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People | CLOSE-UP Jun 3, 2012

Koki Mitani: Japan's Mr. Comedy

by Nobuko Tanaka

Koki Mitani is far and away the nation's best-known dramatist. Although theater is quite a niche medium here, most people in Japan — whether male or female, young or not so young, Japanese or not — recognize his face, even if they couldn't name ...

People | CLOSE-UP May 6, 2012

Richard Collasse: Sold on brand Japan

by Eriko Arita

In Tokyo's high-end Ginza district, the Chanel Building stands out among the luxury fashion boutiques and global brands' emporiums thanks to its shining black-glass exterior. To go inside Chanel's flagship shop in Japan is, for the normal hom sap, however, to be overwhelmed by the ...