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JAPAN
Sep 3, 2009

Citizens find their place on the bench

As far as civic duties go, most Japanese would probably say voting is the most serious. But last month, a contender emerged with the first trial under the lay judge system.
COMMENTARY / World
Aug 28, 2009

ASEAN rights panel offers scant defense of victims

PENANG, Malaysia — Last month the Term of Reference (TOR) for the establishment of a regional human rights body received the approval of the ASEAN foreign ministers' meeting in Phuket, Thailand.
Reader Mail
Aug 27, 2009

Who represents the Western spirit?

Who represents the Western spirit?
Japan Times
JAPAN
Aug 27, 2009

Underdog LDP hits DPJ's recipe for wooing voters

The ruling Liberal Democratic Party, trailing in the polls ahead of Sunday's general election, released new cartoon attack ads that portray its front-running opposition rival as wavering on key issues, including trade and terrorism.
JAPAN / ELECTION 2009
Aug 16, 2009

'Telepolitics,' polls shake up status quo

Japanese politics has been in a chaotic state for the past few years, perplexing millions of voters. The country has seen four prime ministers in the past three years, and the latest — Taro Aso — could be forced out if the Democratic Party of Japan, the largest opposition force, grabs power in the...
Reader Mail
Aug 13, 2009

'Sexcentric' jokes abound in Japan

Regarding Roger Pulvers' Aug. 9 article, "Humor may be universal, but Japan's is largely its smut-free own": I have a few problems with this article. First of all, why write an article about modern Japan using references and examples from history? The writing is far too academic. If you want to prove...
Reader Mail
Aug 9, 2009

Committed leader or bad clown?

Regarding Barry A. Ward's July 30 letter, "Glib reference to 'Eastern spirit,' " which was a response to my July 19 letter ("The real battle of civilizations"): I would like to clarify some major points. Yes, we can see differences among the broad concepts of "Western," "European" and "American," and...
JAPAN
Aug 8, 2009

New Party Nippon pledges 'basic income' for all

Minor opposition party New Party Nippon unveiled its campaign platform Friday, promising several major policies, including the enactment of a monthly "basic income" allowance for all citizens and a re-examination of all public-works projects to cut down on wasteful spending.
BUSINESS / JAPANESE PERSPECTIVES
Aug 3, 2009

The Great Recession's five-act drama might end up being a tragedy

"All the world's a stage." So says the Bard, and who are we to argue? The global economy is certainly not short on drama these days.
COMMENTARY / COUNTERPOINT
Aug 2, 2009

Comparing and contrasting to plumb the heights of Japanese humor

Of all the absurd things that foreigners have said about the Japanese, the assertion that they are lacking in a sense of humor takes the cake.
COMMENTARY / COUNTERPOINT
Aug 2, 2009

Comparing and contrasting to plumb the heights of Japanese humor

Of all the absurd things that foreigners have said about the Japanese, the assertion that they are lacking in a sense of humor takes the cake.
JAPAN
Jul 31, 2009

Overstayer denied pregnancy registration

The municipal government of Suzuka, Mie Prefecture, did not accept an application for pregnancy registration by a 30-year-old Indonesian woman in March because she had overstayed her visa, it was learned Thursday.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Art
Jul 31, 2009

Escape from propaganda

Artist, architect, designer, photographer, curator, writer, editor, activist — Ai Weiwei is many things. This multiplicity of means all serve a united end that centers on the existential question: What does human freedom mean in China today?
JAPAN / History
Jul 26, 2009

Soldier who stayed on tells filmmaker how 'We had to kill, kill, kill'

The most astounding moment in "Flowers and Troops," a documentary film by Yojyu Matsubayashi, is when the young director leans close to one of his subjects — an 87-year-old former corporal in the Imperial Japanese Army — and says, "I've heard that some Japanese soldiers ate human flesh."
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / WORDS TO LIVE BY
Jul 23, 2009

Translator Kiyoko Zaborszky

Kiyoko Zaborszky, 83, is a translator with a reputation for picking winners. She's worked on books with positive messages that help readers deal with difficult and often controversial issues such as adoption, organ donation, disease and dying. In a career spanning four decades, Zaborszky translated 31...
LIFE / WEEK 3
Jul 19, 2009

Bowling 'em over

The game of lawn bowls may appear straightforward — players in whites repeatedly roll 1.5-kg rounded plastic "bowls" over finely cut grass — but Japan's male and female singles champions are taking decidedly different approaches to the World Singles Champion of Champions, set to begin in Ayr, Scotland,...
Japan Times
LIFE / WEEK 3
Jul 19, 2009

Bowling 'em over

The game of lawn bowls may appear straightforward — players in whites repeatedly roll 1.5-kg rounded plastic "bowls" over finely cut grass — but Japan's male and female singles champions are taking decidedly different approaches to the World Singles Champion of Champions, set to begin in Ayr, Scotland,...
BUSINESS / THE VIEW FROM EUROPE
Jul 13, 2009

Japanese choices in aviation market reveal overreliance on U.S.

For decades, Japan's military partner of choice has been the United States. The reasons are well known: The influence of the Occupation after World War II and the adoption of an American-style Constitution that put strong restrictions on Japan's ability to maintain any kind of martial force.
CULTURE / Books
Jul 12, 2009

Finding much more to explore in Japan

If you are unsure whether Kinki lies to the east or west of Chugoku, what the principal city of Kagawa is, or which prefectures are landlocked — rest assured that you are not alone. If we have one failing in common, it is geography.
Reader Mail
Jul 9, 2009

Sustaining 'Nihonjinron' ideas

In a July 2 letter, " Give the students some slack," a reader replying to my June 25 letter, "Japanese is just a language," assumed that the students to which I made reference "are young" and said that "most adults in the world don't know much about what is and isn't unique to their country, let alone...
COMMENTARY
Jul 5, 2009

Old killer press still admired if not emulated

SINGAPORE — Everyone knows the American news media is proud as papa of its reputation as the storied giant-killer of politicians and as the watchdog of government. Aggressive journalism decades ago by The Washington Post and other major media institutions actually dethroned an elected president, Richard...
Reader Mail
Jul 2, 2009

Give the students some slack

I agree with several points made in the June 25 letter "Japanese is just a language." Specifically, I think the author is right to point out that the Japanese language is incorrectly characterized as "vague," and that it seems implausible to consider any particular human emotion as unique to a group...
CULTURE / Books / THE ASIAN BOOKSHELF
Jun 21, 2009

Secrets to studying Japanese film

In its field I cannot imagine a research guide more needed. For whole decades scholars have struggled simply to locate sources, even to find out what there were. Now, however, the skill and stamina of Mark Nornes and Aaron Gerow have resulted in a reference work that both illuminates and defines this...
Reader Mail
Jun 18, 2009

Useful but unofficial translations

The title of the June 10 article "Laws, legal terms get official translation" is misleading. As shown on the Web site in question and indeed on the predecessor site: "These are unofficial translations. Only the original Japanese texts of the laws and regulations have legal effect, and the translations...
EDITORIALS
Jun 18, 2009

Accessibility to official documents

During its current session, the Diet is expected to enact a bill to improve the system for managing and storing official documents, now that the Liberal Democratic Party and the Democratic Party of Japan have reached a compromise. The bill is the legacy of former Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda, who wanted...
Reader Mail
Jun 18, 2009

D-Day Americans did their part

Peter Allen's June 11 letter, "British contribution on D-Day," begins fairly enough; he objects to the French government's billing the anniversary of D-Day "as an American-French event." Assuming this is accurate, Allen makes a good point. The British contribution, including providing the necessary rendezvous...
Japan Times
JAPAN / EXPLAINER
Jun 16, 2009

The all-powerful voice of corporate Japan

Since its founding, the Japan Business Federation (Nippon Keidanren) has been the nation's most powerful business lobby and its head is often called "the prime minister of the business world."

Longform

Mount Fuji is considered one of Japan's most iconic symbols and is a major draw for tourists. It's still a mountain, though, and potential hikers need to properly prepare for any climb.
What it takes to save lives on Mount Fuji