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EDITORIALS
Apr 28, 2016

Supreme Court's probe falls short

The top court's probe into 'special trials' held for leprosy patients accused of criminal offenses failed to address whether the defendants recieved justice.
Japan Times
WORLD / Politics
Apr 28, 2016

Sibling rivalry with lawmaker brother threatens Fujimori's bid ahead of Peru vote

A spat between presidential contender Keiko Fujimori and her younger brother over the future leadership of the political movement they inherited from their ex-president father could cost her key votes in Peru's tight June 5 run-off election.
Japan Times
WORLD / Politics
Apr 28, 2016

Half of Americans think presidential nominating system 'rigged': poll

More than half of American voters believe that the system U.S. political parties use to pick their candidates for the White House is "rigged" and more than two-thirds want to see the process changed, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll.
JAPAN
Apr 25, 2016

Checkered pattern by artist Tokolo chosen as logo for 2020 Tokyo Olympics

Tokyo 2020 Olympics organizers pick a stark indigo-and-white checkered circle as the games' replacement emblem after the original design was scrapped last year amid claims of plagiarism.
COMMENTARY / World
Apr 25, 2016

What's up with U.S. black voters?

Unlike Sanders, Clinton has consistently supported policies that have had a devastating impact on African-Americans — yet most black voters support her.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Issues / LABOR PAINS
Apr 24, 2016

Shakai hoken shake-up will open up pensions for some but close door on benefits for others

Law will enable some workers to join the employees' health and pension insurance system but will legally freeze out many more.
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics
Apr 24, 2016

Young voters' fear of 'Hell Chosun' puts South Korea's Park on back foot

Spend any time on South Korean social media sites, and you're bound to see the phrase "Hell Chosun." For Korean millennials, that refers to the hellish future that lies ahead. Such youthful disillusionment goes a long way toward explaining the electoral drubbing voters gave President Park Geun-hye's...
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / COUNTERPOINT
Apr 23, 2016

Ebb tide for press freedoms in Shinzo Abe's Japan

A perfect storm is descending on freedom of the press in Japan: The country just sank to No. 72 in the global press freedom ranking issued Wednesday by Reporters Without Borders, down from No. 11 in 2010. And David Kaye, the U.N. special rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom...
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Tech
Apr 22, 2016

Pachinko firm scores with iPhone-cracking digital forensics unit

The hackers at Cellebrite Mobile Synchronization Ltd., the forensics unit of a little-known Japanese pinball company, are fast becoming the go-to guys when law enforcement needs to unlock smartphones. Its group chief has plans to keep the firm on the front lines against terrorism.
Japan Times
WORLD / Politics
Apr 22, 2016

Obama urges 'friend' U.K. to stay in EU but Brexit camp tells him to 'butt out'

U.S. President Barack Obama made an impassioned appeal on Friday for Britain to remain in the European Union, saying membership had magnified Britain's place in the world and made the bloc stronger and more outward looking.
COMMENTARY / World
Apr 21, 2016

Trump and Clinton gain more than delegates

Hillary Clinton has the Democratic nomination all but locked up, and Donald Trump is back on track.
JAPAN
Apr 21, 2016

Japan's government defends against multiple accusations of stifling press freedom

The government is on the back foot in the wake of mounting global criticism to the effect that the administration of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is threatening press freedom in Japan.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Apr 19, 2016

U.N. rapporteur on freedom of expression slams Japan's 'press club' system, government pressure

A United Nations expert on freedom of expression concludes that Japan's media independence is being jeopardized by government pressure.
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics
Apr 19, 2016

Front-runner in Philippines presidential race apologizes for rape remark

A Philippine mayor who built a reputation for fighting crime apologized Tuesday for a rape comment that caused a political storm and could dent his chances of winning the presidency in an election just three weeks away.
ASIA PACIFIC / Crime & Legal
Apr 18, 2016

China steps up war of words with Taiwan over fraud suspects

China on Monday stepped up its war of words with Taiwan after Taipei freed 20 suspects in a telecom fraud case linked to China, with state media accusing Taiwan of tolerating crime and being taken hostage by anti-Chinese forces.
ASIA PACIFIC
Apr 18, 2016

Kuczynski leads Fujimori ahead of Peru runoff election, opinion poll shows

Centrist economist Pedro Pablo Kuczynski is expected to beat Keiko Fujimori, the conservative daughter of a jailed former president, in Peru's June 5 presidential runoff election, according to an Ipsos poll published on Sunday.
Japan Times
WORLD / Politics
Apr 18, 2016

Trump campaign taking 'banana republic' tack by griping over GOP nomination process: Cruz adviser

A senior adviser to Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz on Sunday accused rival Donald Trump's campaign of taking a "banana republic approach" by complaining that party rules for selecting a nominee are rigged against him.
COMMENTARY / Japan
Apr 17, 2016

Rebooting the stalled 'comfort women' deal

Salvaging the 'comfort women' agreement between Japan and South Korea may require a dramatic and seemingly outlandish decision — moving the Japanese Embassy to a different part of Seoul.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / COUNTERPOINT
Apr 16, 2016

Obama has unfinished business in Hiroshima

Barack Obama will attend the G-7 Ise-Shima summit of leading industrial nations in Mie Prefecture next month, sparking speculation that the U.S. President might venture to Hiroshima to pay respects at the Peace Memorial Park.
COMMENTARY / World
Apr 14, 2016

Casualties of globalization sound 'Brexit' alarm

A vote for 'Brexit' is a vote against Britain's political mainstream.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Apr 13, 2016

Japan's open Olympic logo selection process wins disapproval from designers

Professionals sneer at the four short-listed emblems, saying soliciting public proposals resulted in designs of low artistic quality.
Japan Times
WORLD / Politics
Apr 13, 2016

Line in Clinton-de Blasio skit iks some as untimely racial gaffe

A comic gag turned into a gaffe for Democratic presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton and New York Mayor Bill de Blasio, triggering a storm of social media comment accusing them of being insensitive to African-Americans.
JAPAN / Politics
Apr 12, 2016

Hokkaido and Kyoto by-election campaigns, measure of Abe's strength, get underway

By-election campaigns kick off in Hokkaido and Kyoto in what are expected to be a litmus test for how Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's ruling Liberal Democratic Party will fare in the crucial Upper House election this summer.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Apr 12, 2016

Europe's rule-of-law crisis

Hungary and Poland are the leading edge of a far-right agenda that has taken hold throughout Europe.
ASIA PACIFIC
Apr 11, 2016

China Internet regulator says Web censorship not a trade barrier

China's online censorship system protects national security and does not discriminate against foreign companies, the country's Internet regulator said, after the United States labeled the blocking of websites by Beijing a trade barrier.
Japan Times
WORLD / Politics
Apr 11, 2016

Keiko Fujimori heads to Peru runoff presidential poll after bagging most first-round votes

Keiko Fujimori won the first round of Peru's presidential election on Sunday, though the race to be her opponent in the June runoff was locked in a virtual tie between two contenders, three exit polls showed.

Longform

Japan's growing ranks of centenarians are redefining what it means to live in a super-aging society.
What comes after 100?