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Japan Times
LIFE / Lifestyle / CHILD'S PLAY
Dec 17, 2017

Living it up at the Hilton — Disney style

The seemingly simple act of checking into a hotel can be a recipe for disaster with tired young children: cue tackling mundane paperwork while trying to preempt high-volume meltdowns or contain hyperactive runarounds.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Companies / Taking the Lead
Dec 17, 2017

Mori Building chief serious about creating a better Tokyo

Making Tokyo a more attractive and competitive metropolis sounds more like a policy than a business strategy.
JAPAN / History
Dec 16, 2017

Heart of gold: The Ginza Line celebrates its 90th birthday

Born of disasters, war and massive infrastructure projects, 21st-century Tokyo has plenty of ghosts buried underground. If you ride the subway these days, you can catch a fleeting glimpse of two of them but, if you blink, you'll miss them. The Ginza Line is marking 90 years since its opening with the...
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Dec 15, 2017

A midterm review of Abenomics

So far the report card is good, but expect better for the future.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Dec 15, 2017

'Star Wars' fans get a first look at 'The Last Jedi'

The planets have aligned and the Force is even stronger for the "Star Wars" community. On Thursday evening, hundreds of fans filled Toho Cinemas Roppongi for one of the first global premieres of "The Last Jedi," the latest film in the well-loved series, with many attendees dressing up as their favorite...
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Dec 14, 2017

'Quad' cooperation in the South China Sea?

Australia, Japan and India are unlikely to risk antagonizing China by joining U.S. freedom of navigation operations in the South China Sea.
Japan Times
JAPAN / OKINAWA BEAT
Dec 13, 2017

Ishigaki package tour has couples scaling cliffs and diving into the sea before tying the knot

A unique package tour on Okinawa's Ishigaki Island for soon-to-be-married couples is creating a buzz.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Dec 13, 2017

U.S., EU and Japan vow to combat market distortion in thinly veiled swipe at Chinese trade practices

The United States, European Union and Japan have vowed to work together to fight market-distorting trade practices and policies that have fueled excess production capacity, naming several key features of China's economic system.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Dec 13, 2017

Japanese rap and anime themes are among the best tracks of 2017

J-pop in 2017 felt more fragmented than ever, but the year's biggest songs tell the story of the past 12 months quite well. From YouTube rappers to television hearthrobs, here are four tunes that sum it all up.
Japan Times
SOCCER
Dec 13, 2017

Japan's World Cup hopefuls seize chance in win over China

Japan's third-string players are forcing their way into World Cup contention with their performances at the E-1 Football Championship, according to manager Vahid Halilhodzic.
BASEBALL / Japanese Baseball / HIT AND RUN
Dec 11, 2017

Incoming Angels star Shohei Ohtani enters MLB with game-changing potential

With his hair perfectly coiffed and a red Los Angeles Angels uniform having replaced his suit jacket, the most sought-after player of the offseason began his highly anticipated MLB career with six simple words.
Japan Times
JAPAN / CHUBU CONNECTION
Dec 11, 2017

Women in Nagoya form group to promote and communicate in sign language

Women with children in Nagoya have new opportunities to converse using sign language, after the creation of a new social group.
SOCCER
Dec 10, 2017

Debutants Kosuke Nakamura, Junya Ito catch manager's eye during Japan's victory over North Korea

National team manager Vahid Halilhodzic singled out young debutants Kosuke Nakamura and Junya Ito for praise after Japan kicked off its E-1 Football Championship campaign with a fortunate 1-0 win over North Korea on Saturday.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink
Dec 9, 2017

With its tachinomiya tradition, is Tokyo ripe for a pintxos revolution?

Enjoy these treats the Basque way — with a drink or two, a chat with strangers, and then move on to the next bar.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Dec 7, 2017

Final selections for Tokyo 2020 mascot design to face student vote for first time ever

Organizers for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics on Thursday unveiled three final candidates for the games' official mascot, passing the baton to the nation's elementary school students — who will pick the winner in a vote starting Monday.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Dec 6, 2017

Tokyo startup taps AI and big data to turn customer complaints into cash

Hearing consumers' frustrations may be unpleasant for business operators, but within such feedback lies a hidden trove of information that can be used to improve products and services.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Tech
Dec 6, 2017

Google yanks YouTube from Amazon devices, escalating reciprocity spat

A rare public spat in the technology industry escalated on Tuesday when Google said it would block its video streaming application YouTube from two Amazon.com Inc. devices and criticized the online retailer for not selling Google hardware.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Art
Dec 5, 2017

'Photographs of Innocence and of Experience: Contemporary Japanese Photography Vol. 14'

Dec. 2-Jan. 28
Japan Times
JAPAN / CHUBU CONNECTION
Dec 4, 2017

Brazilian cartoonist's manga helps his young compatriots adjust to school life in Japan

Famous Brazilian cartoonist Mauricio de Sousa has created a manga introducing Japanese school life to Brazilian children who have migrated to Japan.
Japan Times
WORLD / Politics
Dec 2, 2017

U.S. Senate approves sweeping tax overhaul

The U.S. Senate approved a sweeping tax overhaul on Saturday, moving Republicans and President Donald Trump a major step closer to their goal of slashing taxes for businesses and the rich while offering everyday Americans a mixed bag of changes.
CULTURE / Music
Nov 30, 2017

Basking in afterglow of solid sophomore album, Suchmos reflects on a stellar year

Picking one highlight from 2017 proves a tough task for Suchmos vocalist Yosuke Kasai. The past 11 months have been good for him and his six-member band. They've gone from a Jamiroquai-inspired outfit playing late-night sets at small Shinjuku venues to a national phenomenon, their music moving tens of...
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Tech
Nov 30, 2017

Uber's use of Wickr encrypted messaging system may set legal precedents

Top executives at Uber Technologies Inc. used the encrypted chat app Wickr to hold secret conversations, current and former workers testified in court this week, setting up what could be the first major legal test of the issues raised by the use of encrypted apps inside companies.
Japan Times
JAPAN / CHUBU CONNECTION
Nov 27, 2017

Japan's farms struggle to upgrade restrooms as people with disabilities bolster depleted ranks

The agriculture industry is faced with the problem of improving toilet facilities for people with disabilities as the movement to hire them on farms spreads amid a nationwide decline in farmers.
Japan Times
CULTURE / CULTURE SMASH
Nov 26, 2017

Diana Garnet sings the praises of anime

It has become one of the most common questions I'm asked after talks at anime conventions in the United States: How can I get a job in the Japanese pop culture industry — not here, but in Japan?
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Voices
Nov 26, 2017

Japan is seen through a lens warily in 'You Only Live Twice,' James Bond's sole sojourn to Tokyo

"You Only Live Twice," the only "James Bond" film — to date — to be set in Japan, celebrated its 50th anniversary this year. While undoubtedly great fun, it must be admitted that it's a long way from being a masterpiece of cinema.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / DESSERT WATCH
Nov 25, 2017

Allpress Espresso's Tokyo Roastery offers coffee with a Cream Kiss

Until New Year's Day, the store offers a special Christmas Blend flat white paired with chocolate from Summerbird Organic.

Longform

After pandemic-era border regulations eased, Indian migrants began returning to Japan. Their population now stands at more than 50,000 across the country.
How remote work is rewriting the migrant experience in Japan