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Japan Times
JAPAN / Media / Japan Pulse
Apr 19, 2010

The knock-on effect of Murakami’s “1Q84” series

The third installation of Haruki Murakami's '1Q84' is bound produce another ripple effect in the book/music biz.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Media / Japan Pulse
Apr 9, 2010

Kings of comedy yuck it up on April Fools

While satire isn't a staple among Japanese humorists, two kings of comedy are leading the way.
COMMENTARY
Apr 5, 2010

No fast-track education in Japan

It's back to school in Japan, and back to the perennial questions:
Japan Times
ENVIRONMENT / OLD NIC'S NOTEBOOK
Apr 4, 2010

Japan, please don't go grabbing Ethiopians' land

On March 15 just gone, this newspaper carried an excellent but disturbing article by John Vidal, environment editor of the London-based Guardian newspaper. He wrote about food shortages and land-grabbing in Africa, and I was particularly troubled to read about deals going on to sell Ethiopian land to...
COMMENTARY
Apr 3, 2010

Did China trash a treaty?

The high profile case of Rio Tinto executive Stern Hu closed with the three-judge court sentencing the Australian citizen to 10 years in prison on charges of corruption and stealing commercial secrets.
Reader Mail
Apr 1, 2010

Media rush aimed at tarring pope

There is no doubt that many bishops in the Catholic Church have failed miserably in their duty to protect children and should be removed. However, the orchestrated media rush to tar the pope with these offenses — of which Gwynne Dyer's March 26 article, "Pedophile-priest coverup transcends 'secular'...
Reader Mail
Mar 28, 2010

The limits of artistic expression

As a 28-year-old Indian, I take strong exception to the publication of Gautaman Bhaskaran's March 9 article, "Intolerance in India putting artists to flight."
JAPAN
Mar 18, 2010

DPJ rule raises Hague treaty-signing hope

It has been over five years since Murray Wood's two children left their home in Canada with his Japanese ex-wife for a supposed visit with their ill grandfather in Japan.
COMMENTARY
Mar 11, 2010

U.S. base problem drags on

The loud dispute over the future of the U.S. Marine Air Station at Futenma, Okinawa, is puzzling. Even U.S. officialdom agrees that this base causes enormous inconvenience to the residents of Ginowan city who are forced to live alongside. Plans to have it moved have been around for years. But to where?...
JAPAN
Mar 9, 2010

Yosano faults Tanigaki rule, eyes LDP exit

Ex-Finance Minister Kaoru Yosano indicated Monday he may leave the Liberal Democratic Party and form a new party, saying LDP President Sadakazu Tanigaki "is not qualified" to lead since he has failed to attack the current administration's shortcomings and thus hasn't attracted voters.
Reader Mail
Mar 4, 2010

Great piece on drinking glasses

Regarding the Feb. 26 Weekend Scene article "A receptacle for the respectable": In this attention-deficit, Twitter-addled age, it takes a lot to make me read a full-page of text. Writer Nicholas Coldicott is one writer who manages it. This article about drinking glasses was his best so far. Keep it...
Reader Mail
Feb 14, 2010

Rights activists deserve more space

Thank you for the Feb. 10 article "NGOs air concerns over strife in Gaza Strip," which mentions the U.N. Human Rights Council resolution criticizing Israel for its human rights record in Gaza. Regrettably, Foreign Ministry official Mitsuko Shino is being disingenuous when she asserts that Japan did not...
Reader Mail
Feb 7, 2010

Japan must quicken relief efforts

The Jan. 31 article "GSDF engineers await Haiti duty" states that the United Nations would request that Japan send a Ground Self-Defense Force unit (350 members) to help with peacekeeping operations in quake-stricken Haiti. The article mentions that Japan would send an advance team to Haiti by Feb. 6...
Japan Times
COMMUNITY
Feb 6, 2010

Journalist gives voice to voiceless

Shin Yamaaki is not familiar with the story of David and Goliath, but she has long understood the plight of the underdog. A chance experience in her 20s forged Yamaaki, 38, into who she is today: a woman who takes on global issues by giving voice to people who might go unheard.
COMMENTARY
Jan 31, 2010

Stronger alliance is on the way

The relationship of trust between Japan and the United States is in its worst state ever. After U.S. President Barack Obama refused to see Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama in Copenhagen and listen to his excuse over his mishandling of bilateral ties, the latter talked with U.S. Secretary of State...
Reader Mail
Jan 28, 2010

Americans won't sweat changes

Regarding the Jan. 25 article reprinted from Sentaku magazine, "Japan could pay big price for hurting American pride": As an American living in the United States, I could not disagree more with the assumption made in the article that American pride would be hurt by changes in the defense agreement or...
JAPAN / EXPLAINER
Jan 26, 2010

No solution in sight for fight over whales

A Japanese whaling ship's Jan. 6 collision with antiwhaling group Sea Shepherd's high-speed boat made headlines in Japan, Australia and other countries, illustrating the keen global interest in the issue.
EDITORIALS
Jan 26, 2010

Religious sites on public land

The Supreme Court's grand bench on Jan. 20 ruled that the city government of Sunagawa in Hokkaido has violated the Constitution through its longtime practice of letting a Shinto shrine use a city-owned plot of land without charge. The top court's precedent-setting ruling should serve as a warning to...
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Issues / THE ZEIT GIST
Jan 26, 2010

Judges fill the gaps in Japan's family law

First in a two-part series
COMMENTARY
Jan 24, 2010

Media gang up on Iran for Latam outreach

SEATTLE — Should the United States be concerned about Iran's determined efforts to reach out to Latin America or, as was suggestively described in the Economist, about the ayatollahs' strategy of cozying up to Latin America?
Japan Times
BASEBALL
Jan 24, 2010

Valentine's philosophy brought Marines glory, money

Second in a four-part series
COMMENTARY
Jan 21, 2010

Citizens lose in Google vs. China

The challenge thrown down by Google last week seemed unequivocal: Either China accepts uncensored information on Google.cn or the Internet giant will shut down its operations in the country.
JAPAN
Jan 19, 2010

As security pact with U.S. turns 50, Japan looks to redefine relations

The Japanese-U.S. security treaty in its current form turned 50 Tuesday. Throughout the decades, the two nations have had their ups and downs and occasional tension, but together they weathered the Cold War and entered a new era and new century.
JAPAN
Jan 7, 2010

Ozawa girds for major Diet reform

Is Ichiro Ozawa hungry for dictatorial power, or is he a political hero seeking to strengthen the Diet by cutting the bureaucracy down to size?
Reader Mail
Dec 31, 2009

Respectful consideration of 'ain't'

In the Dec. 23 article "Yappa! Abbreviated Japanese ain't all that bad," the writer dismisses the word "ain't" as improper English. I felt that the treatment of the word was quite cursory.
Reader Mail
Dec 27, 2009

Act intelligently to make friends

I would like to comment on Shawna Ueyama's Dec. 22 Zeit Gist article, "Too innocent for prejudice?" I have lived in the United States for more than a decade — in various cities because of my husband's job — and have found that no matter where we go, my 8-year-old boy and I are discriminated against...
Reader Mail
Dec 27, 2009

Liking America often not enough

Oh, the ire that Masahiro Matsumura's article seemed to provoke from Wilson Hartz Jr. in the Dec. 20 letter, "Option of pulling out of Japan." Perhaps it was certain lines in Matsumura's article, such as "Hatoyama intends to turn away from the declining U.S. hegemon and reach out to a rising China" or...
COMMUNITY / Voices / HAVE YOUR SAY
Dec 22, 2009

Level playing field for immigrants: responses

A selection of readers' responses to Debito Arudou's Dec. 1 Just Be Cause article, which proposed policy changes to "make life easier for Japan's residents, regardless of nationality":

Longform

Rock group The Yellow Monkey played K-Arena Yokohama in June as part of a nationwide tour. Concerts are increasingly popular in the age of social media as users value in-person experiences.
Inside Japan’s arena boom: Sports, sound and city-building