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JAPAN
Jan 15, 2009

Departing Schieffer rues abductee issue

Departing U.S. Ambassador to Japan Thomas Schieffer expressed regret Wednesday there was not more progress on the abduction issue during his stint but pledged to continue to support the effort to repatriate any Japanese kidnapped to North Korea regardless of his future post.
JAPAN
Jan 15, 2009

Okinawa land mine hurts worker

A powerful explosion shook a small Okinawa town Wednesday morning when a construction crew accidentally set off what may have been a land mine from World War II.
EDITORIALS
Jan 15, 2009

Education on cannabis

The use of cannabis is spreading even among high school students. An October-November 2007 survey by the Okinawa Prefectural Board of Education shows that quite a few high school students have been exposed directly or indirectly to cannabis and narcotics.
Japan Times
MULTIMEDIA / STYLE WISE
Jan 15, 2009

Goocy and Gozi but no more Green

Genki at Goocy Goocy (pronounced "goosey") is the local answer to the Western "fast-fashion" invasion that has recently swept Japan. It's a pet project by brand director Harumi Fukuda and designer Mary Fukumoto of high-end label Triptych.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / WORDS TO LIVE BY
Jan 15, 2009

Wildlife attendant Pat Kim

Pat Kim is a wildlife attendant at the Hyatt Regency Guam, where she takes care of the exotic birds in the hotel's gardens. Since the arrival of a flock of baby parrots in Guam 15 years ago, Kim's been a virtual mom to them, nursing eight little macaws and two cockatoos into the magnificent creatures...
BUSINESS
Jan 15, 2009

Goldman plans to acquire USJ

Goldman Sachs Group Inc. will make a takeover bid to gain 100 percent control of USJ Co., operator of the Universal Studios Japan theme park in Osaka, a source said Wednesday.
JAPAN
Jan 15, 2009

46 Hanshin quake survivors died solitary deaths in public housing in 2008

KOBE (Kyodo) Forty-six survivors of the 1995 Great Hanshin Earthquake died alone last year in the public housing complexes set up after the disaster in Hyogo Prefecture, data compiled by Kyodo News showed Wednesday.
BUSINESS
Jan 15, 2009

Mitsui O.S.K. trims expansion plan

Mitsui O.S.K. Lines Ltd., the world's largest merchant fleet operator, will reduce its expansion plans by 50 ships as worldwide demand for sea cargo shrinks.
BASKETBALL
Jan 15, 2009

'Twin Towers' looking to rise even higher

While Japanese basketball may be floundering, there's still some hope at the individual player level. This was demonstrated in the just wrapped-up All-Japan Championship (Emperor's Cup) 2009 final.
BUSINESS
Jan 15, 2009

Grandson to inherit a carmaker in decline

Akio Toyoda, grandson of Toyota Motor Corp.'s founder and the company's next president, will confront a challenge largely unknown to his ancestors — decline.
BASKETBALL / NBA / NBA REPORT
Jan 14, 2009

Time for Knicks to get tough with Marbury

NEW YORK — If I were the Knicks' supreme commander, the moment Stephon Marbury contemptuously announced he wouldn't accept a Lincoln penny less than his final season's $20.8 million salary calls for to become a free agent, I would have ended any and all absurd conjecture about him saddling up somewhere...
COMMENTARY / World
Jan 14, 2009

Chance for East Asian security cooperation

East Asian regional security cooperation has been a long sought-after but elusive goal for decades. Hindered by a lack of Chinese transparency, U.S. distrust and Japanese political uncertainty, options for serious dialogue and, more important, active participation in a long-term security regime for the...
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Jan 14, 2009

'Change' is for the better in year's kanji highlights

The most popular kanji in headlines, blurbs and slogans last year had to do with disasters. Hen (変, to change, or metamorphose) was the most used character, according to the Japan Kanji Aptitude Testing Foundation, beating out close second and third choices kin (金 gold) and raku (落, to drop, or...
COMMENTARY
Jan 14, 2009

Gaza: worse than a crime

"Israel is not going to show restraint," Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni told the Washington Post on Jan. 10, after the United States abstained on Friday's U.N. Security Council resolution calling for a ceasefire in Gaza. All last week the speculation grew that Washington was going to defy its Israeli...
EDITORIALS
Jan 14, 2009

Japan-South Korea cooperation

At their Seoul summit on Monday, Prime Minister Taro Aso and South Korean President Lee Myung Bak agreed to strengthen bilateral cooperation to tackle the global financial crisis and combat any move toward protectionism. They also agreed to closely cooperate with the incoming administration of U.S. President-elect...
JAPAN
Jan 14, 2009

Ruling bloc steamrollers second extra budget

Overriding shouts of protest from the opposition parties, the ruling Liberal Democratic Party-New Komeito bloc rammed the second extra budget for fiscal 2008 through the Lower House on Tuesday.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Jan 14, 2009

Japan scores first commercial satellite order

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries has won its first commercial order to launch a satellite on an H-IIA rocket, a deal that officials hope will grow into a business that could support Japan's cash-strapped space program.

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