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COMMENTARY
Jan 4, 2014

China risking a debt crisis from localities

Although the odds this year of a full-blown financial crisis in China are slim, they're not nonexistent. The flash point is the burgeoning debt of localities to finance infrastructure.
COMMENTARY / COUNTERPOINT
Jan 4, 2014

Back and forward: Asia in 2013; predictions for 2014

Crystal-ball gazing is a notoriously inexact science, so before getting to that, let's lessen the potential exposure to ridicule by starting with a roundup of the last 12 months' key trends and events in Asia.
Reader Mail
Jan 4, 2014

Abe looks set to reinvent a personal Japan

Regarding the Jan. 1 article "Abe's quest to revive, reshape nation rides on the economy": The headline seems turned the wrong way. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's real revival target is not Japan's consumer economy, but rather Japan's economic prowess internationally.
Reader Mail
Jan 4, 2014

Mandela's dream not fully realized

Regarding Jennifer Kim's Dec. 15 letter, "Can't see Mandela as a 'peace icon," and Jim Makin's Dec. 22 letter, "Mandela halted vengeful politics": Nelson Mandela was a great admirer of Martin Luther King Jr. In his Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech (Dec. 10, 1993, Oslo), he recalled at the very end...
BUSINESS / JAPANESE PERSPECTIVES
Jan 4, 2014

Reform vows, Constitution to dog Abe in 2014

At the beginning of the new year, I would like to review the achievements of the administration of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and the challenges it faces in its second year on the economic and political fronts.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Economy
Jan 4, 2014

How we scored on calling 2013

A year ago, we brought you an analysis of the forces that appeared likely to shape the U.S. economy, for better and worse, in 2013. So, what did we get right and what did we get wrong? And of the things we posed as open questions, what did the answers turn out to be? Here, in the interest of pundit accountability,...
SOCCER / PREMIER REPORT
Jan 3, 2014

Hard to figure out what Anelka was thinking with gesture

Let us assume, for a moment, Nicolas Anelka was telling the truth.
Japan Times
JAPAN / GERMAN JOURNALIST SYMPOSIUM
Jan 3, 2014

Germany's role in EU divides bloc

Does Germany hurt or help Europe?
Events / Events Outside Tokyo
Jan 2, 2014

Kemari: a whole old ball game

The year of FIFA World Cup is upon us, with Brazil getting ready to host, and Japan scheduled to go head-to-head against Cote d'Ivoire, Greece and Colombia in June for a spot in the final 16. If six months is too long to wait, though, check out the ancient sport of kemari, to be held in Kyoto's Shimogamo...
COMMENTARY / Japan
Jan 2, 2014

Public's reaction to 'betrayal'

In light of the recent enact of the state secrets protectiion law, it is urgent that Japan improve its handling and disclosure of government information.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Jan 2, 2014

Our movie highlights of the coming year

Another year, another raft of unmissable movies. Here are the most hotly anticipated releases for JT film critics Mark Schilling, Kaori Shoji and Giovanni Fazio — get them in your diary now.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Jan 2, 2014

'Insidious: Chapter 2'

"Insidious" is what happens when you take the director of one horror-movie franchise — "Saw" helmsman James Wan — and team him up with the producers of another — Jason Blum and Oren Peli of "Paranormal Activity." If that sounds about as promising as curry-mayonnaise pizza, well, it's not that bad:...
LIFE / Lifestyle
Jan 2, 2014

Google's drive into robotics should concern us all

Over the past year, Google has bought eight robotics companies. Its most recent acquisition is an outfit called Boston Dynamics, which makes the nearest thing to a mechanical mule that you are ever likely to see. It's called Big Dog and it walks, runs, climbs and carries heavy loads. It's the size of...
Japan Times
LIFE / Lifestyle / CHILD'S PLAY
Jan 2, 2014

'Baby cafe' lets moms unwind while the children play

Tokyo has long been a city that caters for pets, with its countless cat cafes, dog cafes and even rabbit cafes dotted across the capital. But what about cafes for babies of the human variety?
WORLD / ANALYSIS
Jan 2, 2014

Political power struggle behind South Sudan crisis

U.S. and African officials seeking to mediate an end to South Sudan's bloodshed are, in effect, trying to repair rifts in the very liberation movement that they supported for years.
Japan Times
CULTURE
Jan 1, 2014

The most viewed culture stories of 2013

Pop culture ruled the roost in popular stories, but also showed its staying power: The most read online story from the JT culture section this year turned out to be a review of a manga drawn by Osamu Tezuka and first published in 1972. Meanwhile, Hayao Miyazaki's final feature at Studio Ghibli generated...
CULTURE
Jan 1, 2014

Lucky food, charming decorations and visiting deities: welcoming the new year with history and tradition

Wearing kimono, getting together with family and friends, and not working for the first three days of a new year. Shogatsu, or New Year's, is when Japanese generally work less than the rest of the world.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY
Jan 1, 2014

The most viewed community stories of 2013

A majority of the most read community stories addressed timeless issues. These were stories about issues that naturally spark debate and will no doubt continue to do so as Japan's multicultural landscape continues to shift and shape.
Japan Times
LIFE
Jan 1, 2014

The most viewed life stories of 2013

From burgers to ballerinas, LINE sending to gender bending, kawaii cute to Nadeshiko adorable, here are the life section stories that caught online readers' eyes in 2013. As a gyaru might say, “Yababa!”
Japan Times
Events / Events In Tokyo
Jan 1, 2014

Blending old and new for New Year's

Thanks to the calendar this year, many people can have a long holiday, so many will be heading out of Tokyo on vacation. But if you're staying in the capital, there will be enough events at the beginning of the year to get you out of the house, and to help you taste the traditional and unique aspects...
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Companies
Dec 31, 2013

Toyoda says car industry must be more aggressive

The auto industry must take the initiative to be more competitive until the benefits of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's deflation-busting economic policies are fully felt, according to Akio Toyoda, chairman of the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association.
COMMENTARY / World
Dec 31, 2013

Thai opposition prepares a silent coup d'état

The sense that Thailand has seen extreme partisan politics played out in the streets before would be mildly reassuring were it not for a nagging fear that this decent and prosperous society may be set to destroy its democracy.
COMMENTARY / World
Dec 31, 2013

2013, a year of angry elites

The crowds who called for revolution in Cairo, Istanbul, Bangkok and Kiev in 2013 were not the impoverished losers of globalization. They were mostly the economic winners: middle-class, educated, English-speaking. So why were they rebelling?
COMMENTARY / World
Dec 31, 2013

Five lessons of 2013, guaranteed to be forgotten

One important lesson from 2013 is that we should beware political pronouncements posing as economic forecasts. The U.S. economy had its biggest increase in quarterly GDP in nearly two years despite the government 'shutdown effect.'
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / TOKYO BAR ADVENTURE
Dec 31, 2013

On a pub crawl, every drink is one for the road

For newcomers or current residents in Tokyo, where people are known to sometimes come off as cold and distant, attempting to chat up a complete stranger on the street or in a bar can make even the biggest social butterfly feel shy.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / A TASTE OF HOME
Dec 31, 2013

Juicy Chinese dumplings will Shanghai your taste buds

People have opinions about xiao long bao. And for good reason: xiao long bao (or XLB, or soup dumplings, or shoronpo as they're called in Japanese) are enchanting: semi-translucent satchels of dough encasing balls of minced pork suspended in, curiously, soup. In that magnificent way that the Chinese...

Longform

Ichiro Suzuki, one of the most iconic players in NPB and MLB history, was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame with 99.7% of the vote.
With Hall of Fame induction, Ichiro makes himself heard loud and clear