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JAPAN
Nov 5, 2005

Politics menace panda program

every day, you can understand their daily physical condition by how they look," Ling Ling is now going gray. "He is losing his appetite due to his advanced age," Sagawa said. "If the price of his favorite -- persimmons -- falls, I would like to give some to him."
BUSINESS
Nov 5, 2005

Household spending rises 1.0%

Average household spending in September scored a real 1.0 percent rise from a year earlier to 288,978, yen the first year-on-year increase in six months, the government said Friday.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / JAPAN LITE
Nov 5, 2005

Holy cow, Genki-kun -- it's a typhoon!

With all the typhoons and hurricanes around the world, I thought it might be time for an uplifting story of storm survival. As I was looking for stories, a "Planet Japan" listener named Ty Cedars tipped me off to an animal who overcame all odds and survived a devastating typhoon. This animal's story...
BUSINESS
Nov 5, 2005

Oil release to be extended again

Japan will extend for a third month the release of oil reserves held by the private sector in a coordinated effort by members of the International Energy Agency to hold down prices, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry said Friday.
BUSINESS
Nov 5, 2005

Ono seals drug accord with Array

Ono Pharmaceutical Co. said Friday it has signed a drug-discovery agreement with Array BioPharma Inc., based in Colorado.
COMMENTARY / World
Nov 5, 2005

'Morality police' on a rampage in India

MADRAS, India -- When the mullahs in Iran curbed personal freedom, Indian political leaders cried out loudly and called them names. Yet, India is now witnessing the same frightening restrictions on individual rights.
JAPAN
Nov 5, 2005

Inoguchi wants more money for kids

the low birthrate, so (the government) needs to reinforce measures" to tackle the problem, Kuniko Inoguchi, 53, a former professor of international politics at Sophia University, said in an interview Wednesday. "If the birthrate keeps falling, we will not be able to support our aging society." Japan's...
BUSINESS
Nov 5, 2005

Toyota suffers first drop in profit in four years

Toyota Motor Corp. said Friday its group net profit for the first half of fiscal 2005 declined 2.3 percent from the previous year to 570.5 billion yen -- the company's first interim profit drop in four years.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY
Nov 5, 2005

Artist intrigued by things we take for granted

Markuz Wernli Saito cannot come to the phone when I call him as arranged in Kyoto.
BASEBALL / Japanese Baseball
Nov 4, 2005

Marines offer Valentine new three-year contract

Lotte Marines' representative Ryuzo Setoyama said Thursday that the Pacific League club has offered Bobby Valentine a new three-year contract starting in 2006 in an apparent move to keep the Japan Series winning manager.
BASKETBALL
Nov 4, 2005

Broncos hope to ride Benoit's leadership

David Benoit has traveled all over the world to play basketball. And after years on the road and countless leagues, including the NBA, he reckons he has the game figured out: you win as a team.
MORE SPORTS
Nov 4, 2005

Harada wins 1st national kendo crown

Tokyo metropolitan police officer Satoru Harada beat his colleague Ryoichi Uchimura in overtime Thursday to win his first title at the national kendo championship.
EDITORIALS
Nov 4, 2005

Toward a police-controlled media

There is a strong social trend toward protecting privacy. A milestone will be the enforcement of the Private Information Protection Law beginning in April. But the government is apparently taking advantage of this trend and people's distrust of the media -- due to often sensationalistic crime coverage...
JAPAN
Nov 4, 2005

Plan names facilities to be protected first in attack

The Prime Minister's Official Residence, the Imperial Palace and other key facilities have been allocated top-priority status for protection under a prospective missile defense program, according to an operational plan made available Wednesday.
Japan Times
JAPAN / CABINET INTERVIEW
Nov 4, 2005

New justice minister still not sold on death penalty

In private life, new Justice Minister Seiken Sugiura is unequivocal in his condemnation of the death penalty: Under no circumstances should one person be allowed to kill another, he says.
JAPAN / CABINET INTERVIEW
Nov 4, 2005

Keep road taxes for road projects, Kitagawa says

Reappointed transport minister Kazuo Kitagawa says motorists will be disgruntled if tax revenue currently earmarked for road construction is shifted to the general budget.
JAPAN
Nov 4, 2005

Five honored with Order of Culture

President Jinnosuke Ashida, 71, for his contribution to the labor movement. Other recipients of the order are Minoru Makihara, 75, former chairman of Mitsubishi Corp., and former Justice Minister Shozaburo Nakamura, 71.
JAPAN
Nov 4, 2005

University job centers rethink role amid changing economy

felt they were safe for the rest of their lives after getting a job is over," an employee of the center said. "The purpose (of the center) is to have students think about their future, including their career, while they are at the beginning of their studies." The university organizes lectures by a variety...
Events / Events Outside Tokyo
Nov 4, 2005

Portrait of modern Germany

Contemporary German photography gets a double outing with two exhibitions held simultaneously at The National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo. Both "August Sander: Face of Our Time" and "Between Reality and the Image: Contemporary Positions in German Photography" provide an opportunity to view the history...
COMMENTARY
Nov 4, 2005

Bush's intolerance showing

WASHINGTON -- The White House seems to breed arrogance. President Richard Nixon had his enemies list. President Bill Clinton's personal irresponsibility almost ruined his presidency. Now vice presidential aide "Scooter" Libby has been indicted as a result of his efforts to discredit an administration...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Nov 4, 2005

Portugal and Brazil united in one voice

Fado, the passionate, powerful music of Portugal, was -- and still is -- sung in the local bars and small eateries for working people. The music's spirit is saudade, a word that translates roughly as nostalgia, melancholy or longing, though mixed with happiness and love. Fado's greatest singer was Amalia...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Nov 4, 2005

Richie Cole

Richie Cole is one of jazz's most distinctive alto sax players. Following in the footsteps of Phil Woods (who followed in the steps of Charlie Parker), Cole has a tone on alto that stays pure and supple even at rapid-fire tempos. Unapologetically straight-ahead in an age of gimmicks and computerized...
Events / Events Outside Tokyo
Nov 4, 2005

Nagoya Players to present Stoppard

The Nagoya Players will present Tom Stoppard's "Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead" on Nov. 12-13 at Aichi Arts Center Mini Theater.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Nov 4, 2005

(International) Noise Conspiracy: "Armed Love"

After two acclaimed full-lengths, (International) Noise Conspiracy decided their politically driven anthems would have a better chance to "Smash It Up" by signing with Warner Bros. imprint American Recordings. Compromising their beliefs by working for a multinational conglomerate hasn't benefited the...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Nov 4, 2005

Wolf Parade: "Apologies to the Queen Mary"

The latest big thing from Montreal sounds a lot like last year's big thing from Montreal, The Arcade Fire, but minus the extraneous instruments and calculated drama. That isn't to say Wolf Parade is dry or minimalist, only that they rely more on songwriting than on presentation.

Longform

Sumadori Bar on Shibuya Ward's main Center Gai street targets young customers who prefer low-alcohol drinks or abstain altogether.
Rethinking that second drink: Japan’s Gen Z gets ‘sober curious’