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Japan Times
CULTURE / Stage
Nov 29, 2007

Translator of the universal and the local

In his 1987 book "Ireland Kiko (Travels in Ireland)," the renowned historical novelist and essayist Ryotaro Shiba (1923-96) observed that "the typical Irish character could easily be dramatized," and that "Ireland is one of the richest countries for the literary arts, with people whose daily lives are...
JAPAN
Nov 29, 2007

UNHCR chief pitches third-country resettlement

Japan is notorious for accepting very few refugees, despite making a significant financial contribution to the office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees.
Reader Mail
Nov 29, 2007

Japan must lead on security

In his Nov. 25 letter letter, "Foreigners overrate themselves," Peter Stevenson makes some interesting points that I tend to agree with. Still, one needs to ask who is really behind the hornet's nest of cameras, fingerprinting, photographing, delays at airports, etc. worldwide. Beyond a doubt, it is...
Reader Mail
Nov 29, 2007

Who watches the watchers?

Regarding the Nov. 20 article "Security cameras: Ensuring safety or invading privacy?": Here we go again with "I have nothing to hide, so why should I not give up some privacy for security." This way of naive thinking is worrisome and wrong. The issue is not "security versus privacy" but rather "liberty...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Stage
Nov 29, 2007

A passion for the classics

Mention "Die Soldaten," B.A. Zimmermann's dark, uncompromising and harrowing work of 1960s modernism, and Hiroshi Wakasugi visibly brightens. It's the first season for this highly respected conductor as artistic director of Tokyo's New National Theater, and he's clearly very, very pleased that he has...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Art
Nov 29, 2007

"Kenjiro Kitade: Kitade Art"

hpgrp Gallery, Omotesando Closes on Dec. 9
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Nov 29, 2007

Defect-finding autoworker blows whistle on new 'Toyota way'

The California autoworker who is suing Toyota and others in a whistle-blower lawsuit said Tuesday she was merely carrying out the quality-conscious "Toyota way" in spotting defects when managers cracked down on her efforts and demoted her.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Stage
Nov 29, 2007

Nights at the opera: picks for the upcoming season

With the publication last week of the new Michelin Guide, the world may now know Tokyo to be the culinary capital that it is. Opera, on the other hand, lags slightly behind, although compared to many other cities there is still an embarrassment of riches, writes Benjamin Woodward.
Reader Mail
Nov 29, 2007

America is not 'the world'

I wanted to comment on the peculiar use of the word "world" in The Japan Times and indeed the Japanese media generally. It is only the Japanese media and Japanese politicians who do this when referring to the opinion of the U.S. government. This apparently subconscious phenomenon seems unique to Japan,...
BUSINESS
Nov 29, 2007

New cars, high gas prices drive retail-sales rise

Retail sales rose at the fastest pace in more than a year as consumers bought new-model cars and record gas prices increased revenue at filling stations.
BASKETBALL
Nov 28, 2007

Warren, Newton earn accolades

Takamatsu Five Arrows power forward Reggie Warren is the Circle K Sunkus Player of the Week, the bj-league announced on Tuesday. Osaka Evessa center Jeff Newton earned the monthly MVP accolade for the season's first month. Warren is averaging 21.3 points per game, No. 3 in the league, and scored 24...
BASKETBALL
Nov 28, 2007

bj-league to hold player tryouts

The bj-league will hold player tryouts in January. Tryouts are open to players ages 16 and older, as of Oct. 1, 2008.
SUMO / SUMO SCRIBBLINGS
Nov 28, 2007

Hakuho notches another as the ozeki raise eyebrows

This year's Kyushu Basho, which ended Sunday, saw Hakuho stride through the muck and grime to claim the fifth title of his career with a 12-win, 3-loss record. When push came to shove, his class shined through. Hakuho, who is looking more and more like the second coming of the great yokozuna Futabayama,...
BASEBALL / SPORTS SCOPE
Nov 28, 2007

Ueda may excel on LPGA Tour where Miyazato has not

Not too long ago the general consensus was that Ai Miyazato would become Japan's first breakthrough star on an American golf tour. She may yet become a superstar, but there's another Japanese player that may get there first.
BASKETBALL / NBA / NBA REPORT
Nov 28, 2007

Long before Jordan, there was the Big O

NEW YORK — The last time I spoke to Wilt Chamberlain, 13 months before he died, Oct. 12, 1999, out of nowhere he appealed, "Don't ever let people forget how good we were."
COMMENTARY / World
Nov 28, 2007

Globalization blurs North-South divide

NEW YORK — The notion of a divide between the rich north and the poor and developing south has long been a central concept among economists and policymakers. From 1950 to 1980, the north accounted for almost 80 percent of global GDP but only 22 percent of its population, and the south accounted for...
SOCCER / World cup
Nov 28, 2007

Okada poised to coach Japan

Takeshi Okada has confirmed he will once again coach the Japan national soccer team, a source close to the coach told The Japan Times on Tuesday.
JAPAN
Nov 28, 2007

Panel passes bill to end Iraq mission

In another symbolic move reflecting the divided Diet, a House of Councilors panel on foreign affairs passed a bill Tuesday to end the Air Self-Defense Force's airlift mission supporting the reconstruction of Iraq.

Longform

After pandemic-era border regulations eased, Indian migrants began returning to Japan. Their population now stands at more than 50,000 across the country.
How remote work is rewriting the migrant experience in Japan