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COMMUNITY / Our Lives / CLOSE-UP
May 4, 2008

Hideki Noda: Acting with joy in his soul

Even in today's theater world in Japan, which tends to venerate age, at just 52 Hideki Noda is already a towering, legendary figure.
JAPAN / Media / MEDIA MIX
May 4, 2008

The role of the media in tulip massacres and suicide

Since late March there has been a rash of vandalism directed against flowers. Tulips, in particular, have been cut, uprooted or trampled in public places. The news trail seems to originate during the most recent cherry blossom season, when eight young trees were found destroyed in West Tokyo's Koganei...
Japan Times
LIFE / Travel / ON THE ROAD
May 4, 2008

Take a royal ride on the Yamaha Majesty

If scooters could talk, they'd probably spout the late comedian Rodney Dangerfield's line about not getting any respect. No one casts admiring glances their way. In fact, some bikers even seem to sneer at them, but that hasn't stopped sales from rocketing through the roof.
Reader Mail
May 4, 2008

Improve content, including letters

I have been a loyal reader of The Japan Times for the 12 years I have been here. This is my first time to write, but I am driven to address two key points. First, I agree with recent letters that the latest changes of format in this paper were ill-advised and poorly thought out. It seems to be following...
CULTURE / Books / THE ASIAN BOOKSHELF
May 4, 2008

Bringing beauty to all through surprisingly unrefined language

BASHO: The Complete Haiku, translated, annotated and with an introduction by Jane Reichhold; artwork by Shiro Tsujimura. Kodansha International, 2008, 432 pp., ¥2,600 (cloth) Matsuo Basho (1644-1694) is not only Japan's most revered poet, he is also the one most translated into other languages. Yet,...
CULTURE / TV & Streaming / CHANNEL SURF
May 4, 2008

1970's anime, female focused drom-com, court room drama

"Yatterman" is one of those 1970s anime series that's recently been revived for a generation that wasn't alive when it was first aired.
COMMENTARY / COUNTERPOINT
May 4, 2008

Japan's media plays nursemaid to nation's immature democracy

A major Japanese newspaper publishes an article denouncing the prime minister. Reporters hold a rally to criticize his Cabinet. The government responds by banning sales of the edition of the newspaper that carried the article, indicting its author for violation of the Newspaper Law. Rightwing agitators...
Reader Mail
May 4, 2008

Ultimate deterrent to repeat murder

In his May 1 letter, "Death penalty is no deterrent," Mark Callow claims that death penalty studies have "repeatedly found no evidence that capital punishment acts as a deterrent." I've been over and over this debate with my friends, family, coworkers, etc., and would simply ask Callow the following...
EDITORIALS
May 4, 2008

Thou shalt not steal . . . books

On the surface, Japan appears to be a relatively crime-free and comparatively safe society. One crime, though, is on the rise — shoplifting. A recent survey by the Japan Book Publishers Association for Information Infrastructure Development found that nearly ¥4 billion in books are stolen every year,...
Japan Times
BASKETBALL
May 3, 2008

Fukuoka aims to end Osaka's bid for 3rd title

Saturday's first bj-league semifinal contest provides a classic storybook plot: the two-time reigning champions vs. the hot upstart team.
COMMENTARY / World
May 3, 2008

African Union has a role to play in Zimbabwe

JOHANNESBURG — Although the Chinese ship that was carrying arms to Zimbabwe, the An Yue Jiang, has reportedly turned back, we don't know where else President Robert Mugabe's military and paramilitary forces may be acquiring weapons.
Japan Times
BASKETBALL
May 3, 2008

Tokyo, Sendai battle for bj-league title shot

The seventh showdown will shatter the stalemate.
SOCCER / SOCCER SCENE
May 3, 2008

Some Japanese referees just don't get it

The referee is never the most popular person on a soccer pitch, but the man in charge of Tuesday's J. League clash between Oita Trinita and FC Tokyo certainly didn't do himself any favors.
SOCCER / PREMIER REPORT
May 3, 2008

English clubs continue to flex muscles in Europe

LONDON — England's national team may not be traveling anywhere in Europe this summer, but the two best teams in the Premier League will meet in an English derby in the Champions League final in Moscow on May 21.
Japan Times
JAPAN / MIXED MATCHES
May 3, 2008

It's a voyage of discovery for Peace Boat couple

Tatsuya Yoshioka and Rachel Armstrong Yoshioka met in 1998 aboard a cruise ship during an international exchange organized by Peace Boat, the Japan-based nongovernmental organization that works toward social change mainly by chartering passenger vessels for "peace voyages."
JAPAN
May 3, 2008

China warms to emissions goals

China is expected to express support for Japan's sector-by-sector approach to setting goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, a senior Foreign Ministry official said Friday.
COMMENTARY / World
May 3, 2008

Rule of law comes under fire

The government's reactions to the Nagoya High Court's April 17 decision that Japanese operations in Iraq are unconstitutional, raise profoundly disturbing questions about the rule of law and the democratic separation of powers in Japan.
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / JAPAN LITE
May 3, 2008

To Gaijin Hell you'll go!

In Christian-predominant Western society, even if you don't grow up in a religious household, you have likely grown up hearing the common threat "You're going to go to hell if you do that!" For example, if you try to play a trick on your neighbor, your mother might say, "You'll go to hell for that!"...

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