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Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC
Jan 18, 2015

'The Messenger of God'? India censor quits over guru's Bollywood dreams

An Indian film that features a self-styled spiritual leader in jewel-studded costume riding motorbikes and sending the bad guys flying has prompted the chief of the country's censorship panel to quit, citing government interference.
JAPAN / Media / MEDIA MIX
Jan 17, 2015

Snark levels were on full blast for 'Kohaku'

The 2014 edition of NHK's venerated song contest, "Kohaku Uta Gassen," broadcast on Dec. 31, was remarkable for several reasons, though the performance that generated the most remarks was the one by the equally venerated pop-rock group Southern All Stars, their first on the show in 31 years.
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC / Crime & Legal
Jan 16, 2015

Macau sex ring bust shows China expanding crackdown on graft

The arrest of a prominent Macau executive in the largest prostitution bust in the city's history shows Chinese President Xi Jinping is broadening his crackdown on corruption to restrict even long-tolerated vices.
ASIA PACIFIC
Jan 16, 2015

Malaysian contractor pleads guilty in U.S. Navy corruption case

A Malaysian businessman accused of bribing high-ranking United States Navy officers to steer millions of dollars of contract services to his company pleaded guilty to corruption charges in federal court in San Diego on Thursday.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink
Jan 13, 2015

Eat Osaka teaches you how to cook like a local

Here's a joke unlikely to be endorsed by the Osaka Government Tourism Bureau: "There are three great reasons to visit Osaka: great people, great food and because Kyoto doesn't have an airport." The truth hurts, even if it's also mildly humorous.
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics
Jan 11, 2015

Scrutinized Chinese officials frozen in headlights of Xi's anti-graft campaign

The sustained scrutiny of Chinese President Xi Jinping's anti-corruption campaign has been traumatic for many Communist Party and government officials who have grown rich on their power to dispense favors. With so much attention on their lifestyles, spending, travel, entertainment and networks of friends...
JAPAN / Media / MEDIA MIX
Jan 10, 2015

Dull and authentic beats out polished TV

Another New Year's break, another two-week onslaught of inconsequential television programs based on the variety show model of comedians talking about themselves, watching videos of other people doing supposedly interesting things and playing games whose main entertainment function is humiliation. The...
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Companies
Jan 9, 2015

Sony Pictures CEO says hack won't set studio back

Over the past seven weeks, the chief executive of Sony Pictures Entertainment has dealt with the fallout from a cyberattack he likens to having your house robbed and burned to the ground.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Jan 8, 2015

GungHo and Nintendo to combine 'Super Mario Bros.' and 'Puzzle and Dragons'

GungHo Online Entertainment Inc. said Thursday its latest title for the Nintendo 3DS represents a mash-up of two immensely popular games.
WORLD / Crime & Legal
Jan 8, 2015

Sony hackers 'got sloppy' and posted from North Korea addresses: FBI

FBI Director James Comey said on Wednesday that hackers behind the cyberattack on Sony Pictures Entertainment provided key clues to their identity by sometimes posting material from IP addresses used exclusively by the North Korean government.
COMMENTARY / World
Jan 4, 2015

Asia's bad to good for 2014

Find out who or what in Asia were honored for having the worst, bad, good and best year in 2014.
Japan Times
JAPAN / AT A GLANCE
Jan 4, 2015

Ginza: Tokyo's beacon of prosperity

Ginza, Tokyo's posh shopping and entertainment district, has delighted visitors for over a century with high-end shops selling everything from jewelry and clothing to sweets and stationery.
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC
Jan 2, 2015

Shanghai cancels New Year's celebrations after deadly crush; money scramble alleged

Shanghai called off New Year's events and the central government demanded a review of crowd-safety procedures after 36 people were killed and dozens injured in a deadly crush on Shanghai's historic Bund on Wednesday night.
BUSINESS / Companies
Dec 31, 2014

Forget North Korea, Sony hack may have been an inside job

At least one former employee of Sony Corp. may have helped hackers orchestrate the cyberattack on the company's film and TV unit, according to security researcher Norse Corp.
CULTURE / Music
Dec 30, 2014

'Kohaku' rallies the J-pop acts, but don't count enka out just yet

On New Year's Eve, many families in Japan inevitably wind up gathered around the TV to watch a selection of holiday programming. One of the most popular shows is NHK's "Kohaku Uta Gassen."
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.
COMMENTARY / World
Dec 28, 2014

Hacking of low brow movie raises high stakes issues

The movie 'The Interview,' featuring the supposed blowing up of North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un, is a sad commentary on the idiocies of our troubled times. It should not have been made.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Dec 28, 2014

'Plant hunter' on quest to shake up horticulture with rare trees, flowers

From the isolated Socotra Islands off Yemen in the Arabian Sea to the dry forests of Argentina, Seijun Nishihata has traveled to 33 countries over the past 13 years to track down unique plant species for clients all over the world.
Japan Times
LIFE / Lifestyle
Dec 27, 2014

Learning to love robots

With half the decade complete, we examine an industry that has significantly changed the way we think about ourselves.
Japan Times
LIFE / Lifestyle
Dec 25, 2014

'Kawaii' gets a landmark

While Japanese cool hunters might lament the lack of pop cultural exports in recent years — all the more conspicuous when compared to K-Pop's successful forays westward — kawaii (cute) culture has quietly permeated into global consciousness with all the effortless grace of singer Kyary Pamyu Pamyu...
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Companies
Dec 25, 2014

Sony mulled sale of music division that owns Beatles catalog: stolen email

Sony Corp. was considering the sale of its music publishing business, including a partnership with Michael Jackson's estate, which owns the Beatles catalog, as recently as last month, emails released by hackers show.

Longform

A small shrine perched atop rocks braves the waves hitting the shoreline during a storm in Shimoda, Shizuoka Prefecture. The area is under threat of a possible 31-meter-high tsunami if an earthquake strikes the nearby Nankai Trough.
If the 'Big One' hits, this city could face a 31-meter-high tsunami