Search - places

 
 
JAPAN / EXPLAINER
Jan 24, 2012

Nadeshiko Japan eyes London Olympic gold

Japan's overtime defeat of the United States in the 2011 women's World Cup soccer finals inspired a nation suffering from the March 11 disaster and ensuing nuclear crisis. This year will see the club dubbed Nadeshiko Japan attempt to repeat their success at the Summer Olympics in London. Following are...
COMMUNITY
Jan 21, 2012

Aussie takes slippery slope to Hokkaido

Matt Dening, 44, grew up on sunshine in a small beach town south of Sydney. Like most Australian youths, Dening played "all the regular sports — swimming, cricket, rugby — but not really well."
BASKETBALL / BJ-LEAGUE NOTEBOOK
Jan 20, 2012

Players, coaches fired up by large turnout at All-Star Game

The largest crowd in bj-league history, 14,011, witnessed Sunday's All-Star Game at Saitama Super Arena, and the positive energy from that experience carried over to players from throughout the league.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Jan 19, 2012

Plasticzooms dress up new sound on 'Starbow'

Sho Asakawa is visibly excited. The vocalist from Tokyo rock band Plasticzooms has just come from Tower Records in the capital's trendy Shibuya district, where an exhibition of his artwork and clothing are accompanying the promotional display for his band's new album, "Starbow."
EDITORIALS
Jan 19, 2012

Shifting gears in reconstruction

Although reconstruction of the areas hit by the March 11 triple disaster has been making slow progress, the reconstruction efforts should soon shift into full gear. Most of the ¥19 trillion funds believed to be needed for the reconstruction has been secured. The Reconstruction Agency will be up and...
COMMENTARY / World
Jan 18, 2012

U.S. no longer land of the free

Every year, the U.S. State Department issues reports on individual rights in other countries, monitoring the passage of restrictive laws and regulations around the world. Iran, for example, has been criticized for denying fair public trials and limiting privacy, while Russia has been taken to task for...
Japan Times
LIFE / Travel
Jan 15, 2012

Call of the powder: sublime snow in Japan

There is nothing quite like the adrenaline rush of hurtling down a steep, untracked slope of knee-deep powder. It is an uncomplicated pleasure, pure and exhilarating; carving turns into the untouched snow and sending up white plumes in your wake.
COMMENTARY / COUNTERPOINT
Jan 15, 2012

Recall, for inspiration, that young people made the last 'Japanese Spring'

How can Japan extricate itself from the morass it sank into two decades ago when its asset-inflated bubble burst? This is the question on nearly everyone's mind in this country today. One thing is for sure: You can't get out of quicksand by pulling on your own hair.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Jan 12, 2012

The "G" is silent, but the night won't be

Let's get one thing out of the way: The first "G" in Gbenga Adelekan's name is silent. Great. The Nigerian-born musician is getting ready to show Japanese fans two sides of his musical persona when he storms Tokyo next week.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Jan 12, 2012

When it comes to technique, Ozone says, 'Go West'

In 1956, pianist and band leader Toshiko Akiyoshi made the brave decision to leave Japan and enter the Berklee College of Music in Boston. As a young Asian woman embarking on a career in jazz, she was a novelty back then. She persevered and subsequently spent the majority of her career in the United...
BASKETBALL / NBA / NBA REPORT
Jan 11, 2012

Players no different than in old days

On second thought, I was wrong to make it appear coach killers DeMarcus Cousins and Tyreke Evans of the Sacramento Kings — who paved the way for Paul Westphal's recent ouster — are more full of themselves than self-absorbed slugs back in the day.
EDITORIALS
Jan 9, 2012

Prepare for decontamination

Decontamination — financed with government money — of areas contaminated with radioactive substances released by Tokyo Electric Power Co.'s stricken Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant will start this year. As a preparatory step, the government has designated 102 municipalities in Fukushima and seven...
Japan Times
JAPAN / NUCLEAR AWAKENING
Jan 6, 2012

Domestic robots failed to ride to rescue after No. 1 plant blew

After the March 11 tsunami slammed into the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear plant and wrecked three reactors, many people expected the nation's cutting-edge robotic technologies to come to the rescue.
EDITORIALS
Jan 6, 2012

SDF mission in South Sudan

The government on Dec. 20 adopted an action plan to send Ground Self-Defense Force engineers in 2012 as part of the United Nations Mission in the Republic of South Sudan (UNMISS), in which some 5,500 people from 59 countries are taking part.
COMMENTARY
Jan 5, 2012

U.S. turns to drones to counter China

A recent offer by the Seychelles to refuel and replenish Chinese naval ships on anti-piracy patrols in the northwest Indian Ocean was seen as the latest sign of China's expanding naval power.
JAPAN / NUCLEAR AWAKENING
Jan 1, 2012

DIY cesium scanning store may be 'new normal'

Kashiwa, about 30 km northeast of Tokyo, is known for its humble beginnings as a 1970s bedroom community for Tokyo workers.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Dec 30, 2011

The year of tough guys worth swooning over

Cinematically speaking, 2011 was the Year of the Guy. By this I mean the genuine article, the "you can't kill 'em, you can't live without 'em" variety. Here are the 10 films of the year that feature the most distinctly provocative males in the most appropriate vehicles. All are handsome in suits or cargo...
COMMUNITY / Voices / HAVE YOUR SAY
Dec 27, 2011

Readers' views: Do foreigners deserve a fairer shake in Japan?

Some responses to the Nov. 6 Just Be Cause column by Debito Arudou headlined "For the sake of Japan's future, foreigners deserve a fair shake":
COMMENTARY / World
Dec 27, 2011

A trilateral foundation for Indo-Pacific security

The first ever India-Japan-U.S. trilateral dialogue on Dec. 18 on security issues in the Indo-Pacific region could be the start of a transformation in strategic relations among the major democracies of Asia that has a lasting impact on the peace and prosperity of the region. However, translating mere...
COMMENTARY / World
Dec 27, 2011

Grubs wreck India's dreams

My old friend Manmohan Singh has just suffered a devastating and very public defeat. Is it time for him to step down as India's prime minister and take a well-earned retirement after more than 40 years of top-level public service?
LIFE / Lifestyle
Dec 27, 2011

Time to change the way we live

Reeling off our names and nationalities between East Halls 1 and 2 of convention center Tokyo Big Sight, our group introduces itself: "I'm from Thailand," "Vietnam, hi," "We're Taiwanese", "Singapore", "Korea".
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / TOKYO FOOD FILE
Dec 23, 2011

New venues made Tokyo tastier in '11

Another year comes to an end, with the usual round of Christmas and bōnenkai "drink the old year to oblivion" parties. Except, of course, it was not just another year. And though we will all be glad to put it behind us, 2011 will not be easily forgotten.
Japan Times
Reference / SO WHAT THE HECK IS THAT
Dec 20, 2011

Yomawari

Dear Alice,

Longform

After pandemic-era border regulations eased, Indian migrants began returning to Japan. Their population now stands at more than 50,000 across the country.
How remote work is rewriting the migrant experience in Japan