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Reader Mail

Jun 23, 2013

Various languages merit study

I would like to comment on Gary Henscheid's June 16 letter, "Improving English education." I fully support his suggestions to make English an elective and to have the education ministry expand programs for studying abroad.

Reader Mail

Jun 23, 2013

Term likens 'slaves' to livestock

The author of the June 12 article "San Francisco spurned Hashimoto amid sex slave outrage" might want to reconsider his choice of words in the last paragraph. One might "round up" cattle to be inspected or branded; one does not "round up" terrified young women to "serve as sex slaves in brothels serving...

Reader Mail

Jun 23, 2013

Government forgets its priorities

I totally agree with the June 11 editorial "Cease promoting nuclear power." I am neither an expert on nuclear technology nor an anti-nuclear activist, to be sure, but one thing I can easily surmise is that nuclear technology is not so much hard to deal with as it is fatal.

Reader Mail

Jun 20, 2013

Foreign meddling led to wars

Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair's June 13 article, "The trouble within Islam," is dripping with unintended irony. He slams the Mideast, Muslim countries particularly, for being incompatible with a modern, pluralistic world. The problem with this is that the Middle East is a huge chunk of our...

Reader Mail

Jun 20, 2013

Globalization? So much blather

Regarding the June 16 editorial, "Too many inward-looking students": As a retired professor, I still teach part time at two supposedly elite institutions. Frankly I am looking forward to giving it all up so that I will no longer have to gnash my aging teeth over students who seem to cultivate blissful...

Reader Mail

Jun 20, 2013

Background of official's outburst

An online comment points out that my June 13 letter, "Medieval standard of decorum," contained an error regarding remarks by Hideaki Ueda, Japan's human rights ambassador to the United Nations. In fact, after exhorting other diplomats in the room (where the U.N. Committee Against Torture was meeting...

Reader Mail

Jun 20, 2013

India and Japan are different

Regarding the May 29 article "Japan and India are 'natural' partners, [Manmohan] Singh says in Tokyo": We have been hearing that Japan and India are "natural partners" for decades. As a serious admirer of Japan, I do hope things turn out well in the near future for both countries, although trade stands...

Reader Mail

Jun 20, 2013

Squash: an Olympic contender

The May 31 wire services report from St. Petersburg, Russia, titled "Wrestling faces off with baseball, squash in bid to return to Olympics," makes much of the chances for wrestling and baseball/softball being shortlisted for inclusion in future Olympic Games, but barely mentions the third contender...

Reader Mail

Jun 20, 2013

Nuclear exports mind-boggling

I just can't understand why Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh signed a joint statement to promote talks to conclude a cooperation pact to have India acquire Japanese nuclear technology and equipment.

Reader Mail

Jun 20, 2013

Alternative view from Wales

May I comment on the June 14 report "Wales touts Hitachi reactors," which focused on the intention of Hitachi Ltd.'s subsidiary Horizon Nuclear Power to build a nuclear power station at Wylfa on the island of Anglesey, Wales?

Japan Times

COMMUNITY / Voices / HOTLINE TO NAGATACHO

Jun 18, 2013

Mr. Mayor, tear down this smoking area and make Toshima a true 'safe community'

To Yukio Takano, Mayor of Toshima Ward, Tokyo:

Reader Mail

Jun 16, 2013

'Mysogynists' hijacking Japan

Regarding the June 8 Kyodo article "Forcibly recruited Korean sex slaves a myth: lawmaker": Swarms of Japanese misogynistic morons seem to inhabit the Nippon Ishin no Kai (Japan Restoration Party). Is there something in the water?

Reader Mail

Jun 16, 2013

It's elementary: Build confidence

Regarding Philip Brasor's May 5 Media Mix article, "Media weighs in on LDP's English education plan": I think creating more opportunities for young students to come in contact with native English-language speakers is the most effective way to help students use English.

Reader Mail

Jun 16, 2013

Improving English education

Regarding recent articles and letters relating to English education in Japan: Having taught English in high schools and universities here for the past 13 years, it's encouraging to see the education ministry taking a few modest steps toward improving English-language education such as by starting lessons...

Reader Mail

Jun 16, 2013

Just a friendly survey of the gods

Regarding Amy Chavez's June 1 column, "Everyone's own path to enlightenment": I am always fascinated by Chavez's essays and look forward to the next one each Saturday. In the June 1 column, by my interpretation, she wants to express her opinion that Buddhism is easy to access and very generous to its...

Reader Mail

Jun 16, 2013

Stop crying wolf about China

Regarding Michael Richardson's June 6 article, "China's troubling core interests": Richardson is again beating the "China threat" drum as if repeating this theme over and over will somehow convince others of its verity.

Reader Mail

Jun 16, 2013

Condition of the Crown Princess

The June 11 Kyodo story "Crown Prince marks two decades of marriage, happy wife is on the mend" continues the parade of euphemisms about the Crown Princess and the Imperial Household Agency.

Reader Mail

Jun 16, 2013

The culture of sexual predation

Paul Gaysford, in his June 6 letter, "Sense of brotherhood toward all" (a response to my May 30 letter, "Myth of the willing prostitute"), avoids the issue at hand.

Reader Mail

Jun 13, 2013

Principled bargaining over islets

As someone who has been a guest in Japan for a relatively short time, I find some of the culture unfamiliar, as doubtless many a Japanese citizen would find it so in my country — especially the likely method of handling the dispute over the Senkaku Islands.

Reader Mail

Jun 13, 2013

Medieval standard of decorum

In the June 4 article, "Rights groups tell Japan to fully tape interrogations of criminal suspects," reporter Tomohiro Osaki notes that "the U.N. Committee against Torture issued a statement pointing out that Japan's criminal justice system should do away with its traditionally strong reliance on confessions...

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

Kabukicho: Tokyo’s ‘stadium of desire’

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

By Alex K.T. Martin

SUSTAINABLE JAPAN

Looking ahead to Yokohama’s Green × Expo 2027

Looking ahead to Yokohama’s Green × Expo 2027

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