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EDITORIALS
May 14, 2007

Freer trade with ASEAN

Japan and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations have reached an agreement in principle on the modalities of free-trade negotiations that they hope to wrap up by the end of August. If the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement is signed in November as hoped, it will be Japan's first free-trade...
BUSINESS / JAPANESE PERSPECTIVES
May 14, 2007

Security dogging weak yen, not strong dollar

The yen has fallen to above 120 yen against the dollar and as low as 163 yen against the euro. Although a weak yen and strong dollar are often confused as the same thing, what we're looking at today is a weak, yen not a strong dollar.
JAPAN
May 14, 2007

UNESCO unlikely to register Iwami silver mine as World Heritage site

, a Shimane Prefecture official in charge of pitching the Iwami silver mine for UNESCO's World Heritage list, expresses disappointment over the unsuccessful bid at the prefectural government headquarters Saturday. KYODO PHOTO
SUMO
May 13, 2007

Asashoryu a major obstacle to Hakuho's hopes for promotion

After losing to ozeki Hakuho by a sneaky sidestep maneuver in a playoff in the spring, you can bet your bottom dollar yokozuna Asashoryu is ready to put his countryman through the proverbial wringer at the Summer Grand Sumo Tournament.
BASEBALL / BASEBALL BULLET-IN
May 13, 2007

5,000 victories, throwback uniforms and the oiribukuro

In commemoration of their 5,000th victory in the history of the franchise, the Yomiuri Giants will wear throwback uniforms during some interleague games next month.
Reader Mail
May 13, 2007

Whitlam era far from perfect

Owen Eather is entitled to claim that Chinese commentators are happy with recent Australia's military pact with Japan ("Australia-Japan pact welcome," April 22). I just hope he tells us who they are. But he is not entitled totally to distort my views in the process.
Reader Mail
May 13, 2007

More America bashing?

David Howell's April 27 article "America the not so beautiful" was an interesting read, but his argument contained too many holes and became another example of the kind of America bashing that is becoming quite popular in today's British press.
COMMENTARY / World
May 13, 2007

Strategic error poisoned Blair's legacy

LONDON — Tony Blair has a powerful claim to being one of the most successful British politicians of any recent generation, at least in domestic economic and social policy. But history will remember him mainly for his strategic error in going to war in Iraq.
EDITORIALS
May 13, 2007

Amusement park safety

A broken axle led to the May 5 derailment of a roller coaster at the Expoland amusement park in Suita, Osaka Prefecture, which killed a woman and injured 19 other holidaymakers. Not only had there been a lack of safety consciousness on the part of the operator but also unclear legal stipulations concerning...

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