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JAPAN / 70 YEARS OF PEACE AND PROSPERITY
Jan 4, 2015

Patriotic few battle addiction to peace

The Japanese school system's treatment of modern history is so slipshod that having a rational debate on the need for war is nearly impossible, young nationalists say.
Japan Times
MORE SPORTS
Jan 3, 2015

Fujitsu outplays Kwansei Gakuin, claims first Rice Bowl title

The dominance of the X League champion in the Rice Bowl extended for another year, as the Fujitsu Frontiers defeated the Kwansei Gakuin University Fighters 33-24 for the overall national championship on Saturday at Tokyo Dome.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / How-tos / HOME TRUTHS
Jan 2, 2015

Property borders: Where to draw the line

Some years ago we lived in western Kawasaki, Kanagawa Prefecture, in a neighborhood that clung to the contours of a hilly terrain. Many of the streets were just dirt and gravel, even though the area was fully developed. Neighbors told us that they had been trying to get the local government to pave these...
JAPAN / History
Jan 1, 2015

Donald Keene reflects on 70-year Japan experience

My first visit to Japan was very short, only a week or so in December 1945. Three months earlier, while on the island of Guam, I had heard the broadcast by the Emperor announcing the end of the war. Soon afterward, I was sent from Guam to China to serve as an interpreter between the Americans and the...
Reader Mail
Dec 31, 2014

Shameful decision to close parks

Regarding staff writer Tomohiro Osaki's Dec. 29 article, "Shibuya shuts parks, thwarting year-end soup distribution for homeless": I would like to thank The Japan Times for running this story. Shibuya Ward's closure of the three parks during the new year holidays will prevent supporters of the homeless...
Reader Mail
Dec 31, 2014

Tourists want to go off the track

Regarding the Dec. 23 Jiji article "Tourists flocking to Japan but few venture off the beaten track": I have escorted 10 tours to Japan from Australia over the last few years and we certainly have ventured off the beaten track, visiting such places as Cape Soya and Cape Nosappu in Hokkaido, Fukaura,...
Reader Mail
Dec 31, 2014

Double punishment is not right

The Dec. 14 AP sports article "Peterson loses appeal" describes the NFL's decision to suspend Adrian Peterson until next spring as punishment for his disciplinary switching of his son, which was deemed abusive.
COMMENTARY / World / SENTAKU MAGAZINE
Dec 30, 2014

China banking on projects

The key factor that has led Beijing to create the Asia Infrastructure Investment Bank is the belief that creating new demand abroad is the only way to avoid a simultaneous collapse of local governments and state corporations.
COMMENTARY / World
Dec 30, 2014

Oil prices and Saudi democracy

Saudi Arabia's top policymakers deny they have deliberately sought lower oil prices, and there are good reasons to doubt the kingdom is wielding the oil weapon as part of some grand geopolitical strategy.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Dec 29, 2014

To shine or to die: the messy world of romanized Japanese

One of the also-rans in the competition for the best buzzword of 2014 was the little word "shine." It stirred some discussion this summer when it appeared as a one-word heading in the blog of Prime Minister Abe's just-established Kagayaku Josei Ō en Kaigi (輝く女性応援会議, Council for Supporting...
LIFE / Language / COMMUNICATION CUES
Dec 29, 2014

Most heavy drinkers are not alcoholics

Contrary to popular opinion, only 10 percent of U.S. adults who drink too much are alcoholics, according to a study released on Nov. 20.
EDITORIALS
Dec 28, 2014

Using errors to advance agendas

An independent panel's findings on the Asahi Shimbun's retraction of a series of past articles on the 'comfort women' issue offer important lessons to reporters, editors and newspaper management.
Japan Times
LIFE / Lifestyle
Dec 27, 2014

Learning to love robots

With half the decade complete, we examine an industry that has significantly changed the way we think about ourselves.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Media / BIG IN JAPAN
Dec 27, 2014

Concern for Japan's democratic process

Elections are the lifeblood of democracy. They represent an awesome empowerment — the right of citizens to peacefully overthrow their government and choose another.
Japan Times
ENVIRONMENT / OUR PLANET EARTH
Dec 27, 2014

Business as usual or an energy revolution?

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's Liberal Democratic Party won a snap election two weeks ago that caught opposition parties and the public off guard. The result was a record low turnout in which the LDP lost several seats, but kept a two-thirds majority in the Lower House.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Politics
Dec 26, 2014

Futenma plan 'quickest solution' to Ginowan safety threat, new defense chief says

New defense chief Gen Nakatani repeated Friday that the purpose of moving U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma in Okinawa is to get it out of crowded Ginowan, stressing that keeping it in the prefecture will make sure it remains a deterrent in the Asia-Pacific region.
Japan Times
JAPAN / CHUBU CONNECTION
Dec 26, 2014

Carnations inspire creation of unique bubbly in Nagoya

Talk about bouquet. Meijo University in Nagoya has produced sparkling wine from grapes and yeast derived from carnations.
Japan Times
LIFE / Lifestyle
Dec 25, 2014

'Kawaii' gets a landmark

While Japanese cool hunters might lament the lack of pop cultural exports in recent years — all the more conspicuous when compared to K-Pop's successful forays westward — kawaii (cute) culture has quietly permeated into global consciousness with all the effortless grace of singer Kyary Pamyu Pamyu...
JAPAN / Politics
Dec 24, 2014

Shinzo Abe begins new term as prime minister, launches Cabinet

The Cabinet remains unchanged except Gen Nakatani, a former first lieutenant in the Ground Self-Defense Force, replaces scandal-hit Akinori Eto as defense minister and minister in charge of security legislation.
Reader Mail
Dec 24, 2014

The Christian message in Japan

Michael Hoffman's The Living Past article on Dec. 20, titled "Christian missionaries find Japan a tough nut to crack," gives a well-researched history of Japan's first encounter with the Christian faith 400 to 500 years ago, but says little of what has been happening since then. There is much to be encouraged...
COMMENTARY / Japan / SENTAKU MAGAZINE
Dec 22, 2014

Real costs of nuclear power

Until now, Japan's power industry and the government have emphasized the lower energy costs from having nuclear plants generate the nation's electricity. And until now, consumers and business circles have bought into that myth.
LIFE / Language / COMMUNICATION CUES
Dec 22, 2014

Oxford chooses 'vape' as word of the year

The Oxford Dictionaries named 'vape' — meaning to inhale the vapor from an electronic cigarette instead of the smoke from a burning stick of tobacco — as its 2014 word of the year.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / YEN FOR LIVING
Dec 22, 2014

Annals of cheap: Narita express buses

Narita Airport is still inconvenient for Tokyoites, but now getting there is less expensive.
COMMENTARY / Japan
Dec 21, 2014

Push economic reforms, not a revisionist agenda

Japan-watchers in London say Prime Minister Shinzo Abe would be wise to focus on reforming the Japanese economy while keeping a tight rein on the right wing of his party.
LIFE
Dec 20, 2014

Public protest in Japan: Power to the people?

"Freedom of assembly and association as well as speech, press and all other forms of expression are guaranteed." — Article 21, Constitution of Japan
JAPAN
Dec 20, 2014

Activist challenges secrets law with anonymous whistle-blower website

A Japanese Internet activist and academic is challenging the recently enacted state secrets law by setting up a website aimed at making it easier for government officials to leak sensitive information to the media without getting caught.
Japan Times
JAPAN / CHUBU CONNECTION
Dec 19, 2014

Rare 'raicho' ptarmigans lose habitat following Ontake eruption, could disappear

The eruption of Mount Ontake in September killed dozens of hikers, but also probably decimated the population of a rare bird — the rock ptarmigan, a much-loved symbol of Japan's alpine region.
Reader Mail
Dec 17, 2014

Opposition's pain, LDP's gain

Regarding the Dec. 14 article "Abe tightens grip on power as ruling coalition wins 325 seats in Lower House election": Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is the main and possibly only beneficiary of this exercise in expensive futility. He can spend Christmas and New Year's knowing that he has already spent his...
Reader Mail
Dec 17, 2014

Nuclear arms threat will persist

Regarding Ramesh Thakur's Dec. 16 article, "Reducing the global threat posed by nuclear weapons": Uh, good luck with that! The United States and the Soviet Union came very close to nuclear conflict a number of times during the dark days of the Cold War, either because of a misunderstanding in communications...
Reader Mail
Dec 17, 2014

Despicable attack on violinist

As a musician and composer, I was greatly saddened to read in The Japan Times-incorporated International New York Times the Dec. 9 article "Fraud accusations stir violin world," describing an American violinist's despicable attack on the late Shinichi Suzuki, Japan's highly respected founder of the world-famous...

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