In The News

Ban Sale of Ramin: Lobby Group

Evelyn Shih July 15, 2004
The logging of Indonesian ramin wood, a material used in such products as pool cues and picture frames, has largely been made illegal by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) because it contributes to the destruction of endangered rainforests and the orangutans that call them home. To ensure proper management of the forests, the Indonesian government has approved a...

Japan's Equivocal Defence Posture

July 13, 2004
Japan’s most recent defense report states that the greatest threats to Japanese security are diffuse and include terrorism and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. As such, the new Defense White Paper recommends Tokyo pursue regional cooperation. At the same time, however, the paper also cites regional powers such as North Korea, China, and Russia as potential security threats. By...

US Troop Pullout Will Hit South Korean Economy

Lee Tee Jong July 13, 2004
Plans to slash the number of American troops stationed in South Korea may have adverse economic effects on an already ailing local economy. Though a timetable has not yet been set, the current troop presence of 37,000 is to be cut by 12,500. The withdrawal, says this article in Singapore's Straits Times, will likely result in a loss of jobs by thousands of Koreans employed by the US and...

International AIDS Conference: Prime Minister Heckled at Opening

Phermsak Lilakul July 12, 2004
Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra was accused of being a liar when he pledged equal medical access for AIDS patients at the 15th International Aids Conference in Thailand. Controversy at the opening ceremonies centered around the Prime minister’s three-month-long, all-out war on drugs last year that resulted in the questionable deaths of more than 2,500 people. In Thailand, intravenous...

US Shrimpers Still Carping

Jane Bussey July 7, 2004
The shrimping industry across eight Southern US states has filed antidumping complaints against countries in both Latin America and Asia. On Tuesday two of those complaints, against China and Vietnam, were recognized as legitimate when the US Commerce Department's International Trade Administration recommended punitive duties. Though these duties cannot be imposed without a final ruling by...

Exporting Animation a Huge Japanese Success Story

Hiroko Nakata July 7, 2004
The export of Japanese animation series, particularly to the US, continues to grow both in terms of hours of animation and number of series. Along with related products such as video games and toys, export of these programs has brought considerable lucre to the island nation. Pokemon and Yu-Gi-Oh! have become household names in many American communities, but the Japanese language vocabulary of...

Asian Music, Accompanied by the A Train

Yilu Zhao July 6, 2004
In China, traditional musicians face the two-fold threat of florescent pop music and a gradual drying of government funding, both of which have led to a decrease in demand for their craft. "While most pop music groups take in extra income by playing at clubs and parties," writes Yilu Zhao, "some traditional music ensembles… sit idle for months on end." As a result, many...