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BASKETBALL / BJ-LEAGUE NOTEBOOK
Jan 16, 2014

Iwate's Yonamine never loses track of ultimate goal: winning

Tsubasa Yonamine doesn't grab front-page headlines or dominate the highlights segment on TV sports shows. He helps his basketball team achieve success.
COMMENTARY
Jan 16, 2014

Putin PR hides woes in 2014

The Kremlin's dismay at the scale and longevity of protests in Moscow and other cities, following the fraudulent election in December 2011, is forcing Putin to find new ways to shore up his presidency.
JAPAN / Politics
Jan 14, 2014

Masuzoe jumps into race, touts value of open policy debate

Former health minister Yoichi Masuzoe, entering the Feb. 9 Tokyo gubernatorial election, says he welcomes all challengers, including ex-Prime Minister Morihiro Hosokawa.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Jan 14, 2014

Will Dr. Dre and Jimmy Iovine beat Spotify?

Buying music is passe; nowadays it's all about renting. Billboard reports that sales of "album plus track equivalent albums" fell by 7.6 percent in 2013. (Among subcategories of both digital and physical media, only vinyl sales increased last year.) The new hot trends are monthly subscription services...
BUSINESS / Economy
Jan 14, 2014

Current-account gap widens to record on weak yen

As imports climbed, the nation's current-account deficit widened to a record in November, underscoring challenges for Prime Minister Shinzo Abe as he tries to drive a sustained economic rebound.
BUSINESS / Companies
Jan 13, 2014

Suntory to acquire Beam for $16 billion in grab for Maker's Mark

Suntory will acquire Beam for $16 billion to gain top liquor brands such as Maker's Mark whiskey and create the world's third-largest premium spirits company.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Jan 12, 2014

The way we were, or reflections for the new year

In the dusky light of ōmisoka (大晦日, Dec. 31), I spotted something that's become a rarity on Tokyo streets: a dead animal. Actually it was a yamabato (山鳩, turtle dove) — and its feathers were tragically strewn among the blood and gore like a terrible crime scene. Some tsūkōnin (通行人,...
Japan Times
JAPAN / ADVANCES IN PROGRESS
Jan 12, 2014

Display technologies set to turn heads in cars and windows

From smartphones and high-definition TVs to digital displays, display technology has advanced in leaps and bounds to become ubiquitous the world over.
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.
EDITORIALS
Jan 11, 2014

More computers in education?

Two recent conflicting reports from government ministries expose the conundrum at the heart of the question of whether computers are helpful to education.
BASEBALL / Japanese Baseball / HIT AND RUN
Jan 11, 2014

Dual role won't be easy for Tanishige

Chunichi Dragons catcher/manager Motonobu Tanishige began his workouts this year with a vow not to change anything about the way he prepares for the season.
CULTURE / TV & Streaming / CHANNEL SURF
Jan 11, 2014

Lt. Fukuie returns; "Yoru no Sensei" drama features teacher challenge; CM of the week: Yomiuri Shimbun

"Columbo" remains one of the most beloved American TV series in Japan and has generated dozens of local copies. One is police Lt. Fukuie, the creation of mystery writer Takahiro Okura. Fukuie is a woman whose persistence tries the patience of not only her suspects, but her colleagues as well.
COMMENTARY / Japan
Jan 10, 2014

Diplomatic dustup a worrying sign for Japan-China relations

It's tempting to roll one's eyes at the respective invocations of 'Harry Potter's' Lord Voldemort by the Chinese and Japanese ambassadors to Britain in a diplomatic tit-for-tat, but the exchange is a troubling sign.
Figure Skating / ICE TIME
Jan 10, 2014

Kim looking like a lock for second gold medal in Sochi

With less than a month to go until the Sochi Games begin, all signs are that defending Olympic and world champion Kim Yu-na is rounding into form and will be in top shape when she enters the rink at the Iceberg Skating Palace.
COMMUNITY / Issues / LABOR PAINS
Jan 8, 2014

Restore the shuttered-up New Year's of yore

First of all, I would like to wish a happy new year to all the readers of Labor Pains. While labor news has generally been a gloomy topic of late, it is my hope that this year will bring brighter things for me to write about.
JAPAN / Politics
Jan 8, 2014

Masuzoe to run for Tokyo governor

Former health minister Yoichi Mau00adsuu00adzoe indicates he will run for Tokyo governor next month.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Politics
Jan 7, 2014

Tamogami pledges SDF disaster prep

Toshio Tamogami, a former top officer in the Air Self-Defense Force cashiered for historical revisionist comments, formally announces he will run for Tokyo governor, pledging to build a stronger disaster response system with the SDF to brace for terrorist attacks during the 2020 Olympics or a massive earthquake hitting the capital.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Politics
Jan 7, 2014

Japan, Turkey to pursue economic partnership agreement

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and his Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, agreed Tuesday in Tokyo that the two countries will work toward starting negotiations for a bilateral economic partnership agreement, hopefully before the end of this year.

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