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CULTURE / Books / THE ASIAN BOOKSHELF
Aug 10, 2008

Best notes for the bamboo flute

THE SHAKUHACHI MANUAL FOR LEARNING, Revised Edition, by Christopher Yohmei Blasdel. Printed Matter Press, 2008, 202 pp. with many illustrations, musical notations, and an attached CD of practice exercises. ¥3,990 (paper) The shakuhachi is a vertical bamboo flute with five finger holes and a notched...
Japan Times
Features
Aug 10, 2008

War and reconciliation: a tale of two countries

On July 7, 2008, officers of the Japanese Ground Self-Defense Force visited Nanjing, the ancient capital of China, for an artillery demonstration — a visit barely mentioned in the Chinese media, even though it was the first time Japanese soldiers returned to the scene of the crime — the Nanjing massacre...
EDITORIALS
Aug 10, 2008

Death of a difficult man

Mr. Alexander Solzhenitsyn, Nobel Prize winner, prophet and Russian nationalist, has died at the age of 89. Mr. Solzhenitsyn's life was marked by extraordinary adversity that he channeled into prolific writing. As is often the fate of such voices, he was alternately applauded and ignored, a source of...
COMMENTARY / COUNTERPOINT
Aug 10, 2008

Engineering a historical oblivion for soldiers of the wrong wars

My dad was a lucky man. Born in 1903, he was just too young for service in World War I and a bit too old for the same in World War II. Not that he couldn't have volunteered for the latter. He certainly could have, but decided not to.
COMMENTARY / World
Aug 9, 2008

U.S.-India nuclear deal weakens nonproliferation

On Aug. 1 the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) endorsed a "safeguards agreement" with India that would allow inspections of nuclear facilities that India designates as "civilian."
OLYMPICS
Aug 9, 2008

In the Olympic Village, for real and for not so real

Call him the people's champion or an everyday man, either way Rafael Nadal is sure to win his fair share of new fans during the Beijing Games.
JAPAN
Aug 9, 2008

U.S. won't interfere with Japan's antiterrorism policy, Boucher says

The ball is in Japan's court when it comes to deciding the contribution it can make to antiterrorism efforts in Afghanistan, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Richard Boucher said Friday in Tokyo.
BASEBALL / MLB
Aug 9, 2008

Matsui begins running program

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) New York Yankees outfielder Hideki Matsui began a running program Thursday for his sore left knee at the team's spring training facility in Tampa.
EDITORIALS
Aug 9, 2008

Tightening the social safety net

The Cabinet has endorsed emergency measures mainly designed to alleviate public worries about pension, medical services and employment. They are bundled as a plan to provide reassurances in five areas. The initiative, pushed by Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda, is timely, but with about 160 proposed measures...
JAPAN
Aug 9, 2008

For DPJ, it's solidarity vs. debate

Whatever other motivations may have been in play, Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda's recent reshuffle of his Cabinet was surely intended to raise the low support rate for his Liberal Democratic Party-New Komeito ruling coalition in anticipation of the next general election.
EDITORIALS
Aug 9, 2008

When urban rivers rage

The July 28 flash flood that killed at least five people in Kobe serves as a reminder that harmless-looking rivers flowing through urban areas can suddenly become death traps. The beds and embankments of many urban rivers are sealed in concrete, which eliminates natural barriers to flash flooding, such...
OLYMPICS / 2008 BEIJING OLYMPICS
Aug 9, 2008

Beijing joyfully steps forward

BEIJING — There are numerous slogans plastered on walls and Web sites with equal frequency in Beijing. The "One World, One Dream" Olympic motto and "Light the passion, share the dream" theme for the torch relay are prominently featured.
BASEBALL / MLB
Aug 9, 2008

Braves plan tribute for Skip Caray

ATLANTA (AP) Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin, Braves chairman Terry McGuirk and Skip Caray's longtime broadcast partner Pete Van Wieren are among those scheduled to speak at a tribute to Caray at Turner Field on Tuesday morning.
BASEBALL / Japanese Baseball / JAPAN NATIONAL BASEBALL TEAM
Aug 9, 2008

Japan barely wins in Olympic tuneup

The Japan national team did just enough to get a win on Friday night. It'll probably take a lot more to bring home the gold in Beijing.
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / JAPAN LITE
Aug 9, 2008

Putting Cool Biz to the test

Here we are in the middle of Kuuru Bizu. Cool what? you say. There is nothing cool about the hot and humid summer in Japan. Perhaps they meant "cool busy" as in busy trying to find someplace cool to hang out.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Aug 9, 2008

'Pioneering' Indonesian caregivers now face true test

Like the other Indonesian welfare workers who arrived Thursday in Japan to work under a bilateral accord, nurse Erli Ridwan, 35, hopes to pass the qualifying test to stay in the country and provide care.

Longform

Bear attacks have dominated Japanese news headlines in recent months, with 13 people so far having been killed by the animals.
Japan’s bears have been on their killing spree for more than 100 years