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Japan Times
CULTURE / Art
Nov 13, 2014

'Narahara Ikko: Domains'

It has been 56 years since photographer Ikko Narahara's early masterpiece "Oukoku (Kingdom)" (1958) has been shown in Tokyo.
Japan Times
Places
Nov 12, 2014

Let there be LIGHT — Christmas illuminations in Japan

When it comes to the imported tradition of Christmas-time illuminations, the ante is being raised each year in Japan. Naturally, they’re often the grandest near shopping areas. The illuminations are usually put in place around November, and kept up until the New Year, while some are left on display...
Japan Times
Places
Nov 12, 2014

Good gobbly good: Thanksgiving in Japan

For obvious reasons, Thanksgiving tradition isn't celebrated by the general populace of Japan. In spite of this, the number of Turkey Day options has been growing steadily. At the end of the day, you don't need to be American to enjoy these classic culinary traditions, whether they're served at a restaurant...
Japan Times
JAPAN / Science & Health / ADVANCES IN PROGRESS
Nov 10, 2014

Time for underground CO2 storage is now, advocates say

From renewable energy, fuel cells and electric vehicles to energy-efficient home appliances, people have found ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to mitigate climate change.
Japan Times
LIFE / Lifestyle
Nov 8, 2014

Kendama: a whole new ball game

Almost every child that has grown up in Japan has seen a kendama, a wooden traditional Japanese toy consisting of a ken (sword) and tama (ball) connected by a length of string.
Japan Times
ENVIRONMENT / WILD WATCH
Nov 8, 2014

Hanging around the threat of extinction

Night falls; stars are showing; yet I'm still perspiring. We set off in darkness into a night filled with hope. Our goal is to see one of the rarest creatures on Earth, a species once considered extinct, and for which even now fate hangs in the balance.
Japan Times
JAPAN / CHUBU CONNECTION
Nov 7, 2014

First locally produced wine from Aichi set to hit market

When Daisuke and Azusa Suzaki begin to sell this season's wine later this month they will be putting Aichi Prefecture on the winery map.
Japan Times
WORLD / Science & Health
Nov 7, 2014

Scientists devise family tree of the world's insects, the first animals to colonize land

They pollinate our flowers, vegetables and fruit. They spread deadly diseases. They flash in the summer night. They bore into the wood in our homes. And they serve as supper for birds, reptiles, amphibians and mammals — including people.
EDITORIALS
Nov 4, 2014

Seniority pay on its way out?

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has proposed a review of the seniority-based wage system prevalent among Japanese companies with a call for higher pay to recruits and a shift to paying wages according to performance.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Nov 4, 2014

Optimize the troubled eurozone

Europe's leaders must recognize that the eurozone, as currently constituted, is larger than Europe's optimal currency area. Some member countries — certainly Greece, and probably Italy and Spain — need an independent monetary policy.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Nov 4, 2014

Mono's dual album release shows dark and light sides to the band

On the 2012 album "For My Parents," instrumental rock band Mono went big. Recorded with the 25-piece Wordless Music Orchestra, the album reflected a band that had finally completed a musical journey that it started more than 15 years ago performing grandiose, symphonic instrumental rock.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / TOKYO FOOD FILE
Nov 4, 2014

Nakamura Shokudo: Eclectic izakaya dining in Akasaka

If you're after sushi, tempura or yakitori, you head for a specialist restaurant. The same goes for eel, tonkatsu pork or wagyū beef. But what if you'd rather mix it up at dinnertime with a more eclectic selection of foods? No problem. Just head to a good izakaya.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / NOTEBOOK
Nov 4, 2014

Shochiku, OKWave launch community site for kabuki lovers

New network
Japan Times
BUSINESS / IEC GENERAL MEETING IN TOKYO
Nov 4, 2014

Smart grid systems key area of focus

Among the broad spectrum of electric and electronic businesses that Mitsubishi Electric Corp. is engaged in, the Energy & Industrial Systems Group is positioned as one of the more competitive departments, generating "nearly 10 percent of the company's total sales of ¥4 trillion," said Executive Officer...
Japan Times
BUSINESS / IEC GENERAL MEETING IN TOKYO
Nov 4, 2014

Tours, events show city, culture

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government is welcoming all guests to the IEC, and is happily offering a variety of complimentary programs to let registered guests from overseas enjoy Japan and Tokyo to the maximum.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Media / BIG IN JAPAN
Nov 1, 2014

Media whips up fuss over S&M bar claim

First came what the tabloids referred to as "W-jinin," the resignations of two female Cabinet members — Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Yuko Obuchi and Justice Minister Midori Matsushima — on the same day.
Japan Times
JAPAN / CHUBU CONNECTION
Oct 31, 2014

Teen cancer patient asks Aichi governor to arrange schooling in hospital

A 17-year-old boy being treated for kidney cancer has appealed to the governor of Aichi Prefecture to set up a high school education program in his hospital.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Society / ANALYSIS
Oct 29, 2014

Town divided after Sendai nuclear plant restart clears another hurdle

The city hosting the Sendai nuclear plant in Kagoshima Prefecture has decided to approve a resumption of operations at the facility, highlighting a conflict between people who benefit from the largesse of the industry and those who do not.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Stage
Oct 29, 2014

Millepied's L.A. Dance Project arrives with a triple bill of disparate delights

Two years after its inaugural performance, L.A. Dance Project is already a must-see company. In part that's because its founder and artistic director is the legendary French-born ballet dancer and choreographer Benjamin Millepied — but also because of its trendy innovations in contemporary dance and...
Japan Times
LIFE / Lifestyle
Oct 29, 2014

Stretch your fright nights right into the weekend

This year, many people in Japan celebrated Halloween early. Last weekend saw parades, parties and trick-or-treating at special events across the country, but for those who grew up in places that historically celebrate the holiday, Oct. 25 may have been a bit too soon to get spooked.
Japan Times
Places
Oct 29, 2014

Dig into a smorgasbord of autumn food and drink events

Japan seems to always be celebrating food and drinks, whether it's classics like ramen and sake, or less-common fare like cheese and vegetarian dishes. Here is a roundup of tasty festivals that will leave you satiated and satisfied.
BUSINESS / Companies
Oct 28, 2014

SoftBank unveils smartphone for seniors

SoftBank Corp. announced Tuesday that the company will release its new smartphone in late November and that its easy-to-use design will be particularly convenient for the elderly.
LIFE / Language / THE BUZZ
Oct 25, 2014

Wakudoki

A heart-racing dance craze has been the rage since Toyota launched two music videos for an ad campaign in July that features techno-pop outfit World Order.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Tech
Oct 25, 2014

Cutting-edge inventions showcased at Tokyo future-tech expo

Japanese technologies that engage multiple senses, such as virtual reality eyewear and wearable robotics, are being shown off at a Tokyo museum, offering the public a glimpse of a futuristic society.
Japan Times
CULTURE / CULTURE SMASH
Oct 24, 2014

Disney's 'Big Hero 6' animates a bridging of cultures

This week's Tokyo International Film Festival is hot on animation, featuring screenings of the collected works of Hideaki Anno, creator of the epic franchise, "Neon Genesis Evangelion," and 3-D shorts directed by Nintendo's Shigeru Miyamoto, producer of "Donkey Kong" and "Super Mario Bros." But the festival's...
Japan Times
JAPAN / HOTEL SPECIAL 2014
Oct 24, 2014

Love the wine you're with

Finding the perfect wine to complement a delicious meal at one of the excellent restaurants at the Grand Hyatt Tokyo hotel in Roppongi is much less of a daunting prospect since the hotel welcomed its newest sommelier, Manuel Rodrigues, earlier this year.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Oct 24, 2014

Pyongyang uses live bait to lure Washington

For new talks to succeed with North Korea, the U.S. must expend more energy getting South Korea and Japan, barely on speaking terms, to get along, and end its policy of doing nothing while the North becomes more dangerous.
JAPAN / CHUBU CONNECTION
Oct 24, 2014

Stately Nagoya, Aichi HQs on way to becoming tourist destinations

Nagoya and Aichi Prefecture plan to turn some of their office buildings into tourist destinations and are taking steps to preserve them properly.
BUSINESS / Tech
Oct 23, 2014

Technology companies winning battle with 'patent trolls'

For two decades, companies that buy software patents in order to sue technology giants have been the scourge of Silicon Valley. Reviled as "patent trolls," they have attacked everything from Google's online ads to Apple's iPhone features, sometimes winning hundreds of millions of dollars.

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