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JAPAN / Politics
Jul 10, 2015

Japan interested in joining NATO anti-ship missile consortium

Maritime Self-Defense Force officers traveled to a NATO meeting in The Hague in May to learn more about the consortium, says Reuters, citing unnamed sources.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Jul 10, 2015

Nepali expat champions aid effort for quake-struck homeland

On April 25, Nepalese Bilam Karki was driving in Beppu, Oita Prefecture, when he learned about the catastrophic earthquake that had struck the central part of his home country, with the news spreading fast via social media.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / KYOTO RESTAURANTS
Jul 10, 2015

Ogawa Coffee: An old-world coffee house without the traditional atmosphere

For a small city, Kyoto is big on coffee. As with every city in Japan, the current "third-wave" coffee boom has brought more choice and quality when it comes to cafes and beans. This is undeniably good news for coffee drinkers. Ogawa Coffee and Inoda Coffee, two Kyoto coffee institutions, both predate...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Entertainment news
Jul 10, 2015

Pre-orders of Harper Lee's new novel biggest since 'Harry Potter' on Amazon

"Go Set a Watchman," the much-anticipated second novel by "To Kill a Mockingbird" author Harper Lee, is the most pre-ordered print title on Amazon.com since the last book in the "Harry Potter" series, Amazon said Thursday.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Politics
Jul 9, 2015

LDP, DPJ take to Internet to mount security bill-related campaigns of persuasion

As Prime Minister Shinzo Abe prepares to ram through legislation that would drastically alter Japan's security stance, both the LDP and DPJ are taking their arguments to the people — via a variety of online media.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Economy
Jul 9, 2015

U.S., Japan enter 'final' trade talks ahead of possible TPP agreement

Trade negotiators from the U.S. and Japan met Thursday in Tokyo to work out what they hope will be a final bilateral deal needed for the Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement.
EDITORIALS
Jul 8, 2015

No fresh ideas on regional drain

The government is coming up short in developing fresh ideas to halt the population exodus to the big metropolitan areas.
COMMENTARY / World
Jul 8, 2015

Abbott's bullying of public broadcaster backfires

Prime Minister Tony Abbott has bungled once again by trying to bully Australia's national broadcaster into toeing the government line.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Jul 8, 2015

Mass murder and Sion Sono

A disturbed individual kills, and the media searches for reasons why. Sometimes, the killer obligingly cites a pop culture phenomenon as inspiration. Mark David Chapman, the man who shot John Lennon, saw himself as the living embodiment of Holden Caulfield, the hero of J.D. Salinger's "The Catcher in...
JAPAN / Politics
Jul 8, 2015

Ruling bloc restates intention to plow security bills through Diet

The political storm over the government's security bills is intensifying as the ruling bloc restates its plan to ram the bills through the Lower House as early as next week.
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC / Crime & Legal
Jul 8, 2015

Court begins hearing Philippines, China dispute over South China Sea

The Philippines argued at a closed hearing Tuesday that an international court should intervene in its dispute with China over the right to exploit natural resources and fish in the South China Sea.
Japan Times
WORLD / Politics
Jul 8, 2015

PGA match joins exodus, dumps Trump links over slur on immigrants

Republican U.S. presidential candidate Donald Trump suffered a fresh blow on Tuesday with the announcement that a professional golfing event scheduled for October at a Trump course in Los Angeles will be moved, the latest fallout from his vitriol against undocumented immigrants from Mexico.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Jul 8, 2015

Eurozone ultimatum: Greece has until Sunday to come up with debt deal

Eurozone members have given Greece until the end of the week to come up with a proposal for sweeping reforms in return for loans that will keep the country from crashing out of Europe's currency bloc and into economic ruin.
SOCCER / Women's World Cup
Jul 7, 2015

Nadeshiko reflect on World Cup journey after return to Japan

Nadeshiko Japan manager Norio Sasaki wasted no time in targeting the gold medal at next year's Rio Olympics as the beaten Women's World Cup finalists returned home from Canada on Tuesday.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Art
Jul 7, 2015

Enjoy something new under the sun at Japan's outdoor art festivals

There's no excuse to stay indoors this summer when so many regions in Japan are offering great outdoor art festivals. Here's a few that we think are worth putting on the sun lotion for.
Japan Times
WORLD / Politics
Jul 7, 2015

Trump says some Mexico remarks were distorted but slaying by multiple deportee proves him right

After days of outrage, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump said on Monday that some of his criticism of Mexico has been distorted but stuck to his stance that many illegal immigrants coming across the Mexican border are criminals.
JAPAN / History
Jul 6, 2015

Government downplays forced labor concession in winning UNESCO listing for industrial sites

Japan wins UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Status for 23 industrial sites after conceding to South Korea's demand that the registration make clear that some of the locations used forced laborers from the Korean Peninsula.
JAPAN / Politics
Jul 6, 2015

Hashimoto raises prospect of forming all-Kansai political party

Osaka Mayor Toru Hashimoto expresses interest in forming an all-Kansai political party, which could split the party into eastern and western Japan factions.
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Jul 6, 2015

Kendo can bring Japan's passive smartphone zombies back to life

When I visited the Nippon Budokan (日本武道館) to watch the Kokusai Kendo Senshuken (世界剣道選手権大会, World Kendo Championships), an unexpected surge of joy coursed through my veins. This is probably how Brazilians feel when watching a soccer match between their national team and anyone...
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC
Jul 6, 2015

China stresses 'nationalism' in war anniversary propaganda push

China plans to mark the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II in Asia, and its fight against Japan, with a stream of movies, concerts, performances and exhibitions, officials said on Monday, in an effort to strengthen "nationalism and culture."

Longform

Tetsuzo Shiraishi, speaking at The Center of the Tokyo Raids and War Damage, uses a thermos to explain how he experienced the U.S. firebombing of March 1945, when he was just 7 years old.
From ashes to high-rises: A survivor’s account of Tokyo’s postwar past