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Japan Times
JAPAN / Science & Health / NATURAL SELECTIONS
Aug 12, 2004

Sensitive science in the race for glory in athletic pursuits

With the 28th Olympic Games about to start, who would put a bet on a white athlete winning the 100 meters? Certainly not the American writer Jon Entine. "The complete domination of the 100 meters by people of West African origin means no white man will ever again win the event. It simply won't happen,"...
JAPAN
Aug 12, 2004

Spassky asks Bush to go easy on Fischer

Fugitive former world chess champion Bobby Fischer has an unlikely ally in his battle against U.S. authorities seeking his handover from Japan -- ex-rival Boris Spassky.
Japan Times
ENVIRONMENT / OUR PLANET EARTH
Aug 12, 2004

Environment groups who do it in the streets

Hester Van Hooven Ward is pretty hard to miss when she greets you on the street with a wave and a big smile, then launches into her "rap": "Hi! How are you? Do you have a minute for the environment today?" she calls out to strangers.
BUSINESS
Aug 12, 2004

Shipments up 9% for beer, 'happoshu' in July

Combined shipments of beer and "happoshu" by the nation's five major brewers increased 9 percent in July from a year earlier, the first rise in seven months, helped by this summer's heat wave, according to reports by the brewers released Wednesday.
BUSINESS
Aug 12, 2004

JFE Steel plans blast furnace at China venture

JFE Steel Corp. plans to construct a blast furnace in China in a joint project with a local company to build an integrated steelworks that could exceed 100 billion yen in value, company sources said Wednesday.
Japan Times
LIFE / Digital / NAME OF THE GAME
Aug 12, 2004

Managing to make droids dull

"Front Mission 4" for PlayStation 2 is a turn-based combat-strategy game in which players pilot robots. All of these elements, except maybe the giant robots, are central to understanding the latest offering from Square Enix.
BUSINESS
Aug 12, 2004

Wholesale prices gain most in 13 years

Wholesale prices rose 1.6 percent in July from a year earlier for the fifth straight monthly rise and the biggest gain in 13 years, the Bank of Japan said Wednesday in a preliminary report.
BUSINESS
Aug 12, 2004

Kanebo incurs sales fall after cosmetics spinoff

Struggling Kanebo Ltd. said Wednesday its group sales in the April-June first quarter of fiscal 2004 fell 26.8 percent to 76.56 billion yen, mainly because it sold its cosmetics division to a new entity formed with governmental aid.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Aug 11, 2004

This charming man hits wrong note

Kikansha Sensei Rating: * * 1/2 (out of 5) Director: Ryuichi Hiroki Running time: 123 minutes Language: Japanese Currently showing [See Japan Times movie listings] When I taught at a boys high school in the early 1980s, I would, without fail, catch a bad chest cold in the winter and...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Aug 11, 2004

Walking on the wild side

Walkabout Rating: * * * * * (out of 5) Director: Nicholas Roeg Running time: 100 minutes Language: English Currently showing [See Japan Times movie listings] The Story of the Weeping Camel Rating: * * * * (out of 5) Director: Byambasuren Davaa and Luigi Falorni Running time:...
EDITORIALS
Aug 11, 2004

Time for diplomacy to step in

The recent Asian Cup soccer tournament, which Japan's national team won, witnessed an eruption of anti-Japanese sentiment among Chinese fans, including booing during the playing of the Japanese national anthem. The Chinese government tightened security for Saturday's final in Beijing, but anti-Japanese...
JAPAN
Aug 11, 2004

China Falun Gong followers appeal for permission to remain in Japan

Chinese followers of the Falun Gong spiritual movement who are seeking asylum in Japan appealed Tuesday for permission to stay here out of fear they will be persecuted in China.
JAPAN
Aug 11, 2004

Education reform plan includes ongoing subsidies

Education Minister Takeo Kawamura formally announced Tuesday an education system reform plan that includes continuing subsidies, allowing local governments to change the number of years students study at elementary and junior high schools and introducing a teaching license renewal system.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Art / NEW ART SEEN
Aug 11, 2004

Artist builds from zero

Suspicious of the pervasive role of Western culture in his homeland, Katsushige Nakahashi resolved to become a "Japanese artist."
JAPAN
Aug 11, 2004

China Falun Gong followers appeal for permission to remain in Japan

Chinese followers of the Falun Gong spiritual movement who are seeking asylum in Japan appealed Tuesday for permission to stay here out of fear they will be persecuted in China.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Aug 11, 2004

In love with a beautiful woman

L'Histoire de Marie et Julien Rating: * * * * (out of 5) Director: Jacques Rivette Running time: 150 minutes Language: French Currently showing [See Japan Times movie listings] Among French directors, Jacques Rivette seems to have an enduring fascination for la femme -- and that's saying...
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Aug 11, 2004

Used airline, cop uniforms given new lease on life

An airline and several police departments are recycling employee uniforms -- but workers aren't getting hand-me-downs.
JAPAN
Aug 11, 2004

Kepco cost-cuts proved fatal: protesters

OSAKA -- Antinuclear activists in Fukui and Osaka prefectures said Tuesday the accident the day before at the Mihama atomic plant was due to Kansai Electric Power Co.'s attempts to cut costs and will negatively effect the utility's plans to burn MOX fuel in the reactor.
JAPAN
Aug 11, 2004

Fischer transfer to Ibaraki signals lengthy confinement

Fugitive chess legend Bobby Fischer was transferred Tuesday from the Immigration Bureau facilities at Narita International Airport to the East Japan Immigration Center in Ushiku, Ibaraki Prefecture, his lawyer said.
BUSINESS
Aug 11, 2004

BOJ monetary stance stands amid soft consumer prices

The Bank of Japan's policy-setting panel said Tuesday it won't change its ultraeasy monetary stance, as the country's deflationary trend for consumer prices has not turned around despite the ongoing economic recovery.
BUSINESS
Aug 11, 2004

Microsoft admits image tarnished by antimonopoly battle

The head of Microsoft Corp.'s Japan unit acknowledged Tuesday that the U.S. software giant's battle with Japanese antimonopoly authorities over a controversial licensing clause has hurt its corporate image here.
BUSINESS
Aug 11, 2004

High-tech bank notes due Nov. 1

The Finance Ministry said Tuesday it will put newly designed 10,000 yen, 5,000 yen and 1,000 yen bills into circulation on Nov. 1.

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