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May 03, 2024
 

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Kevin Rafferty
For Kevin Rafferty's latest contributions to The Japan Times, see below:
COMMENTARY / World
Apr 3, 2014
The India democracy show
Indians are just days away from the start of the greatest democratic show on earth, as 814.5 million of them prepare to cast ballots at 930,000 polling stations between April 7 and May 12.
COMMENTARY / World
Mar 31, 2014
A path to a decent lifestyle and empowerment in India
The McKinsey Global Institute has suggested a way in which India can meet the essential needs of its population through radical but practical economic, political and social reforms.
COMMENTARY
Mar 20, 2014
Failure to pool information haunts saga of missing flight
The apparent failure of the emergency services of all countries to pool their information, in real time or at least within a day, haunts the saga of missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370.
COMMENTARY / World
Mar 11, 2014
Ukraine batters a broken world
Surely the prize for the most cynical news item of the month should go to the announcement from Oslo that Russian President Vladimir Putin has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize 2014.
COMMENTARY / World
Mar 2, 2014
Who will stop the slaughter?
Who will stand up in the world today for the millions of people whose lives are being savaged by evil men and women in states like Syria and North Korea?
COMMENTARY / World
Feb 13, 2014
Does Fed chief have a sense of duty to global economy?
Emerging markets wait to see whether new U.S. Federal Reserve chief Janet Yellen has any inkling of the international pain that American policies are causing to the global economy.
COMMENTARY / World
Jan 27, 2014
Beware, the robots are coming
If you are an accountant, real estate agent, retail shop assistant, technical writer or telemarketer. Your jobs could be in imminent danger from the rampaging bots.
COMMENTARY / World
Jan 7, 2014
Will the bitcoin bite the dust?
Bitcoin was one of Oxford Dictionaries' runners-up for the word of the year for 2013. The virtual currency has received a partial blessing from the chairman of the U.S. Federal Reserve. But will it bite the dust because of its volatility?
COMMENTARY / World
Jan 5, 2014
Thailand to court mob rule if opposition boycotts polls
Nothing will be served if Thailand's political opposition continues its campaign to boycott elections. It can only lead to a choice of mob rule or an army takeover, either of which would be disastrous.
COMMENTARY / World
Jan 3, 2014
Let's score leaders by deeds
2013 has too many anti-heroes. We need to have leading newspapers, universities or think tanks judge world leaders' performances as if they were in a league.
COMMENTARY / World
Dec 15, 2013
Time for Bangladesh to heal political wounds of the past
Bangladesh's rapid economic growth is at risk because of demonstrations and widespread anger over death penalties imposed on some Muslim leaders for their part in the 1971 war for independence.
COMMENTARY / World
Nov 28, 2013
Can Xi's reforms succeed?
Will it be possible for Xi Jinping to liberalize China's economy while trying to tighten the Communist Party's political grip?
COMMENTARY / World
Nov 12, 2013
Where is the global leadership?
Where are the clear thinkers who can dream of a plan to fix a broken global economic system, and where are the practical politicians who dare to try to shape a new world
COMMENTARY / World
Oct 31, 2013
Pros and cons of continuing the money ride for the rich
It is time for the Fed to understand that the U.S., too, is part of the global economy and to consider whether it should continue running its money ride for the rich — aka quantitative easing.
COMMENTARY / World
Oct 10, 2013
Past a papal-centric church
Pope Francis is raising eyebrows by criticizing the Catholic Church's obsession with 'small-minded rules' and narrow issues as well as its heretofore Vatican-centric view.
COMMENTARY / World
Oct 6, 2013
The rich hit back at the poor
The economic divide between the haves and the have-nots may not be as wide in the United Kindom at it is in the United States, but it is growing dangerously.
COMMENTARY / World
Sep 24, 2013
The limits of multitasking
Studies of the effects of chronic multitasking suggest that the overwhelming risk of letting no task go untended is that you do nothing well.
COMMENTARY / World
Sep 22, 2013
Will financial rumors spark crisis for developing states?
Already, the so-called emerging markets have been badly hit by the rumors of the U.S. Fed tapering $85 billion a month in asset purchases.
COMMENTARY / World
Sep 16, 2013
Manmohan Singh's losing battle with the markets
A welter of problems confound Indian Prime MInister Manmohan Singh's promises to wipe the tears of poverty from the eyes of Indians.
COMMENTARY / Japan
Sep 15, 2013
Abe's 2020 vision challenged
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe declared that the Olympics would put Tokyo 'at the center of the world.' But the real question is: Will Japan use the Olympics to join the real world
Weak yen fattens tourist wallets in Japan
People visit the Ameya Yokocho market in Tokyo's Ueno district during the Golden Week holiday on Tuesday.
Biden calls ally Japan ‘xenophobic’ along with rivals China and Russia
U.S. President Joe Biden speaks in Syracuse, New York, on April 25.
Number of vacant homes in Japan hits record high of 9 million
A vacant house in Tokyo is seen demolished in January 2020.
Saudi Arabia steps up Gaza-related arrests as Israel ties edge closer
The arrests for Gaza-related posts indicate Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s regime will take a hard line against citizens not toeing the line when it comes to normalizing ties with Israel.
'So hot you can't breathe': Extreme heat hits the Philippines
A pedestrian cools himself with a folding hand fan as he waits for a ride along a road in Manila on Wednesday, as extreme heat hit the Philippines.
Kishida sets sights on energy and climate in South America trip
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida will use a policy speech in Sao Paulo to set out his vision for ties between Japan and South America, almost 10 years after former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe advocated for stronger ties between the two in the same city.
Yellow sand allergy: A health issue made worse by climate change
A screenshot of the Meteorological Agency's satellite image of clouds and yellow sand (in pink) on Sunday.
Climate change, chalky grains and the risks for Japan’s rice farmers
A farmer plants seedlings in Satsumasendai, Kagoshima Prefecture. Japan’s self sufficiency rate for rice is nearly 100%, compared with 38% for food overall, on a calorie basis.
Japan wants you to spend more with ‘luxury tourism’
Performers play a traditional drum unique to Wajima, Ishikawa Prefecture, in the prefectural capital of Kanazawa on March 16 to mark the extension of the Hokuriku Shinkansen line to Tsuruga Station in Fukui Prefecture.
Theaster Gates’ ambitious ‘Afro-Mingei’ brings Black Chicago to Tokyo
Theaster Gates' “A Heavenly Chord” lines up church pews before seven speakers and a Hammond B3 organ, a type of electric organ prevalent in Black American churches.

Podcast

From easily navigable train stations to the helpfulness of its municipal staff, Tokyo has earned high praise for its commitment to accessibility for disabled travelers.
[Rebroadcast] Japan is doing better on accessibility than you may think

Longform

When trying to trace your lineage in Japan, the "koseki" is the most important form of document you'll encounter.
Climbing the branches of a Japanese family tree
By Alex K.T. Martin

SUSTAINABLE JAPAN

Prize winner Maki Imoto catches light with glass
Prize winner Maki Imoto catches light with glass

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