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Japan Times
BUSINESS
Nov 15, 2019

U.S.-China trade tensions could last 20 years, says Alibaba's Jack Ma

Jack Ma, the co-founder and former chairman of Alibaba Group Holding Ltd., has warned that the U.S.-China relationship could face 20 years of "turbulence" if the two superpowers aren't careful in how they handle trade.
Reader Mail
Nov 15, 2019

Korean preschools should be free, too

I'm writing to express my concern about the free preschool education program that took effect Oct. 1. I'm a third-generation Korean in Japan and the mother of a 7-year-old son who goes to a Korean school.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music / 2010S: DECADE IN REVIEW
Nov 15, 2019

Through scandal and stellar sales, AKB48 dominated the past decade in Japan

Do you know the songs? 'Heavy Rotation,' 'Gingham Check,' 'Ponytail to Shushu' .... Even if you don't, you're likely aware of the sales model that AKB48 has exported to the rest of the world.
Japan Times
LIFE / Travel / HOTELS & RESTAURANTS
Nov 14, 2019

Keep warm with hearty meals served en cocotte

Head to the Hotel Century Southern Tower's Cocotte Fair for a marriage of prime Japanese produce and French brasserie cooking techniques.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Economy
Nov 14, 2019

Asia's 'mini-Chinas' struggle to capitalize on U.S. trade war

The U.S.-China trade war has reignited the debate over which developing countries in Asia could take over the mantle of the world's workshop. The front-runners? India and Indonesia.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / How-tos
Nov 14, 2019

Ditch the debate tactics when it comes to persuading Japanese colleagues on a course of action

Coming to a compromise, PowerPoint presentations and group consensus will help you get your way at work over an impressive oral argument.
Japan Times
WORLD / Society
Nov 12, 2019

Kenya hosts global sexual health summit amid protests from Catholics and pro-life groups

The United Nations and Kenyan government on Monday came under fire on the eve a global conference on sexual and reproductive health with Christian groups claiming hosting the event was promoting abortion and homosexuality in the East African nation.
Japan Times
BASKETBALL / B. League
Nov 11, 2019

Levanga veteran Takehiko Orimo doesn't want special treatment for All-Star curtain call

Japanese basketball's own living legend Takehiko Orimo says that he would absolutely be honored if he gets the nod. But he does not want the occasion to be a farewell stage.
COMMENTARY / Japan
Nov 11, 2019

Why Japan's English education is a fiasco

The first step toward improving Japanese student's English-speaking ability is to ensure their English teachers can speak the language.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Commentary
Nov 11, 2019

Four-day workweek could be just what Japan needs

In the sitcom "The Office," a bumbling manager spends much of his time distracting the hapless employees of a paper company's local sales branch. Somehow, despite all the antics that seem to interfere with getting anything done, the branch consistently manages to be the company's most profitable. Though...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Books
Nov 9, 2019

Back to 'The Factory' in a new era of meaningless work

Hiroko Oyamada's award-winning debut novel, "The Factory," measures out in terse detail an indictment of contemporary work culture. Set in modern Japan where the norms of underpay and overwork are well-known, the novella evokes the worst of the Silicon Valley-type tech campuses and asks the question:...
LIFE / Lifestyle / Kateigaho International Japan Edition
Nov 9, 2019

Artistry unfolds: Glimpsing the souls of nature-loving byōbu artists

Through byu014dbu, we can glimpse the souls of the artists who expressed their love of nature in these screen paintings, and the souls of the people who cherished those images as part of their day-to-day existence.
CULTURE / Books
Nov 9, 2019

'World Heritage Japan': John Lander photographs the country's UNESCO sites

If there's a country more infatuated with receiving UNESCO heritage status than Japan, please name it.
JAPAN
Nov 8, 2019

Japan's rugby, disasters and social change generate buzzwords in 2019

The 2019 Rugby World Cup, natural disasters and cashless payment inspired a large portion of the nominations for the annual buzzword of the year awards.
JAPAN
Nov 8, 2019

Japan school boards start to rethink 'black rules' on everything from underwear to protesting

Japan's teaching culture prizes conformity and docility, but the public is apparently getting fed up with the suffocating rules imposed to achieve that.
Japan Times
JAPAN / World Bosai Forum Special
Nov 8, 2019

Past calamities revisited in regional collaborations

The devastating impact from powerful typhoons that hit Japan in September and October served as a fresh alarm to municipalities responsible for the welfare of local residents. Affected municipalities are working at full capacity to deal with the aftermath of the disasters, fix damaged infrastructure...
Japan Times
JAPAN / World Bosai Forum Special
Nov 8, 2019

Life post-3/11: Sendai's recovery through a global lens

I am very pleased that the second World Bosai Forum will be held in the city of Sendai, following the first World Disaster Reduction Forum held two years ago. I would also like to express my heartfelt gratitude to those concerned, including the newly established World Bosai Forum Foundation, in order for it to serve as the forum secretariat.
Japan Times
BASKETBALL / B. League / B. LEAGUE NOTEBOOK
Nov 7, 2019

NBA veteran Henry Walker persevered to carve out a long hoop career

In the 13th year of his pro career, Henry Walker's longevity is a testament to his fierce determination.
Japan Times
LIFE / 2010S: DECADE IN REVIEW,2010s: Decade in review
Nov 7, 2019

Mascots: The secret weapon in Japan's soft power arsenal

What makes a good mascot? It used to be that being cute was enough, but 'yuru-kyara' in the 2010s needed storylines and Instagram followings if they want to make a mark.
Japan Times
GLOBAL MEDIA POST / Peru report 2019
Nov 7, 2019

Regaining strength on the global stage

For more than a decade, Peru distinguished itself as one of the fastest-growing economies in Latin America as it boasted an average annual gross domestic product growth of 6.1 percent from 2002 to 2013. However, from 2014 to 2017, its GDP growth slowed to an average of 3 percent, mainly because of a...
Japan Times
GLOBAL MEDIA POST / Peru report 2019
Nov 7, 2019

Peruvian-Japanese Association: 120 years of friendship

Established in 1917, the Asociacion Peruano-Japonesa (APJ) or Peruvian-Japanese Association promotes cultural and educational exchanges between Peru and Japan, which have a shared history that goes back to the arrival of the first Japanese immigrants in the late 1890s.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Art
Nov 6, 2019

The power of cultural and economic capital

Compared to exhibitions in which art objects are meant to seduce us into epiphanic transcendence, the works in "Surface and Custom," a group show at Shiseido Gallery organized by Berlin-based artists Jay Chung and Q Takeki Maeda, are more akin to frank expositions about the exchange of cultural and economic...

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