Search - 2005

 
 
Japan Times
JAPAN
Dec 7, 2006

Japan can't stop the tide of people: UNHCR chief

As more people migrate worldwide, Japan will not be able to stop immigration, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, saying he was concerned with Japan's restrictive refugee acceptance program and treatment of asylum-seekers.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Art
Dec 7, 2006

Teasing out new meanings from old works

'Imagination without skill gives us contemporary art," quipped the playwright Tom Stoppard in an essay in 2000.
JAPAN
Dec 5, 2006

LDP reform foes' return slammed as betrayal

In August 2005, 37 Liberal Democratic Party members held their heads high as they voted against LDP President and Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's bills to privatize the postal system, legislation they felt was being forced on them.
JAPAN
Dec 5, 2006

LDP allows postal rebels back in fold

The ruling Liberal Democratic Party on Monday officially readmitted 11 of the lawmakers kicked out of the party last year for opposing postal privatization, its key reform.
JAPAN
Dec 5, 2006

LDP allows postal rebels back in fold

rejoining the party," Abe told reporters afterward. He said he would seek the public's understanding by achieving his policy goals with the help of the rebels.
BUSINESS / THE VIEW FROM EUROPE
Dec 4, 2006

Toyota, Isuzu and the sudden interest in diesel

Early in November, Toyota announced it was entering into a capital tieup with Isuzu Motors, a move that surprised many.
SOCCER / J. League
Dec 3, 2006

Reds reign supreme in J. League

SAITAMA -- Urawa Reds clinched their first-ever J. League championship on the final day of the season after beating Gamba Osaka 3-2 in front of 62,241 fans at Saitama Stadium.
EDITORIALS
Nov 30, 2006

LDP's opportunistic move

The Liberal Democratic Party's move to readmit into its fold 11 Lower House members who were kicked out of the party for opposing postal service privatization bills is widely regarded as an act of political expediency. It is designed to use the political resources of these Diet members, who have strong...
JAPAN
Nov 29, 2006

11 postal reform foes get nod to rejoin LDP and justify flip-flop

The 11 postal reform rebels Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is welcoming back into the ruling Liberal Democratic Party spoke Tuesday about why they voted against the legislation and then reversed themselves.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Nov 29, 2006

Tokyo, Jakarta fix framework of FTA

Tokyo and Jakarta announced Tuesday they have agreed on an overall framework for liberalizing bilateral trade, including Japanese autos and Indonesian natural gas and human resources.
JAPAN
Nov 28, 2006

Postal rebels vow to follow party line for LDP return

Eleven of a group of 12 lawmakers kicked out of the Liberal Democratic Party last year for opposing postal privatization submitted a petition and special covenant Monday and are likely to be readmitted to the ruling party.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Nov 24, 2006

Suicides lay bare bullying menace

Eight years ago, Shinichiro and Midori Komori's 15-year-old daughter, Kasumi, committed suicide.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Nov 24, 2006

Foo Fighters

Seriously, what's left for Dave Grohl to do in the world of rock 'n' roll? After playing in tiny, dilapidated clubs with hardcore punk act Scream in the late 1980s, he kicked off the '90s by drumming for one of the decade's most influential groups, Nirvana. Then, in the mid-'90s, Grohl formed his current...
Japan Times
JAPAN
Nov 22, 2006

For entrepreneur, 21, being a 'gal' is pure fashion, not fringe

Shiho Fujita was once a typical "gal," as the tribe of deep-tanned, garishly dressed young women who wander the streets of Tokyo's trendy Shibuya district in search of the latest fashions are called. Now a company president, Fujita is at the forefront of what she calls a "gal revolution."
Japan Times
LIFE / Lifestyle
Nov 21, 2006

Label not enough for a healthy diet

Next time you go grocery shopping, take a closer look at the beverages, yogurt and other packaged foods on display in the store you're visiting. You'll most likely find a number of products bearing a special logo and a carefully worded sentence touting their health benefits.
Japan Times
LIFE / WEEK 3
Nov 19, 2006

Decorum drives 'disingenuous' bid to free streets of discarded butts

Tokyo is home to some of the world's more bizarre museums, including ones devoted to such odd subjects as washing machines, curry, kites and parasites. The latest addition to this outre melange is the Mobile Ashtray Museum.
LIFE / Travel
Nov 17, 2006

Hirafu-Niseko's powder melts hearts

There are many international-class skiing resorts in Hokkaido, but perhaps none to rival Hirafu-Niseko. Located roughly 100 km west of Sapporo, the area, which is especially popular among ski-loving Australians and expats, is home to three skiing areas: Niseko Annupuri, Niseko Higashiyama and Niseko...
BUSINESS
Nov 17, 2006

Hitachi touts three-year plan to revamp TV, power, disk-drive businesses

Hitachi Ltd. announced a plan Thursday designed to turn around its three core businesses -- power plants, flat-panel TVs and hard-disk drives -- by the end of March 2010.
JAPAN
Nov 17, 2006

Fewer visa violators sold on leniency exits

The Immigration Bureau on Thursday called on foreigners who are overstaying their visas to turn themselves in because the number of visa violators who take advantage of the bureau's amnesty measures is decreasing.
JAPAN
Nov 15, 2006

Banned goods to North listed

goods that are likely to be used by (government and party) executives, and those they are likely to give to their subordinates," Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuhisa Shiozaki told a news conference. "North Korea's leaders need to be sent a strong message from the international community" and abide by the...
COMMENTARY
Nov 14, 2006

What are Kim's objectives?

North Korea has agreed to rejoin the six-party nuclear talks on its nuclear-weapons program before yearend following hard bargaining with the United States and China. The breakthrough resulted from mounting international pressure, especially the U.S. financial crackdown and the United Nations Security...
COMMENTARY / COUNTERPOINT
Nov 12, 2006

Political piper moves to call some of NHK's editorial tunes

NHK, Japan's national broadcaster, is under siege -- and with it this country's commitment to freedom of speech.
Japan Times
JAPAN / ACCORD STILL IN LIMBO
Nov 10, 2006

Back to square one after Okinawa poll?

OSAKA -- In early 2005, senior U.S. officials had become fed up with Okinawa.

Longform

Figure skater Akiko Suzuki was once told her ideal weight should be 47 kilograms, a number she now admits she “naively believed.” This led to her have a relationship with food that resulted in her suffering from anorexia.
The silent battle Japanese athletes fight with weight