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 Shusuke Murai

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Shusuke Murai
Shusuke Murai was born in Japan and spent his teen years in central Ohio. He graduated from New York University with a M.A. in Communication. His interests include the activities of virtual communities, intercultural interactions in the information society and futuristic gadgets.
For Shusuke Murai's latest contributions to The Japan Times, see below:
Japan Times
OLYMPICS
Jun 12, 2015
Residents must have stadium say: Masuzoe
The wrestling match between the central government and Tokyo over how to handle the cost of the new stadium for the 2020 Olympics is showing no signs of cooling.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Jun 10, 2015
International students face job hunting hurdles in Japan
A 23-year-old student from China who attends the prestigious University of Tokyo is now looking for a job in Japan.
JAPAN
Jun 5, 2015
Ministry announces new junior high school English exam
To fix Japan's English-learning failures, the education ministry will create a new test based on a European index and urge prefectures to compete against one another.
Japan Times
JAPAN / EXPLAINER
Jun 1, 2015
E-textbooks to open digital can of worms
As the world goes digital, many schools are trying to introduce digital materials into the classroom to encourage studying and meet the needs of students' increasingly diverse needs.
Japan Times
JAPAN
May 29, 2015
Expressive emoji win over Merriam-Webster's wordsmiths
From tsunami to head honcho, English boasts no end to Japanese loan words. Artsy chefs now talk of umami and revelers belt out karaoke, so it is no surprise to see the Merriam-Webster dictionary honoring another new arrival: emoji, familiar to mobile users worldwide.
Japan Times
JAPAN
May 22, 2015
Head of Todai is an advocate for collaboration and diversity
Collaboration from East and West is key to spurring innovation, and the University of Tokyo should become an academic hub for that purpose, its president says.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Politics
May 19, 2015
Tokyo governor slams opaqueness of 'Imperial' central government's Olympic spending
As financing questions linger over the costly rebuilding of National Stadium for the 2020 Olympics, Tokyo Gov. Yoichi Masuzoe lashes out at the central government, likening it to the reality-denying Japanese Imperial Army during World War II.
Japan Times
JAPAN
May 13, 2015
Residents upset by move to base Ospreys at Yokota, municipalities cite broken promises
Some residents and municipalities near the Yokota Air Base are upset the U.S. military plans to deploy Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft to the facility in western Tokyo.
Japan Times
JAPAN
May 11, 2015
Narita airport launches short tours for layover passengers
Waiting for a flight in transit at an airport is an unwelcome burden for travelers. But at Narita International Airport, that spare time could become a memorable part of the journey.
Japan Times
JAPAN
May 7, 2015
Gaming videos giving passionate players a social leg up
The man wakes up early in the morning and boots up a video game to play. While playing, he simultaneously utters his unfettered feelings into a microphone to alert hundreds of thousands of young Japanese fans that he is online and ready to rock.
Japan Times
JAPAN
May 3, 2015
Activists battle to justify, denounce Constitution
As the conservative LDP forges ahead with its bid to revise the national charter, activists rally on Constitution Day to press both sides of the debate.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Society
May 1, 2015
Overuse of mobile gadgets hampers students' ability to study, sleep
Excessive use of mobile phones causes students to fare poorly in elementary, junior high and high school, not only because it makes them lose their concentration due to a lack of sleep, but also because it apparently compromises what they have studied, researchers say.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Society
Apr 30, 2015
Schools in Japan to let transgender students use whichever locker room they prefer
The education ministry has issued a landmark notice urging local education boards to ensure that schools do more to cater to children who believe they were born the wrong gender.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Politics
Apr 20, 2015
Chiyoda Ward candidate swears off campaign vans
As election candidates fire up megaphone-armed vans to holler their names and slogans throughout their constituencies, one young candidate is shunning the noisy practice.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Politics / LOCAL POLLS '15
Apr 20, 2015
Naturalized Kabukicho denizen hopes to teach China lesson in democracy
Komaki Lee gained fame as a pioneering 'Kabukicho guide' who showed foreign visitors the ins and outs of the capital's seedy nightlife entertainment district in Shinjuku Ward. Now he's going into politics.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Apr 15, 2015
North Korea defectors say don't trust regime's claims on abductees
Two North Korean defectors now have warned that information provided by the Kim Jong Un regime should not be trusted, amid stalled negotiations with Pyongyang over its investigation into the fate of Japanese abductees.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Apr 9, 2015
Real-time Web service aims to inform disaster victims via Twitter
A new Web-based real-time information service may help provide quick and reliable disaster-related information via tweets while alerting users to unsubstantiated rumors and fake tips.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Apr 8, 2015
Tokyo's baffling signboards to get revamp for foreign visitors
Are you lost? Good luck. That information panel may only make your head spin.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Apr 8, 2015
Opinion divided on value of teaching Edo-era etiquette in schools
Perhaps every country has something to learn from its ancestors. But when the roots of time-honored wisdom are dubious, should such wisdom still be taught to schoolchildren?
Japan Times
JAPAN / Science & Health
Apr 1, 2015
New Riken chief pledges to restore trust after scandal
The newly appointed head of the Riken research institute has pledged to restore its reputation as a global leader in the field.

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