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Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC
Sep 21, 2017

Islamists lure youngsters in the Philippines with payments, promise of paradise

When he saw his commander holding the severed head of one of his neighbors, teenage Islamist fighter Jalil knew it was time to escape from Marawi.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Voices / FOREIGN AGENDA
Sep 20, 2017

Japan doesn't need to criminalize hate speech

Considering constitutional issues and the risk of creating 'martyrs,' the current law strikes the right balance.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Sep 18, 2017

An American political tragedy

The U.S. has not had a proactive, forward-looking government since the 1960s, and it's hard to remember the last time it produced a policy that could serve as a model for others to emulate.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / WHY DID YOU LEAVE JAPAN?
Sep 16, 2017

Documentary filmmaker Megumi Sasaki learns to live in the moment in New York

For a long time Megumi Sasaki felt that something did not quite fit.
Japan Times
JAPAN / History / THE LIVING PAST
Sep 16, 2017

The prosaic state of ancient Confucianism

"Confucianism," says historian Hiroshi Watanabe, "is perhaps the most powerful political ideology yet conceived by the human race."
COMMENTARY / Japan
Sep 14, 2017

Moon no obstacle to better ties between Tokyo and Seoul

By writing off South Korean President Moon Jae-in as an anti-Japan radical, Tokyo risks finding an enemy where none exists.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Voices / FOREIGN AGENDA
Sep 13, 2017

What will it take to convince Japanese to 'choose family'?

Without a societal model that makes family life appear important and attractive, perhaps it's no wonder that many Japanese people have stopped choosing it.
BUSINESS / Tech
Sep 13, 2017

China chills online discussion with rules punishing creators of message groups

Self-censorship is kicking in fast on WeChat in China as new rules on message groups casts a chill among the 963 million users of Tencent Holdings Ltd.'s social network.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Sep 12, 2017

Lawyers' group petitions ministry to improve attitudes of refugee counselors following alleged inappropriate remark

A group of lawyers claimed Tuesday that a female asylum seeker was asked inappropriate questions by a counselor during questioning earlier this year.
Japan Times
WORLD / Politics
Sep 8, 2017

Spain blocks Catalan independence vote, threatens charges against regional lawmakers

Spain's central authorities moved Thursday to crush plans by the northeastern region of Catalonia to hold an independence referendum and took steps to prosecute regional lawmakers backing the ballot.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Sep 7, 2017

Former diplomat fears war on horizon

A former key Foreign Ministry negotiator sees a window of opportunity in which both sides can be persuaded to pull back, but it will only last a year or so.
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics / FOCUS
Sep 5, 2017

South Korea's Moon faces calls to alter policy on North after nuclear test

North Korea has been condemned internationally for conducting its most powerful nuclear test yet, but, across the border, South Korean President Moon Jae-in is also attracting flak for his policy of pursuing engagement with Pyongyang.
Japan Times
WORLD / Politics
Sep 4, 2017

Merkel seen surviving challenger's onslaught to win TV debate ahead of elections

Chancellor Angela Merkel appeared to hold her ground in a television debate ahead of German elections, under attack from her Social Democrat (SPD) rival on refugee policy, ties with Turkey and her handling of U.S. President Donald Trump.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Companies / Taking the Lead
Sep 3, 2017

Line CEO Takeshi Idezawa hears voices guiding smartphones evolution

Since its messaging app debuted in June 2011, Line Corp. has shaken up the online communications landscape in Japan and morphed into a player in smartphone communications infrastructure.
COMMUNITY / Issues / LAW OF THE LAND
Sep 3, 2017

How Japan got new contract law it neither wants nor needs

One possible explanation for the inexplicable change in contract law: It is a giant experiment driven by academic hubris and bureaucratic ambition.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Media / MEDIA MIX
Sep 2, 2017

No one else wants Okinawa's U.S. bases

On Aug. 15, the 72nd anniversary of the Japanese surrender, there was a symposium in Tokyo about changing the Constitution. One of the panelists, documentarian Tatsuya Mori, pointed out that earlier that day Prime Minister Shinzo Abe had given remarks at an annual memorial event, and at no point did...
EDITORIALS
Aug 30, 2017

A 'crisis of conscience' in the Philippines

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte's murderous and lawless war on drugs must be condemned.
SOCCER
Aug 29, 2017

Yoshida, Japan teammates await important match against Australia

Japan defender Maya Yoshida insists he and his teammates are relaxed ahead of Thursday's crunch World Cup qualifier against Australia despite rumors that manager Vahid Halilhodzic will be fired if the Samurai Blue fail to win.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Aug 29, 2017

Islamic dress codes and liberal democracy

Branding calls to ban the burqa as Islamophobic is an illiberal attempt to shut down legitimate public policy debate.
COMMENTARY / World
Aug 28, 2017

Trump's Afghan plan is braver than Obama's

Removing an arbitrary timeline from the U.S. Afghan strategy will give it better prospects for success.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / WELL SAID
Aug 28, 2017

Introducing the conjunction particle 'shikashi'

Learn the differences of 'shikashi,' 'demo,' 'dakedo' and 'tokoroga.'
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Voices / FOREIGN AGENDA
Aug 27, 2017

How a love of Japan led me to stop dating its women

A British academic concludes that the only way he can truly enjoy and develop his love for Japan is by excluding his love life from the equation.
EDITORIALS
Aug 27, 2017

National energy plan needs a major review

The government continues to place too much emphasis on nuclear power despite the Fukushima crisis and negative public opinion.
Japan Times
WORLD / Politics
Aug 26, 2017

Defiant Merkel takes on protesters at rowdy campaign rally

Chancellor Angela Merkel stood up to rowdy protesters who tried to drown out her campaign speech with deafening jeers and whistles in the eastern town of Quedlinburg on Saturday, telling them that their angry shouts would not solve Germany's problems.
Japan Times
WORLD / Politics
Aug 24, 2017

Trump's threat to shut down government over Mexico wall funds draws flak

President Donald Trump's fellow Republicans rebuked him on Wednesday after his threat to shut down the U.S. government over funding for a border wall rattled markets and cast a shadow over congressional efforts to raise the country's debt ceiling and pass spending bills.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Voices / FOREIGN AGENDA
Aug 23, 2017

Trump or decency? Every American, whether in Japan or elsewhere, must choose a side

Trump made his choice. Now it is time for every American, including those of us living in Japan, to choose between hate and tolerance, ignorance and knowledge, revisionism and truth.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Aug 23, 2017

When we all must live in fear of online mobs

The internet is transforming the power of social coercion in extremely troubling ways.

Longform

Bear attacks have dominated Japanese news headlines in recent months, with 13 people so far having been killed by the animals.
Japan’s bears have been on their killing spree for more than 100 years