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Japan Times
WORLD / Crime & Legal
Nov 7, 2019

Trump tax return case teed up to hinge on Chief Justice John Roberts

Fighting to keep his tax returns secret, President Donald Trump will soon ask the Supreme Court to grant him "temporary absolute immunity" from any criminal investigation while he's in office. The case sets up yet another test for the court's new swing voter, Chief Justice John Roberts, who is devoted...
Japan Times
WORLD / Politics
Nov 5, 2019

Ukraine to ax prosecutor who discussed Bidens with Rudy Giuliani, source says

Ukraine plans to fire the prosecutor who led investigations into the firm where former U.S. Vice President Joe Biden's son served on the board, a central figure in the activity at the heart of impeachment proceedings against U.S. President Donald Trump, a source told Reuters.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / NEWS IN NIHONGO
Nov 4, 2019

Number of Japanese language institutions soars in Asia: survey

A Japanese news article looks at the rising number of Japanese-language institutions in Vietnam and Myanmar.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Nov 2, 2019

Mount Fuji in off-season not to be trifled with

Go ahead and climb Mount Fuji in winter, but know what you're getting into.
Reader Mail
Nov 1, 2019

Improve work environment for teachers

I am a student. The Media Mix column titled "Schools struggle to cope with staff shortages" in the Oct. 27 edition caught my attention because I have been wondering whether to become a teacher or work for a company in the future. One of the reasons for my hesitation is a prominent part of this article....
Reader Mail
Nov 1, 2019

Reducing hospital beds a bad idea

Regarding the story "Abe-led government panel suggests 130,000 fewer hospital beds to reduce costs" in the Oct. 30 edition, this idea would add to the rising number of elderly people dying alone.
Reader Mail
Nov 1, 2019

Foreign population adds to Japan

Regarding the story "Foreign population hits record 2.83 million" in the Oct. 26 edition, I strongly believe that the rise has had a positive impact in terms of the economy and culture.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Regional voices: Chubu
Nov 1, 2019

Now on air: Quake reinforcement work gives Nagoya TV Tower that floating feeling

Nagoya Television Tower, which is currently undergoing seismic reinforcement work, saw the completion of the process of cutting off its four pedestals from its underground concrete foundation on Oct. 23, making it look as if it is floating in the air.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Regional Voices: Tohoku
Nov 1, 2019

Typhoon Hagibis shows challenges of evacuating Fukushima nursing homes in disasters

Powerful Typhoon Hagibis, which ripped through Japan on Oct. 12 and brought flooding and landslides to Fukushima Prefecture, has left at least 27 senior group homes and nursing homes in the area damaged or flooded.
Japan Times
JAPAN / The Argument: Casinos
Oct 30, 2019

Any economic benefits of casinos come at far too steep of a price

Those who support bringing casinos to Japan boast of their economic benefits, but any perceived boon for the economy is far outweighed by their destructive consequences.
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC
Oct 29, 2019

New Mekong dam in Laos opens to protests from villagers in Thailand

The first hydropower dam on the lower Mekong River began commercial operations in Laos on Tuesday amid protests from villagers in Thailand who say the Xayaburi Dam and several others in the works will destroy their livelihoods.
JAPAN / Politics / FOCUS
Oct 29, 2019

With hazy plan for SDF dispatch to Mideast, is Japan pursuing contradictory goals?

It was an unusual meeting starting at around 7:30 a.m. at the ruling Liberal Democratic Party's headquarters in Tokyo on Oct. 23, hastily organized so government officials could get lawmakers up to speed.
LIFE / Language / NEWS IN NIHONGO
Oct 28, 2019

Tourists in Kyoto informed of manners via push notifications

A new app strives to inform overseas visitors to Kyoto of a number of social norms such as don't take pictures of the geisha when they're working.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Regional voices: Chubu
Oct 25, 2019

Aging main complex of Nagoya fish market to close amid drop in popularity of seafood

The main building complex of Yanagibashi Central Market, a fish market a short walk from Nagoya Station, will close at the end of this month due to deterioration, ending its run of more than 50 years.
Reader Mail
Oct 25, 2019

The weaponization of denial

Yoichi Funabashi's opinion pieces are usually well-informed, thoughtful and sane. It's a disappointment to find him now writing as a patriot. His article "Tokyo, Seoul and the weaponization of history" in the Oct. 11 edition boldly broaches urgent issues but fails to come to terms with the main one....
Reader Mail
Oct 25, 2019

Is linguistic ignorance truly bliss?

Damian Flanagan's thought-provoking "Linguistic ignorance can be bliss" in the Oct. 21 edition is utterly counterintuitive to those, including me, who strongly believe in the importance of mastering a foreign language as a prerequisite to understanding a country's culture.
Japan Times
PODCAST / deep dive
Oct 23, 2019

Episode 27: The enthronement of Emperor Naruhito — pomp, splendor and a ¥16 billion bill

Emperor Naruhito became Japan's 126th emperor at an enthronement ceremony on Oct. 22, 2019. Japan Times politics reporter Sakura Murakami joins Oscar Boyd to discuss.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / NEWS IN NIHONGO
Oct 21, 2019

City of Iki first in Japan to declare a climate emergency

The city of Iki, Nagasaki Prefecture, issued a climate emergency declaration on Sept. 26 and expressed its resolve to tackle problems posed by climate change.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Oct 21, 2019

Aussie newspapers protest state media restrictions in rare show of unity

Australia's biggest newspapers ran front pages on Monday made to appear heavily redacted as a protest against legislation that restricts press freedoms, a rare show of unity by the usually partisan media industry.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Regional Voices: Okinawa
Oct 20, 2019

Okinawan pig farmers beef about U.S.-Japan trade deal while restaurants fire up grills

With Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and U.S. President Donald Trump having reached a final agreement on Sept. 26 to conclude a trade pact to lower tariffs on American beef and pork, Okinawa Prefecture's livestock industry has been increasingly concerned about competition intensifying when the cheap U.S. imports...
JAPAN / Regional Voices: Kyushu
Oct 20, 2019

Fukuoka forks out to modify prefectural assembly building ahead of April nationwide smoking ban

With rules banning indoor smoking set to take effect in April under the revised Health Promotion Law, the Fukuoka Prefectural Assembly decided to set up smoking areas in its building from Oct. 1.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Companies / Regional voices: Chubu
Oct 20, 2019

With surprise backing from workers, Toyota group firm dares to go completely smoke-free

Toyoda Gosei Co., part of the Toyota Motor Corp. group, has decided to ban smoking in all its facilities nationwide from January.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Regional Voices: Hokkaido
Oct 20, 2019

Muroran community spot fosters international diversity in Hokkaido

A community space in Muroran, Hokkaido, is connecting residents with others on the island who hail from countries as diverse as Thailand, Canada, South Korea and the United States.
PODCAST / deep dive
Oct 17, 2019

Episode 26: Perspectives from Typhoon Hagibis — a storm chaser, an evacuee, a reporter

Typhoon Hagibis hit Japan on Oct. 12, causing widespread damage to Tokyo and its surrounding prefectures. This week, storm chaser James Reynolds, evacueeu00a0Andrew McKirdyu00a0and reporteru00a0Chisato Tanakau00a0share their experiences of the typhoon.
JAPAN / First Person
Oct 17, 2019

Typhoon Hagibis: A night in an evacuation shelter shows just how fragile Tokyo life can be

If you look at a map of Kitasenju in Tokyo's Adachi Ward, you will see that it's almost entirely surrounded by water.
SUMO / INSIDE SUMO
Oct 16, 2019

Slicker production needed for amateur sumo

Typhoon Hagibis raged across Japan last weekend leaving in its wake a trail of devastation both deep and wide-ranging.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Oct 15, 2019

Trump's move in Syria should alarm U.S. allies

The ramifications of the mistake Trump made are so grave that no leader of an ally or friend of American can ignore it.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Regional Voices: Chugoku
Oct 11, 2019

Do city assembly members need two tablets each? Concerns grow in Hiroshima over tax waste

This fiscal year, the Higashihiroshima Municipal Assembly handed out second tablets to all of its 30 members, at a cost of about ¥6 million.

Longform

Mount Fuji is considered one of Japan's most iconic symbols and is a major draw for tourists. It's still a mountain, though, and potential hikers need to properly prepare for any climb.
What it takes to save lives on Mount Fuji