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Reader Mail
Jan 30, 2011

'Gender equality' not universal

James Hicks' Jan. 20 letter, "Speak out for 'universal' standards," implies that gender equality is a universal, fundamental and ethical standard, and that it is the duty of everyone to speak out about it in Japan.
COMMENTARY / THE VIEW FROM NEW YORK
Jan 30, 2011

Pushing the U.S. Constitution to the brink

NEW YORK — On opening day of the 112th session of the U.S. Congress, the members of the House of Representatives recited the U.S. Constitution. The Republican Party, now the majority, instituted the unprecedented step. The tea party instigated it.
JAPAN
Jan 29, 2011

Kan defends being S&P-blindsided

Prime Minister Naoto Kan on Friday defended his remarks on the downgrade of Japan's sovereign credit rating by Standard & Poor's, saying he had yet to be informed of the news when he said he was "not familiar with the matter."
COMMENTARY
Jan 28, 2011

China, charmer and bully

LONDON — Hu Jintao, given a head-of-state welcome in Washington, tried to show a friendly face toward America. He brought gifts in the form of contracts to buy American products, although most of these contracts had been closed earlier and some at least involve the purchase of American technology that...
CULTURE / Music / STRANGE BOUTIQUE
Jan 28, 2011

Japan's indie acts need to break domestic scene's 'glass ceiling'

There's a feeling in the air these days, not least on these pages, that Japan is becoming more culturally insular. Japanese video games are losing out to South Korea and the West in the race to explore the online frontier; animation, once the standard-bearer of "cool Japan," has retreated into a self-congratulatory...
BUSINESS
Jan 28, 2011

S&P cuts Japan's debt rating

Japan's sovereign credit rating was cut for the first time in nine years on concern that Prime Minister Naoto Kan hasn't done enough to curb the $11 trillion debt burden.
JAPAN
Jan 24, 2011

LDP pledges to send ruling party packing

Liberal Democratic Party President Sadakazu Tanigaki pledged Sunday at his party's annual convention to lead the fight to corner the ruling Democratic Party of Japan into dissolving the Lower House for a snap election.
JAPAN
Jan 21, 2011

Sting enters Taiji fray, urges talks to end cull

Sting wants to help save dolphins still being brutally slaughtered in Taiji, Wakayama Prefecture, but says the best way is by starting a debate, not by forcing foreign opinion.
EDITORIALS
Jan 20, 2011

Moment of truth nears

Former Democratic Party of Japan chief Ichiro Ozawa, on the advice of his attorneys, turned down a request Tuesday to submit to interrogation ahead of his expected indictment on allegations of falsely reporting political funds. The request had come from lawyers appointed by the court to act as prosecutors...
Reader Mail
Jan 20, 2011

Speak out on 'universal' standards

I would like to respond to Greg Hutchinson's Jan. 13 letter, "Americans should avoid lecturing." This discussion began with an exchange of letters in the Dec. 19 and Dec. 26 Readers in Council in which the question was raised as to whether an American should give advice to the Japanese on issues related...
JAPAN
Jan 20, 2011

Key ministers meet to weigh tax hike

Key Cabinet ministers agreed Wednesday to map out comprehensive proposals on social welfare and tax reforms, with an eye to hiking the sales levy, by June as they met for the first time to explore ways to cope with the problems of a rapidly aging society and mounting government debt.
Japan Times
Reference / SO WHAT THE HECK IS THAT
Jan 20, 2011

Wagashi

Dear Alice,
COMMENTARY / World
Jan 19, 2011

Hu's momentous U.S. visit

HONG KONG — The pomp and circumstance marking President Hu Jintao's arrival in Washington could define a dangerous moment in relations between the United States and China. Political hype and pressures could easily poison the atmosphere and prevent progress on the proliferation of business, economic...
Japan Times
LIFE / Digital
Jan 19, 2011

Hackers worldwide Kinect with their creative sides

When Kinect, Microsoft's latest add-on for the Xbox 360 game console, was released worldwide in November 2010, it was the beginning of a success story, but not in the way Microsoft may have been expecting.
COMMENTARY / World / SENTAKU MAGAZINE
Jan 18, 2011

Up the prosecutor's road

Public Prosecutor General Hiroshi Obayashi was forced to resign after being in office for only six months in the wake of a series of scandals involving the Osaka District Public Prosecutors Office's special investigation squad, including the tampering of evidence by one of its prosecutors.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Jan 16, 2011

Of Taiji, activists know nil: curator

A curator of the Taiji Whale Museum on Friday criticized opponents of the town's dolphin slaughter for their lack of knowledge about Taiji, which was featured in the Oscar-winning documentary "The Cove."
Japan Times
JAPAN / ANALYSIS
Jan 15, 2011

Analysts doubt new picks' clout

Despite Prime Minister Naoto Kan's pledge to create the "best lineup to overcome the crisis," political pundits were skeptical that replacing Yoshito Sengoku with Yukio Edano as chief Cabinet secretary and taking on outsider Kaoru Yosano will help his team solve the ruling party's biggest problems.
JAPAN
Jan 15, 2011

Little interest on street for reshuffle

Prime Minister Naoto Kan's Cabinet reshuffle Friday was greeted with indifference on the streets of Tokyo, with many expressing hope that the administration will settle down and pursue policies to revive the economy.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Jan 13, 2011

Kan not a quitter, wife assures

Prime Minister Naoto Kan will not step down despite his low public support rate, his wife and "adviser," Nobuko, said Wednesday.
COMMENTARY / World
Jan 12, 2011

Middle East peace, not process

RAMALLAH — The United States should stop pushing for the resumption of the Palestinian-Israeli peace process. Doing so might be the best way to achieve peace — a paradox that reflects the huge gap between a peace process and achieving genuine peace.
BASKETBALL / NBA / NBA REPORT
Jan 12, 2011

Kobe Bryant speaks out about his condition, Lakers

NEW YORK — Kobe Bryant "does phone interviews about as often as Osama bin Laden strolls through Central Park," John Black, Lakers VP of public relations, responded by e-mail to my request for an interview. "But I will ask him if he wants to call you."
BASEBALL / BASEBALL BULLET-IN
Jan 9, 2011

Remembering when 'Larry King Live' came to Tokyo

It is sad and somewhat lonely not seeing the "Larry King Live" program on CNN. The 77-year-old suspendered one retired at the end of 2010 after 25 years and thousands of interviews on what was arguably the most well known talk show on TV; a program that enjoyed immense popularity in the U.S. and around...
COMMENTARY / World
Jan 1, 2011

Setting a new democratic agenda for Russia

MOSCOW — When Russian President Dmitry Medvedev delivered his annual address to the Federal Assembly, I was struck by the fact that his speech seemed intended for an advanced, prosperous country, not the real Russia of today.
COMMENTARY / COUNTERPOINT
Dec 26, 2010

Who are the oldies to fault young people's various social skills?

Haragei is a word you don't hear very much anymore. Literally "belly art," haragei refers to the variety of persuasive communication that is done not with words but with the silent force of personality. Think of being stared down by a man sitting like a pot-bellied stove in front of you. But to be a...
COMMENTARY
Dec 22, 2010

U.S. trapped in a civil war

LONDON — U.S. President Barack Obama seems to be working under a serious misapprehension. Releasing the White House's annual strategic review to the public on Dec. 16, he declared that U.S. policy in Afghanistan was "on track" to defeat al-Qaida in Afghanistan. Who told him that the United States is...

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