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JAPAN
Jan 4, 2005

Japanese death toll from tsunamis is raised to 21

The number of Japanese nationals killed in the earthquake and tsunami devastation in Southern Asia has risen to 21, according to the Foreign Ministry.
JAPAN
Jan 4, 2005

New Year's shrine visitors splashed a lot of fake cash

More than 100 fake 10,000 yen bills have been found across the country among the New Year's monetary offerings at shrines and temples and in the shops and stalls lining their pathways.
MORE SPORTS
Jan 4, 2005

Komazawa takes fourth straight ekiden title

Two of the five Komazawa University runners won their legs Monday to lead their team to its fourth straight overall title in the Tokyo-Hakone collegiate ekiden road relay.
MORE SPORTS
Jan 4, 2005

Matsushita fries Ritsumeikan U. in Rice Bowl

Matsushita Electric Works, led by the gutsy play of quarterback Koichi Takahashi, routed Ritsumeikan University 26-7 to win its first Rice Bowl in 10 years on Monday.
COMMUNITY / How-tos / LIFELINES
Jan 4, 2005

Aged care, drivers' license woes and an alert

'Kaigo hoken' I have been in Japan many years but have never applied for permanent residence. I had personal insurance under Pacific Star until last year. Their present carrier will not insure past renewal at age 64. I do not know how much longer I will be in Japan but I am positive that at the time...
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Voices / VIEWS FROM THE STREET
Jan 4, 2005

Why has literacy dropped so dramatically?

Ana Mickle Stay at home mom, 34 There's been an upsurge in new forms of entertainment in recent years. I don't think school hours should be extended. I think students should do better with the time they have -- the kids should have a life. Schools should work on truancy rates.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Issues / THE ZEIT GIST
Jan 4, 2005

Racism is bad business

The Community Page has commented at length on socially-sanctioned exclusionary practices in Japan. However, it has rarely touched upon their quantifiable, longer-term effects.
Japan Times
SOCCER / J. League
Jan 3, 2005

Verdy lifts Emperor's Cup to end title drought

Goals in each half from Kazunori Iio and Kazuki Hiramoto ended Tokyo Verdy's eight-year title drought as Ossie Ardiles' men beat holder Jubilo Iwata 2-1 in the Emperor's Cup final on Saturday, despite playing half the match with 10 men.
JAPAN
Jan 3, 2005

Crown Princess Masako takes part in Imperial New Year's greeting

Crown Princess Masako joined the rest of the Imperial family in greeting the public at the start of 2005 on Sunday after missing the annual ritual last year to recover from a psychological disorder brought on by the stresses of royal life.
COMMENTARY
Jan 3, 2005

Modern England leaves Granny behind

LONDON -- "What are we coming to" cried one of the grannies at my Christmas dinner, meaning we, the English. Her small anguish was prompted by the thought of the bank holidays and festive refusal of work that wraps everyone in a haze of food and alcohol, gifts and family, and lets the outer world fend...
EDITORIALS
Jan 3, 2005

Pile of unfinished business

This year has the potential to shape the world in profound ways. Some key events, and their results, will be instantly evident. Much of their impact will not be visible for years to come, however. We can identify with reasonable certainty what those moments will be, but only guess at their outcome and...
COMMENTARY / THE VIEW FROM MOSCOW
Jan 3, 2005

Putin's tragic gaffes of 2004

MOSCOW -- The year 2004 has had mixed blessings for Russian President Vladimir Putin. He won re-election in a landslide, and though the results were probably rigged, by and large they still reflected voters' sympathies well enough: Russia likes its president.
JAPAN
Jan 3, 2005

Most Japanese CEOs bearish on economy

Most chief executive officers at major corporations expect the economy to either remain flat or recede slowly in 2005 due mainly to unfavorable overseas factors, according to a Kyodo News survey released Sunday.
JAPAN
Jan 3, 2005

Aum member dies during 'training'

A male follower of the Aum Shinrikyo cult has died after apparently engaging in "hot bath training" in Tokyo, police said Sunday.
JAPAN
Jan 3, 2005

Two more Japanese confirmed dead, hundreds unaccounted for

The deaths of two more Japanese citizens were confirmed Sunday in southern Thailand, bringing the Japanese death toll to 20 from the tsunamis triggered by the Dec. 26 earthquake off Indonesia's Sumatra Island, the Foreign Ministry said.
CULTURE / Books / THE ASIAN BOOKSHELF
Jan 3, 2005

Common weeds of nationalism

NATIONALISMS OF JAPAN: Managing and Mystifying Identity, by Brian J. McVeigh. Latham: Rowman & Littlefield, 2004, 331 pp., $34.95 (paper). Angry Chinese and Korean responses to Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's repeated visits to Yasukuni Shrine, anti-Japanese actions by Chinese soccer fans at the Asia...
Japan Times
JAPAN / DEMOGRAPHIC DILEMMAS
Jan 3, 2005

Health sector won't get by without a shot in the arm

Shiela Tahara Noble is living proof that nationality doesn't matter -- once language barriers are overcome -- when dealing with a sector where the domestic labor supply is increasingly scarce.
SOCCER / PREMIER REPORT
Jan 1, 2005

F.A. sending wrong message by disciplining Ben Haim

LONDON -- Imagine walking home and someone hits you in the face. The ambulance arrives and the police, who have already caught the aggressor, charge you with loitering because you are laying on the ground.
SUMO
Jan 1, 2005

2004 was the year of Asashoryu in sumo

When he went undefeated at the New Year meet to kick-start his 2004 campaign, the message hit home like an 18-wheeler barreling full-throttle down a highway: Move out of the way, or get squashed like a grape. The choice was simple.
JAPAN
Jan 1, 2005

Dead dad, son ID'd; Japan's tsunami toll rises to 17

The Foreign Ministry on Friday dispatched two forensic experts to Thailand to help identify the Japanese victims of quake-triggered tsunamis. The bodies are rapidly decomposing, making identification increasingly difficult. The disaster struck last Sunday.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Jan 1, 2005

Inn finds revival by welcoming foreigners

With its plain concrete and tile exterior and glass double doors, Sawanoya looks like any other ordinary Japanese inn.
EDITORIALS
Jan 1, 2005

Royal bridge to the people

The new year has been ushered in by the auspicious news of a long-awaited announcement: Princess Nori, the only daughter of the Emperor, is engaged to Mr. Yoshiki Kuroda, a Tokyo Metropolitan Government employee. We congratulate them heartily and hope that they will serve as a bridge between the Imperial...

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