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Reader Mail
May 2, 2007

Queen Elizabeth's bad year

The year of Princess Diana's death, 1997, was not Queen Elizabeth II's "annus horribilis" as noted in the April 13 movie review "Interpreting a right royal mess." Queen Elizabeth used this phrase in her Christmas message of 1992 to refer to the year in which Prince Charles' and Prince Andrew's marriages...
Japan Times
BUSINESS
May 2, 2007

With ODA, Vietnam begins to pull itself out of poverty

QUANG TRI, Vietnam — Filled with the constant roar of motorcycle traffic, Vietnam's cities, including Ho Chi Minh and Hanoi, are bustling with excitement as the country enjoys rapid economic growth.
Japan Times
ENVIRONMENT / OLD NIC'S NOTEBOOK
May 2, 2007

Life can be sweet down in the forest

Mr. Matsuki, our forester, is six years older than me, so he was born in 1934. When World War II ended, life in the countryside of Japan was tough, so sugary sweets, chocolates and suchlike were scarce. He recalls that, as a boy, he learned that the twigs or branches of a certain native Japanese tree,...
JAPAN / EXPLAINER
May 1, 2007

Are new rules kind to hostile mergers?

Delayed for a year because of strong opposition from domestic firms frightened by the prospect of being taken over, the so-called triangular merger system becomes legal Tuesday.
EDITORIALS
May 1, 2007

Helping people with dementia

I n fiscal 2005, there were an estimated 1.7 million people aged 65 or over who were suffering from dementia and needed nursing care. The number of such people is predicted to climb to 2.5 million in fiscal 2015 and 3.2 million in fiscal 2025. The government is pushing various measures to cope with the...
EDITORIALS
May 1, 2007

The pursuit of decentralization

The decentralization and reform promotion committee, recently set up in the Cabinet Office, has started discussions with the aim of submitting proposals to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe within three years. The committee, inaugurated under a law enacted in December 2006, will work out concrete proposals to...
JAPAN
May 1, 2007

'Freeters' rally for better wages

Temporary workers known as "freeters" and other dissatisfied laborers gathered Monday in Tokyo to demand a better work environment and higher wages, arguing government policies have caused many of them to settle for low-paying jobs and an unsteady life.
JAPAN
May 1, 2007

U.S. admiral confident of missile shield effectiveness

proven that capability. I have great confidence in that capability," he said. The commander of the Hawaii-based fleet admitted the system is "very expensive" but said it is because of the advanced nature of the technology involved and that he is pleased with the progress in developing the capability...
COMMENTARY / World
May 1, 2007

A body blow for Nigerian democracy

OXFORD, England -- Nigeria's first attempt since independence in 1960 to transfer power from one civilian government to another has just ended -- farcically. Indeed, the presidential election degenerated into a crude exercise in ballot rigging and voter intimidation.
COMMENTARY
May 1, 2007

Climate change will bring health risks

NEW YORK -- Much attention has been devoted in recent times to the environmental and economic effects of climate change. Much less attention, however, has been given to the possible effects of climate change, particularly global warming, on the health of the populations, particularly those from the poorest...
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Issues / THE ZEIT GIST
May 1, 2007

Mixi vs. MySpace -- a fight for your bytes

Since she started using the mixi Web site last summer, Yuki Nikitaki has linked up with a network of friends all over the world, including in Japan, and in Greece where she grew up.
Japan Times
LIFE / Lifestyle
May 1, 2007

Blasting off for Golden Week

Tired of sitting in front of computers all day long? Sick of sucking up exhaust as you walk down the street? Have you been pondering life's meaning and, above all, our meager existence in this world?

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