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Japan Times
COMMUNITY / How-tos / LIFELINES
Aug 2, 2015

Moriumius project brings young life and learning back to the Tohoku disaster zone

A unique educational project aims to revitalize the Miyagi town of Ogatsu, which lost around 80 percent of its buildings and 10 percent of its 4,300 population to the 3/11 disasters.
Japan Times
LIFE / Travel
Aug 1, 2015

Arita fires up a love of pottery, both historical and contemporary

The streets of Arita's Uchiyama porcelain district are mostly deserted this overcast Sunday, a boon for me as I am looking anywhere but at the sidewalk in front of me. My eyes are drawn instead to the parade of restored buildings that front the street, a veritable "name that era" of architectural styles....
Japan Times
JAPAN / Media / BIG IN JAPAN
Aug 1, 2015

A political turning point for Japan's youth

July 15, 2015, will go down in Japanese history. As what, though? The day democracy's decline became irreversible? Or the day democracy's decline was reversed?
Japan Times
JAPAN
Jul 28, 2015

Artist Aida defiant over latest work

Controversial artist Makoto Aida is refusing to bow to demands that he alter a politically sensitive submission to the Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo after museum chiefs and Tokyo Metropolitan Government officials deemed it unsuitable for children.
Japan Times
JAPAN / CHUBU CONNECTION
Jul 27, 2015

Tokai broadcaster pushes ninja idol adventure overseas

Tokai Television Broadcasting Ltd. has started to air a new series called "Ninja Boimenkun" ("Ninja Boys and Men") earlier this month.
CULTURE / TV & Streaming / CHANNEL SURF
Jul 25, 2015

Housecleaner of the dead; ridiculous quizzes; CM of the Week: Family Mart

The housekeeper who cleans the homes of dead people, Aiko Tanizaki (Atsuko Takahata), returns in the special two-hour drama "Ihin Seirinin: Tanizaki Aiko 5" ("The Cleaning Lady of Things Left Behind: Aiko Tanizaki 5"; TBS, Mon., 9 p.m.).
Japan Times
BUSINESS / YEN FOR LIVING
Jul 25, 2015

America still rules the world of Japan's theme parks

The success of Tokyo Disney Resort and Universal Studios Japan has a lot to do with their business models and the way they've exploited their appeal to certain demographics in Japan.
COMMENTARY / World
Jul 25, 2015

The Iran nuke deal is fine, but 10 years late

Everything gained in the Iran nuclear agreement could have been accomplished 10 years ago if not for stubborn resistance by Europe and the U.S.
Japan Times
WORLD / Science & Health
Jul 23, 2015

Drug companies study why some people are 'superhuman' and how the rest of us can benefit

Steven Pete can put his hand on a hot stove or step on a piece of glass and not feel a thing, all because of a quirk in his genes. Only a few dozen people in the world share Pete's congenital insensitivity to pain. Drug companies see riches in his rare mutation. They also have their eye on people like...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Jul 23, 2015

Hocori to give Fuji Rock a groove to be proud of

Tagging their work as electronic "buddy" music, Takuji Sekine and Yosuke Momono say their group, Hocori, is a way for two instrumentalists to indulge in artificial beats.
Japan Times
WORLD
Jul 23, 2015

Pot pasta: Italian food fest in London features hemp oil-infused cannabis fare

Any Italian will tell you: pasta is healthy and makes you feel good. But what about spaghetti made from cannabis?
Japan Times
CULTURE / Stage
Jul 21, 2015

Performing arts poised to bloom at ETAT 2015

The sixth Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennale is set to start July 26 in Tokamachi City and Tsunan Town in Niigata Prefecture, north-central Honshu.
ASIA PACIFIC
Jul 21, 2015

China Protests U.S. Pacific Fleet Commander's Spy-Plane Flight

China renewed its protests over U.S. spy planes entering what it claims as territory after the commander of the U.S. Pacific Fleet joined a surveillance flight over the disputed South China Sea.
Japan Times
JAPAN / CHUBU CONNECTION
Jul 20, 2015

Centrair emerges as key freight hub for agricultural exporters

Chubu Centrair International Airport in Aichi Prefecture has emerged as a key hub for agricultural exporters as they capitalize on local subsidies, a global washoku food boom and weakening yen.
Japan Times
LIFE / Lifestyle
Jul 18, 2015

A handy guide to fright nights in and around Tokyo

In an attempt to tap into the growing interest in the supernatural during summer, a number of companies are offering services that allow participants to experience a taste of what lives in the shadows.
Japan Times
LIFE / Lifestyle
Jul 18, 2015

Tales from the crypt: ghost stories from Japan

On a damp afternoon in early July, almost two dozen people sat in silence in a dark room on the sixth floor of a building located right next to Sensoji Temple in Tokyo's Asakusa district. The audience has come to Amuse Museum to hear two presenters — storyteller Chinatsu Ushidaki, who performs under...
JAPAN
Jul 18, 2015

National Stadium architects return fire, say design not behind high costs

Zaha Hadid Architects hit back at the decision to scrap their plan for Tokyo's new National Stadium, insisting the ambitious design was not responsible for spiraling construction costs.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / DESSERT WATCH
Jul 17, 2015

Mister Donut is building a pastry bridge to Brooklyn

Mister Donut recently unveiled their summer doughnut roster and it's themed on Brooklyn, New York. Well, it's "Brooklyn themed" in the sense it combines several foodstuffs together into one, in the style of New York-born fusion treats such as the Cronut.
Japan Times
CULTURE
Jul 16, 2015

Museums are the place to be this summer thanks to new dinosaur discoveries

Whether you live with a 4-year-old expert in dinosaurs, or were once one yourself, this summer offers some exciting opportunities for further discovery about the giant animals that long ago roamed the Earth. And best of all, they're all right here in Japan.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Jul 15, 2015

Successor to Hayao Miyazaki's throne turns Shibuya into a realm of beasts

Mamoru Hosoda ranks first among the Japanese animation directors seen as successors to now-retired industry giant Hayao Miyazaki — and for good reason.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Art
Jul 14, 2015

'MOT Collection: Postwar Art in Close-Up'

July 18-Oct. 12
Japan Times
CULTURE / Art
Jul 14, 2015

'War and Postwar: The Prism of the Times'

July 18-Jan. 31
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Jul 14, 2015

Industrial-metal act Godflesh teams up with Daymare for tour

Often cited as influencing acts such as Ministry and Nine Inch Nails, as well as post-metal bands from the 2000s like Isis and Pelican, industrial metal band Godflesh are coming to Japan for a three-city tour from this Friday.
EDITORIALS
Jul 13, 2015

National Stadium boondoggle

The government should adopt a simpler design for the new National Stadium to reduce its ballooning construction costs.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Tech / ADVANCES IN PROGRESS
Jul 13, 2015

Major players are bringing voice assistant tech to the fore

In sci-fi movies, it's common to see a character having spontaneous conversations with robots and humanoids, like C-3PO of "Star Wars" fame.
Japan Times
JAPAN / CHUBU CONNECTION
Jul 13, 2015

Nagoya subway line's late-night service extension finds marginal success

In a widely publicized event last July, the Higashiyama subway line in Nagoya extended its operating hours to provide the "latest last train for subways in Japan."

Longform

A small shrine perched atop rocks braves the waves hitting the shoreline during a storm in Shimoda, Shizuoka Prefecture. The area is under threat of a possible 31-meter-high tsunami if an earthquake strikes the nearby Nankai Trough.
If the 'Big One' hits, this city could face a 31-meter-high tsunami