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BUSINESS
Oct 23, 2007

Permira plans to buy Arysta

Permira Advisers LLP, Europe's biggest buyout firm, said Monday it will purchase Arysta LifeScience Corp., the world's largest closely held farm chemicals maker, for about ¥250 billion in its first buyout in Japan.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Oct 23, 2007

Carmakers look to emerging India to drive sales

With the 40th Tokyo Motor Show officially opening Saturday, Japanese automakers are hoping the biennial event will encourage visitors to buy new cars and help curb the domestic sales slump.
MORE SPORTS
Oct 22, 2007

Asakusa Kings finishes strong en route to Kikka-sho victory

KYOTO — Asakusa Kings made amends for his Derby second, finishing strongly in the final 100 meters to win the 68th Kikka-sho at Kyoto Racecourse on Sunday afternoon.
BUSINESS / JAPANESE PERSPECTIVES
Oct 22, 2007

Japan should study U.S. housing crisis, end land price stagnation

On Sept. 19, just as global financial markets were getting jittery about the U.S. subprime mortgage loan problem, the Land, Infrastructure and Transport Ministry released its survey of Japanese land prices.
COMMENTARY
Oct 22, 2007

Potential for Korean progress

HONOLULU — "It could have been worse, a lot worse!" This was my initial reaction to the Oct. 2-4 summit meeting in Pyongyang between South Korean President Roh Moo Hyun and North Korea's "Dear Leader" Kim Jong Il.
EDITORIALS
Oct 22, 2007

Battle line over supply lines

The government has submitted to the Diet a bill to continue the Maritime Self-Defense Force's refueling mission in the Indian Ocean in support of U.S.-led antiterrorism operations in and around Afghanistan. This sets the stage for a confrontation between the ruling and opposition blocs. Deliberations...
EDITORIALS
Oct 22, 2007

Rooting out fraud over the phone

A bill aimed at helping victims of telephone fraud recoup their financial losses is on the Lower House floor. Although the bill, submitted by lawmakers, is well-intended, it is hoped that improvements in the bill will better help victims prevent their money from falling into fraudsters' hands.
COMMENTARY
Oct 22, 2007

Let MSDF refueling law die

Late last month a gathering in Yokohama remembered the victims of a U.S. military jet crash in a residential area 30 years ago. I was stunned to learn that a Japanese Self-Defense Force helicopter that had rushed to the scene of the crash flew away with two slightly injured U.S. servicemen without looking...
COMMENTARY
Oct 22, 2007

No reviving the Mideast peace process

LONDON — "We are at the beginning of a process," said U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice after her four-day tour of the countries closely involved in the Arab-Israeli confrontation. But the "peace process" really began with the Oslo accords in 1993, and it died when Ariel Sharon became prime...
Reader Mail
Oct 21, 2007

Japan's legacy in the Philippines

Though I applaud the sincerity of the Japanese government in fostering friendship with Filipinos through a program of honoring Filipinos born of Japanese, I just hope more can be done. War and its atrocities have brought miseries that will forever be remembered by both our peoples. Neither Japanese nor...
BASEBALL / Japanese Baseball / 2007 NPB PLAYOFFS
Oct 21, 2007

Dragons earn return trip to Japan Series

The Yomiuri Giants won the Central League title but the Chunichi Dragons are going to the Japan Series.
Reader Mail
Oct 21, 2007

Bad month to start a new job

Regarding the Oct. 17 article "Unions want Nova, president indicted over payroll delays": My son arrived in Japan in early September after assurances from the U.K. end of the Nova (conversation school) organization that there were no real problems. He has not been paid the signing bonus he was promised...
Reader Mail
Oct 21, 2007

Training trumps escalator design

Regarding the Oct. 17 article "Boy's head gets trapped between escalator, wall": Although I can sympathize over this tragedy, when is the real problem -- children riding escalators/elevators with no training or adult supervision -- going to be addressed? You can engineer safety into these things to...
BASEBALL / BASEBALL BULLET-IN
Oct 21, 2007

Denver fan from Japan proud of Kazuo Matsui, Rockies

I knew we would hear from Ken Shimada, the Japanese fan living in Colorado who always boasts about Kazuo Matsui and the Rockies. Ken's most recent e-mail states:

Longform

Once smoky, male-dominated spaces, today's net cafes, like Kaikatsu Club, are working to make their operations more attractive to women customers.
The second life of Japan's net cafes