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CULTURE / TV & Streaming / CHANNEL SURF
Mar 19, 2015

The Miracle of Japanese Manufacturing; Wandering Tamori; CM of the week: GLS Japan

Although Japan's talent for industrial innovation has lost some of its luster in recent years, Japanese products remain the envy of the world, and a new series, "Monozukuri Nihon no Kiseki" ("The Miracle of Japanese Manufacturing"), takes in a wide range of design to prove it — so wide, in fact, that...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Art / Japan Pulse
Mar 17, 2015

Gokon matchmakers fan the passion with sporting dates

Is the couple that watches sports together the couple that going to stay together? Matchmakers place their bets.
COMMENTARY / World
Mar 15, 2015

Fed under attack for its bailouts and posturing

The Federal Reserve is under attack, as bills subjecting the U.S. central bank to 'auditing' by the Government Accountability Office are likely to be passed by both houses of Congress.
Japan Times
JAPAN / UN WORLD CONFERENCE ON DISASTER RISK REDUCTION
Mar 14, 2015

Shirakami Sanchi: A forest outside of time

Japan is undoubtedly a land of abundant natural beauty. Its long island chain spans a huge diversity of environments that famously enjoy four distinct seasons. While the Japanese people are great lovers of nature, thousands of years of life on the archipelago have made swathes of untouched splendor somewhat...
Japan Times
JAPAN / Science & Health
Mar 13, 2015

Math enthusiasts to mark once-in-a-century Pi Day

Saturday marks Pi Day, the day to commemorate the mathematical concept of pi — which refers to the ratio of a circle's circumference to its diameter. Many math scientists and students around the world celebrate pi every March 14, as its first three digits are 3, 1 and 4.
JAPAN / History
Mar 12, 2015

LDP panel explores ways to convey Japan's views on sex slave issue

Some members said a strategic plan is needed to lobby other countries on the issue of 'comfort women,' a euphemism for those forced to work in Japan's wartime military brothels.
ASIA PACIFIC
Mar 12, 2015

China to 'refresh' policy on visitors to Hong Kong

The Chinese government will "refresh" its policy on granting entry permits to its citizens wishing to visit the separately administered territory of Hong Kong, a state-run paper said Thursday, amid mounting anger at hordes of mainland shoppers.
Japan Times
OLYMPICS
Mar 11, 2015

Murofushi, Miyagi Prefecture students team up to clean 1964 Olympic Cauldron

Koji Murofushi secured a permanent place in the annals of track and field by capturing the men's hammer throw gold medal at the 2004 Athens Olympics and the bronze eight years later at the London Summer Games.
COMMENTARY / World
Mar 8, 2015

Cameron's disappearing act

A German newspaper is leading a chorus of cruel comments about how British Prime Minister David Cameron shines nowadays by his absence on the international stage.
JAPAN / Politics
Mar 7, 2015

Japan, North Korea eye abduction talks in late March

Tokyo and Pyongyang are working to recommence stalled high-level talks on North Korea's abductions of Japanese nationals.
Japan Times
LIFE / Lifestyle / Japan Pulse
Mar 4, 2015

Seeking pollen protection in Japan with sprays, apps and nose plugs

Here are a few examples of how people in Japan combat, or endure, the harsh allergy season.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Mar 3, 2015

Hybrid war: the real reason fighting stopped in Ukraine

Moscow is using the war in Ukraine as a giant training exercise for conducting a new kind of asymmetric warfare known as 'hybrid war.'
COMMENTARY / World
Mar 2, 2015

Lull in Putin's 'hybrid war'

President Vladimir Putin understands how insurgencies work better than any other Russian leader, and we are watching this play out right now in eastern Ukraine.
CULTURE / TV & Streaming / CHANNEL SURF
Mar 1, 2015

'Omokuri Kantoku'; 3/11 commemoration; CM of the week: Aoki Suits

The word "omokuri" in the title of the variety show "Omokuri Kantoku" (Fuji TV, Sun., 9 p.m.) is a combination of the words "omoshiroii" (interesting) and "creator." The program invites several people famous in other fields to "direct" television shows based on their own ideas. Then a panel of judges,...
EDITORIALS
Mar 1, 2015

Arrest of Henoko protesters

The way in which two activists opposed to the construction of a replacement U.S. military facility on Okinawa were arrested last week raises suspicions that a crackdown against protesters in general is imminent.
Japan Times
LIFE / Digital / ON: GAMES
Feb 27, 2015

This month's latest games — from play dough to gangsters

Nintendo molds a new Kirby
Japan Times
SOCCER / PREMIER REPORT
Feb 27, 2015

Chelsea's struggles boost Tottenham in League Cup final

Jose Mourinho calls himself a Special One and when it comes to winning finals it is impossible to dispute this.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Feb 25, 2015

Monetary policy is underrated

The belief that monetary policy does not matter is exceedingly hazardous to any economy. Europe faces enough serious risks already; it should not needlessly add to them.
Japan Times
Figure Skating / ICE TIME
Feb 24, 2015

Success after skating: Nakano's determination rewarded

This marks the 100th installment of Ice Time. To commemorate the milestone we have a special interview with retired star Yukari Nakano, who is currently a director in the Sports Division at Fuji TV.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / THE PERSISTENT VEGETARIAN
Feb 24, 2015

Indian fare adds spice to vegetarian dining

While it's easy to trust that almost every Indian restaurant will have plenty for a vegetarian to eat — and you can often ask for an all-vegetarian meal by request — it's an incomparable delight when the menu is entirely made up of vegetarian choices.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Feb 21, 2015

U.S. to fine Takata $14,000 a day for resisting air bag probe

Takata Corp. will be fined $14,000 for each day it fails to cooperate with a U.S. investigation into defects in its air bags that have led to millions of car recalls worldwide.
JAPAN / Society
Feb 20, 2015

Officials pull plug on teacher survey about LGBT students

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government's Education Bureau has halted an independent survey of how junior high and high schools cater to sexual minorities, citing problems with some of the questions.
BUSINESS
Feb 19, 2015

Imagica, Cool Japan Fund in venture to buy translation company SDI Media

Imagica Robot Holdings Inc. is teaming up with Cool Japan Fund Inc., the government-backed promoter of Japanese cultural exports, and Sumitomo Corp. to acquire U.S. movie translation company SDI Media Group Inc.
Places
Feb 17, 2015

Tokyo theme restaurants put fun and fetishes on the menu

Some people enjoy dinner and a show, but sometimes in Japan, dinner is the show. Tokyo in particular has  number of popular themed restaurants, including those that feature giant robots, ninjas and vampires, but it also has a wealth of  lesser-known ones devoted to a variety of fetishes ranging from...
EDITORIALS
Feb 15, 2015

Questions of self-defense

A legislative package of bills on security — prepared by the ruling coalition with the aim of implementing the Abe Cabinet's decision last July to enable Japan to engage in collective self-defense — will no doubt be the main focus of the current Diet session.
COMMENTARY / World
Feb 13, 2015

Can Malaysian democracy thrive without Anwar?

If the Malaysian opposition party People's Alliance does not hold together without Anwar Ibrahim — who is back in jail again — all chance of ending the National Front's seemingly perpetual rule will be lost.
Japan Times
JAPAN / CHUBU CONNECTION
Feb 13, 2015

Tiled air raid shelter in Aichi hailed as work of art

A private World War II air raid shelter exquisitely lined with colorful tiles has recently been opened to the public in Handa, Aichi Prefecture.

Longform

The byzantine process for converting a foreign driver’s license into a Japanese one entails mountains of paperwork and significant stamina — unless you're a lucky license holder from a country or region where these requirements are waived.
Driving in Japan isn’t hard. Getting the license is.