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May 19, 2025
 

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EDITORIALS
Feb 7, 2010
The economics of eating in
The economic downturn continues to affect all parts of Japanese society with long-term repercussions for some. Restaurant operators in Japan saw a 1.5 percent drop in total sales in 2009. That figure may seem small, but it's the first decline in six years. This survey by the Japan Food Service Association...
EDITORIALS
Feb 7, 2010
Perils of hand-pulled bags
A recent report by the National Consumer Affairs Center of Japan concluded what many commuters already know: Hand-pulled bags on casters are dangerous. Anyone taking the train or walking through a crowded place in a large city in Japan has surely stumbled over these menaces. The bags turn into hazardous,...
EDITORIALS
Feb 6, 2010
End of the line for Asashoryu
Yokozuna Asashoryu retired Thursday in the wake of controversy after he allegedly attacked a man while drunk, causing injuries that included a broken nose.
EDITORIALS
Feb 6, 2010
Mr. Ozawa's moral responsibility
Public prosecutors Thursday decided not to indict Democratic Party of Japan Secretary General Ichiro Ozawa over the alleged falsification of political fund reports, saying there was insufficient evidence to convict him. The decision comes as a relief for Mr. Ozawa, Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama and Cabinet...
EDITORIALS
Feb 5, 2010
Both sides of the story
Japanese and Chinese academics on Jan. 31 released a 549-page report on their joint studies of ancient, medieval and modern history involving both countries. Release of the report, originally scheduled in 2008, was delayed because of political considerations on China's part. In addition, the postwar...
EDITORIALS
Feb 4, 2010
New face on the sumo board
In an unexpected development, former yokozuna Takanohana has been elected to the 10-man board of the Japan Sumo Association. But to think that the election of the 37-year-old will bring quick change to the JSA may be too optimistic. After his election, he did not disclose any reform plans. Takanohana...
EDITORIALS
Feb 4, 2010
Fishing for false confessions
Audio tapes recorded some 17 years ago of Mr. Toshikazu Sugaya being questioned during a murder investigation reveal how investigators can manipulate suspects into making false confessions. The recordings, which were played over two days (Jan. 21-22) of Mr. Sugaya's retrial in Utsunomiya District Court,...
EDITORIALS
Feb 3, 2010
Critical labor negotiations
The annual wage negotiations have started amid difficult economic conditions, including a high unemployment rate topping 5 percent and a prevailing fear of a second recessionary dip. The Japanese economy is in such bad shape that the Japanese Trade Union Confederation (Rengo), Japan's largest labor organization,...
EDITORIALS
Feb 3, 2010
Sending more help to Haiti
The government will dispatch some 300 Self-Defense Forces members to join the U.N. peacekeeping mission in quake-devastated Haiti. This is a substantial addition to the 39 SDF members currently engaged in U.N. peacekeeping operations (PKO). Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama said that the expanded mission...
EDITORIALS
Feb 2, 2010
Sri Lanka's chance to start again
Mr. Mahinda Rajapaksa, president of Sri Lanka, has been re-elected. Mr. Rajapaksa's victory was expected following the government's victory last year over the Tamil Tigers, ending a 26-year insurgency. Peace on the island opens the door to long-delayed economic development, a key to enduring stability....
EDITORIALS
Feb 1, 2010
State of a divided nation
Since the speech is called the State of the Union address, it was expected that U.S. President Barack Obama would devote most of his time to domestic concerns. In that regard, he did not disappoint. Two-thirds of his 75-minute talk focused on the economy, with much of the remainder challenging members...
EDITORIALS
Jan 31, 2010
To protect and enhance life
Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama, whose administration is 4 1/2 months old, opened his policy speech for the coming year with words that bore his colors: "I want to protect people's lives. This is my wish. . . . I want to protect the lives of those who are born, of those who grow and mature."
Nissan to solicit early retirements while eyeing plant closures in Japan
Nissan's Oppama plant in Yokosuka, Kanagawa Prefecture, may be closed as part of the struggling carmaker's streamlining efforts.
Australian firm produces heavy rare earth, in first outside China
The Lynas Rare Earths processing plant in Kalgoorlie, Western Australia
Police arrest Chinese man in Saitama hit-and-run case
Police questioned a man who turned himself in as he closely resembled the driver recorded on the dashcam of another vehicle that happened to pass by the scene of a hit-and-run incident in Saitama Prefecture.
Wholesalers may be behind elevated retail rice prices
Wholesalers added ¥7,593 on average to their selling prices for stockpiled rice, far more than the ¥2,206 to ¥4,689 added for the 2022 rice.
Success of Chinese-made fighter jets against India raises alarm in Asia
Chinese J-10 fighter jets from the People's Liberation Army Air Force August 1st Aerobatics Team perform during a media demonstration at the Korat Royal Thai Air Force Base, Nakhon Ratchasima province, Thailand, in November 2015.
In Nintendo’s backyard, foreign indie game devs are thriving
Kyoto's gaming landscape is dominated by Nintendo's headquarters, but a contingent of foreign-born indie developers is also working in the gaming giant's shadow.
Akazawa's dilemma: no tariff deal or a half-baked deal
Chief tariff negotiator Ryosei Akazawa and his delegation in the Oval Office of the White House in April. Since then, Japan's trade negotiations with the U.S. have produced no tangible results.
Nissan hoping to electrify home crowd as Formula E returns to Tokyo
Nissan's Oliver Rowland drives during qualifying for Miami E-Prix at Homestead Motor Speedway in Homestead, Florida, on April 12.
For his first feature film, director Ryuya Suzuki created a masterpiece
"Jinsei," which follows its protagonist over a century, probes themes of identity and societal issues with a dark comic touch. The director, however, says he created the story without knowing where it would lead.
Historian Rob Fitts discovers earliest ever reference to baseball in Japan
Japan's Shohei Ohtani carries the Japanese flag onto the field before the start of the World Baseball Classic final against the United States in Miami on March 21, 2023.

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