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CULTURE / TV & Streaming / CHANNEL SURF
Jul 18, 2010

Arashi idol in 'Summer Lover' drama; behind the scenes of the Sky Tree; CM of the week: Calorie Mate

The ratings for "Moon Lovers," the drama series that just ended in the coveted Monday 9 p.m. slot at Fuji TV, were not as high as expected despite the participation of heartthrob Takuya Kimura. Maybe a younger Johnny's idol, Jun Matsumoto of Arashi, will have better luck with "Natsu no Koi wa Niji-iro...
JAPAN / CHUBU CONNECTION
Jul 17, 2010

Aichi biker gangs up but downsized

The number of rowdy motorcycle gangs, or "bosozoku," rose in Aichi Prefecture for the third straight year last year, to about 2,800, the worst in the country, according to the National Police Agency.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Media / Japan Pulse
Jul 16, 2010

Big (only) in Japan? Free fans

When the dog days are upon Japan, there's always a good chance that somebody, somewhere will be passing out free fans.
JAPAN
Jul 16, 2010

Panel votes to reopen Ozawa case

Former Democratic Party of Japan Secretary General Ichiro Ozawa should be indicted over his alleged involvement in falsifying a 2007 report compiled by his political fund management body, an independent judicial panel concluded Thursday in yet another blow to the ruling DPJ.
Japan Times
Events / Events Outside Tokyo
Jul 16, 2010

Beauty comes to Shiki's new theatrical space

The Shiki Theatre: Natsu echoed with the sound of applause as a specially selected audience was treated to a preview performance of "Beauty and the Beast."
Japan Times
LIFE / Travel / HOTELS & RESTAURANTS
Jul 16, 2010

Colombian specialties visit Tokyo

The Hilton Tokyo and the Embassy of Colombia will jointly host the Colombian Gastronomic Journey, a special gourmet promotion taking place at the hotel's buffet restaurant, Checkers, from Aug. 4 to 8.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Art
Jul 16, 2010

The talented women of Kyoto

"Women Artists of Kyoto: Bearing Burdens / Burdens Born" is ostensibly about the classification of female artists since the late 19th century. The term "keishu-gaka" refers to accomplished women artists, "joryu-gaka" to post-World War II artists who created trends among male colleagues and "josei-gaka"...
JAPAN / EXPLAINER
Jul 14, 2010

Summer: the season of 'fire flowers'

Summer is fireworks season. For centuries, Japanese have been fascinated by this spectacle of lights called "hanabi," which literally means "fire flowers."
JAPAN
Jul 14, 2010

Ex-immigration boss: detentions too long

Illegal residents should not be held in detention for more than one year because any longer causes too much stress, a former chief of the Tokyo Regional Immigration Bureau said, noting extended incarceration led to two hunger strikes at detention centers this year, one of which followed suicides.
BUSINESS
Jul 14, 2010

Cooker makes bread out of rice

Backed by the recent revival of rice consumption, Sanyo Electric Co. debuted a machine Tuesday that can bake bread out of rice.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / WHO'S WHO
Jul 13, 2010

Veteran teacher finds his own way

Paul del Rosario was flabbergasted when he was reprimanded for being too loud at a language school where he was teaching English, and had to confront a Japanese boss there. The boss came to him and said, "Maybe it's a good idea not to talk so much (with other teachers between classes)."
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Issues / THE ZEIT GIST
Jul 13, 2010

One more time — with Charisma

Hide the booze and lock up your daughters: Charisma Man is back. The lovable loser who was constantly broke, dateless and swilling rotgut at home is back in Japan, with a pocket full of folding money, a girl on each arm and a chilled glass of first-class sake in his hand.
JAPAN
Jul 12, 2010

Your Party emerges as force to approach

Your Party emerged from Sunday's Upper House election with a presence in the chamber it never had and as a force to bargain with.
BUSINESS / JAPANESE PERSPECTIVES
Jul 12, 2010

Where will limits of G20 policy leave debt-strewn Japan?

The G8 and G20 meetings in Toronto, closely watched last month as Europe struggled to halt the chain reaction of doubt set in motion by the Greek debt crisis, exposed their inability to coordinate on quelling financial uncertainty.
BUSINESS / YEN FOR LIVING
Jul 12, 2010

Wanted: Train driver wannabe with money

Isumi Tetsudo is making train lovers' dreams come true but for how long?
COMMENTARY / COUNTERPOINT
Jul 11, 2010

For Japan's own good, it's high time to get into that holiday thing

It may surprise you, but one of the trickiest words to translate from Japanese into English is isogashii. Every dictionary will tell you that its closest equivalent is "busy," and you'd be hard pressed to find a native Japanese speaker who disagreed with this.
CULTURE / TV & Streaming / CHANNEL SURF
Jul 11, 2010

Comedy on difficult Japanese; a doctor who dances; CM of the week: Kappa Sushi

The new drama series, "Nihonjin no Shiranai Nihongo" (Japanese Language Japanese People Don't Know; NTV, Thurs., 11:58 p.m.), is based on a popular comic inspired by a real Japanese language teacher.
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / WHEN EAST MARRIES WEST
Jul 10, 2010

An odor by any other name

Draw a big breath and admit it. Japan smells.
JAPAN / DECISION 2010
Jul 9, 2010

Playing both sides of the fence

NAGANO — Last summer's historic victory by the Democratic Party of Japan in the Lower House election shook the national political structure to the core, including voting patterns.
Japan Times
Events / Events Outside Tokyo
Jul 9, 2010

Music workshops to teach amateurs about instruments

A fun workshop for 100 music lovers will take place at the National Museum of Ethnology, Osaka, in the Expo Park in Suita City, Osaka, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. on July 11.

Longform

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