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Reader Mail
Jan 27, 2011

Leadership crisis delays solutions

It is with a frustrated and sinking feeling that I read the comments of the Liberal Democratic Party chief in the Jan. 24 article "LDP pledges to send ruling party packing." With all the problems facing Japan, what Japanese politics doesn't need is more of the same tribal mentality, greed and power faction...
COMMENTARY / World
Jan 26, 2011

The strange rebirth of American leadership

FLORENCE, Italy — At the recent annual meetings of the American Economic Association, there was widespread pessimism about the future of the United States. "The age of American predominance is over," declared one economist. "The U.S. should brace for social unrest amid blame over who was responsible...
EDITORIALS
Jan 23, 2011

Making sense of Tucson

There are times when the United States seems like a strange and distant place. That distance has seemed larger than usual in the aftermath of the shooting of U.S. Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, an incident that claimed six lives and wounded 14 others. The reaction in the U.S. to that horrific incident...
CULTURE / Books
Jan 23, 2011

Exposing China's murky moguls

THE PARTY: The Secret World of China's Communist Rulers, by Richard McGregor. Harper, 2010, 320 pp., $27.99 (hardcover) The rise of modern China to economic giant and politico-military superpower has mesmerized politicians and business leaders and led to much wishful thinking about China's future development....
EDITORIALS
Jan 16, 2011

Reshuffle under opposition pressure

The lineup of Prime Minister Naoto Kan's new Cabinet, which emerged Friday after a minor reshuffle, underscores his hope for a smooth start to the Diet's ordinary session later this month and for progress in bringing about Japan's financial reconstruction and its participation in the Trans-Pacific Partnership...
COMMUNITY / Voices / HAVE YOUR SAY
Jan 11, 2011

Dual citizens, tokenism, Futenma, the case against rants: responses

A right to dual citizenship Re: "Japan loses, rest of the world gains from 'one citizenship fits all' policy" by Glenn Newman (Hotline to Nagatacho, Dec. 9):
EDITORIALS
Jan 6, 2011

Rough ride awaiting Mr. Kan

Prime Minister Naoto Kan expressed his political hopes for 2011 at a news conference Tuesday, including his determination to end money-tainted politics and his wish to hold consultations with the opposition forces on reform of the social welfare system and reform of the tax system, which would include...
EDITORIALS
Jan 5, 2011

'Predictable' verdict in Moscow

Mr. Mikhail Khodorkovsky is a difficult man to like. He is a Russian tycoon, a multibillionaire who got rich during the fire sale of Russian national assets during the kleptocratic years of the Yeltsin era. But being unlikable does not make him a criminal, and neither does daring to challenge Russian...
JAPAN
Jan 1, 2011

Even tougher year may lie ahead for Kan

In the seven months Prime Minister Naoto Kan has been in office he has defeated Democratic Party of Japan heavyweight Ichiro Ozawa in the party's presidential election, dealt with an aggressive and confrontational China over the Senkaku Islands row and repaired ties with the United States that were damaged...
EDITORIALS
Dec 16, 2010

Mr. Ozawa's chance to shine

Former Democratic Party of Japan chief Ichiro Ozawa should heed DPJ Secretary General Katsuya Okada's call to speak before the Lower House's Council on Political Ethics with regard to political fund-reporting irregularities involving Mr. Ozawa's aides. Mr. Ozawa could use his appearance before the ethics...
COMMENTARY / World
Dec 2, 2010

Japan's leadership test in Sri Lanka

U.S. President Barack Obama's announcement last month that the U.S. would support an Indian bid for a permanent seat on the U.N. Security Council may reinvigorate the process of Security Council reform. Japan too has made permanent membership in the Security Council a high priority in its foreign policy....
JAPAN
Dec 1, 2010

Young urged to pursue St. Gallen forum

In the late 1960s and early 1970s, when student protests were commonplace worldwide, five people at a Swiss university launched the St. Gallen Symposium, a bid to hold a dialogue with the world's leaders.
COMMENTARY
Nov 30, 2010

Recalcitrant Indian state turns a corner

WATERLOO, Ontario — Writing here on March 13, 2005 ("The deep end of Indian state democracy"), I noted descriptions of Bihar's first city Patna as the capital of hell on earth, its Hobbesian quality of life with large-scale kidnappings for ransom as the only growth industry, the destruction of infrastructure...
COMMENTARY
Nov 25, 2010

Let's hope Obama wins New START gamble

NEW YORK — President Barack Obama's decision to press for ratification of the New START treaty between Russia and the United States is one that will have a lasting influence on the rest of his presidency.
COMMENTARY
Nov 18, 2010

Release of Suu Kyi is no 'Mandela moment'

People love historical analogies, so it's easy to think of Aung San Suu Kyi's release from house arrest Nov. 13 as Burma's "Mandela moment." When Nelson Mandela was freed from 27 years of imprisonment in 1990, it marked the start of a process that saw the negotiated end of the apartheid regime and genuinely...
JAPAN
Nov 17, 2010

Media bent on derailing ruling DPJ: van Wolferen

The domestic media's penchant for focusing on political power games instead of policies is hampering the ruling Democratic Party of Japan's attempts to govern, veteran correspondent and Japan expert Karel van Wolferen said Tuesday.
CULTURE / Books
Nov 14, 2010

The swashbuckling Scotsman who helped build modern Japan

A character in J. M. Coetzee's "Summertime" states, "Of course we are all fictioneers. I do not deny that. But which would you rather have: a set of independent reports from a range of independent perspectives, from which you can then try to synthesize a whole; or the massive, unitary self-projection...
COMMENTARY / World
Nov 13, 2010

Is America succumbing to the 'British disease'?

BERKELEY, Calif. — In the United States, the scent of decline is in the air. Imperial overreach, political polarization and a costly financial crisis are weighing on the economy. Some pundits now worry that America is about to succumb to the "British disease."
JAPAN
Nov 7, 2010

Chinese, Russian finance chiefs snub APEC meeting in Kyoto

KYOTO — Just days before the leaders of the Asia-Pacific Economic Forum gather in Yokohama, Japan's worsening relations with two of the bloc's members threatened to overshadow the APEC finance ministers' summit in Kyoto on Friday and Saturday.
EDITORIALS
Oct 27, 2010

By-election triumph for LDP

Former Chief Cabinet Secretary and Foreign Minister Nobutaka Machimura of the Liberal Democratic Party Sunday defeated a Democratic Party of Japan candidate in a Lower House by-election in Hokkaido's No. 5 constituency. The DPJ's defeat in the first Diet-level election since the inauguration of the Kan...
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Voices / HOTLINE TO NAGATACHO
Oct 26, 2010

Plans for public space need the public's input

Dear Prime Minister Naoto Kan,
COMMENTARY / World / SENTAKU MAGAZINE
Oct 25, 2010

Kan feeling Diet squeeze from three major groups

What occupies the mind of Prime Minister Naoto Kan more than anything else appears to be how to keep his Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) free from the influence of his archrival, former party Secretary General Ichiro Ozawa. This could very well be the root of inconsistencies and blunders that have emanated...
COMMENTARY / World
Oct 19, 2010

The return of Musharraf

LAHORE, Pakistan — Pakistan's former president, Pervez Musharraf, has decided to return to Pakistani politics, if not quite to Pakistan. He announced his decision at London's National Liberal Club, an institution founded in the 19th century by William Gladstone and other stalwarts of Britain's parliamentary...
COMMENTARY
Oct 17, 2010

Time to let the neighbors deal with the North Korean problem

PARIS — North Korea has officially unveiled the youngest son and heir apparent of "Dear Leader" Kim Jong Il. Yet again the impoverished dictatorship has captured the world's attention. But the United States should leave the problem of dealing with Pyongyang to the North's neighbors. The so-called Democratic...
EDITORIALS
Oct 11, 2010

Mr. Chavez meets opposition

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez's Socialist Party won a majority of votes and seats in parliamentary elections held Sept. 26. But the margin of that victory was considerably smaller than those of the past, and his opponents are claiming that they are the big winners in the ballot.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Oct 8, 2010

Seiko Noda's most coveted post: motherhood

At age 50, Seiko Noda's ardent wish to become a mother looks on track to come true.
JAPAN
Oct 5, 2010

Ozawa's long career over, experts say

The political career of Democratic Party of Japan heavyweight Ichiro Ozawa, who has been at the center stage of politics for more than 20 years, was effectively crushed Monday when the Tokyo No. 5 Inquest Committee decided to indict him over falsified political funds reports, political observers said....
Japan Times
JAPAN
Sep 28, 2010

Matsumoto to focus on global green efforts

With less than a month to go before the convention on biological diversity in Nagoya, newly appointed Environment Minister Ryu Matsumoto said he is doing his best to make the international meeting a success.

Longform

Bear attacks have dominated Japanese news headlines in recent months, with 13 people so far having been killed by the animals.
Japan’s bears have been on their killing spree for more than 100 years