The Wasted Asset (Cover Story)
Japanese women are smart and entrepreneurial, so why is so little effort made to harness their talents?

Japan's Me Generation (Cover Story)
More companies are designing products and services geared for the Japanese woman

When No Choice is a Good One (Cover Story)
A girl's guide to finding happiness in Japan


Why eBay Must Win In China
The potential is enormous. But Alibaba's deal with Yahoo! is a huge threat

Rising Sunlight
How Japan's lack of oil helped make it the world leader in solar panels


Hold Your Fire
Sri Lanka's government and the separatist L.T.T.E inch closer to peace

The Great Chinese Bank Run
Foreign instistutions are snapping up stakes in Chinese banks—but not without some risk

Real Men, Rapping for their Country
Admist accusations that training is too harsh, South Korea's military cuts a new CD

Milestones

Verbatim

Letters

Have Swords, Will Pack Theaters
Tsui Hark's martial-arts epic Seven Swords won't make audiences think, but it will bust the box office

For Argument's Sake
Nobel laureate Amartya Sen's new book claims that debate has always been a vital part of Indian culture

Remastering the Record (Arts/Exhibition)
Art story or history? Artifact or artifice? Michael Stevenson recreates the relics of a painter's voyage, with unsettling results


Desert Storm (TIME Global Adviser)
In its 19th year, the Burning Man festival still remains commercial free

Let RSS Go Fetch (TIME Global Adviser)
Free software can help surfers keep track of their favorite blogs and news websites

Inner City Oasis (TIME Global Adviser)
Langham Place Hotel is situated in the "real" Hong Kong

Top Dog (TIME Global Adviser)
Hot dogs are a Chicago specialty. Here's where to find the city's best