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Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Jan 14, 2014

Blue Hawaii surfs Net to an Asia tour

Though they hail from the same Montreal music scene that spawned crossover electronica star Grimes, the members of Blue Hawaii don't have any illusions about where they rank in the popularity stakes.
EDITORIALS
Jan 14, 2014

Leave those kids alone

The education ministry should rethink its attempt to introduce 'morals' as an official subject of instruction in elementary and junior high schools.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / JAPANESE KITCHEN
Jan 14, 2014

Juiced for a citrus winter

One of my favorite winter pastimes growing up was to snuggle under the futon covering a kotatsu (heated table), doing my homework or watching TV, as I methodically worked my way through a big bowl of Satsuma mikan, the little oval-shaped oranges that are known as clementines or tangerines in the West....
JAPAN
Jan 13, 2014

Maruha cuts food output in Hokkaido as demand drops over pesticide scare

Maruha Nichiro's frozen foods unit cuts output in Hokkaido as consumers shun its brands after pesticide was found in products made at its Gunma plant on Honshu.
BASKETBALL
Jan 13, 2014

Toshiba edges Toyota Motors for Emperor's Cup title

When a big title is on the line, a winner is often decided by how resilient it is.
Japan Times
WORLD
Jan 13, 2014

Once veiled, French affairs feed tabloids

On Friday morning, I woke up as my usual French self. Then, from under the duvet, I reached for my smartphone and learned from Twitter that the French edition of Closer magazine had published pictures purportedly revealing an affair between President Francois Hollande and actress Julie Gayet. There had...
BASKETBALL
Jan 12, 2014

Shimane fires Vlaikidis, names ex-JBL star Hanson new bench boss

The Shimane Susanoo Magic, who have lost seven straight games, including their past three by a combined 59 points, made a coaching change on Sunday.
COMMUNITY / Voices / COMMUNITY CHEST
Jan 12, 2014

Readers speak up about the obstacles Japan faces in English education

Letters in response to the Jan. 6 Learning Curve column by Teru Clavel, "English fluency hopes rest on an education overhaul." Letters have been edited for size.
COMMENTARY
Jan 12, 2014

Stories that enable us to make sense of our lives

How are we to make sense of ourselves and the world if not by reading stories? For isn't this how we've talked to ourselves — soothed, stimulated and improved ourselves — for thousands of years?
Japan Times
WORLD / Politics
Jan 12, 2014

Sharon's life shaped Israel, mirrored its turbulent times

The death of former Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, who had been in a deep coma since suffering a stroke in January 2006, represents an extraordinary moment of rupture in his country's history. Of the generation of Israeli soldiers and politicians who fought in Israel's founding conflicts, only...
Japan Times
WORLD
Jan 12, 2014

In Fallujah, al-Qaida fails to learn from its past

The details were barely reported at the time by the world's media: the killing on Dec. 21 in the west of Iraq's Sunni-dominated Anbar province of 24 Iraqi Army personnel, including the commander of the 7th Division.
BUSINESS / YEN FOR LIVING
Jan 12, 2014

Deflation Watch: New Year's scorecard

It seems likely that the consumption tax increase will derail the government's economic boom train.
Japan Times
SUMO / SUMO SCRIBBLINGS
Jan 12, 2014

Hatsu 2014: Now or never for Kisenosato

When he first shot through the ranks in the mid 2000s, more than a few fans and commentators had Kisenosato penciled in as a future yokozuna.
LIFE
Jan 11, 2014

The return of Godzilla, the king of kaiju

'Godzilla' first appeared in cinemas across the country in November 1954 but its story line was heavily influenced by an incident eight months earlier at Bikini Atoll in the Marshall Islands.
LIFE
Jan 11, 2014

Everything you ever wanted to know about Godzilla but were afraid to ask

EDITORIALS
Jan 11, 2014

Perilous times for journalists

Given its recent enactment of the state secrets protection law, how soon will Japan start to appear on the annual lists of imprisoned journalists put out by the Committee to Protect Journalists?
Reader Mail
Jan 11, 2014

Connect the dots on English study

The Jan. 5 article "English fluency hopes rest on an education overhaul" leaves a logic gap as to why Prime Minister Shinzo Abe should dream of a nation "that will actively re-engage with the global marketplace."
Reader Mail
Jan 11, 2014

How one treats Yasukuni is key

The politicians who persist in visiting Yasukuni Shrine say they visit it to pay their respects to the war dead who sacrificed their lives for the benefit of the nation.
COMMENTARY / COUNTERPOINT
Jan 11, 2014

A new-year Asian reading list to savor and inspire

At this time of year, many newspapers publish such lengthy lists of must-read books that it's daunting to even imagine them all piled up gathering dust on the bedside table. So let me narrow the field by sharing some amazing titles about or from Asia that I have enjoyed over the past year.
LIFE
Jan 11, 2014

King of the monsters has universal appeal

Kouhei Nomura published a glossary titled 'The Godzilla Encyclopedia' in 2004 after six months of dedicated research. He delivers his verdict on why the king of the monsters is so popular worldwide.
COMMENTARY / World
Jan 10, 2014

Focusing on the business of Korean reconciliation

Despite its flaws, including an Orwellian feel, the Kaesong Industrial Complex, a joint venture of the North and South Korean government, helps to build an environment of collaboration. Pyongyang's recent announcement that it will open another 14 special economic zones is a positive development.
COMMENTARY / World
Jan 10, 2014

Give Snowden the Nobel Peace Prize

Since the Nobel Peace Prize committee has shown a consistent bias in choosing people who feed self-righteous Western prejudices, it would have a chance to distinguish itself by going the other way if it gave the next peace award to Edward Snowden.

Longform

An illustration features the Japanese signs for "ganbare" (good luck) and the Deaflympics, which will be held between Nov. 15 and 26.
A century of Deaf sport finds its moment in Tokyo