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COMMENTARY / Japan / SENTAKU MAGAZINE
Oct 19, 2015

Government error caused tragic Kinugawa flooding

The deadly flooding along the Kinugawa River last month shows how the government has been criminally unwise in its policies on dams and river control.
EDITORIALS
Oct 19, 2015

Weapons development and exports

Japan is well on its way to become a weapons developer and exporter following a decision last year by the Abe administration to discard a long-standing arms export ban.
LIFE / Language / COMMUNICATION CUES
Oct 19, 2015

Japanese doctor wins Ig Nobel medicine prize for kissing study

A Japanese doctor won this year's Ig Nobel medicine prize for a study that revealed kissing could reduce allergic reactions in humans.
Japan Times
JAPAN / CHUBU CONNECTION
Oct 19, 2015

Barbecue sets made by Mie prison inmates proving a hit

Barbecue sets made by inmates at Mie Prison in Tsu, Mie Prefecture, are gaining popularity for their durability and ease of use.
COMMUNITY / How-tos / LIFELINES
Oct 18, 2015

Residents upset over condominium overhaul

It is a common sight in Japan to see houses or condominiums undergoing a spruce up. Covered in tarpaulins and wrapped in a steel cage of scaffolding, this state of affairs can last from just a few weeks to several months, depending on the scale of the renovations.
Japan Times
JAPAN / FUKUSHIMA FILE
Oct 18, 2015

Fukushima skating rink to reopen in anticipation of residents' return

A well-known skating rink in Kawamata, Fukushima Prefecture, that closed after the triple core meltdown at the Fukushima No. 1 power plant in 2011 will reopen in January, giving a shot in the arm to the disaster-stricken area.
JAPAN / Media / MEDIA MIX
Oct 17, 2015

No sex talk please, we're Japanese

The education ministry recently came under fire for supplementary materials it had distributed to high schools this summer. The materials were given out to help girls lead "healthier lives," but a chart about pregnancy included in the literature was found to be misleading.
COMMENTARY / Japan
Oct 16, 2015

Security legislation promises more than it can deliver

Japan's new security legislation will do little to deter China or North Korea, and the SDF is not large or strong enough to turn the tides of war in international peacekeeping and possible U.S.-led war efforts.
Japan Times
JAPAN / CHUBU CONNECTION
Oct 13, 2015

Chinese tourists spill into business hotels along Aichi highway as Nagoya hostelries full

Business hotels located on expressways in Aichi Prefecture are seeing a sharp rise in Chinese customers as those touring the Tokyo-Kansai route seek a place midway to spend the night.
WORLD
Oct 13, 2015

Playboy Magazine scraps nude photographs of women

Now readers of Playboy, the glossy men's magazine known for its nude foldouts, can honestly say they are buying the magazine for its articles.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Media / BIG IN JAPAN
Oct 10, 2015

It's a small world, with no respect for islands

To what extent are your problems my problems? To what extent are Syria's troubles Japan's?
JAPAN / Media / MEDIA MIX
Oct 10, 2015

'Omotenashi' comes up short on humility

A Japanese friend who used to travel a lot for work told me of a funny thing that once happened to her in a Tokyo hotel. She was checking in when a bellhop came up and, without saying anything, picked up her bag. She resented the presumption and tried to yank it out of his hand. A silent tug of war ensued....
JAPAN
Oct 10, 2015

New JICA head envisages 'effective approach' for ODA

Shinichi Kitaoka, the newly appointed president of Japan International Cooperation Agency, said he wants to carefully study the needs of recipients and work to provide development aid effectively given the country's limited financial resources.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Oct 7, 2015

Snooping worries lead top EU court to ditch U.S. data transfer deal used by thousands of firms

The EU's highest court struck down a deal that allows thousands of companies to easily transfer personal data from Europe to the United States, in a landmark ruling on Tuesday that follows revelations of mass U.S. government snooping.
WORLD / Science & Health
Oct 6, 2015

Montana hunter fends off grizzly bear by triggering its gag reflex

A hunter tracking elk in the Montana mountains said he fended off an attacking grizzly bear by shoving his arm into its throat, inducing a gag reflex that frightened it away, according to state wildlife managers.
LIFE / Language / COMMUNICATION CUES
Oct 5, 2015

Fish oils no help for mental decline

Fish oil supplements do not protect against mental decline despite common belief, a study says.
Japan Times
JAPAN / CHUBU CONNECTION
Oct 5, 2015

Nagoya University leads way in developing next-generation products

To cope with the accelerated aging of the nation's population, Nagoya University is working to develop futuristic vehicles.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / How-tos / LIFELINES
Oct 4, 2015

By mutual consent, mediation or court: the three paths to divorcing in Japan

Answers to some questions from a foreign resident here who is married to a Japanese citizen.
COMMENTARY / World
Oct 4, 2015

Brazil: cutting emissions by fighting deforestation

With an incredible 41 percent reduction in emissions since 2005, Brazil is creating an environmental model for the entire world.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / How-tos / HOME TRUTHS
Oct 3, 2015

Don't be green about the charm of tatami

When we were thinking of buying a condominium, we visited several old danchi — apartments built by Japan's former public housing corporation — because they were cheap and, we thought, easy to renovate. One of the units we inspected had bedroom floors made of tatami mats, and we wondered if we could...
COMMUNITY / Voices / OVERHEARD
Oct 3, 2015

Unclear on the concept

What are all these people (in front of the Diet) protesting about?
Japan Times
BASKETBALL / HOOP SCOOP
Oct 3, 2015

Size of B. League will present challenges from the outset

There is no one-size-fits-all formula — no magic pill exists — for the Japan Basketball Association to create a new men's pro hoop circuit that will become an instant success.
Reader Mail
Oct 2, 2015

Thailand is on the path to democracy

I deeply regret that the article "Thai military delivers oppression, not happiness" in the Sept. 23 edition of The Japan Times does not do justice to the heavy responsibilities that have been placed on the shoulders of Thai Prime Minister Gen. Prayuth Chan-ocha and his government during such a critical...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Books
Oct 1, 2015

Photographer aims to explain Okinawa's tensions in pictures

It is not easy to regard oneself as an oppressor.
BASEBALL / Japanese Baseball
Sep 30, 2015

Pena irked by Okubo's comments

Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles slugger Wily Mo Pena has taken exception to comments his manager, Hiromoto "Dave" Okubo, made to the media recently.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Sep 28, 2015

Where's the justice? In Japan's legal terminology, it's almost nowhere to be seen

'Where's the justice?!" That's the common refrain of people who lose in court. In Japan, the answer may be "nowhere," at least as far as terminology goes.
LIFE / Language / COMMUNICATION CUES
Sep 28, 2015

Santa Claus is spared bankruptcy

Finland's Santa Claus Office avoided bankruptcy thanks to the help of a new owner.

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