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EDITORIALS
Jan 30, 2005

Not just rhetoric anymore

Nine days ago, U.S. President George W. Bush delivered his second inaugural speech, a rousing, 21-minute address in which, among other things, he extolled liberty and proclaimed "ending tyranny in our world" the ultimate goal of U.S. policy. God himself backed this policy, Mr. Bush said. Wasn't it in...
Japan Times
Features
Jan 30, 2005

'Curiosity' at the core of days packed with lots to chew on

Atsuko Tanuma's day begins at 5 a.m. It's a routine she has followed for 17 years, since she started preparing lunch-boxes for her first son when he began kindergarten at the age of 4.
JAPAN
Jan 29, 2005

Roppongi: from ashes to 'High Touch Town'

The Roppongi district of Tokyo has been through a turbulent time in the 60 years since it was destroyed by firebombing during World War II.
JAPAN
Jan 29, 2005

Former deportee protests denial of bid to live here, near wife's grave

A Bangladeshi man once deported from Japan staged a protest Friday in front of the Justice Ministry, slamming the government for not allowing him back quickly enough to spend time with his Japanese wife as she died of cancer and for telling him he must now leave the country where she is buried.
BUSINESS
Jan 29, 2005

Seibu urged to merge with spinoff, sell team

A Seibu group reform panel released an interim reform plan Friday urging Seibu Railway Co. to merge with a spinoff from Kokudo Corp., its core firm, absorb the Prince Hotels chain, and consider selling the Seibu Lions baseball team.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY
Jan 29, 2005

All good things come to those who wait

Judy Ishizu holds up her latest English textbook, "Sekando Raifu no Eikaiwa" ("Second Life English Conversation"), and can scarcely contain her enthusiasm. "It's a dream come true to be in print. This is not my first book, however, but the fifth. To date the second -- "Eigo de Imi . Kangae wo Ieru Hyogen"...
JAPAN
Jan 28, 2005

Tokyo's volunteer-guided tours invite tourists to meet the locals

and Noboru Suzuki.
LIFE / Food & Drink / BEST BAR NONE
Jan 28, 2005

Way off the main drag

Amaranth Lounge is a word-of-mouth bar. But when my friend told me about this place on Namikibashi off Meiji-dori, not far from Shibuya, that looked like the lounge from the dream sequences in David Lynch's classic TV series "Twin Peaks," I think he got a bit of a shock at the speed with which I said,...
JAPAN
Jan 27, 2005

Promotion just for Japanese: supreme court

principle of national sovereignty and in view of the fact that the people should in the end be responsible for how the central and local governments govern, (the Constitution) should be viewed as presuming that Japanese nationals in principle will assume local civil service positions" that require the...
LIFE / Digital / NAME OF THE GAME
Jan 27, 2005

Wonderfully easy on the eyes

Sony launched its new PlayStation Portable in Japan in December. According to Sony, it is slated to launch in the United States by the end of March. Who knows about Europe.
ENVIRONMENT / OUR PLANET EARTH
Jan 27, 2005

'Sobering study' spells out the global crisis

After more than 30 years of work in national and international environmental policymaking, James Gustave Speth has written an extraordinary book. Even better, it's now out in Japanese, published by Chuohoki.
JAPAN
Jan 26, 2005

Visa issuance for all chinese may become permanent

Transport minister Kazuo Kitagawa said Tuesday he wants to make permanent a plan under which group tourists from all over China will get Visas for the six-month Aichi World Exposition.
EDITORIALS
Jan 25, 2005

The fewer bond issues, the better

It has been a long time since Japan's bubble in stock and land prices collapsed. Now, however, there is concern that a new kind of bubble -- a "bond bubble" -- may be forming. Financial markets are already "saturated," according to analysts, with massive amounts of bonds that the government issues each...
JAPAN
Jan 25, 2005

Panel set to ponder female on the throne

The government will kick off discussions this week that could result in changing the male-only Imperial succession rule which experts say has been practiced for more than 1,000 years.
CULTURE / TV & Streaming / CHANNEL SURF
Jan 23, 2005

"The Background of His Excellency President Bush" on TBS and more

TBS will present one of the stranger variety-show combinations of recent memory on Wednesday at 9 p.m. Tetsuya Chikushi is the respected veteran print journalist who helms the network's nightly news program. He'll be be co-hosting a program with the ubiquitous comedy duo Bakusho Mondai called "The Background...
JAPAN
Jan 22, 2005

Crown Princess may take in games

Crown Princess Masako may accompany Crown Prince Naruhito to attend the opening ceremony for the 2005 Special Olympics World Winter Games next month in Nagano Prefecture, Imperial Household Agency officials said Friday.
JAPAN
Jan 22, 2005

Koizumi set to resume battle for postal reform

Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi will go all-out in the 150-day Diet session that convened Friday to push his long-cherished, but highly contentious, plan to privatize the nation's postal services.
JAPAN
Jan 21, 2005

U.N. eyes lead role in tsunami alert system

. Based in Hawaii, it is used by 26 nations, including the United States and Japan. The Japanese delegation said it would try to play a leading role through this system.
EDITORIALS
Jan 20, 2005

Unfinished tasks for Mr. Koizumi

Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, speaking at the Liberal Democratic Party's annual convention Tuesday, again expressed his resolve to privatize postal services, saying that "without constant efforts for reform, possibilities for Japan's development will be closed." Mr. Koizumi defines postal privatization...
JAPAN
Jan 20, 2005

Response upgrade in works against intruding subs

In response to an intrusion by a Chinese submarine in November, Tokyo has drawn up guidelines to immediately launch a special maritime operation if a foreign sub is detected intruding in Japan's territorial waters, the government said Wednesday.
JAPAN
Jan 19, 2005

Defiant Koizumi tells LDP convention he's going full-bore on postal reform

Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi said Tuesday he is determined to privatize the nation's massive postal services despite strong opposition from the Liberal Democratic Party, which he heads.
JAPAN
Jan 19, 2005

Japan defies U.N., deports refugees

Acting with uncharacteristic speed, the Justice Ministry bundled a Kurdish father and his son, both U.N.-recognized refugees, onto a plane and sent them back to Turkey on Tuesday, a day after they visited the Immigration Bureau to extend their provisional release.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Art
Jan 19, 2005

Goblins and deities in folk art

In celebration of the Japanese New Year, the Mingeikan (Japan Folk Art Museum) has organized a special exhibition titled "Otsu-e: Edo Period Popular Paintings," showcasing this traditional Japanese genre of painting from the Edo Period (1615-1868).
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Voices / VIEWS FROM THE STREET
Jan 18, 2005

What can be done to better support the homeless people of Japan?

Bruce Whitehead Teacher, 31 Soup kitchens really work. A simple thing like a little bit of warmth and a little bit of food makes a huge difference to someone who's got nothing.

Longform

Dangami House is a 180-year-old former samurai residence of the Kato clan, who ruled over Ozu, Ehime Prefecture, until the Meiji Restoration.
A house, a legacy and the quiet work of restoration in rural Japan