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JAPAN / Heisei Icons
Apr 4, 2019

Takanohana: The nail that sumo pounded down

In sumo's 2,000-year history, few men have been as steeped in the sport's traditions as Koji Hanada.
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Apr 1, 2019

Heisei it ain't so! An era of great vocabulary is ending

In the beginning there was the word. More precisely, the prefix. When the Heisei Era officially started, on Jan. 8, 1989, Japan's economy was still merrily bubbling along. That must have been one reason for the popularity of 超 (chō, hyper-). The prefix itself is anything but new, but the idea to make...
COMMUNITY / Issues / LAW OF THE LAND
Mar 31, 2019

Heisei's legal legacies include greater civic participation

With Emperor Akihito abdicating on April 30, the Heisei Era that began Jan. 8, 1989, after his father's death will also come to an end. With this column I'd like to look back at some of the noteworthy changes that occurred to Japan's laws and legal institutions during the past three decades.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / TOKYO FOOD FILE
Mar 30, 2019

Le Dessin: How did such refined ramen come to be?

Among the mundane family restaurants, gritty gasoline stands and unlovely strip malls that line National Route 1 in Shizuoka Prececture there are places that catch the eye and justify a detour. None more so than Le Dessin.
COMMENTARY / World
Mar 29, 2019

I told you so: Only idiots believed in Russiagate

Whatever credibility U.S. media still had after pimping those imaginary Iraqi WMDs and 'experts' repeatedly reporting that Trump had no chance of winning, now lies in tatters.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Mar 28, 2019

Chai, Otoboke Beaver and Yahyel: The Japanese musicians representing at SXSW 2019

Every year, more than 2,000 bands flock to Austin, Texas, for the South By Southwest Music Conference and Festival (SXSW). The internationally recognized event has recently leaned heavy on tech, but music still plays a big part. During this year's mid-March music showcase, Japan was represented by a...
MORE SPORTS
Mar 26, 2019

Jon Gruden confirms Derek Carr will be starting QB for Raiders

Amid rumors and speculation that the Oakland Raiders could be looking to move on from Derek Carr, coach Jon Gruden said Monday that Carr's status is set for 2019.
Japan Times
LIFE / Lifestyle
Mar 23, 2019

Flower power: A Tokyo florist's decision to close his shop amid a shrinking market affects a wider community

It's 2:30 a.m. and dark outside. Tsuyoshi Hirasawa can see his breath in the February chill as he turns the key in the ignition of his white Honda minivan. The large hands gripping the steering wheel are rough and leathery from years of working with water, soil and the stems and branches of plants he...
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / WHY DID YOU LEAVE JAPAN?
Mar 23, 2019

Fumi Nagasaka: When Japan is neither in nor out of the picture

For Fumi Nagasaka, photography was born from making friends.
Japan Times
SUMO
Mar 22, 2019

Sumo 101: Consistent losers

Ted Williams famously said, "Baseball is the only field of endeavor where a man can succeed three times out of 10 and be considered a good performer."
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics / ANALYSIS
Mar 22, 2019

'Ordinary people' in focus as over 1 billion Asians set to vote in elections

Rights over land and forests, a push for LGBTQ equality and getting more women on the ballot are some of the top election issues in Thailand, India and Indonesia as more than 1 billion people prepare to go to the polls, including many first-time voters.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / TOKYO FOOD FILE
Mar 16, 2019

Narisawa: Celebrating 15 years of gastronomic genius

In the closing days of 2018, there was one celebration in particular that stood out. No ordinary bu014dnenkai (year-end) party, this was an event held to congratulate one of Tokyo's best-known chefs, Yoshihiro Narisawa, on the 15th anniversary of his eponymous restaurant.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Art / Heisei Icons,Heisei Icons
Mar 13, 2019

Takashi Murakami: The face of Japanese contemporary art abroad, underappreciated at home

In Tokyo alone, Murakami's commercial work can be seen in the official mascots for the Roppongi Hills complex and Tokyo MX TV station.
BASKETBALL / HOOP SCOOP
Mar 8, 2019

Gonzaga announcer Tom Hudson full of praise for Rui Hachimura

The Gonzaga University men's basketball team's sustained excellence is one of the most remarkable stories in contemporary sports.
SOCCER / From the Spot
Mar 6, 2019

With super club dreams, Vissel Kobe tries to rewrite history

Most sports writers have their own personal pantheon of inspirations. At the top of mine is Hunter S. Thompson.
Japan Times
BASKETBALL / NBA
Mar 5, 2019

Rockets, Raptors set for two games in Japan

Well, it's only preseason contests this time, but Japan will host NBA games for the first time in 16 years when the Houston Rockets and Toronto Raptors face each other, the league announced at a Tokyo news conference on Tuesday.
Japan Times
WORLD / Science & Health
Mar 5, 2019

More marine heat waves threatening fish and corals: study

The frequency of ocean heat waves has surged more than 50 percent since the early 20th century in a threat to fish, corals and other marine life stoked by global warming, an international study showed on Monday.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Society
Mar 2, 2019

'No one wants to be homeless': A glimpse at life on the streets of Tokyo

Seventy-year-old Yoshitomo Hara now lives in a housing facility, but he is well-versed in strategies to deal with sleeping rough in Tokyo during winter.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink
Mar 2, 2019

Uighur restaurants in Tokyo: Finding heaven through food

The Xinjiang region of China goes relatively unnoticed for its distinct cuisine, though it has certainly garnered international attention in other respects.
CULTURE / Film / Heisei Icons,Heisei Icons
Mar 1, 2019

Takeshi Kitano: From manzai comic to giant of Japanese film

Many Japanese filmmakers try to promote their films and talents abroad but stumble more than they succeed: Either Cannes rejects their latest masterpiece or Hollywood turns down their J-horror script.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Feb 27, 2019

U.S. weighs sanctions against mysterious Fintech billionaire's Venezuela deals seen helping Maduro

The U.S. is considering sanctions against Wall Street billionaire David Martinez as part of its effort to topple Nicolas Maduro's regime by cutting off its access to financing, according to three people familiar with the matter.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / The Big Questions
Feb 25, 2019

Ambassador sets course to spread cultural knowledge

Iranian Ambassador Morteza Rahmani Movahed was appointed to his newest position in July, but although he's lived in Japan for over six months, his schedule hasn't given him a lot of time for sightseeing.
Japan Times
WORLD
Feb 24, 2019

Israel arrests senior Muslim cleric after Jerusalem holy site unrest

Israeli police in Jerusalem arrested on Sunday a senior Muslim cleric attached to the sacred compound in the Old City, two days after he re-opened a mosque sealed by Israel during a Palestinian uprising in 2003.

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