The Japan Times: All Stories

Emissions cap-and-trade as policy?

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 12:10:00 PST

Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama, at the United Nations Summit on Climate Change held Sept. 22, stated Japan's pledge to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) 25 percent from 1990 levels by 2020, which is premised on "all the major economies" agreeing on ambitious targets.
Other countries applauded the Hatoyama Initiative, with some calling on Japan to take the lead in making drastic cuts irrespective of actions by other major emitting countries.

Little to gain from Soros' words

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 12:11:00 PST

George Soros' assertion in his Nov. 8 article, "No alternative to a new world architecture," is simple. I may never be as smart as Soros, but a poor Kyoto monk like me knows that the world is not a zero-sum game. China, India or Asia's rise need not spell the demise of the West or United States or Japan, or of any continent for that matter. One simply has to look back in history when China and India peacefully coexisted with the world — before the coming of the European colonial powers, which resulted in plundering and suffering.
Happy are those who find satisfaction from within, for they can truly live without. For all of Soros' erudition, I would be reluctant to trust his agenda on world reserve currency because of the havoc he wrought on people with his high-stakes game of currency speculation. In the end, he will be consumed by his own greed. A great sage from the West once said, "What does it profit a man if he gains the whole world only to lose his soul?"

Decision time on devolution

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 12:12:00 PST

The government devolution panel handed Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama its fourth and final set of recommendations Monday, calling for an increased allocation of tax money to local governments. Regrettably, the central government has been slow to respond to the third set of recommendations, which called for, among other things, abolishing or relaxing 104 standards the central government has imposed on local governments with regard to services for residents. It should act quickly on both sets of recommendations.
Among short-term measures, the panel in its final report calls for raising the ratio of revenue from five major national taxes — including income, corporate and consumption taxes — that is allocated to local governments as grants in aid. At present, the ratio is about 30 percent. For the past 10 years, the grants have had to be beefed up with additional money from the nation's general account budget and with bonds floated by local governments. The central government should try to cope with a possible decline in the amount of money available to it by transferring more administrative functions to local governments and abolishing regional bureaus of government ministries.

U.S. not likely to quit Okinawa

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 12:13:00 PST

Regarding Naoshi Koriyama's Nov. 1 letter, "Respect the wishes of Okinawans": I can understand the situation that people in Okinawa face. They have been suffering from U.S. military aircraft noise night and day and, at times, from crimes committed by soldiers stationed there. They have appealed to the U.S. and Japanese governments to reduce the military presence, but the U.S. government does not seem to have much interest in listening to what people in Okinawa have to say.
There are a number of reasons why the United States wants so many military facilities in the Far East, including the fact that China these days is building up its military forces more than ever. The U.S. wants to show its potential military power in Asia. Another reason is that the military-industrial complex has played an important role in maintaining the smooth functioning of the U.S. economy since the end of World War II.

Rote learning of English failing

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 12:14:00 PST

Masayuki Aihara's Oct. 29 letter, "Texts stand some in good stead," I believe, proved a lot of the points that Stewart Tennyson was trying to make in his Oct. 22 letter, "English teachers have work to do." To say that a man once read government-authorized English textbooks aloud 100 times and then got a 650 on the TOEFL test only proves some of the fatal flaws of the Japanese education system. Rote learning and memorization are not an effective way to learn a language. Moreover, scoring high on a language exam such as the TOEFL or TOEIC is by no means an effective measure of foreign language ability or communication skills.
Many Japanese people I work with are very intelligent and have studied English for many years in the Japanese education system and have achieved very high scores on the TOEFL and TOEIC tests. Yet, many of these people lack the basic listening and comprehensive skills as well as the ability to form simple spoken sentences. Unfortunately, many teachers and education institutions still believe that learning more words and grammar points from textbooks and scoring high on language tests will lead to effective communication in English. However, I think most people would agree that the system is not working and is failing the people of Japan.

APEC remains toothless

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 12:15:00 PST

The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) grouping will hold its annual summit meeting in Singapore this weekend, with the leaders of its 21 member-nations expected to attend. But do we really need yet another high-level global talk-fest?
In July we had the Group of Eight annual summit meeting of leaders from the world's allegedly main industrial nations. In September we had the Pittsburgh summit meeting of G20 national leaders to talk about finance, and an Istanbul meeting of G7 finance ministers also to talk about finance. This coincided with the U.N. General Assembly opening, which also demanded the presence of national leaders.

Why put off the flight cuts at JAL?

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 12:16:00 PST

The Nov. 7 article "JAL must stay aloft until January: turnaround chief" states that Japan Airlines Corp. will scrap 16 money-losing domestic and international flights by the end of May. How much money are these flights losing? Why not shut them down next month? Why spend good money after bad?
If a door is left open in my house and I'm paying to heat the great outdoors in winter, I don't wait until spring to shut the door! Neither do I hope that the door shuts by itself! Isn't the first rule for a business that is losing money to identify what parts are not paying their way, and then either manage them so they do pay or shut them down so they don't continue to drain the entire business of needed capital?

Ryokan owners Yoneko and Isao Sawa

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 12:17:00 PST

Yoneko, 65, and Isao, 72, Sawa are the owners of Sawanoya, a ryokan (Japanese-style inn) in Tokyo's scenic Yanaka area. It was in 1949 that Yoneko's mother, Yoshi, and her sister, Nami, first opened eight small rooms to traveling salesmen and to groups of children on school trips. Although very successful for decades, by the early 1980s, due to the construction of inexpensive Western-style business hotels, Sawanoya's tatami-mat rooms were empty on most nights. Isao and Yoneko saved their ryokan by welcoming foreign travelers and offering them a truly Japanese hotel experience. Since 1982, they have laid out futons for more than 140,000 tourists from around 100 countries. They have helped make the dream of every traveler come true: a comfy, clean and friendly place to stay — at rock-bottom prices. There is no place like home, but Sawanoya comes pretty close.
It's easy to fall in love with someone your whole family despises. Yoneko: Why did we fall in love? Because our families didn't want us to!

An American thankful for Matsui

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 12:18:00 PST

Discount Comme de Garcons, thermo threads, extreme styles and bohemian flair

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 12:19:00 PST

Back to black
Black can be dreary, dark and damning, but in the case of Comme des Garcons' new line titled "Black," it is delightful and . . . discounted. Black is a lower-priced range that features perennially popular Comme des Garcons styles in mostly black and white. The items are sold at 11 stand-alone shops around the world. There are three locations in Tokyo — Ginza Mitsukoshi, Isetan in Shinjuku, and Shibuya Parco (pictured) — as well an outlet each in Osaka, Fukuoka and Nagoya. Designer Rei Kawakubo plans to keep the line going for "about 18 months" from June, which is likely the time frame she estimates the economic crisis will continue for.

20 years on the Imperial throne

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 12:20:00 PST

The government-sponsored ceremony on Thursday (Nov. 12) to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the Emperor's enthronement serves as an occasion to express people's respect and affection not only for the Emperor but also for the Imperial couple and the rest of the Imperial family.
By ascending to the Chrysanthemum Throne on Jan. 7, 1989, just after the death of his father, the Emperor Showa, the Emperor became the first to do so under the postwar Constitution. Article 1 of that document says, "The Emperor shall be the symbol of the State and of the unity of the people, deriving his position from the will of the people with whom resides sovereign power."

Re-energizing America's role in trade talks

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 12:21:00 PST

International trade has been an engine of growth for many Asian countries, enabling them to create jobs and raise living standards faster than in countries elsewhere in the world that were unready to take advantage of surging trade opportunities.
In pragmatic Asia, a nation's standing is judged not just in terms of military power and diplomatic skill but also as a source of trade, investment and technology.

Feeding-frenzy coverage offensive

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 12:22:00 PST

Japanese men more than willing

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 12:23:00 PST

Regarding James Guthrie's Nov. 8 letter, "Couples' weak pursuit of romance": As someone blissfully married to a Japanese guy, I am always amused by this sort of opinion. I have yet to figure out why so many non-Japanese males feel the need to inflate their ego this way. Most of the ones I have met who make such comments have no male Japanese friends.
It seems to me that the issue of declining rates of childbirth is mostly due to social circumstances such as lack of child care, a stagnant economy, etc. It seems to me that Japanese males are more than willing to "step up to the plate."

Income gap can sicken rich and poor

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 12:24:00 PST

Income disparities may lead to poor health and death not only among the poor but also wealthier people due to increased stress, according to research released Wednesday in the British Medical Journal.
The disparities could result in 1.54 million extra deaths in 15 countries, including 23,000 extra deaths in Japan, according to the research estimates presented by the group, including Naoki Kondo, assistant professor at Yamanashi University's medical school.

German goalkeeper Enke killed by train

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 12:25:00 PST

HANOVER, Germany (AP) Germany goalkeeper Robert Enke left behind a suicide note, police said Wednesday, one day after the 32-year-old was hit by a train.
Enke died Tuesday night when he was struck outside Hanover, where he played his club soccer. His agent has said it was a suicide.

Elpida outsources more memory chip output to Taiwan maker

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 12:26:00 PST

Elpida Memory Inc. said Wednesday it has signed an accord to transfer technology and outsource production of high-performance memory chips to Taiwan-based Winbond Electronics Corp.
The deal puts Elpida, a key global producer of dynamic random access memory chips, in a tieup with another DRAM maker after recently forging a similar partnership with ProMOS Technologies Inc. of Taiwan.

Giants to host Yakult in opener

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 12:27:00 PST

The Japan Series champion Yomiuri Giants will host a three-game series against the Tokyo Yakult Swallows at Tokyo Dome when the Central League opens the 2010 regular season on March 26, the league said Wednesday.
In the other opening matchups, the Chunichi Dragons will take on the Hiroshima Carp at Nagoya Dome while the Hanshin Tigers will face the Yokohama BayStars at Kyocera Dome.

Japan ready for dress rehearsal

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 12:28:00 PST

National team manager Takeshi Okada was not impressed by the weakened squads Scotland and Togo rustled up for last month's friendlies, but motivation is hardly likely to be an issue for this weekend's opponent.
Japan plays World Cup host South Africa in Port Elizabeth on Saturday, with the "Bafana Bafana" desperate to start building some long-awaited momentum before the tournament begins next June.

Nuggets edge Bulls on replay decision

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 12:29:00 PST

CHICAGO (AP) Chauncey Billups sat and laughed, figuring the Denver Nuggets would celebrate soon enough. In the meantime, the Chicago Bulls were having their moment.
Billups hit the go-ahead free throw with six-tenths of a second left and Denver beat Chicago 90-89 on Tuesday night after a potential winning jumper by Brad Miller was overturned following a lengthy replay review.

Japan, Peru agree to work on EPA

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 12:30:00 PST

Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama and Peruvian President Alan Garcia have agreed to move forward on an economic partnership agreement that is being negotiated and to strengthen bilateral cooperation in assisting small and midsize firms.
During a two-day visit by Garcia to Japan, the two countries also exchanged diplomatic notes that would lead a bilateral investment treaty to take effect Dec. 10, the Foreign Ministry said.

Short-but-difficult Heath promises to test Woods' game

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 12:31:00 PST

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) Tiger Woods finished his first full practice round Wednesday in front another massive crowd at Kingston Heath on the eve of the Australian Masters.
The sun-baked fans let out a cheer when Woods pulled his driver from the bag, a rarity here on the shortest golf course he has played all year.

Dig in Nara, not Kyushu, yields palatial ruins possibly of Himiko

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 12:32:00 PST

KASHIHARA, Nara Pref. (Kyodo) Archaeologists have found the remains of a structure dating back to the early third century in Nara Prefecture that could be a palace of legendary ruler Queen Himiko, a local board of education said Tuesday.
The board said it estimates a stilt house with a total floor space of some 238 sq. meters was located in the so-called Makimuku ruins in the current city of Sakurai, and the remains are believed to be the largest at that time period.

Machinery orders rise 10.5%

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 12:33:00 PST

Core private-sector machinery orders rose a much larger than expected 10.5 percent in September on a seasonally adjusted basis, underscoring improving corporate appetite for fresh business investment amid pickups in exports and production.
Core machinery orders, which exclude volatile ones such as those for ships and from electric utilities, increased to ¥738.0 billion for the second straight month of increase.

Chiba cops start grilling Ichihashi

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 12:34:00 PST

CHIBA (Kyodo) Tatsuya Ichihashi was carrying two gun-shaped mace canisters and about ¥300,000 in cash when he was arrested Tuesday in Osaka after more than 2 1/2 years on the run, investigative sources said Wednesday.
Chiba Prefectural Police investigators began questioning Ichihashi, 30, Wednesday morning, about the circumstances leading to the 2007 slaying of Lindsay Ann Hawker, 22, and about the mace. But he has so far volunteered little information.

Fuel-cell cars begin demo run

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 12:35:00 PST

Three Japanese-made vehicles powered by fuel cells set out Wednesday on a 1,100-km run from Tokyo to Fukuoka to demonstrate they can go as far as gasoline-powered cars per fill-up.
The FCHV-adv of Toyota Motor Corp., the X-Trail FCV of Nissan Motor Co. and the FCX Clarity of Honda Motor Co. drove off after executives from the companies and senior government officials held a ceremony at the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry.

Record amount misspent in '08, widened audit finds

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 12:36:00 PST

Government offices and publicly funded corporations improperly spent a record ¥236.45 billion in taxpayer money through 717 accounting gimmicks in fiscal 2008, the Board of Audit said Wednesday.
The sum was almost double the previous year's ¥125.36 billion due to inclusion of surpluses in the government's special accounts and other funds deemed "not being used effectively." They accounted for more than 40 percent of the total, the board said.

Informants to split ¥10 million bounty on fugitive

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 12:37:00 PST

Police plan to split the ¥10 million reward among multiple informants who helped lead to the Tuesday evening collar of Tatsuya Ichihashi in Osaka, marking the first such payout since the bounty system was introduced in April 2007, a National Police Agency official said.
The ¥10 million is the highest offered among the 17 cases for which the NPA currently offers bounties, ranging from ¥1 million for information about identified suspects to ¥3 million for those who are unidentified.

Toyota looks to close 300 domestic dealers

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 12:38:00 PST

NAGOYA (Kyodo) Toyota Motor Corp. plans to close some 300 dealerships across Japan over the next three years amid a shrinking domestic market, sources said.
Toyota plans to support voluntary efforts of about 290 sales companies to consolidate or close their outlets, which currently total about 4,900 nationwide, the sources said.

Yoshida buys Azeri for $2.25 million

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 12:39:00 PST

LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) Horse of the Year Azeri brought $2.25 million Tuesday in the opening session of the Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale.
Shunsuke Yoshida purchased the 11-year-old mare in foal to Distorted Humor on behalf of his family's Northern Farm.

Obana to manage BayStars

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 12:40:00 PST

YOKOHAMA (Kyodo) The Yokohama BayStars on Wednesday announced the appointment of Takao Obana as their manager for next season.
The 52-year-old Obana, who served as the Yomiuri Giants' pitching coach for four years through 2009, will manage a team for the first time.

Credit card data leak may affect 230,000: Alico

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 12:41:00 PST

American International Group Inc.'s Japan arm, at the center of the country's worst fiasco involving fraudulent use of credit cards, admitted Wednesday that 230,000 of its card-holding customers may have had their data leaked to unauthorized outsiders and a Chinese service provider may be involved.
The significant leap from the 18,000 cases announced by Alico Japan in September came to light after the insurer expanded the scope of its internal investigation to other types of credit cards that were not subject to an earlier probe, company officials said in Tokyo.

New nonbureaucrat body starts cutting away at budget requests

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 12:42:00 PST

Shifting away from the long-held practice of bureaucrats examining budget requests, the Government Revitalization Unit led by Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama on Wednesday took over the task and began looking for ways to pare ministries' funding demands for fiscal 2010.
Amid a sharp fall in tax revenue, around 80 members of the body chosen from among the ruling coalition and the private sector will examine 447 public projects until Nov. 27 at a gym in Ichigaya.

Judge rules Vick can keep bonuses

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 12:43:00 PST

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) A federal appeals court backed the judge who ruled against the NFL and let quarterback Michael Vick keep more than $16 million in roster bonuses from the Atlanta Falcons.
The 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Tuesday affirmed Judge David Doty's order saying Vick had already earned the bonuses before his dogfighting conviction, so the money wasn't subject to forfeiture.

Afghan aid plan welcome: Clinton to Okada

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 12:44:00 PST

SINGAPORE (Kyodo) Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada and U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton affirmed tieups Wednesday in the reconstruction of Afghanistan, with Clinton welcoming Japan's new aid plan for the country worth $5 billion.
Okada told reporters after meeting with Clinton in Singapore that the two also agreed to reach a bilateral conclusion on the relocation of a U.S. Marine Corps base in Okinawa "as quickly as possible" through a new ministerial-level working group set up Tuesday.

Terakawa sets new national record

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 12:45:00 PST

Aya Terakawa rewrote her Japanese short-course record in the women's 50-meter backstroke at a World Cup meet in Stockholm on Tuesday.
Terakawa came home in fourth place in a time of 26.13 seconds, trimming 0.19 second off her previous mark of 26.32 recorded on Saturday. Chinese swimmer Zhao Jing improved her own short-course world record by 0.26 to win in 25.82.

Sakai to study welfare at university

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 12:46:00 PST

MAEBASHI, Gunma Pref. (Kyodo) Pop idol-turned-actress Noriko Sakai, who was convicted of stimulant drug use and possession, has been accepted at a university in Gunma Prefecture to study welfare, the university said Tuesday.
The 38-year-old has passed the entrance examination for the social work department at Souzou Gakuen University and has already completed admission procedures.

Attempts to hide identity were Ichihashi's undoing

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 12:47:00 PST

After two years and seven months on the run, it was murder suspect Tatsuya Ichihashi's repeated bids for cosmetic surgery that finally got the police on his trail after many previous failed attempts.
Ichihashi, 30, suspected of slaying Briton Lindsay Ann Hawker in 2007 in Chiba Prefecture, finally left a trail when he appeared at a clinic in Nagoya for plastic surgery in late October. Later, it was revealed that he had attempted to have another operation in a hospital in Fukuoka Prefecture.

Leclaire solid as Sens beat Oilers

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 12:48:00 PST

OTTAWA (AP) Jason Spezza scored the deciding goal in the shootout, but Pascal Leclaire won the game for the Ottawa Senators.
Leclaire made 31 saves, and the Senators twice came from behind for a 4-3 win over the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday.

Base relocation remains thorn in side of Japan-U.S. ties

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 12:49:00 PST

OSAKA — On April 12, 1996, Okinawa Gov. Masahide Ota was meeting with prefectural officials when Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto telephoned with big news.
"It's been decided that Futenma will be returned. However, a replacement facility will probably be necessary. Please cooperate," Hashimoto told Ota. The governor, however, told Hashimoto he'd have to discuss the issue with other prefectural officials.

Futenma's defenders stress its regional security role

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 12:50:00 PST

Second of two parts
With U.S. President Barack Obama coming to Tokyo on Friday, debate is heating up in Japan on what do about the U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma in Ginowan, Okinawa.

JAL retirees demand details on pension cut

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 12:51:00 PST

A group of Japan Airlines Corp. retirees asked transport minister Seiji Maehara on Wednesday to provide a better explanation of the government's plan to cut JAL's pension benefits and urged that the issue be resolved via discussions and not through a special law.
"We have been asking to resolve this issue through discussion," but opportunities have not been provided, said Tsutomu Watanabe, a representative of the JAL retiree group that was formed to study possible revisions to JAL's pension program.

Suspect's parents relieved

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 12:52:00 PST

GIFU (Kyodo) The parents of murder suspect Tatsuya Ichihashi said Wednesday they were happy he was finally arrested after more than two years on the lam.
"I'm relieved that he was arrested. He caused us pain," Ichihashi's 58-year-old father said at a news conference in Hatori, Gifu Prefecture. "It was painful to watch him (on TV) being mobbed" by reporters.

Oita turns to J. League for help

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 12:53:00 PST

OITA (Kyodo) Cash-strapped Oita Trinita will ask the J. League for financial assistance following the Kyushu club's recent relegation to the second division, Oita said Wednesday.
Oita plans to borrow from a special J. League fund set up for clubs in financial difficulties, making it the first team from the top flight to be bailed out of trouble. Oita did not divulge the amount but it is thought to be in the region of ¥200 million.

Ichiro wins Gold Glove for ninth straight year

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 12:54:00 PST

NEW YORK (AP) Seattle Mariners right fielder Ichiro Suzuki and Los Angeles Angels center fielder Torii Hunter received Gold Gloves for the ninth straight year in the American League on Tuesday.
Ichiro and Hunter are one shy of the AL record for outfielders, shared by Ken Griffey Jr. and Hall of Famer Al Kaline.

Geithner praises Hatoyama tack

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 12:55:00 PST

Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama's new economic policies focused on boosting domestic demand are "very encouraging" as they are perfectly in line with major countries' ongoing efforts to aim for more balanced and sustainable growth, visiting U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner said Wednesday.
"I think the broad direction that the prime minister's laid out is very encouraging," Geithner said in a group interview with reporters at the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo, adding there are "early signs of a stronger domestic demand-led economy."

Adults need only one H1N1 shot

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 12:56:00 PST

The number of swine flu shots administered to adults should be reduced from two to one, a health ministry panel said Wednesday, citing a clinical study that shows the second shot is largely ineffective.
The change, if formally approved by the Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry, would help shorten the time required to inoculate the public as the H1N1 flu rapidly spreads in the face of an overall shortage of domestically produced vaccine.

Minamata victim seeks meeting with Obama

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 12:57:00 PST

OSAKA — A 53-year-old Minamata disease victim who appeared in a magazine article that deeply moved a young Barack Obama has written to the U.S. president, requesting a meeting when he visits Tokyo on Friday.
In his book, "Dreams From My Father," which was published before he became president, Obama describes how as a young boy he saw a photo of a Minamata victim with her mother in a bath in the June 1972 edition of Life magazine.