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May 04, 2024
 

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Ko Hirano
For Ko Hirano's latest contributions to The Japan Times, see below:
JAPAN
Apr 13, 2009
U.S.-China deal blocks Japan's action on N. Korea's rocket launch
PATTAYA, Thailand — Japan's acceptance of a U.N. Security Council presidential statement in response to North Korea's April 5 rocket launch instead of a UNSC resolution stemmed largely from a policy shift by the United States, Tokyo's closest ally.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Jan 27, 2009
G20 to eye creation of low-carbon economy
Leaders of 20 major developed and emerging economies are expected during a summit in London on April 2 to ensure that their stimulus measures to address the global financial crisis will also lead to the creation of a low-carbon world economy, according to a senior British official.
JAPAN
Dec 17, 2008
Japan eyes proactive climate diplomacy in 2009
POZNAN, Poland — Japan is expected to pursue proactive yet balanced climate diplomacy in 2009 to ensure the involvement of the United States, China and India — responsible for nearly half the world's greenhouse gas emissions — in a new treaty to fight global warming.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Dec 10, 2008
Ice maker fearing a global thaw
MINANO, Saitama Pref. — As many as 100,000 people from Japan and abroad visit Tetsuo Asami's shaved ice parlor every summer in Minano, a small town in the Chichibu region of Saitama Prefecture, seeking out his products that use naturally frozen ice and are known for their rich taste.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Nov 18, 2008
Romania Japan studies head hailed
Kanji Tsushima was deeply moved when he heard that one of the students in his Japanese-language class 30 years ago in Bucharest had won two awards for her role in introducing his country's culture to Romania by translating modern literature.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Oct 18, 2008
'Hanko' photo stamped top prize at photo contest for diplomats
An exhibition of photographs taken by foreign diplomats and spouses in Japan will open Monday in Tokyo, showcasing a variety of work imbued with humor, wit and curiosity about the country.
Japan Times
JAPAN / G8 COUNTDOWN
May 26, 2008
G8 youths ask for 'strict' carbon cap-and-trade system
Fifteen youths from the Group of Eight nations and five emerging economies have urged G8 environment ministers to introduce a "strict international carbon cap-and-trade system" to curb greenhouse gas emissions blamed for global warming.
JAPAN / G8 SUMMIT 2008
May 20, 2008
G8 environment heads to talk CO2 cuts in Kobe
The Group of Eight environment ministers will open on Saturday a three-day meeting in Kobe on ways to meet Japan's proposal to halve global greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
BUSINESS
Jan 30, 2008
G8 summit to focus on yuan, subprime woes, oil-price spike
The Group of Eight leaders plan to focus on financial market turbulence stemming from the U.S. subprime mortgage turmoil and the impact of nearly $100-per-barrel oil prices as top economic agenda items at their July summit in Hokkaido, draft discussion papers show.
JAPAN
Jan 28, 2008
Fukuda faces post-Kyoto balancing act
As Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda kicked off Japan's climate diplomacy as this year's president of the Group of Eight, he took on the immense task of leading global negotiations to build a new carbon reduction framework involving all major polluters. Japan plans to use this July's G8 summit in Hokkaido as the main vehicle to start the process of compiling a medium-term global emissions reduction target after the Kyoto Protocol expires in 2012, according to Foreign Ministry officials.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Jan 21, 2008
Fukuda ready to gear up Japan's climate diplomacy in Davos
Japan is likely to draw a fair amount of attention at a meeting this week of policymakers and business leaders in Switzerland when Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda outlines the main agenda for Japan's presidency of the Group of Eight powers.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Jan 8, 2008
Okinawa positioned as Asia nuptial paradise
NAHA, Okinawa Pref. (Kyodo News) Wan Kwok Cheung and Wong Ka Yin Katherine took their first steps as man and wife under a scattering of petals outside a beachside wedding chapel in Okinawa. The bright sunlight and mild sea breeze made winter seem like only a memory.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Oct 26, 2007
Diplomats' photos go on show for 10th year
An exhibition of photographs by foreign diplomats will open Saturday in Tokyo, displaying a wide variety of work imbued with humor, affection and curiosity about Japan.
JAPAN
Sep 3, 2007
Abe to seek progress on climate change pact at APEC summit
When Prime Minister Shinzo Abe meets his fellow Asia-Pacific leaders for this week's regional summit, he is expected to take the lead in building a consensus on global warming and world trade liberalization. During the summit of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum in Sydney, Abe will try to get all 21 member economies to join a framework to curb greenhouse gas emissions that would take effect after the Kyoto Protocol runs down in 2012.
JAPAN
Jul 13, 2007
Agriculture protections a given, at least till after poll
Late last month, Japan exported rice to China for the first time in four years. With economic growth and rising income levels in China and elsewhere in Asia, Japan hopes it will meet a goal of tripling farm and fisheries exports to 1 trillion yen in 2013 from the 2006 level. The farm ministry has designated China, Hong Kong and Singapore as key destinations for exported, high-end rice. Similarly, Taiwan and the United States are Japan's priority markets for yams, China and South Korea are priority for high-end apples, and Thailand and Egypt are priority for mackerel.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Feb 14, 2007
Vaccination-financing plan eyes Japan involvement
WASHINGTON (Kyodo) Japanese investors may get a chance this year to participate in an innovative project to help fund child immunization programs in the world's poorest countries, where 2.1 million people die annually of preventable diseases.
JAPAN
Nov 16, 2006
St. Petersburg U. vows to rev up Japan studies
, martial arts, and novels by Haruki Murakami, shows no signs of abating," he said during a visit to Tokyo. "We will keep pursuing our mission to boost Russian understanding of Japan." Rybin believes the award honors not only Japanese-language training at the university but the 300-year history of Japanese studies in Russia, which find their roots in St. Petersburg.
BUSINESS
Sep 22, 2006
Japan urges China to reform, act its economic size
SINGAPORE (Kyodo) Japan is asking China to ensure openness and flexibility in its economic and financial management, given that the fast-growing nation has gained a bigger say in the International Monetary Fund.
BUSINESS
Sep 16, 2006
Real estate giant eyes quadrupling Japan business
SINGAPORE (Kyodo) CapitaLand Ltd., Southeast Asia's largest listed property developer, is poised to sharply expand its business in Japan as the economy has effectively overcome deflation, a symbol of its decade-long slump.
BUSINESS
Sep 15, 2006
Japan-Singapore project aims to boost investment
SINGAPORE (Kyodo) As Japan's economic revival sparks overseas interest in doing business in the country, Japan and Singapore have launched a joint project to find corporate partners for Singaporean companies who wish to enter the world's second-largest economy.
Biden calls ally Japan ‘xenophobic’ along with rivals China and Russia
U.S. President Joe Biden speaks in Syracuse, New York, on April 25.
Yen swings stir talk that Japan is in the FX market once again
An electronic screen in Tokyo displays the yen exchange rate against the U.S. dollar and the graph showing its recent swings, on Thursday.
Harajuku strives to reclaim its former glory — and surpass it
Laforet Harajuku, which celebrated its 45th anniversary last year, has been a witness to the district's evolution over the years.
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.
Japan's May 1 intervention may have cost ¥3.66 trillion, BOJ data suggests
An electronic screen displays a graph showing Japanese yen exchange rates surging against the dollar amid signs of intervention by authorities, in Tokyo on Thursday.
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

Rows of irises resemble a rice field at the Peter Walker-designed Toyota Municipal Museum of Art.
The 'outsiders' creating some of Japan's greenest spaces
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