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Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Sep 28, 2007

Rebel yell from the desert

Saharan bluesmen Tinariwen traded guns for guitars, then set about gaining an army of famous fans
COMMENTARY / World
Sep 27, 2007

The rise of the middle-ranking powers

The security environment since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the United States has clearly demonstrated the limits of the United Nations, or even the U.S. as the world's sole military superpower, to maintain international security. However, like-minded mid-level powers with similar intentions...
Reader Mail
Sep 26, 2007

Bullying now considered normal

The aspirations of 23 million people for an independent Taiwan, which has been constantly suppressed by Taiwan's authoritarian rival, the People's Republic of China, have gained momentum to become a mainstream movement over the past few years. About 70 percent of Taiwanese support a bid for U.N. entry...
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Issues / THE ZEIT GIST
Sep 25, 2007

Is it all over for Nova?

"The dark clouds that have been hanging heavily over us will be cast aside," reads the English translation of Nova Corp. CEO Nozomu Sahashi's memo faxed to staff Friday. "I said previously 'the darkest time is before the dawn,' and finally the first light of dawn can be seen."
Reader Mail
Sep 23, 2007

Forced philosophy in Bhutan

Regarding David Howell's Aug. 30 article, "Happiness can't be legislated": Happiness is not measurable by economic and material prosperity, yet the Bhutanese regime makes every effort to force people to comply with the principles of happiness that a dictator propagated.
COMMENTARY
Sep 22, 2007

Thought Iraq was about oil? Guess again

LONDON — Australia's defense minister, Brendan Nelson, is not the sharpest tool in the box, so people were not really surprised in July when he blurted out that the real motive for invading Iraq was oil:
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Sep 21, 2007

Back to Roma

Gypsies are one of music's great cross-pollinators.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Sep 21, 2007

Game makers in marketing joust at Chiba expo

CHIBA — Tokyo Game Show, one of the world's largest gaming events, opened Thursday with the participation of a record number of Japanese and overseas firms — an indication that the industry is ready to take advantage of a brisk market boosted by the popularity of Nintendo Co.'s Wii console and dual...
EDITORIALS
Sep 20, 2007

A vital graying society

The nation is now in the midst of the Week of the Aged. As the theme suggests, the government and the people must rack their brains to figure out how to build a graying society full of vitality. The internal affairs ministry's report says there were an estimated 27.44 million people aged 65 or over as...
Reader Mail
Sep 19, 2007

A visit to Bombay's slums

Born, educated and bought up in Bombay, I was surprised to read Agnes Chan's Sept. 6 article, "Bombay's innocent victims of destitution" in a Japanese newspaper. It is noteworthy that UNICEF and the nongovernment organization AMRAE are starting a "Micro-Planning" project in Asia's biggest urban slum....
Japan Times
Reference / SO WHAT THE HECK IS THAT
Sep 18, 2007

'Fierce scowl' stickers

Dear Alice,
BASKETBALL
Sep 17, 2007

'Samurai' spirit drives AND1's Morishita

Determined and fearless on the court, Yuichiro Morishita exhibits a work ethic that basketball coaches want every player to possess. And yet it's his nickname, "Samurai," that's made him a household name far, far away from his hometown of Amagasaki, Hyogo Prefecture.
EDITORIALS
Sep 17, 2007

Transparency in Tehran

The International Atomic Energy Agency has struck a deal with Iran that could answer unresolved questions about that country's nuclear capabilities. Western governments worry that the agreement is a sham, intended only to head off international sanctions against Iran for having a clandestine nuclear...
COMMENTARY / World
Sep 14, 2007

Role of EU a year after war in Lebanon

LONDON — It has been almost one year since the European Union committed to stabilize Lebanon following last summer's war. With its decision to send thousands of soldiers to Lebanon to implement U.N. Security Council Resolution 1701, the EU took its boldest step yet in creating a common foreign and...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Sep 14, 2007

Tokyo Pinsalocks

"Spoon Market" is more than just a music event. Organized by female new-wave/electro band Tokyo Pinsalocks and Holly, owner of live house Sangenjaya Heaven's Door, the event includes live music and DJs, as well as video, art, photography and craft exhibits, fashion, food and even "hair arrangement."...
COMMENTARY
Sep 14, 2007

Diverted from 9/11's lessons

NEW YORK — Osama bin Laden has once again managed to occupy the stage and to insist on his relevance to the 9/11 story. In his most recent video message, released by Reuters a few days before the sixth anniversary of the terrorist attacks on New York and Washington, bin Laden voiced some typically...
COMMENTARY
Sep 13, 2007

Lashing out at U.S. won't help Taiwan

TAIPEI — For all the divisions that define Taiwan politics, parties on both ends of the political spectrum agree on one thing: The island is in trouble. At that point, however, they part ways.
Reader Mail
Sep 12, 2007

Realities belie national boast

Bhutan, which pompously boasts of its gross national happiness index, has some realities worth considering. For example, 20 percent of the total population still lives a nomadic animal-herder life with attire made of animal hides. Can this be an indicator of happiness or is it the struggle for...
JAPAN
Sep 11, 2007

Abe stakes future on terror law extension

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe opened the 62-day extraordinary Diet session Monday, one day after indicating his readiness to step down if he fails to win extension of Japan's support for antiterrorism operations in Afghanistan.
Reader Mail
Sep 9, 2007

What happens in a big quake?

Regarding the Aug. 31 article "Woman's failed hospital hunt irks minister": It is incomprehensible that nine hospitals turned away a woman who was about to give birth. Does that mean there was not one bed, not one doctor, not one nurse who could have helped this poor woman, and that all the patients...
CULTURE / TV & Streaming / CHANNEL SURF
Sep 9, 2007

Department store special, history focused tourism, police interrogation special documentary

This week's installment of the business documentary series "Gaia no Yoake (Dawn of Gaia)" (TV Tokyo, Tuesday, 10 p.m.) looks at the current trend of department-store mergers.
COMMENTARY
Sep 7, 2007

APEC's purpose is missing

Each year we have to ask the same question as world leaders drag themselves across the globe, taking days from their crowded schedules, simply to hand out platitudes on the importance of free trade, the environment or some other trendy topic of the day.
JAPAN / CABINET INTERVIEW
Sep 5, 2007

MSDF Indian Ocean exit not an option: Komura

The government will do whatever it takes to ensure that Maritime Self-Defense Force warships continue their mission in the Indian Ocean in support of the NATO-led antiterrorism campaign in Afghanistan, new Defense Minister Masahiko Komura said.
Reader Mail
Sep 5, 2007

Open debate on global warming

Professor Christopher Lingle's Aug. 27 article, "Intolerance mars climate change debate," succinctly describes the present sad state of affairs. I am a retired scientist from Environment Canada and have been writing about many uncertainties in the science of global warming and climate change. About...

Longform

Japan's growing ranks of centenarians are redefining what it means to live in a super-aging society.
What comes after 100?