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JAPAN
Mar 27, 2007

Upper House authorizes 83 trillion yen 2007 budget

The House of Councilors on Monday evening approved the 82.91 trillion yen fiscal 2007 budget following its endorsement by the chamber's budget committee earlier in the day.
COMMUNITY / Issues / THE ZEIT GIST
Mar 27, 2007

'Multicultural Japan' remains a pipe dream

In February, education minister Bunmei Ibuki called Japan "an extremely homogenous country." Eighteen months earlier, now Foreign Minister Taro Aso described Japan as having "one nation, one civilization, one language, one culture, and one race." What was notable about these comments is that they were...
COMMENTARY
Mar 27, 2007

A Japanese sense of humor?

Japanese and Germans are thought by some "Anglo-Saxons" to have many similar qualities, including a lack of a sense of humor and a tendency to take themselves too seriously. I don't think the former is fair; the latter is closer to the mark.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / WORDS TO LIVE BY
Mar 27, 2007

Masahiro Murata

Masahiro Murata, 35, is a hair and makeup artist whose salon, MaQueen, just behind the Kabuki-za theater in Ginza, is a sanctuary for both his loyal clients and staff. Murata loves people, and especially beauty in them, which he believes manifests itself in the way one treats others. As one of Japan's...
COMMUNITY / How-tos / LIFELINES
Mar 27, 2007

Fingerprint law furor revisited

Thomas in Tokyo wrote to Lifelines in response to my Jan. 9 answer to an inquiry from reader Nick on the new law requiring the photographing and fingerprinting of foreigners on their entry into this country. I wrote that Japan Helpline is coordinating a response to the measure.
LIFE / Language
Mar 27, 2007

Sakura songs home in on the reassuringly familiar

It is late March, and the crowds are about to descend in droves on the parks and gardens for hanami, or cherry-blossom viewing.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Voices / VIEWS FROM THE STREET
Mar 27, 2007

How can the government better spend its money?

BASEBALL / Japanese Baseball
Mar 26, 2007

Marines, Fighters tie again

CHIBA -- There was a little wind, a lot of rain and a lot of mud. All in all it was absolutely horrible weather for about four innings at Chiba Marine Stadium. Although through it all Chiba Lotte pitcher Hiroyuki Kobayashi pitched an absolute gem.
BASKETBALL
Mar 26, 2007

Five Arrows wrap up excellent weekend with win

The Takamatsu Five Arrows gave an impressive two-day primer on hoops over the weekend at Ariake Colosseum.
COMMENTARY / World
Mar 26, 2007

Turn Japan-South Korean ties into a real partnership

HONOLULU -- We are dismayed by the current state of Japan-South Korean relations. The two countries are natural partners. Both are U.S. allies, democratic societies, and share similar values and security concerns. During the Cold War, both Japan and South Korea feared expansion of communism from the...
COMMENTARY / THE VIEW FROM NEW YORK
Mar 26, 2007

Jury system doesn't guarantee justice

NEW YORK -- My U.S.-Japanese business consultant friend John Gillespie dropped by and, upon hearing that my wife Nancy had been summoned to jury duty, said Japan should introduce a similar system.
COMMENTARY
Mar 26, 2007

Strengthen U.S. trade ties

Japan is gearing up to conclude more free trade or economic partnership agreements with foreign governments. So far, Japan has been less enthusiastic about FTAs and EPAs than Western countries but is changing its tack due to difficulties expected in the new round of multilateral trade talks under the...
EDITORIALS
Mar 26, 2007

A showdown in Pakistan

The removal of the chief justice of the Pakistan Supreme Court may have triggered the biggest political crisis yet for President Pervez Musharraf. The government claims Justice Iftikhar Chaudry is corrupt. His supporters counter that his real offense is his independence and argue that Pakistan's democracy...
BUSINESS / THE VIEW FROM EUROPE
Mar 26, 2007

From steel and coal deal to integration: EU fetes 50 years of history

On Sunday, Europe marked the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Rome, the historic agreement that established such bodies as the European Parliament and the Court of Justice.
SOCCER / J. League
Mar 25, 2007

Maki, Takahara power Japan past Peru in exhibition

YOKOHAMA -- Seiichiro Maki broke his scoring duck and Naohiro Takahara continued his rich vein of form with another goal as Japan beat Peru 2-0 in a friendly at International Stadium Yokohama on Saturday evening before 60,400.
BASKETBALL
Mar 25, 2007

Oita nabs playoff spot

The visiting Oita HeatDevils lost their Saturday showdown with the reigning bj-league champion Osaka Evessa 89-76, but they earned a playoff berth in the process.
JAPAN
Mar 25, 2007

West least served by fast U.S. exit: Iraq's No. 2

A quick withdrawal of American forces would not benefit Iraq or Western interests, Iraq's vice president said Saturday in Tokyo, hours after the Democratic Party-led U.S. House of Representatives narrowly passed a cutoff deadline for the Iraq war.
MORE SPORTS
Mar 25, 2007

Miki, Mao place 1-2

After bombing in last year's Olympic Winter Games, Miki Ando was written off by just about everybody.

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