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COMMENTARY / Japan
Apr 27, 2015

Japan needs to cut its rice farmers down to size

Japan's 3.3 million rice growers, who together comprise only 2.5 percent of the population, now seem to be the biggest obstacle preventing Japan from completing one of history's biggest trade deals.
JAPAN / Politics
Apr 27, 2015

Unified elections help diversify representation in Tokyo

Liberal Democratic Party-backed candidates lose three of five key mayoral races in the final wave of unified elections as voter turnout sinks to another record low.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Apr 22, 2015

Thailand plays the Russia card

The renewed friendly relations between Thailand and Russia must be analyzed in the context of the turbulence in Thai domestic politics.
COMMENTARY / World
Apr 8, 2015

Rand Paul can't change the Republican Party

Republicans have been the party of social conservatism, nationalism and free-markets, and that isn't going to change — no matter how well Rand Paul does next year.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Economy
Apr 4, 2015

Russia's rich forgo some luxuries but still back Putin

Russian model Alisa Krylova canceled her order for the latest Mercedes, spent New Year's in Moscow rather than skiing in the Alps and now employs Russian staffers rather than foreigners.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Apr 3, 2015

The trials and tribulations of Asian democracy

The list of national political leaders in Asia who have faced, or are about to face, criminal charges has grown so extensive that it is plausible to wonder whether democracy itself can survive in a number of these countries.
Japan Times
WORLD / Politics
Mar 30, 2015

Republicans see Obama as more imminent threat to U.S. than Putin, Assad: poll

A third of Republicans believe President Barack Obama poses an imminent threat to the United States, outranking concerns about Russian President Vladimir Putin and Syrian strongman Bashar Assad.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Society
Mar 24, 2015

Single mother with disability vying for seat in Tokyo's Kita Ward

The packed room quieted down as Rie Saito took the stage. Instead of picking up the microphone, however, she smiled and silently pointed to the big screen next to her. This was the beginning of her speech — at a political rally on March 15 — which she based around a Power Point presentation.
COMMENTARY / Japan
Mar 19, 2015

Politicizing personal beliefs will invite distrust of Japan

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will invite distrust of Japan as well as create a big risk for himself if he insists on politicizing his personal beliefs.
JAPAN / View from Osaka
Mar 14, 2015

Of birds and bugs: journalism in Tokyo and Osaka

One of the first things Tokyoites who relocate to Osaka notice is that, while their favorite mainstream media news source is available in both cities, the tone and often substance of the reporting is different.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Mar 9, 2015

Why Beijing is giving Hong Kong less respect

The crux of Beijing's declining respect for Hong Kong is Britain's apparent efforts to enhance its economic relationship with China amid U.S. hegemonic decline.
COMMENTARY / World
Mar 9, 2015

The 'next America' is testing U.S. governance

Both major American parties have had a hard time creating agendas that appeal across ideological, racial and ethnic lines. The fragmentation of power and purpose transcends the defects of political leaders.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Mar 8, 2015

The guiding principles of economic prosperity

It would be a mistake to assume that Germany's economic performance vindicates its policymaking today, for its current economic dominance has been built on a policy framework that stands in direct opposition to that championed by the father of its post-World War II 'economic miracle.'
JAPAN / Politics
Mar 6, 2015

Cabinet moves to put SDF officers, civilians on equal footing

The Cabinet approves historic proposals to weaken civilian control over the Self-Defense Forces by giving military officers equal footing with civil servants in planning SDF operations.
JAPAN / Politics
Mar 6, 2015

Hatoyama stirs trouble with plan to visit Crimea

Former Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama, who retired from politics in December 2012, never failed to draw public attention during his career.
COMMENTARY / World
Mar 3, 2015

The mystery of Nemtsov's murder

Russian President Vladimir Putin disliked and despised Boris Nemtsov, but he had nothing to gain from the opposition leader's death.
COMMENTARY / World
Feb 9, 2015

Lowering the bar for economic performance

Regardless of how much progressives try to play up the U.S. economic recovery by lowering the bar for perfornance, the lingering anemia is astonishing, given the plummeting energy prices.
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics
Feb 2, 2015

In Thailand's red-shirt heartlands, army keeps lid on dissent

In the northeastern Thai city of Khon Kaen, Pongpit Onlamai, a prominent anti-junta "red shirt" member, points to a man seated in the corner of the cafe fidgeting with his phone.
PRESS / Publications
Feb 2, 2015

“The Japan Culture Book (Japanese/English)”on sale now

Enjoy Japanese traditional and cutting-edge pop culture
WORLD / Politics
Jan 27, 2015

Koch brothers to spend $889 million on 2016 U.S. elections

Conservative political advocacy groups supported by the billionaire Koch brothers plan to spend $889 million in the 2016 U.S. elections, more than double what they raised in 2012, according to a report in the Washington Post.
Japan Times
JAPAN / DAVOS SPECIAL 2015
Jan 21, 2015

Forging better Japan through 'quiet revolution'

Entrepreneur Yoshito Hori has a strong sense of mission to guide Japan to become a better place as it undergoes what he calls a "quiet revolution," and he thinks his role is outside of politics.
COMMENTARY / World
Jan 18, 2015

The future of Netanyahu and the Jewish state

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appeared politically unassailable until the abrupt resignation of two Cabinet ministers and the inconclusive war in Gaza.
JAPAN / Politics
Jan 7, 2015

DPJ leadership campaign begins, with three candidates running

Goshi Hosono, a former minister in charge of dealing with the Fukushima disaster, Akira Nagatsuma, a former welfare minister, and deputy leader Katsuya Okada are vying for the party's top post.
COMMENTARY / World
Jan 5, 2015

Middle East dos and don'ts

A long-time columnist on Mideast affairs, Ramzy Baroud, shares 'dos' and 'don'ts' with writers and reporters on how to approach the subject of the Middle East.
EDITORIALS
Dec 29, 2014

Pesky political fund problems

The return of Shinzo Abe's ruling bloc to a two-thirds majority in the Lower House has all but sidelined a spate of political fund problems that hit Cabinet members before the snap election. But it has not erased them.
WORLD / Politics
Dec 28, 2014

Swedish government makes deal with anti-immigration opposition

Sweden's 3-month-old minority center-left government announced a deal with the opposition on Saturday to sideline the anti-immigration Sweden Democrats, who hold the balance of power in parliament, and avert a fresh election.
EDITORIALS
Dec 27, 2014

2014: a year of conservative gains

The year 2014 was full of unexpected events, but none helped to jolt Japan's economy, politics or society out of a sense of being stalled.
COMMENTARY / Japan
Dec 23, 2014

South Korea shows the way on 'womenomics'

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe says he wants to put more women to work to help make up for the country's shrinking population. Yet, of the 1,093 people who ran for office in recent snap elections, a mere 169 were women. Abe might want to study neighboring South Korea.

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