Search - 2005

 
 
BUSINESS / POPULATION SYMPOSIUM
Nov 9, 2006

Environment, not career major hurdle to big families

See the main story: Low birthrate threatens Japan's future See related story: French values and child-care policies put family before work
BASKETBALL
Nov 4, 2006

Eight teams vie for title in 2nd season

After a historic and successful debut 2005-06 season, the bj-league looks to further progress and provide excitement in its second campaign, which tips off Saturday with a pair of games, including the Osaka Evessa-Tokyo Apache clash at Ariake Colosseum at 6 p.m.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Nov 3, 2006

Mystery Jets

When multi-generational British band Mystery Jets walked on stage at Fuji Rock Festival this year for their first Japanese show, it was to a packed Red Marquee chanting "Zootime," the title of the band's 2005 debut single. When they followed the festival with a soldout performance at Tokyo's Liquid Room...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Art
Nov 2, 2006

Make the most of this year's celebration of practical art

Once again, Tokyo welcomes the design world with open arms into its streets, shops, cafes and galleries -- all under the umbrella of Tokyo Design Week, which encompasses four different yet complementary events: Tokyo Designer's Week, 100% Design Tokyo, Design Tide and Swedish Style.
JAPAN
Nov 2, 2006

Japan stands firm with sanctions on North Korea

Japan will continue the economic sanctions it leveled against North Korea despite Pyongyang's apparent about-face on returning to the multilateral talks to end its nuclear threat, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuhisa Shiozaki told a news conference Wednesday.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Nov 1, 2006

Hunt for war dead a race against time

and Shoko Okuno talk about the September memorial service they held on New Guinea for their father, who died there amid fighting in 1944, during an Oct. 18 meeting in Yokohama of the nonprofit organization Pacific War History Museum. AKEMI NAKAMURA PHOTO
EDITORIALS
Oct 31, 2006

A mobile, disposable workforce

I ndications of deteriorating working conditions for Japanese workers are coming to light at workplaces across the nation as the result of a practice that has become a social issue: More and more manufacturing companies are bringing in contract workers (ukeoi) to have them work like temporary workers...
JAPAN / Media / MEDIA MIX
Oct 29, 2006

Children's welfare in the doghouse

This past week the nation was shocked by the news of yet another small child who died at the hands of abusive and negligent adults.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Oct 27, 2006

Bloc Party

Like Franz Ferdinand the year before, in 2005 Bloc Party were pegged by the British press to be the breakout act of the year. A solid prediction, the London quartet's first full length, "Silent Alarm," was met with worldwide acclaim, turning BP into bona fide stars at home and establishing sizeable fan...
BUSINESS
Oct 25, 2006

Sony apologizes for defective batteries

Sony Corp. Vice President Yutaka Nakagawa apologized Tuesday for causing concern among customers over problems with its lithium-ion batteries that have led to a massive worldwide recall.
COMMENTARY / World
Oct 24, 2006

The rising wealth of nations

NEW HAVEN, Connecticut -- The new Penn World Table, Version 6.2, comparing standards of living across countries, has just been released. The latest figures are for 2004, and, because of data lags, not all countries are included. Yet these numbers are valuable because they are of exceptional quality and...
EDITORIALS
Oct 24, 2006

An altered state of recovery

The Cabinet Office said in its monthly economic report for October that the current economic expansion, now in its 57th month, has tied Japan's longest "boom" of the postwar period, which occurred during the second half of the 1960s. With the current economic recovery expected to continue, it is certain...
BUSINESS
Oct 22, 2006

L.A. mayor makes tourism pitch

Visiting Los Angeles Mayor Antonio R. Villaraigosa engaged in a tourism campaign Friday and Saturday designed to attract more Japanese travelers to the West Coast city.
COMMENTARY / World
Oct 12, 2006

Beijing challenges the West in Africa

PRAGUE -- Ever since the Berlin conference of 1883, which Belgium's King Leopold II called "the sharing of Africa's cake," the West has assumed exclusive rights over sub-Saharan Africa. But, while centuries of struggle to end colonial rule and apartheid have not changed this much, now Western influence...
BUSINESS
Oct 12, 2006

Recent ills involving Sony goods

August 2006 -- Sony lithium ion batteries installed in computers of Dell Inc. and Apple Computer Inc. may potentially overheat and catch fire. Other major computer makers subsequently announce the same problem with their Sony batteries.
BUSINESS
Oct 12, 2006

Hitachi announces bid for control of Clarion

Hitachi Ltd. said Wednesday it will launch a tender offer on Oct. 25 to acquire a controlling stake in Clarion Co., a leading maker of car audio and navigation equipment, to boost the group's sales in the growing car information systems market.
BUSINESS
Oct 11, 2006

Businesses welcome Chinese thaw but remain cautious

The business community greeted Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's Sunday summit in Beijing with Chinese President Hu Jintao, billed as a fence-mending effort by the two countries, with a sigh of relief.
BASEBALL / BASEBALL BULLET-IN
Oct 8, 2006

With a month to go, baseball season here far from over

Do you think the professional baseball season ends in Japan in October?
BUSINESS
Oct 7, 2006

Aeon good partner for Daiei but road ahead is still rocky

With Daiei Inc. expected to take Aeon Co. as its business partner, analysts say Daiei still faces a big challenge to turn its business around.
BUSINESS
Oct 5, 2006

U.S. beef hard sell as concern lingers, Aussies fill void

Michal Small has been waiting eagerly for the return of U.S. beef to Japan, but it seems the American will have to wait a while longer before the Roppongi Hills restaurants she frequents start serving the fare again.
EDITORIALS
Oct 4, 2006

Dearth of life-giving kidneys

A man who received a kidney for transplant from a living donor at Tokushukai Hospital in Uwajima, Ehime Prefecture, and a woman close to him have been arrested on suspicion of giving cash to the donor for the donor's left kidney. Since monetary exchange between a patient and donor threatens the ethical...
COMMENTARY
Oct 2, 2006

Weakness prods Pyongyang

Though impoverished and starved, North Korea owns nuclear arms and is developing long-range ballistic missiles, thus posing a growing military threat to the Asia-Pacific region.
BASEBALL / Japanese Baseball
Sep 30, 2006

Buffaloes linked with move for Collins

Katsuhiro Nakamura is no longer in the Orix Buffaloes' plans, and the franchise's third manager in its three-year existence is likely to be a foreigner, according to reports in the Japanese media.
EDITORIALS
Sep 27, 2006

Aum leader's trial finally ends

The long trial of Aum Shinrikyo founder Shoko Asahara ended Sept. 15 when the Supreme Court rejected a special appeal by lawyers for Asahara. The top court's decision affirmed the February 2004 ruling of the Tokyo District Court, which found the cult leader guilty of 13 criminal counts, the most serious...
BASEBALL / BASEBALL BULLET-IN
Sep 24, 2006

Softbank's Saito better statistically than Matsuzaka, Kuroda

We mentioned here last week that major league scouts visiting Japan think Chunichi Dragons outfielder Kosuke Fukudome is the best Japanese position player in the Central or Pacific Leagues, but who is the best pitcher?

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