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July 06, 2025
 

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Takamitsu Sawa

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Takamitsu Sawa
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Aug 7, 2020
Plan to phase out inefficient coal plants breaks no new ground
Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Hiroshi Kajiyama said in early July that the government will work out a program to phase out inefficient coal-burning thermal power plants — by either suspending or scrapping these plants. METI later followed up on the move by launching a panel of experts to...
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Jul 13, 2020
Can Japan get out of its downward spiral?
To turn the nation around, Japan needs more effective political leadership.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Jun 16, 2020
No end in sight to the debate over Japan's school year
Starting the academic year in April poses yet another obstacle in the nation's effort to internationalize its higher education.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
May 27, 2020
Stay-home request spurs a reading revival
In many urban areas of Japan, people were recently urged to stay home for weeks on in the fight to contain the spread of COVID-19. Most big bookstores in Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto were closed through the end of the Golden Week holidays, making it difficult to buy books.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Apr 19, 2020
What we’ll miss when bookstores disappear
Nothing can fully replace holding a real book in your hands.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Mar 13, 2020
Japan's post-3/11 and future energy landscape
Seeking to raise the share of renewable energy as close as possible to 100 percent could resolve many problems.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Feb 17, 2020
Strong liberal arts education is key to success in Society 5.0
A liberal arts education is crucial to the development of the skills required for success in Society 5.0.
COMMENTARY / Japan
Jan 21, 2020
Japan going the wrong way in English-education reform
English-language education in Japanese schools should focus on reading and writing rather than conversation to build a strong foundation.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Dec 13, 2019
Achieving human liberation through AI
AI is none other than a mechanized slave in that it liberates humans from labor for production.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Nov 13, 2019
Cheap power the key to AI-based business
It is imperative that Japan reform its power industry to make electricity more affordable for industries relying on AI.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Oct 16, 2019
Reforming education for Society 5.0
It will be impossible to nurture human resources suitable for Society 5.0 unless drastic curriculum reforms are carried out to make universities an arena for a liberal arts education.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Sep 22, 2019
How AI and robots can lead us to utopia
AI could conceivably eliminate the need for human labor in production and allow people to immerse themselves in intellectual activities.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Aug 6, 2019
Japan lags in AI use and internet literacy
The speed of change in the Fourth Industrial Revolution is extremely high, and Japan is falling behind.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Jul 14, 2019
Fix Japan's misallocation of human resources
Medical schools at universities are becoming unprecedentedly popular among high school students seeking to advance to higher education. Many high schools' websites exhibit not only the number of graduates who have successfully entered well-known national, public and private universities, but also how...
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Jun 16, 2019
Demand in doubt for fully autonomous cars
Fully automous cars are coming, but how many people will be willing to pay for them?
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
May 19, 2019
The distribution revolution
Internet shopping provides benefits to both sellers and consumers, and should be regarded as the main player in the third revolution in the distribution of goods.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Apr 12, 2019
Foreign student numbers don't tell whole tale
The government's goal of strategically attracting outstanding students from abroad under its plan to accept 300,000 foreign students is far from accomplished.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Mar 14, 2019
Democracy in a self-contradictory trap
Populism is the Achilles heel of democracy.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Feb 20, 2019
Winds of change sweep auto industry
Automakers are engaged in a fierce batttle for survival.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Jan 18, 2019
The global decline of Japanese universities
Dark clouds hang over the future of Japanese universities due to the government's failure to recognize the importance of education and research.
Japan braces for more quakes as authorities dismiss doomsday hype
Evacuees from Akuseki Island, located in the Tokara island chain in Kagoshima Prefecuture, arrive at Kagoshima Port on Friday.
Hidden AI prompts in academic papers spark concern about research integrity
Waseda University is one of 14 institutions in eight countries found to have used hidden prompts in research papers.
A prophesied disaster (likely) won’t strike Japan this weekend
A viral manga prediction of a July 5 disaster has gripped Japan with anxiety and triggered an economic impact, but experts warn that while such dates are unreliable, the threat of a massive earthquake remains real. 
Residents of Tokara Islands begin evacuation as seismic swarm continues
Details about evacuations from Akuseki Island, located in the Tokara island chain in Kagoshima Prefecture, is seen written on a whiteboard in the city of Kagoshima on Thursday.
U.S. military apologizes over Okinawa sexual assault case
Col. Neil Owens (right), chief of staff for the 3rd Marine Division, bows in apology at the Okinawa Prefectural Government office in Naha on Thursday.
Ghibli’s Isao Takahata exhibit shows how beloved anime is made
“The man who planted Japanese animation” exhibition includes a variety of sketches, drawings and animation cels from Isao Takahata films such as color design for characters by Michiyo Yasuda from "Grave of the Fireflies."
Flag football facing challenges and opportunities ahead
Japan’s women’s flag football team at the 2025 International Bowl in Los Angeles in June. The sport is enjoying continued growth in the country.
From Hokusai’s Great Wave, shinkansen to One Piece: a cultural treasure box for Lego Japan
Michael Ebbesen, general manager of Lego Japan, says Lego bricks based on Japanese culture have a rich global appeal and are sellable around the world.
With farmed fish, RelationFish swims against the tide in fine dining
Chef Hideaki Matsuo (middle) and the staff of Oseto Suisan Fisheries prepare to check on their sustainably farmed fish.
As Southeast Asia heats up, a Japanese cooling giant sees a major opportunity
An employee of Daikin Cambodia explains the use of different tools during an air conditioner installation training session in Phnom Penh. Daikin is one of Japan’s oldest air conditioning companies, but as Japan’s population falls, the firm is keying in on overseas growth.

Podcast

One of the many entrances to the Kabukicho neighborhood in Tokyo’s Shinjuku Ward.
Kabukicho: Tokyo’s ‘stadium of desire’

Longform

Mount Fuji is considered one of Japan's most iconic symbols and is a major draw for tourists. It's still a mountain, though, and potential hikers need to properly prepare for any climb.
What it takes to save lives on Mount Fuji
By Alex K.T. Martin

SUSTAINABLE JAPAN

Muji has been sustainable from the beginning
Muji has been sustainable from the beginning

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