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ASIA PACIFIC

Oct 17, 2018

Tourists may soon get to walk across the Demilitarized Zone between South and North Korea

Instgramming tourists may soon get the chance to re-enact one of Asia's most iconic moments in recent memory: April's embrace between the leaders of the two Koreas.

ASIA PACIFIC

Oct 17, 2018

Nine U.N. Security Council members ask to discuss Myanmar inquiry

The chair of a United Nations inquiry that accused Myanmar's military of genocide is likely to brief the Security Council this month after Britain, France, the United States and six other members requested the meeting, diplomats said Tuesday.

WORLD / Crime & Legal

Oct 17, 2018

Robert Mueller said ready to deliver key findings in Trump probe

Special Counsel Robert Mueller is expected to issue findings on core aspects of his Russia probe soon after the November midterm elections as he faces intensifying pressure to produce more indictments or shut down his investigation, according to two U.S. officials.

WORLD / Crime & Legal

Oct 17, 2018

Sex, drugs and ... slavery? Human trafficking hidden in U.K. hotels

By Kieran Guilbert

Sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll — nothing new for the hospitality industry but British hoteliers say loud music, used condoms and alcohol could hint at something darker: modern-day slavery.

WORLD

Oct 17, 2018

Honduras and Guatemala move to stop migrant caravan after Trump threats

The organizer of a migrant caravan from Honduras was detained in Guatemala on Tuesday as the U.S. government threatened to withdraw aid from both countries and El Salvador if the flow of migrants north to the United States was not stopped.

WORLD / Science & Health

Oct 17, 2018

'Holy Grail' of lizard species born in Prague Zoo under Europe breeding program

The Prague Zoo showcased five newly born earless monitor lizards on Tuesday as part of a European breeding program aimed at boosting numbers of the nocturnal reptiles rarely observed in the wild.

WORLD

Oct 17, 2018

U.S. pilot killed as Ukrainian Su-27 air force jet crashes in training

A U.S. pilot was among two crew who died when a Ukrainian Su-27 air force fighter crashed during a training flight on Tuesday, the U.S. military said.

WORLD

Oct 17, 2018

Death toll rises to at least 29 as searches continue after Florida hurricane

Another 10 people in Florida have been confirmed dead in the wake of Hurricane Michael, bringing the number of storm-related deaths to at least 29 as rescue workers try to reach hundreds more people whose whereabouts is unknown.

WORLD / Crime & Legal

Oct 17, 2018

Trump says Saudi prince denies knowing what happened at consulate but vows probe

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that Saudi Arabia's crown prince told him he did not know what had happened in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul where dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi went missing two weeks ago.

BUSINESS / Economy

Oct 17, 2018

TPP takes back seat as Malaysia sets sights on early conclusion to RCEP trade deal

By Jesse Johnson

Malaysia is putting a premium on a free trade deal led by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, its trade minister told The Japan Times in a recent interview, while also apparently relegating the Japan-backed Trans-Pacific Partnership to the back burner for the time being.

BUSINESS / Tech

Oct 17, 2018

NTT Docomo to launch world's 'thinnest and lightest' phone in November

By Kazuaki Nagata

For years, electronics giants have been developing smartphones with increasingly larger screens. Bucking the trend for phones to be bigger and flashier is a handset set to debut next month from NTT Docomo Inc. that can fit in your business card case.

BUSINESS

Oct 17, 2018

Freeze-dried food guru engages in decades-long quest to take fare to new heights

By Alex K.T. Martin

Apply 140 milliliters of hot water on the brown rectangular block, then stir for 60 seconds and voila, a steaming plate of chicken cutlet curry — that quintessential Japanese comfort food — is resurrected from its mummified state, offering instant gratification with minimal preparation.

BUSINESS

Oct 17, 2018

China pares U.S. Treasury holdings for third month in bid to keep yuan from falling

China's holdings of U.S. Treasuries fell for a third consecutive month in August as the Asian nation struggles to prevent the yuan from weakening amid trade tensions with America.

EDITORIALS

Oct 17, 2018

What next after the consumption tax goes to 10%?

Doubts persist as to whether the hike will cover the mushrooming social security costs of the rapidly aging population.

COMMENTARY / Japan

Oct 17, 2018

The need for a skill-based approach to jobs

By Yoko Ishikura

Keidanren's easing of recruiting limitations represents a small step toward better hiring practices in Japan.

COMMENTARY / World

Oct 17, 2018

Oil and money — a combo that faces a cloudy future

By David Howell

The oil and gas industry remains one of the world's biggest and most complex. Yet it is also now becoming one of the world's shakiest.

SUMO / INSIDE SUMO

Oct 17, 2018

Kyushu Basho an underrated gem for fans

By John Gunning

Sumo's Autumn Regional Tour has reached Kansai and will continue winding its way westward until it arrives in Yamaguchi prefecture at the end of the month.

SOCCER

Oct 17, 2018

New stars shine for Samurai Blue

By Dan Orlowitz

A squad in transition following a surprisingly successful run in the World Cup. A new head coach establishing his vision. A South American opponent ranked fifth in the world. A sold-out Saitama Stadium. An impressive win that fans will look back on as having set the tone for the upcoming four-year cycle...

BASKETBALL / B. League

Oct 17, 2018

Grouses pull away late to keep B-Corsairs winless

By Ed Odeven

The Yokohama B-Corsairs entered Wednesday's game seeking their first victory of the young season.

CULTURE / Film

Oct 17, 2018

Akio Fujimoto trades drama for authenticity in film about the refugee experience

By Mark Schilling

Akio Fujimoto's "Passage of Life," a drama about the struggles of a Myanmar family in Japan and the troubled return of a mother and her children to Yangon, premiered at last year's Tokyo International Film Festival before continuing on to win honors and acclaim at more than a dozen festivals around the...

CULTURE / Film

Oct 17, 2018

'Passage of Life': A family drama that treats refugees with respect

By Mark Schilling

Hollywood films about the immigrant experience are common enough (see "The Godfather" and other classic gangster movies for examples), while Japanese films on the same topic are rare, save for those about Zainichi (ethnic Koreans) in Japan. (Among the best is Zainichi director Yoichi Sai's "Blood and...

CULTURE / Film

Oct 17, 2018

'It's Boring Here, Pick Me Up': A rural road movie with no destination

By James Hadfield

What passes for countryside in Japan is often a vast sprawl of low-rise development: chain restaurants, big-box stores, gas stations and pachinko parlors. While there's no shortage of films that have tried to capture the ennui of life in such areas, the results are often as uninspiring as the locations...

COMMUNITY / Our Lives / BLACK EYE

Oct 17, 2018

The empty seat on a crowded Japanese train: 10 years on, the 'gaijin seat' still grates

By Baye McNeil

If you're a conspicuous non-Japanese living in the country, then you've likely experienced the empty-seat phenomenon with varying frequency and intensity.

One of the many entrances to the Kabukicho neighborhood in Tokyo’s Shinjuku Ward.

Kabukicho: Tokyo’s ‘stadium of desire’

Mount Fuji is considered one of Japan's most iconic symbols and is a major draw for tourists. It's still a mountain, though, and potential hikers need to properly prepare for any climb.

What it takes to save lives on Mount Fuji

By Alex K.T. Martin

SUSTAINABLE JAPAN

Muji has been sustainable from the beginning

Muji has been sustainable from the beginning

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