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COMMENTARY
May 20, 2000

Bigger isn't always better

The failure of the proposed merger between Deutsche Bank and Dresdner Bank ought to have signaled the end of the merger mania among the world's major banks and to have cautioned banks and other enterprises that big does not mean best. But the message does not seem to have seeped through to some people...
JAPAN
May 18, 2000

First woman to conquer Everest claims May '75 feat was unintended

A Japanese housewife who made climbing history May 16, 1975 by becoming the first woman to conquer the world's tallest peak says her achievement was unintended.
COMMENTARY / World
May 17, 2000

Pakistan peace initiative just a first step

ISLAMABAD -- The empty trailers along the road from the Afghan capital of Kabul to the border with neighboring Pakistan serve as powerful reminders of what Afghanistan's Islamic rulers -- the Taliban -- have achieved in the four years since they took control of most of their Central Asian country's territory....
BUSINESS
May 17, 2000

Trade paper urges wider scope

Japan must adopt a multilayered approach to its trade policy to cope with the ever-accelerating globalization of world economies through greater regional integration, according to the 2000 White Paper on International Trade released Tuesday.
BUSINESS
May 15, 2000

Constructive advice for launching multilateral talks with the WTO

the summit of major industrialized countries kicks off in July, one of the things the world will be waiting to see is whether the leaders of these nations will be able to launch a new round of multilateral trade liberalization talks under the World Trade Organization.
COMMENTARY
May 12, 2000

LDP members pass the baton

The general election to be held in June will provide an opportunity for the rejuvenation of the Lower House. About 30 Lower House members have already announced -- or are moving to announce before the election -- their retirement from politics. They cite old age, illness and family reasons for retiring....
CULTURE / Music / MUSIC NOMAD
May 9, 2000

Dr. John carries the torch, while Lenine fans the flames

Dr. John has worn a lot of musical hats during his 45-year career. Born Malcolm John Rebennack Jr. in New Orleans in 1940, he was soon deep in the local music scene, playing guitar with many top R&B acts before switching to piano and forming his own group. Taking the music of the Crescent City as...
COMMUNITY
May 7, 2000

Activist with gypsy soul returns to roots

Reading years ago that the majority of us end our lives within 30 km of where we were born, I remember thinking: Not me. But after meeting Margareta Weisser, who knows.
LIFE / Digital / CYBERIA
May 3, 2000

Eyes front

It's that time again. Time to talk about time. I'll try to be brief, since there is so little time for a chat. Or for much anything else.
COMMENTARY / World
May 2, 2000

A quest for human rights

ISLAMABAD -- Pakistan's military ruler, Gen. Pervez Musharraf, has launched a drive to improve his country's human rights.
COMMENTARY / World
May 1, 2000

'Education for all' is an attainable goal

Ten years ago, in March 1990, the World Conference on Education for All, held in Jomtien, Thailand, with 155 governments and 150 organizations attending, set a goal of getting all children into primary school and reducing adult illiteracy by half by 2000. Where do we stand on this goal at the dawn of...
CULTURE / Art
Apr 30, 2000

A century of Japanese-style painting

"Glue painting?" Rather unattractive.
SOCCER / World cup
Apr 25, 2000

Japan names Olympic swim squad

The Japan Amateur Swimming Federation (JASF) on Monday announced its team for the Sydney Olympics in September, naming gold medal hopes Mai Nakamura and Masami Tanaka, while ignoring veteran freestyler Suzu Chiba.
COMMUNITY
Apr 23, 2000

Man of many parts puts dreams in action

It's not unusual to meet people who are adept at juggling. But dish-spinning is a whole new ball game -- the ability to conjure up one form of creative activity and set it in motion while starting up a second, third or more. Yet according to Milton Katselas, an American of Greek parentage based in Los...
CULTURE / Art / CERAMIC SCENE
Apr 22, 2000

Inspiration that comes naturally

Nature, that miraculous giver of life, has been a source of inspiration for many Japanese artists, potters included, for many a century. Whether it be in floral motifs or the naturalness of their chosen materials or birds in flight, nature has played a conscious role in shaping the thoughts and vessels...
COMMENTARY / World
Apr 17, 2000

Alternative nuclear futures

The world community will gather in New York from April 24 to May 19 for the first review of the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty since it was indefinitely extended in 1995. Unfortunately, the nuclear future looks a lot less rosy than it did five years ago. Since then, India and Pakistan have crashed through...
ENVIRONMENT
Apr 17, 2000

Southern white rhino comes back

HLUHLUWE-UMFOLOZI, South Africa -- The ample white rhino sighted on a visit to Hluhluwe-Umfolozi Park might lead one to believe that they are plentiful in the wild.
COMMENTARY / World
Apr 15, 2000

Behind the good news, reasons for concern

The global economy is looking good, reports the International Monetary Fund in the latest issue of its World Economic Outlook. According to the IMF's biannual forecast, released earlier this week, growth will rise 4.2 percent. The pace is picking up: Only six months ago, the Fund projected a 3.5 percent...
CULTURE / Art / CERAMIC SCENE
Apr 8, 2000

Amber glow from the fires of Ohi

There are few glazes in Japan as captivating as Ohi-yaki's ame-yu. Its rich caramel color is most often seen on chawan (tea bowls) and mizusashi (water jars), and the depth and elegance of the hues draw the viewer into a very serene world.
COMMENTARY
Apr 6, 2000

Still searching for balance

Every spring, the American Chamber of Commerce in Japan sends a delegation to Washington, D.C. to meet with senior U.S. administration officials and key members of Congress to discuss issues of concern to the U.S. business community in Japan. Participating in the ACCJ visit last month for the seventh...
COMMENTARY
Apr 3, 2000

Readying for future warfare

LONDON -- Could the Cold War be about to begin all over again? That is the gloomy question being asked by a number of defense analysts and gurus as they contemplate a possible decision this summer by outgoing U.S. President Bill Clinton to give the go-ahead for a new National Missile Defense system for...
COMMENTARY / World
Apr 3, 2000

United Nations takes Australia to task

SYDNEY -- Oh, the disgrace of it. Just as we were on our best behavior to receive the queen, the United Nations had to go and tell the whole world that Australia's treatment of its Aborigines is discriminatory and unsatisfactory.
COMMUNITY
Apr 2, 2000

Activist monthly comes to Japan

When Caitlin Stronell first came to Japan in 1984 to spend a year in Tochigi Prefecture, her father gave her a subscription to the U.K. cooperatively produced monthly magazine New Internationalist. "He thought it'd keep me in touch with social and political activism in the rest of the world, while giving...
BASEBALL / MLB
Mar 31, 2000

Cubs' catcher no ordinary Joe

Life has come full circle for Chicago Cubs catcher Joe Girardi and he seems pretty happy about it. The owner of three World Series rings -- earned during his last four seasons as a member of the New York Yankees -- Girardi is a profile in success.
EDITORIALS
Mar 29, 2000

The man in the mirror

To no one's surprise, Mr. Vladimir Putin won Russia's presidential election Sunday. Although the acting president did top the 50 percent level, which allowed him to escape a runoff ballot, the narrowness of his margin was an eye-opener. The much-anticipated landslide never materialized, the Communist...
ENVIRONMENT
Mar 29, 2000

Today amphibians, tomorrow maybe us?

Part 3 of a series
COMMENTARY
Mar 26, 2000

All eyes on nuclear energy

It is axiomatic that any group in Japan -- doctors, dentists or candlestick makers -- will want to turn itself into a tightly bound community, closed off from the outside world. It will be concerned almost entirely with its own survival and prosperity.
BUSINESS
Mar 23, 2000

Domestic slump cuts Brazil's chances of gaining funds

Brazil is turning to Japan to raise badly needed funds for a new four-year development program that is expected to go into effect this year.
MULTIMEDIA / SPORTS SCOPE
Mar 23, 2000

Troussier: Will he stay or will he go?

It wasn't the greatest 0-0 draw in the world but last Wednesday's game in Kobe meant more to Japan and Japanese soccer fans than such exercises in futility as the nine-goal win over Brunei in the Asian Cup qualifiers last month.

Longform

Ichiro Suzuki, one of the most iconic players in NPB and MLB history, was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame with 99.7% of the vote.
With Hall of Fame induction, Ichiro makes himself heard loud and clear