Search - u_times

 
 
Reader Mail
Nov 10, 2011

Carefully dismantle the eurozone

In the continuing euro crisis it may be instructive to analyze why the eurozone nations have got themselves into this appalling mess. The root cause was expressed centuries ago in the story of the Pied Piper. This is undoubtedly THE German myth — "myth" in the Jungian sense of a basic truth.
Reader Mail
Nov 10, 2011

Obfuscation by power industry

Olaf Kathaus' Nov. 3 letter, "Nonsense from a poison pen," is right and wrong on certain points. I agree that claiming that populations worldwide will be vastly affected by the Fukushima nuclear disaster is far-fetched. I once read at a semi-reliable Internet site that "hundreds of millions" will die...
JAPAN
Nov 10, 2011

Teachers bolt jobs over mental angst

The number of first-year teachers who left their job for health reasons has increased twentyfold over the past 10 years, with most citing apparent emotional issues, an education ministry survey has found.
EDITORIALS
Nov 10, 2011

New era for Libya

It was a far longer and far bloodier struggle than many anticipated, but Libya has been declared liberated. The 42-year rule of Moammar Gadhafi has ended, and the north African nation can begin to rebuild itself. Libya is well positioned to move forward: With extensive oil reserves and proximity to Europe,...
BUSINESS
Nov 10, 2011

Softbank, Alibaba seeking partners to take over Yahoo

Softbank Corp. and China's Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. are talking with private-equity funds about making a bid for all of Yahoo Inc. without the company's blessing, sources said.
Japan Times
JAPAN / RADIATION DECONTAMINATION
Nov 9, 2011

Radiation cleanup plan falls short

Radioactive fallout from the crippled Fukushima No. 1 nuclear plant has caused widespread fear, prompting the government in August to adopt basic targets for decontamination efforts in and around Fukushima Prefecture.
COMMENTARY / World
Nov 9, 2011

The Commonwealth's missed opportunity

On Oct. 28-30, representatives of 54 countries, mostly heads of government, attended the bi-annual Commonwealth Meeting. High on the agenda was a report by the Eminent Persons Group (EPG), established to reinvigorate the Commonwealth, strengthen its Secretariat, and transform its approach to human rights....
COMMENTARY
Nov 8, 2011

America's troubling support for oil-rich Islamist regimes

When Libya's interim government announced the "liberation" of the country Oct. 23, it declared that a system based on the Islamic Sharia, including polygamy, will replace the secular dictatorship that Moammar Gadhafi ran for 42 years.
Japan Times
JAPAN / EXPLAINER
Nov 8, 2011

Late-night restaurants ripe for robbery

"Gyudon" beef-on-rice restaurants belonging to the Sukiya chain have become a favorite target of robbers.
COMMUNITY / Voices / HAVE YOUR SAY
Nov 8, 2011

Put the best interests of children above pride and prejudice

I have written about my story previously to The Japan Times, but this most recent article from Richard Cory ("Left-behind dads take desperate measures," Zeit Gist, Oct. 4) spurs me to write again.
EDITORIALS
Nov 8, 2011

Fukushima health concerns

As efforts to end the nuclear disaster at Tokyo Electric Power Co.'s Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant drag on, it is important for the central and local governments to step up their efforts to closely examine the health conditions of people concerned and to decontaminate areas contaminated by radiation....
COMMUNITY
Nov 8, 2011

Spook out readers, win a Tokyo tour or tome

Share your scariest experience or tell us about your favorite spooky Japanese tale for a chance to win a Haunted Tokyo Tour or a volume of Kurodahan Press's "Kaiki" series of uncanny short stories.
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Nov 7, 2011

Occupy Tokyo lacks focus but still demands change

"Tokyo wo senkyo seyo! (東京を占拠せよ! Occupy Tokyo!")
COMMENTARY
Nov 7, 2011

Asian leader receives coveted American award

They honored the controversial, though increasingly appreciated, Asian statesman Lee Kuan Yew at the historic Ford Theater in Washington recently, and I wish I had been there.
BASKETBALL
Nov 7, 2011

Broncos lose in spite of Humphrey's best efforts

John "Helicopter" Humphrey had carried his team for most of the game.
COMMENTARY
Nov 7, 2011

The population disaster looms mostly for Africa

According to the United Nations, the world's population passed the 7 billion mark at the end of October. We can expect much tutting and shaking of heads over its prediction that we will be 10 billion by the end of the century, but almost nobody will have the temerity to point out that this is almost...
Reader Mail
Nov 6, 2011

Original sin of Futenma

When U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta came to Japan recently, the first thing he did was to urge Tokyo to move ahead with the relocation of U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma from overcrowded Ginowan City to Henoko in the northern part of Okinawa Island, as had been expected.
Reader Mail
Nov 6, 2011

Invest in factories, not bases

In his Oct. 30 letter, "" Scott Kenny warns of the economic harm that could result from the closure of U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma.
Reader Mail
Nov 6, 2011

Rural Japan under threat

The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) negotiations seem to have been hijacked by American rice growers and large grain-exporting corporations. Liberalization of the rice sector would have devastating effects on rural Japan.
Reader Mail
Nov 6, 2011

Challenge of population growth

How appropriate it felt to read United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki Moon's clarion call for action in the Oct. 31 front-page article, "Global population's 7 billion mark could be a year off the symbolic date."
Reader Mail
Nov 6, 2011

Danger from other cyclists

In this Nov. 3 letter, "Culture shift to make cycling safer," Grant Piper seems to say that he would fear cars were he to ride his bike in the street instead of on the sidewalk.
COMMENTARY / COUNTERPOINT
Nov 6, 2011

'American Jesus'

Iwas thrilled when, around Easter this year, I received an email from a leading American publishing house.
BASEBALL / Japanese Baseball
Nov 6, 2011

Hawks sweep Lions, reach Japan Series

The invitation ticket for the Japan Series had been delivered before the game was officially over.
Japan Times
LIFE / Travel
Nov 6, 2011

You don't need to be bbarking to wwoof

Through the glass doors of the spartan arrivals hall in the airport on Miyako Island, I caught a glimpse of a slightly frail looking man who I figured was the guy I had exchanged a few basic emails with to arrange my trip.
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / WHEN EAST MARRIES WEST
Nov 5, 2011

Refusal, disposal, separation . . . exasperation

Japan is fond of buzzwords and perhaps one of the buzziest of the last two years has been the term "danshari."

Longform

Ichiro Suzuki, one of the most iconic players in NPB and MLB history, was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame with 99.7% of the vote.
With Hall of Fame induction, Ichiro makes himself heard loud and clear