Friday 26 April 2013

Globe-trotting Abe has energy on the brain

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is embarking on a diplomatic quest from Sunday that will take him halfway around the globe to Russia and the Middle ...

Temple in Gifu seeks elderly disciples

Shogen Junior College, a Buddhist institution in Minokamo, Gifu Prefecture, launched a unique course this month that trains elderly students to become Buddhist priests. The curriculum ...

BOJ stands pat on new monetary easing steps

The Bank of Japan on Friday put off additional monetary easing while providing optimistic predictions in its Outlook for Economic Activity and Prices report by ...

Letters written by novelist Kobo Abe are found

A series of around 30 letters that novelist and playwright Kobo Abe (1924-1993) wrote to his younger brother between 1947 and 1951 has been found, ...

Consumer prices dip fifth month in a row

Consumer prices fell 0.5 percent in March compared with the previous year, logging five consecutive months of decline and underscoring deflation's persistent grip, the internal ...

iTunes faces new challenges as it marks decade

When Apple launched its iTunes music store a decade ago amid the ashes of Napster, the music industry — reeling from the effects of online ...

Defend Japan’s interests in TPP talks

It is almost certain Japan will join the Trans-Pacific Partnership free-trade talks within 90 days. It's not clear, though, whether the TPP is good for ...

Recycling of useful metals

Only one-third of Japan's municipalities are set to begin a recycling program for smaller electronic devices such as cellphones, PCs and game machines.

Korematsu highlights danger of waiving constitutional rights

The 1944 U.S. Supreme Court affirmation of the wartime power to intern "enemy" racial groups provides a sober reminder after the Boston bombings.

Trendsetting restaurateurs succeed in bringing bit of Bohemia to Osaka

You're in a breezy, open space, bathed in light. Frothy indoor plants and burnished wood surrounds vibrant splashes of azure. While sipping a "green fairy," ...

Carping on carp

Whenever you find someone tossing bits of bread into a pond, you have to assume this: Something's fishy. "Fish?" the guys snorts. "These aren't fish. They're carp. ...

Ozaki stumbles to 1-over 72

A day after setting the Tsuruya Open on its ear with an opening round of 9-under-par 62, 66-year-old Jumbo Ozaki came back to earth on ...

AJ Foyt Racing deserves credit for IndyCar victory: Sato

Takuma Sato says joining AJ Foyt Racing put him in position to become the first Japanese driver to win an IndyCar race. Sato returned to Japan ...

Ardija stretch unbeaten streak to 19

Milivoje Novakovic scores twice and Omiya Ardija defeats Kashiwa Reysol 4-0, avoiding a loss for the 19th straight J. League match.

Kuroda stays poised for win

Blue Jays manager John Gibbons had no idea why the umpires were meeting on the infield grass to discuss a close play at first base ...

Sharapova fights past Safarova in marathon

Top-seeded Maria Sharapova needed three sets and more than three hours Thursday in her clay-court season debut to overcome Lucie Safarova of the Czech Republic ...

Hiroshima’s Hirose reaches bases 15th consecutive time, an NPB record, in win over Dragons

Jun Hirose went 4-for-4 to set a Nippon Professional Baseball record by reaching base for the 15th consecutive time in the Hiroshima Carp's 3-2 win ...