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Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Jan 16, 2009

'Hell Ride'/'Filth and Wisdom'

Glancing at the poster for "Hell Ride," you'd think it was the second coming of some long-lost 1968 biker flick, some Roger Corman-produced exploitation nasty like "The Wild Angels" or "Chrome and Hot Leather." But no, this is a homage to '60s biker flicks, produced by trash-movie sommelier Quentin Tarantino,...
BUSINESS
Jan 16, 2009

Wholesale inflation slows on energy, commodities deflation

Wholesale inflation slowed for a third month as the global recession lowered the cost of oil and commodities, adding to the threat of a return of deflation later this year.
EDITORIALS
Jan 16, 2009

Battle over work begins

The season of annual wage negotiations has started just as a large number of workers, especially irregular employees, have lost or are set to lose their jobs. Both labor and management should set their respective resolve on finding ways to protect employment.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Jan 16, 2009

Web site offers refugees a way to reunite

For Danish brothers David and Christopher Mikkelsen, it all began in 2005 when they met Mansour, a young Afghan refugee who had become separated from his family while fleeing the Taliban regime.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Jan 16, 2009

Yoshinoya to open 100 outlets as recession bites food budgets

Yoshinoya Holdings Co., Japan's largest chain of beef-bowl restaurants, plans to add a record 100 outlets in its home market next fiscal year as demand for budget meals increases from recession-hit consumers.
JAPAN
Jan 16, 2009

Support cracks 70% in survey on running a Tokyo-hosted Olympics in 2016

A survey shows that more than 70 percent of the public wants Tokyo to host the 2016 Olympics, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government said Thursday.
Reader Mail
Jan 15, 2009

Heartless order against homeless

Regarding the Jan. 10 article "NPO told to stop feeding homeless": There are times when official pronouncements reveal just how out of touch with reality the bureaucracy is. The order from the metropolitan government that the nonprofit organization Sanyukai stop handing out weekly free meals to the homeless...
Reader Mail
Jan 15, 2009

Give Russia a little respect

In his Jan. 11 article, "Gas warning hitting home," David Howell portrays Russia and Ukraine as Europe's bogeymen. But that is unfair and foolish. In truth, all the fuss about the "natural gas war" is a result of Europe's shortsighted attitude toward Eastern Europe, in general. Some folks had advocated...
Reader Mail
Jan 15, 2009

Keynesian policy caused the crisis

In the Jan. 8 article, "Outlook is mixed for 2009," the commentator (Gregory Clark) seems highly biased. Keynesian fiscal policy and dangerously loose monetary policy is what caused the "subprime mortgage crisis" in 2007 and 2008 — not a lack of regulation. U.S. interest rates were artificially low...
Reader Mail
Jan 15, 2009

Futility of building a 'true myth'

In his Jan. 11 article, "Time a Darwinian 'true myth' evolved to rival religion," writer Rowan Hooper seems to long for a "true myth" that can help science replace "supernatural thought systems" and "compete with the old stories that give meaning to people's lives." But why in Darwin's name would Hooper...
Reader Mail
Jan 15, 2009

Tilting the scales of justice

In drawing attention to the introduction of the new criminal court system in May, the Jan. 10 editorial "Crime victims get their say" rightly concludes that judges must conduct trials "in a fair and coolheaded manner" and that the "principle of presumption of innocence until proven guilty" must be upheld....
Reader Mail
Jan 15, 2009

Bad guys in all communities

I think the majority of Tamils are Hindus. I am a Sinhalese Buddhist. To me Tamils are the same as Sinhalese, Muslims or any other ethnic group in Sri Lanka. All races are equal. There are as many people among Tamils, Muslims and others whom I respect as there are Sinhalese. Similarly there are plenty...
Reader Mail
Jan 15, 2009

Demise of Tigers forecast before

In his Jan. 9 article, "End in sight to Prabhakaran's warped war," the writer (Gautaman Bhaskaran) displays an obvious bias with factual inaccuracies. The Tamils are not predominantly Christian but Hindu. Within Hinduism is a caste system in which the Brahmins perceive themselves as superior. The fact...
SOCCER
Jan 15, 2009

Portsmouth wins F.A. Cup replay

LONDON (AP) Portsmouth overcame its poor English Premier League form to win a replayed third-round F.A. Cup match 2-0 at Bristol City on Tuesday.
COMMENTARY / World
Jan 15, 2009

Bangladeshi voters say no to Islamist politics

DHAKA — As fears about the Islamization of politics in the Muslim world grow, Bangladesh, with the world's fourth-largest Muslim population (126 million), has moved dramatically in the opposite direction. Bangladesh is usually heard about only when cyclones and tsunami ravage its low coastline, but...
EDITORIALS
Jan 15, 2009

Absurd insistence on handouts

The fiscal 2008 second supplementary budget, which includes a ¥2 trillion cash handout to households, and related bills passed the Lower House Tuesday with majority support of the ruling parties. The supplementary budget includes support for small businesses and regional economies as well. But at a...
COMMENTARY
Jan 15, 2009

China steps up global diplomacy

Almost two decades ago, China's paramount leader Deng Xiaoping issued a series of instructions regarding the orientation of Chinese foreign policy in which he emphasized the need for Beijing to keep a low profile and never take the lead. Up until a few years ago, China has for the most part maintained...
SOCCER / SOCCER SCENE
Jan 15, 2009

No time to lose for Urawa as Finke gets down to business

Urawa Reds were quick off the mark to begin training for the 2009 season this week, but then the Saitama club has good reason to be impatient for a fresh start.
COMMENTARY
Jan 15, 2009

Antiforeigner discrimination is a right for Japanese people

"Japan girai" — dislike of Japan — is an allergy that seems to afflict many Westerners here. If someone handing out Japanese-language flyers assumes they cannot read Japanese and ignores them, they cry racial discrimination. If they are left sitting alone in a train, they assume that is because the...
JAPAN
Jan 15, 2009

Radical farm reform needed to compete globally: think tank

Japan should position its agriculture as an industry with potential for growth that can compete internationally, a Tokyo-based think tank said in a report released Wednesday.

Longform

An illustration features the Japanese signs for "ganbare" (good luck) and the Deaflympics, which will be held between Nov. 15 and 26.
A century of Deaf sport finds its moment in Tokyo