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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.
COMMENTARY / World
Sep 14, 2008

Nepali 'democracy' unlikely to push peace

ATLANTA — Nepal's special assembly has chosen Maoist chief Prachanda as prime minister over Sher Bahadur Deuba, a three-time former prime minister from the Nepali Congress party.
Japan Times
JAPAN / LETTERS FROM KOBE
Sep 11, 2008

Theater, stores cheered up locals

Fifth in a series
Japan Times
LIFE / Digital / JAPAN TIMES BLOGROLL
Sep 10, 2008

NihonHacks.com

Japan is not the cheapest place to live, and it can be frustratingly confusing, even for long-timers. Fortunately, there is NihonHacks.com, the blog devoted to tips for stretching your yen and saving time, courtesy of American-born, Japan-based blogger Thomas Hjelm (with some input from his wife and...
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / WORDS TO LIVE BY
Sep 9, 2008

Tatsuo Asakura

Tatsuo Asakura, 29, is a driver on the Flower Nagai Line, a tiny one-car train in the middle of Yamagata Prefecture's rice and wheat fields. Although it's the only form of transportation for school children and the elderly who live in farmhouses scattered around the valley, the dire financial straits...
EDITORIALS
Sep 8, 2008

Con artists calling

Remittance scams ("furikome sagi") in which swindlers dupe people into sending them money, appear to be rapidly rising in number. The National Police Agency reported 11,755 cases of remittance fraud involving ¥16.69 billion from January to June, for the worst first half-year period since 2004, when...
JAPAN
Sep 8, 2008

'Manga' viewed as vibrant info conduit

KYOTO — In Japan and other parts of Asia, "manga" comic books are not only escapist entertainment but also a powerful and effective medium to educate a broad range of people on important topics like environmental conservation and food safety.
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / JAPAN LITE
Sep 6, 2008

Land of the Great Pumpkin

The last time I went to Naoshima was in June of 2001, when it was just an island with a museum, a hotel and some tents. It was called Bunkamura (culture village). The museum was Mr. Fukutake's own private art collection of mostly modern art. In 2004 came Claude, Walter and James (Monet, De Maria, and...
Japan Times
JAPAN
Sep 5, 2008

Yamaoka urges DPJ to stay focused

Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda's resignation has shifted much of the media's attention on to the ruling Liberal Democratic Party.
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.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Sep 3, 2008

Brothers take on 101-task mission

Most people would welcome a couple of weeks of vacation and many may even have further daydreamed of taking a whole year off, possibly to backpack around the world or do volunteer work.
COMMUNITY / Issues / JUST BE CAUSE
Sep 2, 2008

The 'gaijin' debate: Arudou responds

Last month's column (Aug. 5) was on the word "gaijin." I made the case that it is a racist word, one that reinforces an "us-and-them" rubric toward foreigners and their children in Japan. It generated a lot of debate. Good. Thanks for your time.
JAPAN / EXPLAINER
Sep 2, 2008

Against high odds, masses chase luck

What would you do if you won ¥400 million? Would you buy a convertible, a new house, start a business? All of the above?
BUSINESS / JAPANESE PERSPECTIVES
Sep 1, 2008

WTO should remember global equals multilateral, not bilateral refereeing

When the Doha Round of trade negotiations broke down some weeks ago, no one was particularly surprised. Nor did anyone seem to care all that much.
Japan Times
SPORTS / ODDS AND EVENS
Aug 31, 2008

Beijing Games chock full of memorable moments

Editor's note: This is the first of a two-part series. The second part will focus on Japan's 2008 Olympic experience.
EDITORIALS
Aug 31, 2008

A benevolent life cut short

Mr. Kazuya Ito, a volunteer aid worker, was kidnapped last Tuesday along with his driver by a group of armed men believed to be close to the Taliban in Nangarhar Province, Afghanistan. His bullet- riddled body was found the next day.
LIFE / Lifestyle
Aug 31, 2008

Is yours a sweet and eco-friendly home?

After hearing all the talk about climate change and global warming, many of us are now aware that we need to change our lifestyle in the battle to stop our planet from being a far less agreeable place to live.
LIFE / Language
Aug 26, 2008

Today we itadaku, for tomorrow we die

The Bible (in both testaments!) commands us to "eat, drink and be merry," but I think the wise individuals who thought up this pithy phrase meant it as a warning. To them there was more to life than endless imbibing and gluttony, though I can think of only one other thing.
Japan Times
LIFE / Lifestyle
Aug 26, 2008

Tattoos come out of hiding

'There are tattoos that you can show and ones that you should hide," says Shura, an Osaka tattoo artist. "Traditional tattoos are only OK to show at festivals, certain public baths and during fights.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Aug 22, 2008

Seasoned J-pop duo ELT keep it positive

"When I'm walking beside her, people tell me I'm a lucky guy," sang John Lennon on the 1964 Beatles track "Every Little Thing." Sitting comfortably next to iconic lead singer Kaori Mochida of the band of the same name, guitarist Ichiro Ito has had 12 years to get used to such a feeling. However, he admits...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Aug 22, 2008

'Day of the Dead'

You often hear critics talk about "heartwarming" films. Sometimes, you'll hear them mention "heart-wrenching" flicks. With "Day Of The Dead," we're breaking new ground: This is a "heart-stopping" movie.
COMMENTARY / World
Aug 20, 2008

From Prague Spring to the Velvet Revolution

WARSAW — What was the Prague Spring, or the events of 1968 more generally? Their meaning, it seems, has become more, not less, debatable with the passage of time.
Reader Mail
Aug 17, 2008

Education doesn't meet all needs

The number of people not in education, employment or training (often called NEETs) reached 640,000 in 2004. Sadly, they are often described as people who are unwilling to work hard and end up relying on their parents for support. Some are actually eager to work and pursue their interests, but somehow...
Japan Times
COMMUNITY
Aug 16, 2008

Yoga helps bring balanced stance

Every morning, Linda Gould opens the doors and windows of Riverside Yoga studio in Hadano, Kanagawa Prefecture, and feels her body relax, spirit quicken and mind lighten.

Longform

Tetsuzo Shiraishi, speaking at The Center of the Tokyo Raids and War Damage, uses a thermos to explain how he experienced the U.S. firebombing of March 1945, when he was just 7 years old.
From ashes to high-rises: A survivor’s account of Tokyo’s postwar past