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JAPAN / Politics
Sep 19, 2015

Diet enacts security laws, marking Japan's departure from pacifism

Following boisterous confrontations in the Diet and more than three days of public protest, the Upper House finally enacted two divisive security laws early Saturday that will mark a significant departure from Japan's postwar pacifism.
EDITORIALS
Sep 18, 2015

Security policy set the wrong way

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has rammed his security legislation through the Diet, public opposition be damned.
Japan Times
SOCCER / PREMIER REPORT
Sep 18, 2015

Wenger pays heavy price for fielding weakened team

Barcelona fielded its strongest side away to Roma, as did Real Madrid at home to Shakhtar Donetsk, Paris Saint-Germain hosting Malmo, Atletico Madrid away to Galatasaray, Bayern Munich away to Olympiakos and Juventus at Manchester City. None of them lost; in fact, all the European powerhouses won except...
Japan Times
WORLD / Politics
Sep 17, 2015

Distant No. 3 Bush tries to dump Trump's 'low-energy' tag heading into Republican debate

Once considered a heavy favorite for the Republican nomination, Jeb Bush will try to energize his presidential campaign on Wednesday when he goes into a prime-time debate where Donald Trump looms large.
JAPAN / Politics
Sep 16, 2015

Government cries foul over use of term 'forcible voting' as security bills debate heats up

As the political battle over two contentious government-sponsored security bills at the Diet enters its final stage, a propaganda war broke out Wednesday between the government and opposition parties.
EDITORIALS
Sep 16, 2015

Security questions go unanswered

Many of the questions and doubts about the legislation that remained from the Lower House deliberations were also never answered in the Upper House.
COMMENTARY / Japan
Sep 16, 2015

China won't win friends by flexing its muscles

While China has trumpeted its desire for peace, its Sept. 3 display of military prowess is bound to spur concerns in other capitals.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Politics / ANALYSIS
Sep 16, 2015

Japan's defense reform tarnished by low public support, unconvincing sales pitch

The ruling bloc's effort to pass a pair of controversial security bills has failed in an important respect: to win public support.
BUSINESS
Sep 15, 2015

Ruling bloc agrees to keep targeted consumption tax reductions as option

The ruling Liberal Democratic Party and Komeito have agreed to keep a proposed reduced rate for certain items as an option in their discussions on how to cushion the impact of the next consumption tax increase.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Sep 15, 2015

An Obama visit to Hiroshima would send the right message

A visit to Hiroshima by U.S. President Barack Obama could serve as a step toward realizing his vision of 'a world without nuclear weapons.'
JAPAN / Media / MEDIA MIX
Sep 12, 2015

It still takes a village to keep our kids safe

The murders of 13-year-old Natsumi Hirata and 12-year-old Ryoto Hoshino in Osaka last month sparked a heated conversation in the media about the state of parenting in Japan.
COMMENTARY / World
Sep 10, 2015

Putin could be planning a big gamble in Syria

Is Vladimir Putin taking the risky step of dramatically increasing Russia's military role in Syria's civil war?
Japan Times
JAPAN
Sep 10, 2015

Europe's approach to Syria exodus contrasts with Japan's dodging of refugees

As Europe faces what is possibly its greatest refugee crisis since World War II, the issue remains a faraway problem for Japan, which accepted a mere 11 refugees in 2014.
Japan Times
WORLD
Sep 9, 2015

Hungary's Orban plays for high stakes with tough stance on migrants

Hungary's fiery Prime Minister Viktor Orban has always relished a fight, be it with foreign bankers, international lenders or the European Union over policy toward Russia.
ASIA PACIFIC / Society
Sep 7, 2015

In bid to retain voter loyalty, Singapore rulers nudge policy playbook a little to the left

At breakfast time one day last week, K. Shanmugam, a Singapore government minister, dropped in to a bustling food court to greet voters, listen to their grumbles and urge them to back the People's Action Party (PAP) in this Friday's general election.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / How-tos / LIFELINES
Sep 6, 2015

Tourist disturbed by treatment of horses on Mount Fuji courses

This week's query comes from an overseas tourist who was concerned at the condition of some horses she saw on a recent visit to Mount Fuji.
BASEBALL / BASEBALL BULLET-IN
Sep 5, 2015

Time for NPB to scrap automatic pitcher ejection rule

It is time for Japanese baseball to revoke — or at least amend — the rule on automatic ejection of the pitcher when a batter is hit in the head by a pitch. According to the in-Japan-only regulation, an umpire must toss out of the game any pitcher who throws one into a batter's helmet, intentionally...
Rugby
Sep 5, 2015

Cheika declares Australia's World Cup starting lineup set

Michael Cheika has declared his starting 15 for Australia's World Cup bid nailed down but the Wallabies coach is likely to keep everyone guessing until days before their tournament opener against Fiji.
Japan Times
WORLD / Politics
Sep 5, 2015

Clinton apologizes for email 'confusion' but says she did nothing wrong

Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton said on Friday she was sorry that her use of a personal email account while secretary of state had caused confusion, and blamed herself for "not thinking a lot" about the matter when she took the job.
COMMENTARY / Japan
Sep 4, 2015

The veiled cause of Abe's legislative predicament

The national debate over the security bills as been limited to constitutional issues but it should also focus on Japan's significantly enhanced responsibilities in the U.S. defense guidelines.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Sep 3, 2015

Escaping the refugee crisis

The best way to help refugees would be for affluent countries to provide much more support for the poorer countries that are sheltering the vast majority of them.
Japan Times
WORLD / Politics
Sep 3, 2015

Fire in his belly, Bush tells Trump to bring it on, is told in return to speak English in U.S.

Republican Jeb Bush's new campaign ad ridiculing Donald Trump as a "germophobe" and Democrat-in-disguise is just the start of what will be a bigger onslaught, signaling a more aggressive stance by the candidate, Bush advisers said on Wednesday.
Japan Times
JAPAN / ANALYSIS
Sep 2, 2015

Olympics logo scandal highlights power of the Internet critic

As news broke Tuesday that the 2020 Tokyo Olympics organizing committee would scrap its official logo after weeks of plagiarism allegations surrounding the designer Kenjiro Sano, users of the popular 2channel gossip website posted a flurry of messages congratulating themselves.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Voices / VIEWS FROM THE STREET
Sep 2, 2015

Views from Yokohama: What would it take to make us all happier?

Tourists and residents in Kanagawa offer advice on how we can all live happier lives.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Sep 1, 2015

Refugee crisis is suddenly Merkel's biggest challenge

In the past two weeks, Germany has been shaken by a perfect storm of headlines that have elevated the refugee issue to the very top of the public and political agenda.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Sep 1, 2015

Norwegian television taps into fear of Russia

Norway's new TV series called 'Occupied' taps into Norwegians' wariness of Russia and their uneasiness about being the EU's gas station.
Japan Times
WORLD / Politics
Aug 31, 2015

Putin pumps iron in bid to lift popularity with Russians

The Kremlin has released pictures of Russian President Vladimir Putin working out at the gym with Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, images apparently aimed at shoring up Putin's rugged, masculine image as his popularity dips.

Longform

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