Search - 2013

 
 
COMMENTARY / World
Sep 27, 2014

The slow recovery from a calamitous slump

What does slow recovery from a calamitous slump look like? In the U.S., you see women's pay catching up with men's and steady gains in full-time employment. But middle-class incomes have dropped to levels of the late 1980s or early 1990s.
EDITORIALS
Feb 1, 2013

Budget shows old LDP stripes

The nearly ¥93 trillion initial general-account budget for fiscal 2013 approved by the Abe Cabinet shows that the old Liberal Democratic Party is back.
JAPAN
Oct 20, 2020

Ad behemoth faces claims of conflict of interest in Tokyo Olympic campaign

“Adult understanding” investigated as a potential conflict of interest for the Japanese advertising giant.
Japan Times
BASEBALL
Mar 11, 2017

Talented, youthful Dutch squad no longer a secret

Wladimir Balentien, the affable slugging outfielder for the Netherlands and the Tokyo Yakult Swallows, said he knew the young group of players darting around the infield for the Dutch during the World Baseball Classic four years ago were going to be special.
JAPAN / Society
Jan 17, 2015

Home away from home: the plight of refugees in Japan

On a cold winter's day in December, an African man sits in a meeting room at the Japan Association for Refugees, a nonprofit organization in Tokyo. The man, whose name and country of origin have been withheld to protect his identity from those who wish him and his family harm, has been seeking refugee...
EDITORIALS
Nov 28, 2014

Foot-dragging on vote-disparity fix

The parties and lawmakers need to set aside their own interests and bring the gap in the value of votes within constitutionally acceptable levels.
Japan Times
Figure Skating / ICE TIME
Sep 23, 2014

Cost, travel, time no object for one passionate skating fan

One of the most rewarding aspects of being a sportswriter is the many opportunities you have to interact with athletes, coaches, executives and fans while covering events.
COMMENTARY / Japan / COUNTERPOINT
Jun 7, 2014

Abe touts immigration, but refugees get shunned

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe may be considering letting down the drawbridges for 200,000 immigrants a year in order to offset Japan's declining population and boost the economy. At this year's Davos World Economic Forum, Abe stated that Japan needs more foreigners, but accepting enough to make a difference...
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Companies
Jan 9, 2014

Nissan set to double Leaf sales: Ghosn

Nissan Motor Co., which reported record U.S. sales of Leaf hatchbacks in 2013, is optimistic that it can soon double deliveries, Chief Executive Officer Carlos Ghosn said.
Japan Times
PRESS / Publications
Nov 20, 2013

『The Japan Times NEWS DIGEST Vol.45』発売中

【ニュース英語教本】今号よりニューヨーク・タイムズ紙 国際版の記事収録!
BUSINESS / Economy / ANALYSIS
Jan 29, 2013

Guarded optimism for debt-raising budget

Cabinet members are looking to the bright side, stressing that issuance of government bonds in fiscal 2013 won't exceed tax income for the first time in four years.
JAPAN / DAVOS SPECIAL 2013
Jan 23, 2013

An outlook for optimism: a dose of much-needed medicine for world's ills

In geopolitics, the dynamic between traditional superpowers and emerging economies, while fascinating, is far from being fully understood. Even our virtual personas tread muddy waters, contending with ambiguities over digital rights and doubtful online security. And globalization — the very system...
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Tech / ANALYSIS
Dec 20, 2012

'Fiscal cliff' deal could carry long-term risks for economy

Now that's what a negotiation looks like.
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe meets with Russia's President Vladimir Putin after the Group of 20 Summit in Osaka in June 2019. Putin managed to pocket every concession made by Abe over the years and demanded more.
COMMENTARY / World
Mar 4, 2025

Abe’s Russia outreach flopped — Trump should take note

Supporters of Trump’s policy argue that China is the bigger threat and the U.S. should steer Moscow away from Beijing.
Former Bank of Japan Gov. Haruhiko Kuroda said Japan must fix "any misunderstanding" held by U.S. President Donald Trump that its central bank was intentionally weakening the yen with monetary policy.
BUSINESS / Economy
Mar 8, 2025

Japan must fix 'misunderstanding' it is manipulating yen, says ex-BOJ chief Kuroda

Trump said he had told Japan and China they could not continue to reduce the value of their currencies, as doing so would be unfair to the United States.
Tony Blanco played in Japan for eight seasons and hit 181 home runs in NPB. The Dominican slugger was among more than 200 killed when the roof of a popular nightclub collapsed on Tuesday in the Dominican Republic.
BASEBALL / Japanese Baseball
Apr 12, 2025

Tony Blanco remembered in Japan and Dominican Republic after nightclub tragedy

Blanco, who spent eight seasons in Japan with three NPB clubs, is remembered as a 'great guy' with a tremendous sense of humor.
Meta Platforms CEO Mark Zuckerberg departs after attending a Federal Trade Commission trial at a U.S. District Court in Washington on Tuesday.
BUSINESS / Tech
Apr 16, 2025

Zuckerberg defends strategy behind Instagram, WhatsApp deals

The Federal Trade Commission alleges the acquisitions of the two apps give Meta Platforms a social media monopoly, and is fighting to break up the company.
Mark Zuckerberg, chief executive officer of Meta, departs federal court in Washington on Wednesday.
BUSINESS / Tech
Apr 17, 2025

Meta saw TikTok as ‘highly urgent’ threat, Zuckerberg says at trial

Zuckerberg was composed, but occasionally evasive, when challenged to explain past messages indicating a concerted effort to muscle out competitors.
Global trade, energy and financial networks are increasingly being leveraged as strategic tools by nations, with supply chains, shipping routes and financial systems becoming potential points of conflict.
COMMENTARY / World
Apr 21, 2025

How much 'weaponization' can the global economy take?

Global trade, energy and financial networks are increasingly being leveraged as strategic tools by nations.
Pope Francis blesses the faithful during the weekly general audience at the Vatican in August 2023.
WORLD
Apr 21, 2025

Pope Francis, radical leader who broke the papal mold, dies at 88

Francis' often turbulent reign was marked by division and tension as he sought to overhaul the hidebound institution.
Members of the clergy celebrate Mass in memory of Pope Francis, following the death of the pontiff, at the Metropolitan Cathedral of Our Lady of Peace, in La Paz, Bolivia, on Monday.
COMMENTARY / World
Apr 22, 2025

A conclave to test Pope Francis’ legacy

Francis unraveled many knots after his elevation in March 2013, leaving the question of whether he did enough to secure his legacy now that he’s passed.
Cardinals stand, on the day of the translation of Pope Francis' body, in St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, on Wednesday.
WORLD
Apr 24, 2025

Who will be the next pope? Some hints to watch for

The process to choose a new pope is long and secretive, with most of the world's 252 cardinals coming to Rome to take part.
Emissions from industry in fiscal 2023 declined 4.0% from the previous year, and those from households fell 6.8%, according to the Environment Ministry.
JAPAN
Apr 25, 2025

Japan's greenhouse gas emissions fall to a record low in fiscal 2023

The decrease came as the proportion of renewable and nuclear energy exceeded 30% of overall power sources and manufacturing activities slowed.
Pope Francis, a reformer known for his humility, inclusivity and focus on social justice, passed away at 88, leaving behind a divided church and a legacy of advocating for humanity's most vulnerable.
EDITORIALS
Apr 25, 2025

The Catholic church loses a lion

Francis’ spirit of inclusion should define who we are as human beings and his compassion should be the lodestar for action, both personal and political.
Hachidori Solar President Shota Ikeda in Tokyo in January
ENVIRONMENT
May 18, 2025

A 26-year-old asked to help shape Japan’s climate goals has a warning

Shota Ikeda has called for emissions reductions of at least 75% to be considered.
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (right) greets interim Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa (left) as U.S. President Donald Trump looks on in Riyadh on Wednesday.
WORLD / Politics
May 15, 2025

Syrian leader's path from global jihad to meeting Trump

The meeting is a huge boost for Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa as he tries to bring the fractured country under his control and revive its economy.
Police officers stand guard on May 7 outside Todaimae Station in Tokyo's Bunkyo Ward after a random stabbing that injured a University of Tokyo student.
JAPAN / Crime & Legal / FOCUS
May 19, 2025

Random stabbing cases in Japan raise fears: Could the next victim be me?

Experts say these incidents often reflect a deeper issue at the societal level.
Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei speaks during a meeting in Tehran on Tuesday.
WORLD / Politics
May 21, 2025

Iran faces U.S. without Plan B as nuclear red lines collide

Iran may turn to China and Russia as a "Plan B," but with Beijing's trade war with Washington, and Moscow distracted with its war in Ukraine, the backup plan seems shaky.

Longform

After the asset-price bubble crash of the early 1990s, employment at a Japanese company was no longer necessarily for life. As a result, a new generation is less willing to endure a toxic work culture —life’s too short, after all.
How Japan's youth are slowly changing the country's work ethic