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Robert D. Eldridge
For Robert D. Eldridge's latest contributions to The Japan Times, see below:
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Dec 24, 2019
New airborne disaster response group on target to deliver
ARROWS is aimed at providing timely assistance by bringing together and coordinating the expertise and manpower of many organizations.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Dec 9, 2019
Support smaller think tanks in Japan
Hundreds of smaller think tanks and personal offices — essentially small to medium-sized enterprises — around the country may hold the key for Japan's rebirth.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Nov 27, 2019
The summit that kick-started Okinawa's reversion
The decision to hand back Okinawa, one of the few times in history when land seized in war was returned peacefully — was reached over the course of several steps.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Nov 18, 2019
Okinawa and the eradication of poverty
Okinawa Prefecture needs to focus its energy on raising the standards of living for its residents, and especially investing more in its children.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Nov 7, 2019
Time for a national volunteer registry
Each community has its own registration process, cutting into time that could be used for doing the actual volunteer work.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Oct 9, 2019
Battle of Okinawa really began 75 years ago today
The Battle of Okinawa really started on Oct. 10, 1944, with the bombing of Naha and other locations in the Nansei Islands.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Oct 1, 2019
Natural disasters: Preparing for the unexpected
Disasters can strike anywhere at anytime. Japan must be prepared.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Sep 20, 2019
Paternity issues also strain Japan-U.S. alliance
The consequences of actions by male U.S. military personnel are long-lasting and can be devastating for those involved.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Sep 15, 2019
The Hatoyama administration's significance
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe may wish to forget this time as a bad dream, but insead he and must try to learn from it, as should the opposition parties, the voters and the alliance managers who backed the wrong horse.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Aug 18, 2019
A better way to teach kids foreign languages
To get results, language learning should be fun, eye-opening and meaningful.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Jul 22, 2019
Okinawa contradictions need to be fixed
The LDP has lost almost all elections in Okinawa despite the government's candidates consistently being the more qualified and experienced.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Jul 3, 2019
Abe wins, no matter what Trump does
U.S. President Donald Trump's comments play into the prime minister's efforts at constitutional revision, particularly with regard to Article 9.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Jun 20, 2019
Look at the SOFA pool of labor
An overlooked pool of potential workers is the dependent population of U.S. military personnel assigned to Japan.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Jun 13, 2019
The Senkaku issue as seen from the Falklands War
Are Japan's politicians are up to the test if the Senkaku Islands were seized?
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Jun 7, 2019
Japan needs a sister city strategy
There are numerous reasons why sister cities are increasingly important, including the promotion of trade and exports as well as attracting inbound tourists.
COMMENTARY / Japan
May 20, 2019
What Sri Lanka has to teach the world
Japan and other countries around the world can learn from the South Asian nation's private sector effort to address public policy issues.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Apr 25, 2019
Is a new era dawning for women in politics?
Last Sunday's local elections saw the largest number of female assembly and mayoral candidates being elected ever.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Apr 19, 2019
An Okinawa conference, 50 years later
Okinawa Gov. Denny Tamaki's effort to seize the initiative by calling for a new Okinawa conference should be embraced, or at least tried.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Feb 28, 2019
Vote highlights problems with Henoko plan
The vitally important Futenma replacement facility shouldn't be built on a pack of lies.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Sep 27, 2018
Countdown to Okinawa's critical election
The Okinawa gubernatorial election is an important one for the prefecture, for the central government, for the Japan-U.S. alliance and for the Indo-Pacific region as a whole.

Longform

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