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COMMENTARY
May 6, 2002

Koizumi must focus or fail

Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's administration, which marked its first anniversary April 26, stands at a crossroads. Its future hinges on whether his "no pain, no gain" reform initiative will produce tangible results. Thus far his administration has made no substantial achievements to speak of. Its...
EDITORIALS
May 6, 2002

Mutual Sino-American respect

Chinese Vice President Hu Jintao's weeklong visit to the United States, which culminated in a meeting with President George W. Bush on Wednesday, seems to have achieved its purpose: introducing China's next leader to U.S. officials. The 59-year-old Mr. Hu is expected to become secretary general of the...
JAPAN
May 6, 2002

Man killed in Tokyo apartment fire

An early-morning fire at a 14-story apartment building in Tokyo's Arakawa Ward killed one person Sunday, and five people are being treated for smoke inhalation, firefighters said.
Japan Times
LIFE / Travel / NATURE TRAVEL
May 6, 2002

A safari of jungle trails, animal tales

As readers of our last column know already, we are currently floating gently down the Lower Zambezi in canoes. And though it might sound recklessly intrepid, it's really a piece of cake.
SOCCER / World cup / EXCERPTS FROM PHILIPPE TROUSSIER'S BOOK
May 6, 2002

Resistance is useless! Morioka matures

"Passion" is the story of Japan soccer team coach Philippe Troussier, his struggle to make it as a player and manager and his travels around France, Africa and Japan. In the book, Troussier also details his philosophy and thinking as he prepares for the World Cup in June. In this, the eight of 10 exclusive...
BUSINESS
May 6, 2002

Sony launches work on successor to PlayStation2

Sony Corp. has started work on developing a successor to its popular PlayStation2 game console by 2005 with a view to putting it on the market after use of fiber-optic networks becomes widespread, according to Sony sources.
JAPAN
May 6, 2002

Pop star Hikaru Utada hospitalized

Popular Japanese singer-songwriter Hikaru Utada has been hospitalized and will undergo a thorough medical examination possibly Tuesday, her record company Toshiba EMI Ltd. said Sunday.
COMMENTARY / JAPAN IN THE GLOBAL ERA
May 6, 2002

Le Pen's philosophy is all too familiar

LAUSANNE, Switzerland -- The results in the first round of the French presidential elections on April 21 hit like a seismic shock. Veteran rightwing extremist Jean-Marie Le Pen took second place. There are many reasons why. Some are statistical: Sixteen candidates across the spectrum split the votes...
JAPAN
May 6, 2002

Transport bulges with returning vacationers

Vacationers jammed railway stations and airports Sunday as they started returning home ahead of the end of the Golden Week holiday period through Monday.
SOCCER / J. League
May 5, 2002

Antlers rebound, knock over Grampus

Kashima Antlers bounced back from Monday's defeat at Urawa Reds with a comfortable 3-1 victory over Nagoya Grampus Eight in the first round of the J. League Nabisco Cup on Friday.
JAPAN
May 5, 2002

Suicide victim left terrorist attack details

A man who died after setting himself on fire in Tokyo's Hibiya Park on March 30 left a memo detailing plans for a terrorist attack carried out in 1972, sources said Saturday.
JAPAN
May 5, 2002

49.8% say bills to counter foreign attack needed: poll

Just under half the respondents to a recent poll said new legislation governing Japan's response to a foreign military attack is necessary, according to Kyodo News.
COMMENTARY / THE VIEW FROM MOSCOW
May 5, 2002

Adventurer's death touches Russia's soul

MOSCOW -- One does not have to be a pop singer or a movie actor to have loyal fans all over the globe. Occasionally even a scholar can become an international star, as the recently deceased Norwegian Thor Heyerdahl demonstrated. A remarkable thing about his popularity, however, was that Russia was one...
EDITORIALS
May 5, 2002

The wrinkles in Botox

Is it just us, or do others have the same reaction to media stories about the mounting popularity of Botox, the toxo-cosmetic touted as death to wrinkles: People are injecting what into their faces?
Japan Times
JAPAN
May 5, 2002

Naturalized entrepreneur jumps conservative obstacles

It's bad enough for a would-be entrepreneur that Japan is suffering a protracted economic slump and the country is bound -- still -- by archaic business practices.
SOCCER / World cup
May 5, 2002

Troussier adds Ono, Nakata to squad

Japan coach Philippe Troussier will take the Kirin Cup squad to Europe for next week's friendly against Real Madrid but has called up Parma midfielder Hidetoshi Nakata and Feyenoord midfielder Shinji Ono for the friendly against Norway on May 14, the Japan Football Association announced Friday.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music / FUZZY LOGIC
May 5, 2002

Wire's London Nite: Let it be a lesson to you

Tokyo has one of the best underground rock 'n' roll live scenes in the world, with dozens of superb bands, but the club scene -- if you like dancing to loud guitar music until dawn -- has been in a coma for the past five years.
CULTURE / TV & Streaming / CHANNEL SURF
May 5, 2002

Death and the old maid

"Tokyo Friend Park II" (TBS, Monday, 6:55 p.m.), hosted by veteran announcer Hiroshi Sekiguchi, is a prime example of the mindless, pointless game-show genre. The main idea is to match up two complementary celebrities who will work together to win prizes for themselves and selected viewers. Because the...
JAPAN
May 5, 2002

Numerous new bills snarl up Diet debate

The Diet appears to have become bogged down under the weight of a number of key legislative items that Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi hopes to see enacted during the current 150-day session that ends June 19.

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