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Japan Times
LIFE / Lifestyle
Aug 26, 2018

Lexus: A driving force for the 'experiential' store?

Do creative projects, like 'experiential stores' really bring such intangible benefits as increasing brand awareness among the golden goose target of millennials?
Japan Times
LIFE / Digital / ON: GAMES
Aug 26, 2018

Are you ready for September?

The upcoming month brings with it the 'Marvel's Spider-Man' PS4 game and console release, an all-women SNK game and the expo for all gamers — Tokyo Game Show.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Tech
Aug 26, 2018

'Super Mario' creator says gaming industry should put steady subscriptions ahead of in-game charges

The legendary video game designer who created "Super Mario" and "Donkey Kong" has a word of advice for today's industry: Stop nickel-and-diming users.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / 20 QUESTIONS
Aug 25, 2018

Making the cut in Japan's film industry

Film producer Yukie Kito talks about making movies, her favorite actor and how the entertainment industry in Japan differs to that in the U.S.
Reader Mail
Aug 24, 2018

Learning how to learn from Japan

I was recently in Tokyo to attend a digital analytics conference organized by Web Analytics Consultants Association (WACA) and was amazed at the mindset and attitude among many of the 400-strong conference attendees.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Aug 22, 2018

'Ponoc Short Films Theatre, Vol. 1: Modest Heroes': An anime studio's modest break with norms

"Modest Heroes" studio Ponoc was founded by producer Yoshiaki Nishimura, formerly of Ghibli, just as that legendary anime studio decided to cool its jets back in 2014. Ponoc's debut feature, last year's "Mary and the Witch's Flower," established it as a kind of Ghibli 2, a place where Ghibli alums could...
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Aug 21, 2018

Lessons from the 30 years of the Heisei Era

Policy discussions during the Heisei Era had the characteristics of being molded by the opinions exchanged on TV news and variety shows.
Japan Times
JAPAN / View from Osaka
Aug 18, 2018

Osaka leaders revel as casinos bid for attention

When the Diet passed a law governing the operation of integrated casino resorts last month, public celebrations were few. Media polls showed strong public opposition to casinos, with respondents citing worries about problem gamblers and more crime.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Aug 17, 2018

'Game over' in China as Beijing halts approvals of video game licenses

China's regulators have frozen approvals of game licenses amid a government shake-up, according to people familiar with the matter, throwing the world's biggest gaming market into disarray.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Stage
Aug 15, 2018

Dramatist Hideto Iwai connects with his audiences in ways he never could have imagined by being honest about his own life experiences

When he was 16, Hideto Iwai was perplexed as to why everyone around him unquestioningly jumped onto society's student-to-salaryman conveyor belt. So, he broke free, dropping out of high school and picking up casual jobs where he could find them.
LIFE / Lifestyle
Aug 11, 2018

Unsolved mysteries: Japanese fans of the occult are engaged in a never-ending search for the truth

Whether it's tales of hauntings, spirits or paranormal phenomena, Yuki Yoshida loves a good scare.
Japan Times
LIFE / Travel
Aug 10, 2018

Taking the path once trodden by Ian Fleming and James Bond

In 1962, Ian Fleming, the author of James Bond, visited Japan. His journey here, and the characters he met, would go on to inspire 007's adventures in 'You Only Live Twice.' But in 2018, how possible is it to retrace the author's footsteps across Japan?
Japan Times
LIFE / Style & Design / ON: DESIGN
Aug 5, 2018

From balancing games to playing with poop

Inspired by the 2018 Good Toy Awards winners, announced in May by the NPO Japan Good Toy Association, this month's On: Design takes a look at a few aesthetically pleasing items to help keep the kids entertained over the summer holidays.
Japan Times
LIFE / Travel / HOTELS & RESTAURANTS
Aug 2, 2018

Next-level luxury in helicopter ride, spa package

Swissotel Nankai Osaka is pulling out all the stops to celebrate its 15th anniversary. In addition to hosting a variety of commemorative promotional events, the hotel has crafted two luxurious accommodation plans that will be available from Sept. 1 to Dec. 31.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Jul 31, 2018

More hip-hop, more J-pop and a typhoon: Fuji Rock 2018 was full of new energy

Nothing encapsulated the strangeness of this year's Fuji Rock Festival than the spectacle that unfurled on the main Green Stage on Saturday night. After delivering what was already one of the silliest sets of the weekend, EDM producer Skrillex returned for his encore, accompanied by a surprise guest...
Japan Times
JAPAN / EXPLAINER
Jul 29, 2018

Japan embraces esports after lagging global peers but seeks a star to put it on the map

Esports is quickly establishing itself as a way for video game lovers around the world to make a name for themselves — and a living — from their favorite pastime.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Media / BIG IN JAPAN
Jul 28, 2018

A late addition to urban culture, parks say a lot about life in Japan

"Life is park!" proclaims Brutus magazine.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Jul 24, 2018

Flea market apps transforming Japan's thrift culture

When strapped for cash before his next paycheck, Ryo Takezawa would trudge over to the nearest Bookoff, the nation's largest chain of secondhand bookstores, to sell his novels and CDs.
Japan Times
WORLD
Jul 21, 2018

Missouri boat accident kills 17, including nine from one family

Nine members of the same family were among 17 people killed when a "duck boat" sank during a storm on Thursday on a Missouri lake in one of the deadliest U.S. tourist tragedies in years.
Japan Times
MORE SPORTS
Jul 19, 2018

NPB getting on board with boom in esports

Nippon Professional Baseball is ready to take a swing at esports.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Jul 19, 2018

Singapore Airlines tops passenger survey

If you want to fly premium, the best route around the globe is via Singapore.
CULTURE / Film
Jul 18, 2018

'Boy Soldiers: The Secret War in Okinawa': Gripping stories told by Okinawans provide a firsthand account of war

By documenting the tales of those who lived through the Battle of Okinawa in 1945, filmmakers Chie Mikami and Hanayo Oya question the island's current role as a military stronghold.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Jul 16, 2018

'Akira': Looking back at the future

On the 30th anniversary of the release of the animated version of 'Akira' in Japan, we examine the enduring legacy of Katsuhiro Otomo's sci-fi classic.
Japan Times
LIFE / Lifestyle / CHILD'S PLAY
Jul 15, 2018

Summer with the kids can be a walk in the park

Japan has more playgrounds than you could ever visit. Admittedly, some are more like patches of dirt with a few swings, but others are spectacular constructions that can inspire the childish imagination. Here are a few worth seeking out.
Japan Times
WORLD / Politics
Jul 13, 2018

Soccer's World Cup detoxifies Russia's global brand

When the last fan files out of Moscow's Luzhniki stadium on Sunday after the soccer World Cup final, Vladimir Putin can bask in the knowledge that his objective for the tournament has been met: Russia has, for now at least, been re-branded.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Companies
Jul 13, 2018

Adobe to launch Photoshop for iPad in strategy shift

Adobe Systems Inc., the maker of popular digital design programs for creatives, is planning to launch the full version of its Photoshop app for Apple Inc.'s iPad as part of a new strategy to make its products compatible across multiple devices and boost subscription sales.

Longform

A small shrine perched atop rocks braves the waves hitting the shoreline during a storm in Shimoda, Shizuoka Prefecture. The area is under threat of a possible 31-meter-high tsunami if an earthquake strikes the nearby Nankai Trough.
If the 'Big One' hits, this city could face a 31-meter-high tsunami