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April 24, 2024
 

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Isao Kubota
For Isao Kubota's latest contributions to The Japan Times, see below:
BUSINESS
Nov 19, 2001
Integrated monetary policy can assist borrowers
Everybody knows the complexity of successfully managing the Japanese economy under the present circumstances. The unemployment rate is at a historical high of 5.3 percent. The economy, which grew 1.4 percent in fiscal year 1999 and 1.0 percent in 2000, will certainly decline again this fiscal year -- the government has revised its GDP forecast for FY 2001 from 1.7 percent to minus 0.9 percent. And the fallout from Sept. 11 and any terrorism-related incidents thereafter will adversely affect the global economy.
BUSINESS
Nov 19, 2001
Integrated monetary policy can assist borrowers
Everybody knows the complexity of successfully managing the Japanese economy under the present circumstances. The unemployment rate is at a historical high of 5.3 percent. The economy, which grew 1.4 percent in fiscal year 1999 and 1.0 percent in 2000, will certainly decline again this fiscal year -- the government has revised its GDP forecast for FY 2001 from 1.7 percent to minus 0.9 percent. And the fallout from Sept. 11 and any terrorism-related incidents thereafter will adversely affect the global economy.
BUSINESS
May 21, 2001
A straightforward approach to taking economic action
While one can easily suggest seemingly desirable policy measures that befit ongoing economic conditions, it is far from easy to find a desirable set of economic policy measures and implement them in a timely manner.
COMMENTARY / World
Apr 11, 2001
The Bank of Japan's new policy is sound
On March 19, the Bank of Japan decided that it would focus more on money supply than on interest rates and that the new policy would be continued until it was confident that the consumer price index, which has been declining continuously for over two years, was rising.
BUSINESS
Jan 29, 2001
Time to rethink today's accepted economic principles
The beginning of a period, be it a week or a month, can spur people to reflect on the past and contemplate the future, leading them to reconsider matters long taken for granted. Thus, at the beginning of a new century, we may be justified in re-examining some of the accepted wisdom, common sense and principles of our age.
BUSINESS
Aug 28, 2000
Managing Japan's monetary policy
The Bank of Japan announced Aug. 11 that it would abandon its "zero-interest rate" policy, by which is meant that the money market interest rate at the shortest end of terms would be virtually zero.
BUSINESS
May 29, 2000
Farmers not the only ones allowed to live off the land
On May 23, the Diet approved a series of legal changes concerning securities investment trusts, securities investment corporations and SPCs (special-purpose corporations) that will further advance securitization of real estate in this country.
BUSINESS
Mar 6, 2000
Indulge in a refresher course on basic policy coordination
One of the privileges of being a civil servant in this country is that you can participate in important decision-making processes related to policy, even if you are a junior official.
BUSINESS
Jan 24, 2000
A new economic theory for a new millennium
The arrival of the new millennium offers us an opportunity to consider matters from a longer term point of view. While it is impossible to predict the events of the coming 1,000 years -- pause to consider that of today's seven leading industrialized coun- tries, only Japan, France and Britain existed 1,000 years ago -- one is able to ponder what the coming 100 years has in store.
'Sugar Baby Riri' gets nine-year prison term over romance scam
Mai Watanabe, who went by the moniker “Sugar Baby Riri,” dated older men and swindled them out of money by telling them fictitious heartbreaking stories about herself to gain their sympathy.
Japan’s cannabis market growing rapidly amid regulatory shift
The legality of products that contain cannabinoids, a group of substances derived from the cannabis plant, has been somewhat murky in Japan.
An AI star seeks to bring self-driving cars to Japan by 2030
Japanese startup Turing plans to unveil a self-driving car with at least 30 minutes’ driving range next year and develop a fully autonomous car by 2030.
Tokyo issues strong warning on yen intervention as currency dips further
Finance Minister Shunichi Suzuki speaks during a meeting with U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and South Korean Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok on the sidelines of IMF and G20 meetings in Washington last week.
The story isn't over for Japan's bookstores
Later this month, author Shogo Imamura will open Honmaru, a bookstore that allows other businesses to rent its shelves. It's part of a wave of ideas Japanese booksellers are trying to compete with online spaces.
A craft beer crawl through Tokyo’s top bars, brewpubs and dives
If all you drink is Asahi, Sapporo and Kirin, you're depriving yourself of some of the best craft beer Tokyo has to offer — and there sure is a lot of it out there.
'Sugar Baby Riri' gets nine-year prison term over romance scam
Mai Watanabe, who went by the moniker “Sugar Baby Riri,” dated older men and swindled them out of money by telling them fictitious heartbreaking stories about herself to gain their sympathy.
Tsukiji 2030s: A stadium, culinary center and transportation hub
A computer-generated image shows redevelopment plans for the former site of the Tsukiji fish market in Tokyo.
Hearing the impact of climate change in Okinawa, one bird call at a time
Toshihiro Kinjo (center), a research support technician at the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology, inspects an audio recording device in Ginowan, Okinawa Prefecture, on April 3 as Masako Ogasawara, a research support specialist at OIST, looks on.
Japan’s cannabis market growing rapidly amid regulatory shift
The legality of products that contain cannabinoids, a group of substances derived from the cannabis plant, has been somewhat murky in Japan.

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

Later this month, author Shogo Imamura will open Honmaru, a bookstore that allows other businesses to rent its shelves. It's part of a wave of ideas Japanese booksellers are trying to compete with online spaces.
The story isn't over for Japan's bookstores
By Alex K.T. Martin

SUSTAINABLE JAPAN

Vol. 34: Tokyo, a vanguard city for sustainability
Vol. 34: Tokyo, a vanguard city for sustainability

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