the Kanda River

Most major stretches of greenery in Tokyo are tax-trimmed remainders of massive estates once owned by Edo Period (1603-1867) feudal lords, or daimyo. So, in the wake of this summer's torrential rain and dodging some early autumn typhoons, I set out to find a daimyo domain or two.
COMMENTARY / World
Sep 18, 2008

Japan spinning its wheels

OSAKA — To lose one prime minister may be regarded as a misfortune; to lose two in one year looks like carelessness. That paraphrase by Oscar Wilde aptly sums up the current state of Japanese politics, given the serial resignations of Prime Ministers Shinzo Abe and Yasuo Fukuda.
SOCCER / SOCCER SCENE
Sep 17, 2008

Oil wealth has big impact on Asia's soccer landscape

When the Asian Champions League began back in March, few outside of Uzbekistan had heard of Kuruvchi. Now, with the club preparing for Wednesday's Asian Champions League quarterfinals after an extraordinary summer, the world is certainly paying attention.
Japan Times
JAPAN / EXPLAINER
Sep 17, 2008

Supreme Court place of last judicial resort

In 1889, Japan took its first step toward forming a modern constitutional state by promulgating the Meiji Constitution, dividing power among the legislature, or Diet, the executive branch, or Cabinet, and the judiciary, with the Supreme Court at the top.
Reader Mail
Sep 14, 2008

Flagging spirit dogged Fukuda

Regarding the Sept. 9 Views From the Street question "What do you make of Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda's decision to quit?": Fukuda showed a lack of political spirit. He made an effort domestically to improve the nation's devastating finances and, internationally, to improve the cold relationship with...
Japan Times
LIFE / Style & Design
Sep 14, 2008

Tokyo's catwalks at last purr with pizazz

"Is Tokyo really the world's fifth fashion capital after Paris, New York, Milan and London?"
JAPAN / Media / MEDIA MIX
Sep 14, 2008

Feed, don't fight, Afghanistan

The circumstances surrounding the kidnapping and killing of Japanese aid worker Kazuya Ito in Afghanistan last month remain unclear. In the web journal Japan Focus, Michael Penn conjectures that Ito's death resulted from a "botched effort to abduct him, not . . . premeditated murder." The gunshot wounds...
SOCCER / J. League
Sep 13, 2008

Johnsen: Stojkovic's leadership key for Grampus

Nagoya Grampus striker Frode Johnsen admits he is surprised by his side's challenge for the 2008 J. League title, but is taking nothing for granted as the season moves into its final stretch.
JAPAN
Sep 13, 2008

LDP five's first public 'debate' subdued affair

The battle for the Liberal Democratic Party presidency continued Friday, but the only public debate to date ended on a subdued tone as the five candidates avoided aiming direct criticism at each other.
JAPAN
Sep 12, 2008

Five in LDP race lay out platforms

The five candidates in the Liberal Democratic Party presidential race unveiled their platforms to fellow lawmakers Thursday, stressing their experience and trying to differentiate themselves from each other.
Reader Mail
Sep 11, 2008

Taliban don't deserve their label

I have yet to fully understand how Afghanistan became the "good war" in the eyes of the West. Al-Qaida is in Pakistan. The Taliban didn't plan, participate in, or have any advanced knowledge of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
BUSINESS
Sep 11, 2008

Farmers demand ¥10 hike in milk price

Dairy farmers asked milk manufacturers Wednesday to pay them more for raw milk because the rising cost of livestock feed is threatening their livelihood.
Japan Times
LIFE / Digital / IGADGET
Sep 10, 2008

Sanyo sheds some clean light on subject of renewable energy

Bright energy: Japan is known far and wide as the Land of the Rising Sun, but it desires to be known (again) as the Land of the Solar Charge. Once the world's leader in installed solar power, Japan has since 2005 slipped second behind Germany, which now has about double Japan's capacity. Politicians...
JAPAN / EXPLAINER
Sep 9, 2008

Waistline scrutiny a midlife bugbear

The term metabolic syndrome has become a hot topic with middle-aged workers now that the government has made it mandatory for companies and local governments to check for it during annual employee health examinations.
Japan Times
LIFE / Travel / ON THE ROAD
Sep 7, 2008

Toyota's iQ — a smart move in microcar stakes

As a reporter who covers motor shows in Paris, Geneva and Frankfurt, I get to chat with a lot of European car engineers, designers and journalists. And I'm sorry to say but, no folks, they are not all in a lather about skyrocketing oil prices. Global warming's No. 1 cause, rising carbon dioxide levels,...
Japan Times
JAPAN / MIXED MATCHES
Sep 6, 2008

Change of study location proves fateful

It is not unusual for young Japanese to go abroad to study English. But where they choose to go for their studies can change their destiny.
EDITORIALS
Sep 5, 2008

The DPJ's kind of nation

The sudden decision and announcement by Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda to resign must have caused a headache for the Democratic Party of Japan, the No. 1 opposition party. The DPJ had worked out a strategy for future general elections on the assumption that Mr. Fukuda would remain in power. The DPJ thought...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Sep 5, 2008

Cardiff band get Los in translation

Los Campesinos!, a pop septet from Cardiff, Wales, were an inspired choice to open the Marine Stadium stage at Summer Sonic Tokyo last month. Each tune kicks off with a catchy riff and proceeds to burn rocket fuel as lead vocalist Gareth twitches and yelps — nothing the band plays is slow, or even...
Reader Mail
Sep 4, 2008

How 'natural' is the weather?

This summer we have endured a lot of rain, humid weather and weird cloud formations. This may not be unusual for Japan in August, but I asked locals if the weather was unusual and many said "yes." Using the Internet, I was able to learn that the U.S. government has an official policy of "weather modification"...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Sep 4, 2008

German opera director Konwitschny stages 'Eugene Onegin' in Tokyo

With Tokyo Nikikai Opera Theatre, German director Peter Konwitschny will stage "Eugene Onegin" in Tokyo from Sept. 12 to 15.
BASEBALL / Japanese Baseball
Sep 3, 2008

Valentine: Marines official asked me to resign in late July

CHIBA — Chiba Lotte Marines manager Bobby Valentine revealed to a small gathering of reporters on Tuesday that in late July he was asked to resign by someone in the Lotte front office.

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