More Commentary Articles - The Japan Times

Today's print edition

Subscribe for more access

COMMENTARY

Sep 20, 2003

Japan's work cut out in six-party talks

By Kenzo Uchida

The two main flash points in the world in the past year have been the Middle East, especially Iraq, and North Korea in East Asia.

COMMENTARY

Sep 20, 2003

Economic policies confused

By Gregory Clark

In his campaign for re-election as leader of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, has made much of the current mild economic revival. He sees it as vindicating his economic policies.

COMMENTARY

Sep 19, 2003

Old political drum beats on

By Hugh Cortazzi

LONDON -- "Seen it all before" and "the more it changes the more it remains the same" are phrases that immediately spring to the mind of the foreign observer of Japanese politics in the runup to Saturday's election of the president of the Liberal Democratic Party.

COMMENTARY / World

Sep 18, 2003

India, Israel ally against Islamic terror

By Gautaman Bhaskaran

MADRAS, India -- India has now realized that it needs a new strategy for fighting terror on its soil. More importantly, it now understands that it requires new allies as well. When Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon flew into New Delhi recently, his visit signaled a turning point in India's foreign...

COMMENTARY / WASHINGTON UPDATE

Sep 18, 2003

Iraq, bad economy drag Bush down

By Bob Keefe

WASHINGTON -- It cannot be easy these days to be selling the White House story line. Chickens are coming home to roost from every direction. Ever since President George W. Bush went on his working vacation to his ranch in Crawford, Texas, his carefully constructed houses of cards in economic and world...

COMMENTARY

Sep 17, 2003

Add eco-terrorism to list of threats faced by Americans

By Doug Bandow

WASHINGTON -- In August, radical environmentalists apparently burned down an apartment complex under construction in San Diego, California.

COMMENTARY

Sep 17, 2003

Moscow must walk a fine line as Tokyo and Beijing compete for Russian oil

By Frank Ching

HONG KONG -- Russia is in the enviable position of being wooed simultaneously by Asia's two main powers, China and Japan. At the same time, it has to walk a fine line because it is unlikely to be able to please both countries.

COMMENTARY

Sep 15, 2003

Wanted: a U.S. exit strategy for Iraq

By Doug Bandow

WASHINGTON -- The number of American combat deaths in the Iraq war has surpassed the number in the Persian Gulf War. Even U.S. President George W. Bush has acknowledged that the U.S. faces a "security issue in Iraq," a "massive and long-term undertaking." The conflict will soak up a large share of U.S....

COMMENTARY

Sep 15, 2003

U.N. force key to Iraqi peace

By Hugh Cortazzi

LONDON -- The news from Iraq over the last month has been bleak, with U.S. and British forces continuing to suffer significant casualties. Bomb blasts last month at the U.N. headquarters and a Shiite mosque left many dead and wounded. Acts of sabotage have hindered the resumption of electricity and water...

COMMENTARY / THE VIEW FROM MOSCOW

Sep 14, 2003

An evening like any other at the Bolshoi

By Constantine Pleshakov

MOSCOW -- Already the environs of Bolshoi are very telling. Downtown Moscow recently got a cheap face lift, and all its one-time numerous kiosks that supplied the Russian capital with the mercurial atmosphere of a grand bazaar are gone or, rather, have been displaced into dark alleyways and underground...

COMMENTARY

Sep 14, 2003

Shy man performs historic balancing act

By Tom Plate

HONG KONG -- Because Hong Kong's leader tends to view the news media (local or otherwise) with the enthusiasm of a swimmer greeting a school of sharks, Tung Chee-hwa has scant hope of receiving his due as the historically pivotal man he is. His public image is generally terrible, and he is often portrayed...

COMMENTARY

Sep 13, 2003

Get war on terror on track

By Brahma Chellaney

NEW DELHI -- Violence-extolling Islamists target the United States, Israel and India as their principal enemies. Yet these three democracies are no more secure against terrorism today than before U.S. President George W. Bush launched his global war on terror. In fact, terror at home compelled Ariel...

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

Looking ahead to Yokohama’s Green × Expo 2027

Looking ahead to Yokohama’s Green × Expo 2027

SPECIAL SUPPLEMENTS

SUPPLEMENTS BINDER

international-reports