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Jesse Johnson

Japan Times

ASIA PACIFIC

Dec 16, 2015

Australia conducts surveillance flight in South China Sea; move could focus attention on Japan

Australia performs a “freedom of navigation” flight near artificial islands China is building in the South China Sea.

JAPAN / History

Dec 11, 2015

Fifty Japanese scholars attack McGraw-Hill, U.S. academics on 'comfort women' issue

The “comfort women” dispute heats up as 50 Japanese scholars chide the author of a U.S. textbook and his backers for “errors” they claim no Japanese scholar would support.

Japan Times

WORLD / Society

Nov 21, 2015

Roanoke mayor apologizes for Japanese internment remarks

The embattled mayor of Roanoke, Virginia, apologized Friday for comments earlier in the week citing the internment of Japanese-Americans during World War II in a statement defending his push to keep Syrian refugees out of the area.

Japan Times

JAPAN / Politics

Oct 30, 2015

Abe treads in China's footprints in Central Asia, picks up human rights baggage

Prime Minster Shinzo Abe's trip to Mongolia and Central Asia — in which he became the first Japanese leader ever to visit Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan — looks to bring in a raft of investment deals for Tokyo. But the whirlwind tour likely had other motivations, too, and raises questions...

Japan Times

JAPAN / Politics / ANALYSIS

Oct 21, 2015

As U.S. eyes South China Sea patrols, will Japan play a role?

Some experts say Japan, with its newly empowered military, could play a larger role in Washington's activities near China's man-made islands is the South China Sea.

Japan Times

JAPAN

Oct 4, 2015

IS claims killing of Japanese in Bangladesh

The Islamic State group claims responsibility for shooting a Japanese to death in Bangladesh and vows to wage more attacks.

Japan Times

JAPAN / Politics

Sep 16, 2015

Japan waits to see whether new Australian leader will rock the boat on defense

Japan watches anxiously after one of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's closest Asia-Pacific allies in ousted in a party leadership vote.

Japan Times

JAPAN

Sep 10, 2015

Europe's approach to Syria exodus contrasts with Japan's dodging of refugees

As Europe faces what is possibly its greatest refugee crisis since World War II, the issue remains a faraway problem for Japan, which accepted a mere 11 refugees in 2014.

Japan Times

JAPAN / Politics / ANALYSIS

Sep 2, 2015

China's leaders welcome chance to distract attention with war parade

The noise of tanks and thousands of marching feet may be intended to stiffen the confidence of Chinese citizens, but Tokyo's reaction may be more subdued.

JAPAN / History

Aug 9, 2015

As Abe gears up for WWII anniversary statement, will Emperor weigh in?

As Prime Minister Shinzo Abe gets set to deliver his World War II anniversary statement, Emperor Akihito emerges as a possible counterbalance to any watered-down speech.

JAPAN

Jul 31, 2015

WikiLeaks alleges widespread U.S. spying on Japanese government, major companies

Anti-secrecy group WikiLeaks releases a trove of documents titled “Target Tokyo” detailing alleged snooping by the U.S. National Security Agency on the Japanese government and businesses — just as negotiators from 12 nations, including Japan and the U.S., hope to wrap up the Trans-Pacific Partnership.

Japan Times

JAPAN / Politics

Jul 14, 2015

Parody of LDP security bills video goes viral ahead of Diet vote

An animated video released by the ruling Liberal Democratic Party that attempts to explain the need for the security bills currently being debated by the Diet has spawned a scathing parody that attempts to shoot holes in the ruling coalition's argument for the legislation.

Japan Times

JAPAN / Politics

Jul 9, 2015

LDP, DPJ take to Internet to mount security bill-related campaigns of persuasion

As Prime Minister Shinzo Abe prepares to ram through legislation that would drastically alter Japan's security stance, both the LDP and DPJ are taking their arguments to the people — via a variety of online media.

Japan Times

JAPAN / Politics

Jun 11, 2015

Security bills' credibility hobbled by suspicious explanations and reporting: scholars

As the Diet continues debate over a raft of contentious bills that would upend Japan's postwar security regime, some scholars and experts are noting the need for at least some changes to the nation's defense posture considering the security climate in the region — and a more transparent approach to...

JAPAN / Politics

May 11, 2015

LDP produces manga to make case for constitutional revision

The Liberal Democratic Party has published a new manga targeted at younger voters that argues the pacifist Constitution should be revised because it was hastily written in just eight days — by foreigners.

Japan Times

JAPAN / Politics

Apr 16, 2015

Critic Koga assails 'lynching' LDP, urges media to stand up for truth

An ex-bureaucrat who took on the Abe administration on one of the country's most popular news programs has called out media executives for increasingly giving in to government pressure.

Japan Times

JAPAN

Jan 25, 2015

Friend wages 'I am Kenji' campaign to free held journalist

With the plight of hostage Kenji Goto still unknown, and his fellow captive apparently executed, friends of the journalist have taken to social media to work for his release, creating an "I am Kenji" Facebook page and collecting signatures online.

Japan Times

JAPAN / Politics / ANALYSIS

Jan 21, 2015

Islamic State likely gave hostage ultimatum knowing difficulty of meeting it

The militant group, which aims to establish an Islamic caliphate, is likely using the hostage situation to generate renewed international attention, according to leading analysts.

LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL

Apr 21, 2010

New JLPT format: boon for some, bane for most

For students trying to leap the cavernous divide between Level 3 and Level 2 of the Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) (日本語能力試験), a new test being held for the first time on July 4 breaks the task into two smaller, more manageable hops. Other students, though, might find that progress...

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

Kabukicho: Tokyo’s ‘stadium of desire’

Visitors walk past Sou Fujimoto's Grand Ring, which has been recognized as the largest wooden structure in the world.

Can a World Expo still matter? Japan is about to find out.

By Tomoko Otake

SUSTAINABLE JAPAN

Tsukuba massif granite, one of the world’s few heritage stones

Tsukuba massif granite, one of the world’s few heritage stones

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