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Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Jun 6, 2017

High infidelity: Ayumi Ito reprises her role in 'Hirugao'

A Japanese drama that instigated a nationwide debate about female infidelity and societal values, "Hirugao: Love Affairs in the Afternoon" has been made into a heart-wrenching movie that aims to have audiences reaching for the tissues.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Jun 6, 2017

A fresh look at the long war in Afghanistan

The war in Afghanistan has hardly been mentioned in the early months of the Trump administration. This must change.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Jun 6, 2017

Trump surrendering U.S. soft power

By withdrawing from the Paris Agreement, the U.S. has handed China a geopolitical gift by ceding global leadership to Beijing.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Jun 6, 2017

India angles for bigger share of space sector, sends satellite into orbit atop most powerful rocket

India launched a communication satellite using its most powerful rocket on Monday, improving its prospects of winning a bigger share of the more than $300 billion global space industry and its hopes of a manned mission.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Jun 5, 2017

Vladimir Putin's geopolitical chessboard

For Putin, the sanctions represent war by other means and a justification for him to make his next moves to countervail American power.
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC
Jun 4, 2017

Seizing of Philippines city by Islamist militants a wake-up call for Southeast Asia

At the beginning of the battle that has raged for the past 12 days in Marawi City at the southern end of the Philippines, dozens of Islamist militants stormed its prison, overwhelming the guards.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Society
Jun 3, 2017

LGBTQ abuse victims suffering in silence

Ray Tanaka's high-pitched giggle is infectious. Yet the 51-year-old bears visible signs of less humorous times. Scars peaking through tightly cropped hair are telltale signs of severe beatings at the hands of a former partner who had transitioned to male.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Media / MEDIA MIX
Jun 3, 2017

The arrested development of female prisons

Though the prison population in Japan is remarkably small compared to other countries, there have been increases in recent years among certain demographics. The media is particularly sensitive to elderly inmates. Less remarked upon are female prisoners.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink
Jun 3, 2017

Tokyo Beer Week underway with events across Tokyo and Kanagawa

Behind the usual assortment of fresh produce and their derivative goods at the UNU Farmers' Market in Aoyama last weekend, Tokyo Beer Week 2017, which runs through June 11, was quietly kicking off by offering nearly four dozen taps of craft beer from in and outside of Japan. This year's event spans venues...
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink
Jun 3, 2017

Chilean wine a hit among Japan's working women

Japan's swelling ranks of working women have grape growers 10,000 miles away cheering.
JAPAN / Media / BIG IN JAPAN
Jun 3, 2017

Is Japan slipping into prewar politics?

"The recent flurry of legislation, including a proposed anti-conspiracy amendment to the organized crime law, recalls prewar Japan," Kobe University criminal law scholar Hirofumi Uchida told the Asahi Shimbun in an interview in March.
Japan Times
WORLD / Politics
Jun 3, 2017

Special counsel to probe ex-Trump aide Flynn's Turkey ties

Robert Mueller, the special counsel investigating possible ties between the Trump election campaign and Russia, is expanding his probe to assume control of a grand jury investigation into former national security adviser Michael Flynn, three sources said.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Jun 2, 2017

U.N. expert Kaye fires back at Tokyo's criticism of freedom of expression report

A United Nations expert on Friday defended his report on significant threats to freedom of expression in Japan as factually accurate, rebutting the Japanese government's assertions that his views are based on "hearsay information."
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Jun 2, 2017

Dhaveevatthana prison: Hell on Earth in Thailand

A prison on the grounds of Dhaveevatthana Palace in Bangkok has become a symbol of cruelty under the reign of Thai King Vajiralongkorn.
Japan Times
WORLD / Politics
Jun 2, 2017

Putin lauds Trump, hints patriotic Russians may have been involved in hacking foreign elections

Russian President Vladimir Putin said he likes guys like Donald Trump who speak their mind and dangled the possibility that patriotic Russians could have been involved in hacking during foreign elections.
Japan Times
WORLD
Jun 2, 2017

Gunmen kill Venezuelan judge at barricade as unrest over Maduro's rule worsens

Gunmen shot dead a Venezuelan judge at a street barricade in the latest fatality of two months of anti-government unrest that has seen at least 61 people killed, authorities said on Thursday.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film / Wide Angle
Jun 1, 2017

Dad-made 'bento' make a splash on the silver screen

Japanese movies tend to portray Japanese dads as male chauvinists who never step into the kitchen if they can help it and have little interest in raising their kids. Consider Yasujiro Ozu's timeless classic "Tokyo Story." Sure, Chishu Ryu played a kind and gentle patriarch — but did he once help the...
BASKETBALL / B. League / B. LEAGUE NOTEBOOK
Jun 1, 2017

Fourth-quarter hero Gibbs' Achilles injury deals setback to Brex

Tochigi Brex forward Jeff Gibbs' terrific fourth-quarter performance in the B. League Championship final on Saturday instantly entered this nation's hoop annals as a special feat.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Jun 1, 2017

Nissan expands sales to rental companies, but analysts warn of risk

When his car needed weeks of transmission work and his dealer was out of loaners, Myles Arnett was sent to a nearby Hertz rental car lot. He had his pick of Nissan Altima and Sentra sedans to choose from — and little else.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Society
Jun 1, 2017

OECD urges Japan to boost social services for young people, curb ranks of NEETs

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development has urged Japan to improve social services for young people, in particular women, to enable and motivate more active participation in the labor market.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Companies
May 31, 2017

Budget furniture king Akio Nitori discounted his way to a fortune

Embarrassed by the recall of thousands of kitchenware pots after they appeared to leach lead when heated, discount-furniture king Akio Nitori took an unusual step. He hired a team of auto industry engineers to revamp the quality assurance and testing division.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan / SENTAKU MAGAZINE
May 30, 2017

Cozy ties between the police and pachinko industry

With the legalization of casinso in Japan around the corner, the police are desparately trying to defend their own sphere of interest.
Japan Times
Figure Skating / ICE TIME
May 30, 2017

Hanyu set for Cup of Russia, NHK Trophy

The annual release of the Grand Prix assignments by the ISU traditionally signals the start of the new skating campaign. It came last Friday, so the Olympic season has officially begun.

Longform

In 2020, 38% of all households were single-person. That figure is projected to rise to 44.3% by 2050.
The rise of AI companionship in a lonely Japan