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EDITORIALS
Feb 12, 2005

More disappointment for South Asia

South Asia is home to the some of the poorest nations in the world. The region desperately needs greater integration to marshal its resources and help stimulate development that will offer its citizens better lives. The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) was created to do just that,...
COMMENTARY
Feb 12, 2005

Cross-strait flights unlikely to narrow gap

New Year! Finally, there's a bit of good news to report in cross-strait relations. During this holiday period, the first direct flights are taking place between mainland China and Taiwan since the 1949 Chinese civil war. But while both sides applaud these charter flights as an important step forward,...
COMMENTARY / World
Feb 12, 2005

Freedom, when it suits U.S.

No one who watched the exhilaration and exuberance of Iraqis facing down the threat of bullets in order to cast their ballots can fail to have been moved. And for those who were actually in Iraq to witness this firsthand, battle-hardened and cynical journalists included, it must have been bliss indeed...
Japan Times
COMMUNITY
Feb 12, 2005

Taking play therapy to Sri Lanka tsunami orphans

Dr. Akiko Ohnogi is a vision in red. She is wearing red from top to toe -- from earrings to handbag and shoes -- because, put simply, "It's my favorite color."
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / JAPAN LITE
Feb 12, 2005

You've earned it: lifetime 'gaijin' status!

Japan Lite reader Peter Miller asks: After an extended stay in Japan, does one ever cease to regard oneself as a "gaijin" (foreigner)?
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / WHEN EAST MARRIES WEST
Feb 12, 2005

As cute as cute can be

A friend who visited these fair islands for the first time last fall had this to say of his weekend-to-weekend impressions of Japan.
SOCCER / World cup
Feb 11, 2005

Man Utd to play twice in Japan this summer

English Premier League powerhouse Manchester United plans to play two friendly matches in Japan this summer as part of its Asian tour, Japan Football Association Vice President Junji Ogura said Thursday.
MORE SPORTS
Feb 11, 2005

Kitajima says that despite the fame, he is still the same

It has been nearly six months now since he shot to stardom at the Athens Olympics, but swimmer Kosuke Kitajima says that, in spite of all that has transpired since, fame has not altered his personality, though it has changed his life.
COMMENTARY / World
Feb 11, 2005

Easy money set up today's dollar slump

GUATEMALA CITY -- There is a great deal of misunderstanding about why the dollar is in a slump. But it's no mystery. Recently, German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder was quoted as blaming America's infamous twin deficits for the fall of the dollar. And many financial talking heads murmured with relief when...
BUSINESS
Feb 11, 2005

Group opposes lifting U.S. beef ban

The Consumers Union of Japan urged the government Thursday not to remove its 14-month-old import ban on American beef as a result of what it claims is U.S. pressure.
BUSINESS
Feb 11, 2005

FamilyMart to introduce 'konbini' to Americans

When FamilyMart Co. opens a store in Hollywood, Calif., in July, the first Japanese convenience store in the U.S. might not be perceived as such by locals.
COMMENTARY
Feb 11, 2005

Accept U.N. for what it isn't

LONDON -- At first glance, the slightly dated, 30-story United Nations building in New York's Lower East Side looks like misery mansion. Everything seems to be going wrong these days.
BUSINESS
Feb 11, 2005

Machinery orders up 4.4% in '04

Core private-sector machinery orders expanded 4.4 percent in 2004 from the previous year, marking a second straight annual increase, the government said Thursday.
BUSINESS
Feb 11, 2005

Itochu plans to buy 21% stake in Orient

Trading house Itochu Corp. plans to acquire a 21 percent stake in consumer credit card company Orient Corp., thereby becoming its largest shareholder, the two companies said Thursday.
Japan Times
LIFE / Style & Design / COUNTER CULTURE
Feb 11, 2005

Sweetest temptations

Japan's unique take on Valentine's Day sees women present their men with chocolate on February 14th, while the recipients reciprocate, often with branded trinkets or jewelry, one month later.
BUSINESS
Feb 11, 2005

Tanigaki urges BOJ to keep system flush with ample liquidity

Finance Minister Sadakazu Tanigaki urged the central bank Thursday to keep injecting the financial system with ample liquidity as a means of quelling deflation.
SOCCER / PREMIER REPORT
Feb 11, 2005

The plot thickens in Chelsea's alleged approach of Cole

LONDON -- To borrow a phrase from "Alice In Wonderland," the speculation on whether Arsenal fullback Ashley Cole held a meeting with Chelsea power brokers in a London hotel last month gets curiouser and curiouser.
Japan Times
LIFE / Travel
Feb 11, 2005

Brr -- diving in Atami in winter

As any scuba diver knows, when the diving itch hits, you just gotta scratch. But what if the itch strikes in midwinter when you have neither the time nor funds to fly to a tropical resort? Not to worry. Not only is it possible to dive around mainland Japan in the winter months, it can even be done on...
BUSINESS
Feb 11, 2005

McDonald's Japan posts first profit in three years

McDonald's Holdings Co. (Japan) said Thursday it returned to profit in 2004 for the first time in three years.
BUSINESS
Feb 11, 2005

Fuji TV eases off radio firm takeover bid

Fuji Television Network Inc. said Thursday it has cut its equity-stake acquisition goal in a tender offer for radio station Nippon Broadcasting System Inc. to 25 percent from more than 50 percent.
EDITORIALS
Feb 11, 2005

Middle East truce opens a door

How many times has the world observed an Israeli-Palestinian handshake and breathed a sigh of relief that hostilities in that sliver of the Middle East finally appeared to be ending? The answer, of course, is far too often for the latest declaration of peace to promise much. Camp David, the Rose Garden,...
MORE SPORTS
Feb 10, 2005

Fudo, Miyazato headline Japan LPGA opener

Yuri Fudo, who has won the Japan LPGA money rankings title the last five years, and defending champion Ai Miyazato are among the key players appearing at the season-opening Daikin Orchid Ladies next month, organizers said Wednesday.
BASKETBALL / NBA / NBA REPORT
Feb 10, 2005

How about Coach K for Team USA?

NEW YORK -- Sources confirm Jerry Colangelo has been quietly chosen to preside over the U.S. Olympic basketball selection committee and overhaul it how he sees fit.
SOCCER / World cup
Feb 10, 2005

Japan nets late winner

SAITAMA -- Japan managed to avoid a major disaster with an injury-time winner from Masashi Oguro securing the points in a thrilling 2-1 win in a World Cup Group B Asian qualifier against North Korea at Saitama Stadium on Wednesday night.
SOCCER / J. League
Feb 10, 2005

JEF United inks Austrian Haas

J. League first-division side JEF United Chiba said Tuesday its has signed striker Mario Haas from Austrian club Strum Graz.
BUSINESS
Feb 10, 2005

Showa Denko pretax profit up 63%

Chemical maker Showa Denko K.K. said Wednesday its consolidated pretax profit in 2004 jumped 63.2 percent from the previous year to a record 38.91 billion yen as sales grew 7.4 percent to 740.71 billion yen.

Longform

Once smoky, male-dominated spaces, today's net cafes, like Kaikatsu Club, are working to make their operations more attractive to women customers.
The second life of Japan's net cafes