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CULTURE / TV & Streaming / CHANNEL SURF
May 10, 2014

Osamu Hayashi teaches memory aids; painter Balthus's love life explored; CM of the week: Aflac

Osamu Hayashi is the most famous juku (cram school) teacher in Japan thanks to his frequent TV appearances and trademark phrase "Ima desho" ("Why not now?"). His main claim to fame as a teacher, however, is his ability to retain huge amounts of information.
EDITORIALS
May 8, 2014

Social welfare is not for profit

A deregulation panel for the Abe administration has called on the health ministry to let private businesses run nursing care homes even though the operation of these homes is not supposed to be for profit.
Japan Times
WORLD / Politics
Apr 21, 2014

Deadly gunbattle in eastern Ukraine shakes fragile Geneva accord

At least three people were killed in a gunfight in the early hours of Sunday near a Ukrainian city controlled by pro-Russian separatists, shaking an already fragile international accord that was designed to avert a wider conflict.
Japan Times
LIFE / Lifestyle
Apr 19, 2014

Cannabis: the fabric of Japan

As counterculture groups around the world celebrate annual April 20 marijuana festivals, we examine the country's historical and cultural links to the much-maligned weed.
COMMENTARY / World
Apr 18, 2014

Restoring balance to LBJ's presidential record

Although only 20 percent of polled Americans rate Lyndon B. Johnson an above-average president — a lower ranking than George W. Bush or Jimmy Carter — the 36th president left a civil rights and medical welfare legacy that changed the fabric of today's society.
Japan Times
WORLD / Politics / ANALYSIS
Apr 16, 2014

Russia modifies Crimea playbook for benefit in east Ukraine

There are important differences between Russia's intervention in Crimea and the events unfolding this week in eastern Ukraine that suggest Moscow has adapted its Crimean playbook and may be pursuing a different outcome.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Apr 8, 2014

Seiji Ozawa takes to the stage for Mozart opera

It is certainly good to see Maestro Seiji Ozawa back at the podium again.
JAPAN / Politics
Apr 7, 2014

Abe, Abbott reach FTA agreement

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott agreed on a free trade pact Monday in Tokyo, ending seven years of negotiations.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Media / MEDIA MIX
Apr 5, 2014

Fallout from the tax rise may hit in surprising ways

Prior to the consumption tax increase last Tuesday, from 5 percent to 8 percent, Japanese consumers were spending to beat the band. The local business magazine Economist (not to be confused with the English language newsweekly) reports that ¥4 trillion was spent on goods and services in recent months...
JAPAN / Politics
Apr 4, 2014

Washington, Tokyo, Seoul to huddle on North Korea

The United States, Japan and South Korea will meet next week to seek ways to persuade North Korea to give up its atomic weapons program, the U.S. State Department said Thursday, just days after Pyongyang warned of a "new form" of nuclear test.
SOCCER / PREMIER REPORT
Apr 4, 2014

Mourinho's criticism hurting Chelsea's fragile strikers

Jose Mourinho did not mention Fernando Torres by name, but had what he said been in flashing neon lights the Chelsea manager's message could not have been clearer.
COMMENTARY / World
Mar 31, 2014

A Korean who cherished her Japanese teachers

An 89-year-old Korean in Pennsylvania calls the latest spats between Japan and South Korea 'infantile and lamentable.' She remembers her Japanese teachers as loving people who 'poured their heart and soul into making good human beings out of us.'
Japan Times
LIFE / Travel / HOTELS & RESTAURANTS
Mar 27, 2014

Celebrating 20 years; water view of Tokyo; Shangri-La catering

Celebrating 20 years
EDITORIALS
Mar 27, 2014

Transparency in interrogations

A special panel of the Legislative Council proposes phasing in the process of electronically recording the full interrogation of a criminal suspect by an investigator. Will prosecutors go along?
Japan Times
CULTURE / Art
Mar 26, 2014

Shimooka Renjo, back in focus

It's not surprising that the Tokyo Metropolitan Museum of Photography has organized a retrospective on Shimooka Renjo, one of the first commercial photographers in Japan. What is surprising is that it didn't happen sooner.
Japan Times
Events / Events Outside Tokyo
Mar 26, 2014

Let cherry blossoms light up the evening at Osaka castle

When it comes to spring beauty, nothing surpasses the sight of cherry blossoms in full bloom, especially when they are illuminated during the night. Add the grandiose view of Osaka Castle as the backdrop plus a delicious bento-box picnic, and you have a winning combination.
SOCCER / PREMIER REPORT
Mar 21, 2014

No love lost when Wenger, Mourinho face each other

Anthony Taylor will have his work cut out Saturday stopping two grown men trading insults.
COMMENTARY / Japan / SENTAKU MAGAZINE
Mar 21, 2014

Cracks in the ruling coalition

The exercise of Japan's right to collective self-defense has become Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's political creed, but ruling coalition partner New Komeito wants Abe to slow his approach, and others close to Abe have grown apprehensive about the rise of anti-American conservatism within Abe's Liberal Democratic Party. The ruling coalition is showing cracks.
Japan Times
Events / Events Outside Tokyo
Mar 20, 2014

All aboard Chiba Prefecture's Lab Train

The easternmost point of the Kanto region in Chiba Prefecture offers panoramic views of the coastline with rugged towering cliffs that resemble those of Dover — one of England's most recognizable landmarks. It's a place that many visit to watch Japan's first winter sunrise.
LIFE / Japan Showcase / AOMORI PREFECTURE
Mar 12, 2014

Freshly grilled squid on a winter train: Taking a ride on the Tsugaru Railroad

A continuous bluster rips snow from the white ground all around us and keeps sending it flying into our faces, as we stand on the platform of Kanagi Station in Goshogawara. It is frigid weather and I am relieved when I finally spot our train emerge out of the bleached hazy distance. Two identical orange...
EDITORIALS
Mar 9, 2014

The Ukraine balancing act

The crisis in Ukraine appears to be receding and morphing into a balancing act between the interests of Russia and the West, with Crimea set to vote on its future in a referendum.
CULTURE / TV & Streaming / CHANNEL SURF
Mar 8, 2014

Disaster survival tactics and a 3/11 baby; CM of the Week: Daiwa House

This week marks the third anniversary of the Great East Japan Earthquake. On a practical level, TBS's two-hour special, "Shinsai chokugo: Seishi wo wakeru 72-jikan ni subeki koto" ("Right After the Disaster: 72 Hours Means the Difference Between Life and Death"; Mon., 9 p.m.), offers advice on how to...
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Companies
Mar 6, 2014

Osaka challenges Tokyo with tallest skyscraper

Japan's tallest building will open Friday in Osaka, as Asia's third-biggest metropolitan economy aims to lure tourists and stem businesses from moving to Tokyo.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / TOKYO BAR ADVENTURE
Mar 4, 2014

Sober is the new drunk at juice-cocktail bar

In an izakaya or pub in Tokyo, a glass of orange juice can look out of place among a sea of beer mugs. For a nonalcoholic drinker who chooses to avoid pints for whatever reason, going out in Japan can be hard. While beer or wine lovers have a wide variety to choose from, those who can't drink are stuck...
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / How-tos / HOME TRUTHS
Mar 3, 2014

In Japan, you can leave it all up to the moving company

It's often described as one of the most stressful events of human life — but in Japan moving house is virtually a breeze.

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.