author

 
 

Meta

Internal Submission
Reader Mail
Mar 16, 2017
Creative people deserve their pay
Regarding the Sound Off column titled "Militant approach to collecting fees hurts JASRAC's reputation" in the March 13 edition, beauty salons don't give away haircuts. Cafes charge for their coffee. Music schools collect tuition for instruction.
LIFE / Language / MORNING ENGLISH
Mar 13, 2017
Let's discuss making home deliveries easier
Major courier firm Yamato Transport Co. hopes to implement measures to ease the burden on delivery drivers and improve their working conditions.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Mar 13, 2017
Japan's decluttering guru Kondo now has an app for tidying up
The newest tool for internationally acclaimed organizing guru Marie Kondo in her global battle against messy rooms is an app.
Reader Mail
Mar 10, 2017
Men can also fall victim to domestic abuse
"Standing up to domestic violence" in the March 5 edition was the second such article published in your paper in the past year or so.
Reader Mail
Mar 10, 2017
Ishihara's 'Trump move' over Toyosu
Ever since Yuriko Koike took over as governor of Tokyo, she's had to deal with incompetence passed down from her predecessors. The fish market move from Tsukiji to Toyosu is no exception.
Reader Mail
Mar 10, 2017
Kishida visit didn't help Okinawa
Regarding the article "Kishida tells Onaga he will help Okinawa reel in foreign tourists" in the Feb. 27 edition, Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida deflected from the real issue Okinawa wanted to hear about during his visit.
Reader Mail
Mar 3, 2017
Save the oceans, but within reason
The authors of the opinion piece "Fighting the good fight for ocean health" in the Feb. 19 edition stress the need for funding worldwide climate initiatives and for keeping the efforts funded. To ensure that every country pays, they call for financing plans and monitoring. They also say "the oceans must...
Reader Mail
Mar 3, 2017
How young are you — really?
The senior citizen population of Japan is increasing. I often hear from elderly people that "we feel are getting older, yet we know our mental age remains the same."
LIFE / Language / MORNING ENGLISH
Feb 27, 2017
Let's discuss a new, cheaper breast cancer test
Researchers say they have developed a method to assess the risk of breast or ovarian cancer through genetic checking that is 10 times cheaper than the current way.
Reader Mail
Feb 24, 2017
Firms, pay heed to where your ads show up
Regarding the Feb. 13 story "Weaponized buying as shoppers weigh boycott calls over firms' political stands," I ventured into the minefield known as Breitbart News.
Reader Mail
Feb 24, 2017
'Big Tobacco' is at it again in Japan
The health ministry's moves to consider exceptions to restrictions on smoking for small restaurants and bars reflects political slight of hand. This isn't about restaurant and bar businesses; it's about tobacco's business.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Companies
Feb 23, 2017
Ghosn taps veteran executive Saikawa to replace him as Nissan CEO
Nissan Motor chief Carlos Ghosn picks Hiroto Saikawa to take over so he can focus on revamping struggling Mitsubishi Motors while also running French carmaker Renault.
LIFE / Language / MORNING ENGLISH
Feb 20, 2017
Let's discuss the flu season
The influenza season is in full force, with an estimated 2.01 million people across the nation seeking treatment during a single week recently.
Reader Mail
Feb 17, 2017
Entertainment biz has role in bullying
The high rate of bullying in Japan leads to a high suicide rate among teenagers. A large contributing factor to this issue is how Japanese comedy and entertainment is based off of making fun of others, whether it is fat-shaming or remarks against different types of people.
LIFE / Language / MORNING ENGLISH
Feb 13, 2017
Let's discuss bans on smoking
The health ministry is considering a legal revision banning smoking in public areas to help bring Japan's battle against secondhand smoke in line with the global standard ahead of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
Reader Mail
Feb 10, 2017
Abe missing the mark on solving labor shortage
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is in a pinch. In the face of a declining population and the ever-growing lack of eligible workers, it seems only natural that immigration law reform would be on his to-do list.
Reader Mail
Feb 10, 2017
Clarification on Singapore Biennale
I am writing in response to your article on the Singapore Biennale by John L. Tran ("Biennale takes good hard look in mirror" in the Jan. 29 edition), in which an intervention by myself at the Biennale symposium is cited. This fine piece sets out the challenges facing the Singapore Biennale as it moves...
Reader Mail
Feb 10, 2017
Pacific War book review falls short
While I am grateful to The Japan Times for reviewing my book, "International Relations and the Origins of the Pacific War" in the Feb. 5 edition, I take exception to some of the criticisms leveled against my book by the reviewer, particularly toward the unequivocal comment that my chronological narrative...
Reader Mail
Feb 10, 2017
Standing up to Trump the bully
Regarding "JAL bars some fliers from U.S. flights" (Feb. 4), it's been decades if not centuries since such prejudice has so blatantly ruled the White (only) House. Using JAL as an instrument to impose his hatred, Donald Trump is already fulfilling his mandate as the world's worst white supremacist.
Reader Mail
Feb 10, 2017
Japan's unique sense of purpose
Regarding the Big in Japan column titled "Does contemporary Japan need religion?" in the Feb. 5 edition, it is rare that a nation can mold itself to pursue a common objective over a prolonged period of time.

Longform

After the asset-price bubble crash of the early 1990s, employment at a Japanese company was no longer necessarily for life. As a result, a new generation is less willing to endure a toxic work culture —life’s too short, after all.
How Japan's youth are slowly changing the country's work ethic