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Japan Times
CULTURE / Art
May 15, 2009

Lights, mirror . . . reaction

S ometimes the cutting-edge is five years old. Take the current exhibition at the Mori Art Museum, "The Kaleidoscopic Eye: Thyssen-Bornemisza Art Contemporary Collection." Featuring some of the best of what the contemporary art world has to offer, by the time it's made it to the museum, the art world...
COMMENTARY / World
May 14, 2009

Obama's question for Netanyahu

RAMALLAH, West Bank — As the summit between U.S. President Barack Obama and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu approaches, most of the discussion has focused on whether the newly elected Israeli leader will finally say that he backs a two-state solution.
Japan Times
JAPAN
May 14, 2009

Cabinet member exits after tryst

Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshitada Konoike resigned Wednesday for "personal reasons" after a magazine hit newsstands with a full account of a trip he and a lover took to a hot-spring resort, during which he used a special JR pass that lets Diet members ride shinkansen for free.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / WORDS TO LIVE BY
May 14, 2009

Actor/talent agent Eido Sumiyoshi

Eighty-four-year-old Eido Sumiyoshi — aka Eddie Mohandas Sabnani, Eddie Arab, and Eddie Staire — is an actor and the founder of E-promotion, one of Japan's first talent agencies specializing in foreign models and actors. The son of an Indian businessman and a Japanese interpreter, Eddie was raised...
EDITORIALS
May 13, 2009

Mr. Ozawa steps down just in time

Mr. Ichiro Ozawa, who has been in political hot water since the March 3 arrest of his chief aide over alleged political donations irregularities, announced his resignation Monday as leader of the Democratic Party of Japan. Considering the strong call for his resignation to help restore party unity and...
EDITORIALS
May 12, 2009

Booster shot for big companies

As the special measures law for corporate revitalization was revised, the government has started a scheme to inject capital into large companies suffering from the current economic downturn. The Development Bank of Japan will provide funds if companies meet certain conditions.
BASEBALL / BASEBALL BULLET-IN
May 10, 2009

Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame in Tokyo worth a visit

One of the items on my "bucket list" is a trip to the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y. Nope, despite being from the East Coast, I have never been there but hope to make the trek to (what I hear is) the picturesque village in upstate New York.
EDITORIALS
May 10, 2009

World press freedom

In the middle of the Golden Week Holidays, newspapers around the world recognized their own special day on May 3: World Press Freedom Day. Officially established in 1993 by the U.N. General Assembly and organized annually by the World Association of Newspapers (WAN), the day offers an annual report on...
EDITORIALS
May 9, 2009

Deadly surge in Baghdad

A surge in violence in Baghdad has prompted fears that Iraq may be on the verge of a new spasm of sectarian violence. Many think the attacks are intended to sew doubts about the wisdom of the upcoming withdrawal of U.S. forces from Iraq. By this logic, the bombings are intended to force the U.S. to stay...
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / WHEN EAST MARRIES WEST
May 9, 2009

In search of picture-perfect Tokyo

Tokyo is infested with camera bugs. I can identify three species, at least.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Art
May 8, 2009

Well-armed to protect Buddha

Like a visitor from some remote part of the universe, the deity Ashura of Kofukuji Temple in Nara appears with six spindly arms frozen in motion and three faces on a single head that is crowned with a perfectly groomed hairdo. The body is slender and graceful and little imagination is needed to see the...
Japan Times
LIFE / Travel / HOTELS & RESTAURANTS
May 8, 2009

Pampering at the Cerulean, wine and dine at the Mandarin, and cycle tours in Kyoto

Treat yourself at the Cerulean The Cerulean Tower Tokyu Hotel has put together a special package that includes treatments at its aesthetic salon and lunch at its main restaurant, Coucagno.
COMMENTARY
May 6, 2009

China and Taiwan try a practical approach

LOS ANGELES — On the surface of things, it might not seem like such a big deal. Taiwan is to get recognition as an observer at an important world health meeting in Geneva to be held later this month. But in the context of Asian diplomatic history, it is a big deal.
Japan Times
MORE SPORTS
May 5, 2009

Pacquiao takes boxing's throne

Floyd Mayweather Jr. took his daughter bowling Saturday night after announcing his return to the ring. Good thing, because if he had seen Manny Pacquiao fight he might have figured out what boxing fans now know — that the future of boxing lies in the furious fists of a most unlikely new superstar....
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / CLOSE-UP
May 3, 2009

Manabu Miyazaki: Outsider looking in

Born the son of a yakuza boss in Kyoto, Manabu Miyazaki is now a best-selling author. His life may read like fiction, but he raises social, political and media facts in a manner that's as frank as it is hard-hitting
Reader Mail
May 3, 2009

Technology event has paid off

Regarding Alex Martin's April 28 article, "Tokyo 2.0 a buzzing hub for online communities, entrepreneurs": As an early participant of Tokyo 2.0, I have been pleased to see that cofounder Andrew Shuttleworth's idea and hard work have finally come to fruition. I try to make a special trip to Tokyo from...
Japan Times
JAPAN
May 2, 2009

Ueno looks to shoebills as saviors

Shoebills, native to Africa, were first brought to Tokyo's Ueno Zoo in 2002. Although they resemble Big Bird of "Sesame Street" fame, with their exaggerated beaks and chopstick legs, their eyes are anything but friendly.
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / JAPAN LITE
May 2, 2009

A nation of outstanding debts

Japan is a nation of favors. Thus the custom that when you see someone, you thank them for the last nice thing they did for you. "Thanks for taking me to the bank yesterday," or "Thanks for dinner the other night."
Japan Times
LIFE / Travel / HOTELS & RESTAURANTS
May 1, 2009

Korean BBQ, Shinto weddings and Golden Week buffet

Korean BBQ by the bay Toraji Corporation, operator of Korean BBQ restaurants in Tokyo, opened its first in-hotel restaurants last month at the Hotel InterContinental Tokyo Bay.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / TOKYO FOOD FILE
May 1, 2009

Araiya: Celebrating beef by the Yokohama bayside

Down in Yokohama they're partying like it's 1859. It's been exactly 150 years since Japan's largest port — indeed the country itself — was fully opened to foreign trade. Earlier this month we went down to the old Red Brick Warehouses to marvel at massive mechanical spiders, France's contributions...
COMMENTARY / World
Apr 30, 2009

Food crisis still plagues Asia

BANGKOK — For 583 million people across Asia and the Pacific the financial crisis has become a food crisis. While food prices have fallen from last year's spike, they remain high. Rising unemployment and falling incomes are putting additional pressure on poor and vulnerable groups. More worrying still...
Reader Mail
Apr 30, 2009

Forgive upstanding illegal aliens

In response to the April 23 letter "Leniency will make matters worse," I'd like to point out that many countries give special consideration to people living in their country illegally, if they are upstanding members of society that have committed no crimes, other than the "crime" of staying without a...

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