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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...
COMMENTARY / World
Oct 12, 2006

Kim Jong Il is crying out for more help

LONDON -- In psychobabble, what North Korea has just done would be characterized as "a cry for help," like a teenage kid burning his parents' house down because he's misunderstood. Granted, it's an unusually loud cry for help, but now that North Korean dictator Kim Jong Il has got our attention, what...
COMMENTARY
Oct 12, 2006

Great problems and promise

LONDON -- The huge growth in Chinese gross domestic product and the market represented by a population 10 times that of Japan present huge opportunities for potential trade and investment. But these tend to obscure the problems that policies pursued by the present regime in China pose to the rest of...
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.
COMMENTARY
Oct 12, 2006

Koizumi vs. Abe economics

A popular pun in Japanese is to take the word kaikaku (reform, or change for the better) and turn it into kaiaku (to change for the worse.)
BASKETBALL
Oct 11, 2006

Apache signs Michael Jackson

The Tokyo Apache announced Tuesday that they have signed with ex-Sendai 89er, Michael Jackson, for the upcoming 2006-07 season.
SPORTS / SPORTS SCOPE
Oct 11, 2006

Oh inspired Hawks despite absence

TOKOROZAWA, Saitama Pref. -- Here is a look back at the first-stage Pacific League playoffs, in which the Fukuoka Softbank Hawks beat the Seibu Lions 2-1.
BASKETBALL / NBA / NBA REPORT
Oct 11, 2006

Bad sign for Suns: Stoudemire ailing

NEW YORK -- Anyone not a Phoenix fan (exempting Marlow's crew, of course) has to be at least a little unnerved by the menacing news on the "Wire" concerning Amare Stoudemire's surgically-scarred knees.
EDITORIALS
Oct 11, 2006

Fear of another arms race

North Korea's announcement that it went ahead with a nuclear-weapons test Monday appeared timed to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's summit with South Korean President Roh Moo Hyun -- a day after his summit with Chinese President Hu Jintao.
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.
BUSINESS
Oct 11, 2006

Toshiba, LG.Philips LCD tie on TVs

Toshiba Corp. will pay 5.5 billion yen for a nearly 20 percent stake in the Polish subsidiary of LG.Philips LCD, forging a partnership with a rival to strengthen its European TV business, the company said Tuesday.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Science & Health / NATURAL SELECTIONS
Oct 11, 2006

Bizarre rodents confound a venerable theory of aging

We've all heard the claims. Drink enough green tea and you'll live to be 100. Eat tofu every day to protect against cancer. Recently, there's even been research suggesting that eating curry helps to boost brain power.
SOCCER
Oct 11, 2006

England boss McClaren too quick to dump 'captain fantastic' Becks

LONDON (AP) Bring back Beckham!
BUSINESS
Oct 11, 2006

Sanctions seen having little impact

OSAKA -- Although calls in Japan for tough economic sanctions against North Korea will no doubt grow following Monday's nuclear test, economists say stopping the flow of goods between the two countries would have more political meaning than economic.
Japan Times
ENVIRONMENT / ANIMAL TRACKER
Oct 11, 2006

Spangle

* Japanese name: Kuro-ageha * Scientific name: Papilio protenor * Description: This is a stunning, exotic and beautiful butterfly with black-and-white forewings patterned almost like a zebra, and black hindwings with a delicate white border and deep red eyespots with black centers. The borders of the...
BUSINESS
Oct 11, 2006

Corolla gets 10th makeover, for luck

Toyota Motor Corp. on Tuesday launched revamped Corolla models -- the 10th time the best-selling car that spearheaded the nation's motorization in the 1960s has been changed -- in the hope of stimulating the sluggish market.
BASEBALL / Japanese Baseball
Oct 10, 2006

Comeback Hawks heading to Hokkaido

TOKOROZAWA, Saitama Pref. -- Third place is feeling a whole lot better than first has the last couple years for the Fukuoka Softbank Hawks.
MORE SPORTS
Oct 9, 2006

Federer downs Henman to win Japan Open title

With friends like world No. 1 Roger Federer, who needs enemies?
BASEBALL / Japanese Baseball
Oct 9, 2006

Wounded Hawks lash out at Lions to level series

TOKOROZAWA, Saitama Pref. -- What a response.
COMMENTARY
Oct 9, 2006

Easier way to emissions cuts

Generally speaking, innovation is driven by constraints and shortages. When Japan faced the first international oil crisis in 1973, it looked like the end of the world for the nation, since it depended on imports for 99 percent of its oil. However, Japan survived the oil crunch and used it as a springboard...

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