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Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC / FOCUS
May 1, 2019

China's vast fleet seen tipping the balance of power in the Pacific

A generation ago, from mid-1995 into early 1996, China lobbed missiles in the waters around Taiwan as the self-governing island prepared to hold its first fully democratic presidential election. Washington forcefully intervened to support its ally, sending two aircraft carrier battle groups to patrol...
JAPAN
Nov 19, 2016

Contamination: Documents reveal hundreds of unreported environmental accidents at three U.S. Marine Corps bases on Okinawa

Since 2002, at least 270 environmental accidents on U.S. Marine Corps bases on Okinawa have contaminated land and local waterways but, until now, few of these incidents have been made public. Internal reports highlight serious flaws in training and suggest the lessons of past accidents have not been...
COMMENTARY / World
Oct 29, 2013

Blame liberals for illegal drone war

Critics of the George W. Bush administration didn't realize that condemning quasi-lawless detention at Guantanamo Bay would lead a Democratic president to break new ground with drones.
ENVIRONMENT / OUR PLANET EARTH
Jan 23, 2011

Forests worldwide: a primer

For those living in Japan, it's easy to forget that forests are not a given.
Japan Times
ENVIRONMENT / OUR PLANET EARTH
Feb 27, 2008

Even oceans can only take so much

N ow that the wider world has finally recognized the extent to which human activities are altering the Earth's climate, maybe we can also begin to grasp the fact that our oceans, too, are in dire straits.
Japan Times
WORLD
Sep 12, 2021

‘Everything changed overnight’: Afghan reporters face an intolerant regime

'No one dares to ask the Taliban about their past wrongdoings and the atrocities they have committed.”
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics / ANALYSIS
Jun 11, 2019

One year after Singapore summit, hopes fading for progress in U.S.-North Korea nuclear talks

One year after the handshakes, photo ops and circus-like fanfare of the first-ever summit between a sitting U.S. president and a North Korean leader, hopes that Pyongyang will soon give up its nuclear weapons have all but evaporated.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Regional Voices: Okinawa
Jun 8, 2018

Okinawa car rental agencies wary of Chinese tourists with improperly obtained licenses

Believing it would be convenient to get around by car in Okinawa, a 30-something Chinese woman decided to access a major online shopping site before her 2016 trip to obtain a driving permit that would be valid in Japan, since Chinese licenses aren't permitted in Japan.
WORLD
Dec 21, 2013

NSA, GCHQ targeted foreign interests, allies, heads of aid groups

British and United States spy agencies targeted the office of an Israeli prime minister, the heads of international aid organizations and a European Union official who oversees antitrust issues involving U.S. technology firms, according to secret documents.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Jan 15, 2012

Yokohama antinuclear conference draws thousands of activists, experts

A two-day antinuclear conference kicked off Saturday in Yokohama with the aim of sharing lessons from the Fukushima crisis and fostering global momentum against atomic power.
COMMENTARY
Oct 31, 2005

Students need analytical skills

One characteristic of Japanese universities is that they provide highly specialized education for undergraduate students. This is partly because high-school students receive a high level of science education. In fact, their knowledge level in math and physics is one of the highest in the world. Thus,...
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC
Dec 29, 2022

'Darkness before dawn’: Tourism sector in China eyes slow but sure recovery

Travel agents across China don't expect demand to immediately surge following the lifting of pandemic-related travel restrictions, due to various factors.
Japan Times
WORLD / ANALYSIS
Mar 18, 2022

Chinese military aid to Russia would be major role reversal, analysts say

China has developed armed drones, guided weapons and battlefield communications, systems that might help Russia fill gaps that are being exposed on the Ukraine front.
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC
Oct 2, 2018

In 'unsafe' encounter, Chinese warship sails within 40 meters of U.S. Navy destroyer in South China Sea

A Chinese destroyer performed an "unsafe" maneuver during an encounter with a U.S. Navy warship in the disputed South China Sea over the weekend, coming within 40 meters (45 yards) of the American vessel's bow and forcing it to steer the ship away to prevent a collision, the U.S. military said Tuesday....
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC
Jun 14, 2017

North Korean detainee Otto Warmbier, in coma for over a year, is evacuated to U.S.

An American college student who fell into a coma more than a year ago while detained by North Korea was returned to the U.S. Tuesday in a stunning display of diplomatic dexterity by the White House.
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics / ANALYSIS
Feb 5, 2017

North Korea offers first foreign test to Trump administration

As U.S. President Donald Trump grapples with domestic crises and transition issues, the country that is widely seen as representing his largest foreign policy challenge is gearing up some 10,000 km away to test an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) capable of striking the United States.
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC / FOCUS
Sep 3, 2013

Nukes, terrorists, intel gaps: U.S. 'black budget' shows extent of distrust toward Pakistan

The $52.6 billion U.S. intelligence arsenal is aimed mainly at unambiguous adversaries, including al-Qaida, North Korea and Iran. But top-secret budget documents reveal an equally intense focus on one purported ally: Pakistan, which appears at the top of charts listing critical U.S. intelligence gaps.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Tech
Aug 20, 2013

Unemployed Web developer hacks Zuckerberg's Facebook page

An unemployed Palestinian developer named Khalil Shreateh tried several times to report a bug to Facebook's security team. When no one got back to him, he took the (dubiously) logical next step: exploited the bug to leave a public comment on Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg's wall.
COMMENTARY / World
Jun 5, 2013

Debunking five myths about chemical weapons

The exact nature of what is going on inside Syria is tough to determine. The United States, Britain, France and Israel have focused on the question of whether forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar Assad have used chemical weapons. To answer that question and understand its implications, some myths...
COMMENTARY
Jul 16, 2011

A media empire crumbles

Scandals have often dominated the British media, but few have been as remarkable as the revelations which have been appearing almost every day about the misdeeds of journalists on the British populist mass circulation Sunday paper The News of the World. This was owned by News International which is run...
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Oct 29, 2003

Companies urged to engage in good citizenship

In the wake of huge corporate scandals in Japan and the United States, companies are under pressure to be more socially responsible.
BUSINESS
Aug 27, 2003

Environment Ministry greening up

The Environment Ministry said Tuesday it is preparing a bill to encourage more companies to reduce industrial pollution and protect the environment.
People search for survivors and the bodies of victims after an Israeli bombardment in the southern Gaza Strip on Oct. 26, 2023.
WORLD
Oct 5, 2024

Emails show early U.S. concerns over Gaza offensive and risk of Israeli war crimes

The emails show the Biden administration’s struggle to balance internal concerns over rising deaths in Gaza with its public support for Jerusalem.
The Advanced Liquid Processing System, used for treating accumulated contaminated water, is seen during a media tour of the wrecked Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant in Futaba, Fukushima Prefecture, on July 21.
JAPAN / Science & Health
Aug 7, 2023

Japan to start Fukushima water release as early as late August

The government will make a final decision on the matter following further internal deliberations and diplomatic discussions with its allies.
International calls for a cease-fire to spare civilians have been unsuccessful, with Israel vowing to continue until Hamas has been destroyed and all hostages have been freed.
WORLD / Politics
Jan 26, 2024

U.S. sets up channel with Israel seeking answers on civilian casualties

The channel has been set up following concerns about the "constant" reports of Israeli strikes that have resulted in large numbers of civilian deaths.
Nigeriens gather in a street to protest against the U.S. military presence, in Niamey, Niger, on April 13.
WORLD / Politics
Nov 12, 2024

Trump inherits waning U.S. strength in Africa

Biden made sweeping political promises to Africa that he has yet to keep, including visiting during his presidency, which ends in January.
Workers building a railway in front of Lusail Stadium in Doha in 2018
SOCCER
Nov 30, 2024

FIFA should pay workers injured building Qatar World Cup, internal report says

The report offered no specific dollar amount of compensation.
Joseph S. Nye (center), an advocate of stronger U.S.-Japan relations and father of "soft power," died Tuesday at the age of 88.
JAPAN / Politics
May 8, 2025

Joseph Nye, advocate of stronger U.S.-Japan relations, dies at 88

The former U.S. assistant secretary of defense, known for coining the term "soft power," coauthored reports that influenced the direction of U.S.-Japan ties.
Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba arrives at a photo session for the Tokyo International Conference on African Development as South African President Cyril Ramaphosa reacts, in Yokohama, last week.
JAPAN / Society
Aug 26, 2025

Misinformation over JICA’s Africa ‘hometown’ initiative sparks controversy

Media reports claiming the initiative would include a special visa category for skilled Africans who want to come to Japan exacerbated the confusion.
Armenia’s Defense Minister Suren Papikyan (left), Chinese Defense Minister Dong Jun (right) and Cambodia’s Defense Minister Tea Seiha meet at the Beijing Xiangshan Forum in Beijing on Sept. 18.
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics
Sep 30, 2025

Peace broker and arms supplier: China’s dual roles in a deadly conflict

The five-day war between Cambodia and Thailand in late June killed 40 people, including civilians, and displaced hundreds of thousands.

Longform

Growing families are being priced out of Tokyo’s condo market, forced to choose between downtown convenience and suburban space.
Is living in central Tokyo still affordable?