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COMMENTARY / World
Jun 23, 2018

Trendy bans on plastic straws are bunk

Skipping straws may be hip. But there are much better ways to fight pollution.
Japan Times
WORLD
Jun 23, 2018

U.S. Navy drafts plans to house 25,000 immigrants at a cost of $233 million over half a year

The U.S. Navy is drafting plans to house up to 25,000 immigrants on its bases and other facilities, at an estimated cost of about $233 million over six months, as the Trump administration seeks to ease a mounting crisis on the Mexican border, a U.S. official said on Friday.
EDITORIALS
Jun 22, 2018

Take steps to attract more foreign workers

The government has taken a step in the right direction by creating a new visa status for unskilled foreign laborers.
Japan Times
Jun 22, 2018

July 6th, 2018, TSUNEISHI SHIPBUILDING, 81,600 Bulk Carrier Launching Ceremony, Open to the Public

TSUNEISHI SHIPBUILDING Co., Ltd. (HQ:1083 Tsuneishi Numakuma-cho, Fukuyama, Hiroshima, Japan; President: Kenji Kawano), will hold 81,600 bulk carrier launching ceremony, and open to the public at 6:50 on Friday, July 6th, 2018 on No. 1 Building Berth, TSUNEISHI Factory.
BUSINESS
Jun 22, 2018

EPA vastly underestimating U.S. oil, gas system methane leaks: study

U.S. oil and gas drilling and related operations give off much more of the powerful greenhouse gas methane than the federal government estimates, wasting about $20 billion in fuel a year, scientists said on Thursday.
EDITORIALS
Jun 20, 2018

Review 'minpaku' regulations to spur growth

The government should ensure that regulations don't hamper the growth of the minpaku industry, which is contributing ot the sharp increase in inbound tourism.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Jun 19, 2018

U.N. body offers Tokyo youth a glimpse of life in camps on World Refugee Day

On most weekends, the plaza surrounding the famous Hachiko dog statue outside Shibuya Station is thronged with people. However, the popular Tokyo rendezvous point last Saturday hosted an emergency tent where people in bright blue T-shirts tried to raise awareness ahead of June 20 — the 18th annual...
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Tech
Jun 19, 2018

Norway tests small electric plane, sees passenger flights by 2025 if shift to green tech grows

Norway tested a two-seater electric plane on Monday and predicted a start to passenger flights by 2025 if new aviation technologies match a green shift that has made Norwegians the world's top buyers of electric cars.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / MORNING ENGLISH
Jun 18, 2018

Let's discuss Airbnb and minpaku laws

Just over a week before a new law for minpaku (private lodging services) goes into effect, the popular rental website Airbnb has dropped nearly 80 percent of its listings for the services over the past three months.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Society / Deep Dive
Jun 17, 2018

As tourism numbers spike, Japan's hospitals face payment and language challenges

For a Filipino man visiting Tokyo in May last year, the tour of the capital was supposed to be a fun sightseeing trip.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Society / Deep Dive
Jun 17, 2018

Travelers without insurance cause headaches for Japan's hospitals

Are you insured?
Japan Times
CULTURE / Stage
Jun 16, 2018

Ken Watanabe: Japan's flag-bearer in the world of entertainment

Ahead of the opening of 'The King and I' in London on June 21, the award-winning actor calls on young Japanese to step outside their comfort zone.
Japan Times
JAPAN / History / THE LIVING PAST
Jun 16, 2018

Japan's gods: More benevolent than fearsome

The most violent episode in Japanese mythology is the rampage through the Sun Goddess' rice fields by her unruly brother Susano'o, the Storm God.
COMMENTARY / World
Jun 16, 2018

There's a better answer than electric cars

Promising emissions-reducing technology may make internal combustion engines more environmentally friendly than electric motors.
Japan Times
MORE SPORTS
Jun 15, 2018

JAAF promotes Marathon Grand Championship as vital preparation for 2020 Olympics

Japan's runners who earn spots for the Summer Olympics will gain significant experience running on a nearly identical course during the trial for the 2020 Tokyo Games on home soil.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Jun 15, 2018

BOJ keeps monetary policy unchanged and downgrades inflation assessment

The Bank of Japan left monetary policy unchanged Friday and downgraded its assessment of inflation, falling further behind its global peers at the end of a busy week for central banks.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Regional Voices: Fukushima
Jun 15, 2018

Disaster-hit Fukushima struggles to secure forest industry workers but efforts slowly bearing fruit

In a mountainous area in Fukushima Prefecture, junior high school students saw at trees as professional forest workers give them instructions and pointers.
Japan Times
WORLD / Science & Health
Jun 15, 2018

U.N. draft says global warming is set to exceed 1.5 C target, slow economic growth

Global warming is on course to exceed the most stringent goal set in the Paris agreement by around 2040, threatening economic growth, according to a draft report that is the U.N.'s starkest warning yet of the risks of climate change.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Companies
Jun 14, 2018

Mercari's blockbuster IPO shows Japan's startups are turning a corner

One of the year's most spectacular startup payoffs isn't in Silicon Valley or China, it's in Japan.
Japan Times
WORLD / Science & Health
Jun 14, 2018

Ice caps live-blogging human history

At the dawn of the 20th century, when the first humans set foot on Antarctica's seemingly pristine ice cap, pollution had beaten them there.
WORLD / Science & Health
Jun 14, 2018

Global emissions hit record, climbing 1.6 percent, with Paris deal targets in doubt

Two years after 200 nations forged a United Nations deal to protect the climate, output of gases blamed for global warming has surged to a record.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Jun 13, 2018

It's still not too late to walk out, Mr. Trump

Trump should stay committed to the goal of denuclearlizing North Korea, even if it means walking away from negotiations.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Jun 13, 2018

Japan's wedding ring jewelers look to become more LGBT-friendly

While same-sex marriage has not been legalized in Japan, some firms in the country's wedding jewelry industry have started taking steps to make their products and stores more LGBT-friendly.
Japan Times
WORLD / Politics
Jun 13, 2018

North Korea plays up apparent U.S. concessions, says Trump explicitly acceded to two of its top demands at summit

North Korea said Wednesday that U.S. President Donald Trump had told leader Kim Jong Un that he intended to halt joint U.S.-South Korea military exercises and ease crippling sanctions against Pyongyang, suggesting via state media that the American leader had explicitly acceded to two of the nuclear-armed...
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Companies
Jun 13, 2018

Takeda CEO talks about Shire acquisition and the future integration of the firms after Japan's biggest outbound takeover

Christophe Weber says growth and innovation are the metrics for success in Takeda Pharmaceutical Co.'s $62 billion purchase of Shire PLC. The first order of business is bringing global shareholders around to Japan's biggest-ever outbound takeover.
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics
Jun 12, 2018

Trump sees shared path with North Korea's Kim after denuclearization summit

In a vaguely worded agreement, the two leaders inked what Trump said was a “comprehensive document” declaring that Kim's regime would work towards complete denuclearization.
COMMENTARY / World
Jun 11, 2018

Getting to yes with Kim Jong Un

Only bold political decisions and realistic prudence can lead to the denuclearization of North Korea.
BUSINESS / Companies
Jun 11, 2018

Banking veteran slams Japanese banks' fixation on archaic trading methods

Regional banks need to stop their fixation with the old-fashioned buy-and-hold strategy and be more nimble to make the most of their investments, a three-decade industry veteran says.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Jun 11, 2018

Sexual consent in Japanese: Making it crystal clear that no means no

In a language where 'no' can mean 'yes' and vice versa, debate about sexual consent has had difficulty thriving.

Longform

A sinkhole in Yashio, which emerged in January, was triggered by a ruptured, aging sewer pipe. Authorities worry that similar sections of infrastructure across the country are also at risk of corrosion.
That sinking feeling: Japan’s aging sewers are an infrastructure time bomb