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August 15, 2025

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Reader Mail

Sep 17, 2014

A long way from what we were

Regarding Anotole Kaletsky's Sept. 9 article, "As the chances of a U.K. split grow, the true costs become more clear": As a citizen of the Irish Republic, I was disheartened to read his portrayal of "Europe's most durable nation" [Britain] as one not to have suffered invasion, revolution or civil war...

Reader Mail

Sep 17, 2014

Aim of annual achievement tests

Regarding the Sept. 14 editorial, "Test scores can't tell all about kids": It is true, of course, that disclosure of student scores is not the purpose of the annual nationwide achievement tests. The purpose is for educators to use the results wisely in improving children's abilities. The education ministry...

MORE SPORTS

Sep 14, 2014

Merritt shines at Continental Cup

LaShawn Merritt romped to victory in the 400 meters at the IAAF Continental Cup in Marrakech, Morocco, on Saturday as the Americans opened the defense of the title they won four years ago.

Japan Times

COMMENTARY / World / SENTAKU MAGAZINE

Sep 14, 2014

Next consumption tax raise painting Abe into a corner

Ever since the Cabinet Office released preliminary figures last month that showed an annualized 6.8 percent decline in first-quarter GDP, a war of nerves has flared up between the prime minister's office and the Finance Ministry. The next consumption tax hike could be delayed.

BUSINESS / Economy / 'SUMMER DAVOS' SPECIAL 2014

Sep 10, 2014

Young global leaders focus energy and knowledge on better future for all

The Forum of Young Global Leaders (YGLs), created in 2004, is a unique community formed by the most exceptional leaders from every region of the world and every stakeholder in society. These honorees have committed their energy and knowledge to the most critical issues facing humankind. Already successful...

Reader Mail

Sep 10, 2014

The stripes of Abe's real policies

Regarding the Sept. 5 editorial "Keep a close eye on new Cabinet" and the Sept. 6 editorial "Biggest defense budget requests": The painted mask on Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's policies is worn thin. We see that, like the appointment of five women to his reshuffled Cabinet, the true nature of his intentions...

Reader Mail

Sep 10, 2014

Desperate people of Fukushima

In the Sept. 8 Kyodo article "Suicide consultations in Tohoku disaster areas on the rise: report," The Japan Times contents itself with the banality of statistics. The paper should help the reader understand why so many disaster victims in the Tohoku region feel so desperate. Do people there think the...

Reader Mail

Sep 10, 2014

Indispensable British-U.S. effort

I take issue with Gregory Clark's blanket statement in his Aug. 22 article, "How WWII could have ended," that "anyone who believes the Western powers did much to bring about that defeat [of Nazi Germany] has been watching too many Normandy documentaries and 'Saving Private Ryan' films."

Reader Mail

Sep 6, 2014

Ratings climb on Sotloff video

CNN [last week] showed the video of the beheading of American journalist Steven Sotloff just as it had shown the video of the beheading of James Foley last month. Before showing the video of Sotloff, a CNN news anchor cautioned that the video was distressing but that she would show it anyway, as Americans...

Reader Mail

Sep 3, 2014

Cram schools have their place

The Aug. 31 editorial "Is it twilight for cram schools?"made me think of young people's education and the future of Japan. The editorial points out that at cram schools "students learned how to compete with people rather than cooperate."

Reader Mail

Sep 3, 2014

Import foreign universities

In his Aug. 28 letter, "Why universities can't compete," Alok Singh challenges professor Takamitsu Sawa's assessment (Aug. 25) that Japanese universities have failed to develop because of financial disparities in professors' pay and status.

Reader Mail

Sep 3, 2014

A disaster waiting to happen

Watching the TV news of the Hiroshima landslide disaster (Aug. 20), I felt anger at those responsible for issuing evacuation warnings, sorrow and pity for the poor victims who were incapable of evacuating on their own initiative, and amazement at the lack of emergency planning, etc.

Japan Times

JAPAN

Sep 1, 2014

Chibatman forever: Dark Knight cosplayer makes social media smile

Batman has been spotted on the roads of Chiba, or to be more, precise, a Japanese man who has gone great lengths to emulate the Bat look, complete with a customized costume and a three-wheeled motorcycle

COMMENTARY / Japan / SENTAKU MAGAZINE

Aug 31, 2014

Abe faces roadblock this fall

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe appears to be approaching a roadblock this fall in the form of defeat in the Okinawa gubernatorial election, possible chaos over the relocation of Futenma air station and mounting sentiment throughout Japan against U.S. military bases.

Reader Mail

Aug 27, 2014

Why universities can't compete

In his Aug. 25 article, "Japan's universities can't win," professor Takamitsu Sawa has once again written on the all-important topic of university education in Japan. He emphasizes that the noncompetitiveness of Japanese universities internationally is due to relatively poorer funding, especially by...

Reader Mail

Aug 27, 2014

See that changes fit the culture

Professor Takamitsu Sawa is an economist who should know better than to use statistics to extrapolate conclusions that could be misleading or erroneous. In his Aug. 25 article, he neither indicates tuition costs at European universities nor makes comparisons with EU dormitory housing.

Reader Mail

Aug 27, 2014

Bank's customers deserve better

Regarding the Aug. 20 Kyodo article "Citibank Japan to withdraw from retail banking business": Both Japanese and foreign customers of Citibank Japan should pressure the bank to remain in Japan. As most U.S. corporations show zero long-term loyalty to a local community, the bank's departure would not...

Reader Mail

Aug 27, 2014

Dining outdoors Italian style

The usage of the expression "al fresco" to indicate eating outdoors, as in Robbie Swinnerton's Aug. 20 presentation of "Bakka: Neapolitan-style pizza al fresco in the heart of Shibuya," is really starting to bother me.

Japan Times

MULTIMEDIA

Aug 26, 2014

[VIDEO] Street dancing at Super Yosakoi 2014

This year, the Super Yosakoi event attracted 98 dance teams from all across Japan. Over the weekend of Aug .23-24, approximately 6,000 team members of all ages strutted their stuff on stages and boulevards in Tokyo's Harajuku and Omotesando area. Here are highlights from the festival's climax: a continuous four-hour parade of dance, song and smiles.

Japan Times

MULTIMEDIA

Aug 26, 2014

[SLIDESHOW] Street dancing at Super Yosakoi 2014

This year, the Super Yosakoi event attracted 98 dance teams from all across Japan. Over the weekend of Aug .23-24, approximately 6,000 team members of all ages strutted their stuff on stages and boulevards in Tokyo's Harajuku and Omotesando area. Here are highlights from the festival's climax: a continuous four-hour parade of dance, song and smiles.

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

Kabukicho: Tokyo’s ‘stadium of desire’

Members of the nonprofit group Japan Youth Memorial Association search for the remains of dead soldiers in a cave in Okinawa Prefecture in February.

The long search for Japan’s lost soldiers

By Tomoko Otake

SUSTAINABLE JAPAN

Smile! It’s ‘Sanrio Time,’ now and ever after

Smile! It’s ‘Sanrio Time,’ now and ever after

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