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CULTURE / TV & Streaming / CHANNEL SURF
Oct 7, 2007

Foreign celebrity talk show, teen sitcom, recycling tips

In the 1960s and '70s, no foreign celebrity was more popular in Japan than the French actor Alain Delon. His name was synonymous with the idea of the perfect-looking man, and because he was popular in an era that was not as media-saturated as our own, he seemed even more unreachable. He was also the...
Japan Times
LIFE / Travel / HOTELS & RESTAURANTS
Sep 21, 2007

Seasonal mushrooms, classic sandwiches and a Pavarotti tribute

Matsutake at Nikko hotel Matsutake mushrooms are the kings of Japan's autumn flavors and an indispensable ingredient of gourmet dishes at this time of year. Through Sept. 30, the Hotel Nikko Tokyo's Sakura Japanese restaurant is holding a Matsutake Fair, with elegant kaiseki courses and a-la-carte selections...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Aug 31, 2007

'Hero'

The ways of Japanese TV drama producers must be as mysterious to their Hollywood counterparts as the statues of Easter Island.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Stage
Aug 16, 2007

Flying high and free

On a sweltering summer day recently, members of the Condors dance troupe were pouring with sweat as they practiced for their upcoming national tour. Choreographer and lead dancer, Ryohei Kondo, was in the center of a circle of the dancers, who were voicing their opinions freely.
COMMENTARY
Jul 19, 2007

'Quad Initiative': an inharmonious concert of democracies

NEW DELHI — The newly launched Australia-India-Japan-U.S. "Quadrilateral Initiative" has raised China's hackles, but its direction is still undecided owing to differing perceptions within the group over what its aims and objectives ought to be.
JAPAN / Media / MEDIA MIX
Jul 15, 2007

No care in the world for caregivers as profit is all that matters

Scandals are coming so fast and furious now it seems eons ago when nursing care provider Comsn Inc. was busted by the government for inflating the number of employees on its payroll. Actually, it was only last month, and at the time the media could only concentrate on the particulars, namely Comsn's...
JAPAN / Q&A
Jun 21, 2007

New laws to reshape education system

Bills to revise four education-related laws were passed by the Diet on Wednesday.
JAPAN / Science & Health / NATURAL SELECTIONS
May 9, 2007

OK computer, is that person's face happy or sad?

Afriend of mine told me the other day about the time she was teaching special needs children in Miyazaki Prefecture. One boy had autism, and threw terrible tantrums the first few times my friend came to teach.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / JAPAN LITE
Apr 14, 2007

When life's a drag, wear a costume

Do you think Japanese people are too serious? Do you ever speak to someone in Japanese only to have them just stare back at you in confusion? Do you find living in Japan downright depressing sometimes? You may need help. You may be a gaijin.
Japan Times
LIFE / WEEK 3
Mar 18, 2007

Flaky or fact? Are 'power spots' wacky ... or what?

After minus-ion bottled water to transform your entire being, and natto (fermented soybeans) that was claimed to effortlessly turn chubbies into model specimens, "power spots" look to be taking their turn at the pinnacle of Japan's ever-fleeting (but ever-marketable) fascination with the slightly otherworldly....
BUSINESS / SOUTH KOREAN JOURNALIST SYMPOSIUM
Feb 22, 2007

Rules change, but Japan, S. Korea game the same

See related stories: Japan, South Korea can pull Asia together China's rise may force Tokyo, Seoul to reassess business tie-ups
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / CLOSE-UP
Feb 4, 2007

Princess Tenko: conjuror of pure mystery

The life of illusionist Tenko Hikita -- better
Japan Times
JAPAN / EXPLAINER
Jan 23, 2007

The nuts and bolts of the legislature

The Diet is the center of Japanese politics. It's where ruling and opposition lawmakers play power games and employ tactics in both open and backroom negotiations. With this year's ordinary legislative session set to start Thursday, following are some basic facts about the parliamentary system:
Japan Times
LIFE
Dec 24, 2006

Penmanship: A lost art is rediscovered

At this time of the year, you may have received and sent any number of Christmas cards. Or, in the Japanese tradition, you might still be panicking about writing all the New Year's postcards that the nation's army of mailmen and women endeavor to deliver on New Year's Day.
COMMUNITY / How-tos / LIFELINES
Dec 12, 2006

Birthday travel offers

Birthday special In spring 2005, Marion availed herself of ANA's birthday special ticket, but has discovered the service not longer exists. "Is there any other? It was great. I went all the way to Fukuoka in Kyushu for just 10,000 yen."
Japan Times
LIFE / Lifestyle
Nov 21, 2006

Label not enough for a healthy diet

Next time you go grocery shopping, take a closer look at the beverages, yogurt and other packaged foods on display in the store you're visiting. You'll most likely find a number of products bearing a special logo and a carefully worded sentence touting their health benefits.
EDITORIALS
Nov 4, 2006

Renewal of a commitment

On Oct. 27 the Diet approved extending for another year -- from Nov. 1 -- the special antiterrorism law that, among other things, allows Maritime Self-Defense Force ships to refuel navy ships of the United States and other nations in the Indian Ocean in support of the security campaign in Afghanistan....
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Oct 20, 2006

An intro to Tokyo's film fest

The Tokyo International Film Festival, Japan's biggest, glitziest film fest, opens Saturday, Oct. 21, and runs for nine days at Toho Cinemas Roppongi Hills in Roppongi, Bunkamura in Shibuya and other venues around the city. The selection is huge, beginning with the four main sections: the Competition,...
CULTURE / TV & Streaming / CHANNEL SURF
Sep 10, 2006

TBS's "The Truth Five Years After the New York Terror Attacks" and more

The fifth anniversary of the terrorist attacks in America will not go unobserved on Sept. 11. TBS has been putting together a very ambitious two-hour memorial special with the equally ambitious title "A Complete and Exclusive Visualization -- The Truth Five Years After the New York Terror Attacks" (Monday,...
JAPAN
Sep 7, 2006

Fans, patients, shop owners weigh in on Imperial birth

Amid heavy security Wednesday, the media, Imperial enthusiasts and well-wishers swarmed to prestigious Aiiku Hospital in Minato Ward, Tokyo, during the wee hours to wait for Princess Kiko to give birth.
EDITORIALS
Aug 30, 2006

Simplifying disaster communications

Since Japan lies in the path of typhoons, wide areas of the nation suffer from floods and landslides every year. Cloudbursts also wreak havoc in limited areas. Accurate information is crucial in preventing injuries, deaths and property damage when disasters strike. In a welcome move, the Ministry of...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music / JAZZNICITY
Aug 25, 2006

Hot slabs of jazz

While summer rock festivals are as numerous as fireworks, outdoor jazz concerts have recently become as rare as a non-humid day. Just five years ago, Japan had so many jazz festivals all over the country that musicians had trouble making the tightly scheduled gigs. Then, sadly, economics caught up, distance...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Art / NEW ART SEEN
Aug 24, 2006

Contemporary Japanese edition prints

Many local goodies appeal to the expat population of Japan -- kimono, sake and next-generation electronic goods to name a few. The area of fine arts, however, can be daunting, with most paintings and even photographs by established contemporary artists priced from the millions to the many millions of...
COMMUNITY / Issues / THE ZEIT GIST
Aug 22, 2006

Japan's fingerprinting law is dumb . . . (and that's just what the government thinks)

On May 18, 2006, a little discussed and little debated law passed the Diet.

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