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COMMENTARY
Apr 5, 2007

Giving soft power some teeth

LONDON -- "Speak softly and carry a big stick" -- that was the advice of ebullient U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt in the early part of the 20th century. It may still have some relevance today.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Apr 5, 2007

Planet of the apes

The hottest band of the moment tells The Japan Times about their new album, shunning the file-sharing trend that shot them to fame -- and drawing an ordinary paycheck to keep their heads straight
Japan Times
CULTURE / Art
Apr 5, 2007

An art market in the making

When Fukusaburo Maeda and his wife Sohaku Yamashita founded the Nihon International Contemporary Art Festival (NICAF) in 1992, they were hoping to invigorate Japan's contemporary art scene. Perhaps they were ahead of their times, though, because while people were ready to come look at what was on show,...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Art
Apr 5, 2007

"Susan Philipsz: Did I Dream You Dreamed About Me"

Mizuma Art Gallery Closes in 10 days
BASKETBALL / NBA / NBA REPORT
Apr 4, 2007

Coaching carousel likely to be especially busy in offseason

NEW YORK -- An always informed source tells me Sam Mitchell may decide to leave Toronto when his contract expires at season's end and sign on with the Bobcats.
BASEBALL / Japanese Baseball
Apr 4, 2007

Giants down Dragons at Dome

Championships aren't won in April, but the Yomiuri Giants sure made one heck of a statement. The Giants scored four runs and batted around in the fifth inning en route to a 7-2 win over the Chunichi Dragons on Tuesday night at Tokyo Dome.
Reader Mail
Apr 4, 2007

Little sympathy for 'gamblers'

Following the collapse of Livedoor Co. and the arrest of its founder, Takafumi Horie, there were the usual complaints from people who had lost a lot of money when the company's stock price fell. Well, I'm sorry, but I don't have a lot of sympathy for them. They perhaps need to be reminded that buying...
Reader Mail
Apr 4, 2007

Rules for English-speaking women

We've heard a lot about how stressful the Japanese workplace is. Harassment by male colleagues or even your boss can be very common if you're a foreign English-speaking woman. Here are some rules she may need to be aware of:
COMMENTARY / World
Apr 4, 2007

Good reasons to be bullish about the Europe Union

PALO ALTO, Calif. -- The European Union has been so successful that you would have thought there would be dancing in the streets at its 50th anniversary. Alas, there has been only persistent talk of failure -- to achieve political union, to adopt a constitution, to exercise global leadership and vision,...
EDITORIALS
Apr 4, 2007

Conrad Black's diversions

The trial of Mr. Conrad Black -- Lord Black of Crossharbour -- began last week in Chicago. While the proceedings will offer considerable insight into the lives of the rich and famous, it will also provide a vivid reminder of the need for effective corporate oversight and the vital role played by boards...
BUSINESS
Apr 4, 2007

Japan drops to third place in global ODA behind U.S., Britain

Japan fell to third place in the official development assistance rankings in 2006, dropping for the first time in 24 years, a group of 22 developed countries said Tuesday.
BUSINESS
Apr 4, 2007

Japan-Thai FTA to phase out tariffs

Accelerating a global race to strengthen ties with Asia's economic powers, Tokyo and Bangkok inked a free-trade agreement Tuesday that will abolish tariffs on more than 90 percent of bilateral trade over 10 years.
Reader Mail
Apr 4, 2007

Shoddy ruling on baby twins

Regarding the March 24 article "Top court: No registry for pair born surrogate": Why would the Supreme Court judges punish TV celebrity Aki Mukai for seeking the loving support of a surrogate mother to have children? Even if the surrogate in this case happened to be (gasp) an American woman? Does this...
Japan Times
ENVIRONMENT / OLD NIC'S NOTEBOOK
Apr 4, 2007

Breakfast with rodents

Iwas home alone the other evening when I heard a scuttling sound coming from the kitchen. Two mice had climbed up a strut in the woodwork of the sink counter and jumped down into the compost bucket below, which just had a few centimeters of food scraps and vegetable peelings in the bottom. It's a red...
LIFE / Digital / IGADGET
Apr 4, 2007

Robot chicks -- Japanese gadgets are just so conspicuously cute

Conspicuous consumption is the art of spending lavishly on goods or services in a way that serves no real purpose except to show that you have lots of money. The great Norwegian-American economist and sociologist Thorstein Veblen put Nostradamus to shame with that insight from 1899. In Japan today, Veblen...
Reader Mail
Apr 4, 2007

Reassuring moderate Muslims

Of all my letters that this paper has printed in the past few years, there's one that I regret writing: "Odd ideas for Mideast peace" (Sept. 20, 2006). My statement that "With or without Israel as their whipping boy, the Arab states will forever fight among themselves -- and among the different sects...
MORE SPORTS
Apr 3, 2007

Players make NFL Europa rosters

Five Japanese football players made the opening day rosters of the 2007 NFL Europa season, NFL Japan announced on Sunday. The five are linebacker Rikiya Ishida, wide receivers Yuji Otaki, Michihiro Ogawa and Noriaki Kinoshita and defensive back Ryota Hori.
BUSINESS
Apr 3, 2007

Livedoor will stick with its name

Livedoor Co. will stick with its corporate logo because Internet users still place great value on the firm, company officials said Monday, after the scandal-tainted company had considered a name change.
Japan Times
JAPAN / EXPLAINER
Apr 3, 2007

Time up for bag-happy stores, users

Retailers have long considered plastic bags basic to good service. Supermarket clerks toss tofu, eggs and ice cream into individual clear plastic bags to prevent a mess should the products' own wrapping somehow break. More plastic bags are often provided just in case, then it all goes into bigger shopping...
EDITORIALS
Apr 3, 2007

Britain opts for new nukes

Britain has decided to renew its nuclear deterrent. A parliamentary vote last month sharply divided the ruling Labor Party, forcing Prime Minister Tony Blair to rely on opposition Conservatives to pass the measure. Mr. Blair made his case by arguing that international uncertainty required Britain to...

Longform

Mount Fuji is considered one of Japan's most iconic symbols and is a major draw for tourists. It's still a mountain, though, and potential hikers need to properly prepare for any climb.
What it takes to save lives on Mount Fuji