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COMMENTARY / World
Aug 2, 2016

Refusal to nominate Rudd betrays Turnbull's weakness

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull's rejection of Kevin Rudd's quest to lead the U.N. is a sorry reminder of the creeping U.S.-style partisanship of Australian politics.
Japan Times
WORLD / Politics
Aug 2, 2016

Team Trump asks Congress GOP ranks to tamp down Khan hubbub to no avail

U.S. Republican Donald Trump's presidential campaign appealed to Capitol Hill for support on Monday as his attacks on the Muslim parents of a decorated American soldier killed in Iraq drew sharp rebukes from fellow party members.
COMMENTARY / Japan
Aug 1, 2016

The Bank of Japan bartender yells 'last call'

The Bank of Japan governor is right to cut off officials and investors getting drunk on the punchbowl of liquidity.
JAPAN / Politics
Aug 1, 2016

Former environment minister Yuriko Koike wins landslide election as Tokyo's first female governor

Former environment minister Yuriko Koike of the Liberal Democratic Party was elected Tokyo governor Sunday, winning a landslide victory to become the capital’s first female leader.
COMMENTARY / Japan
Jul 31, 2016

Will 'Pokemon Go' power up Japan's 'Cool Economy'?

'Pokemon Go' may be a huge success, but without major structural reforms, Japan's creative economy won't take flight.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Media / BIG IN JAPAN
Jul 30, 2016

Crimes that imperil Japan's safe image

On July 22, The Japan Times ran an article with the headline, "Crime set to hit postwar low this year, first-half data shows." In it, the National Police Agency reported that the number of criminal offenses is on track to fall below 1 million for the first time since World War II ended, down from the...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Books
Jul 30, 2016

Bushido: Soseki, 'Star Wars' and the samurai

In September 1912, Gen. Maresuke Nogi — a hero of the Russo-Japanese War — committed ritual suicide. His sensational death took place on the day of Emperor Meiji's funeral, making it an act of junshi (following one's lord in death) and a high-water mark for the samurai code in the modern era.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Economy
Jul 30, 2016

Obama to push for Congress to pass TPP despite its demonization in campaign

During a visit by Singapore's prime minister on Tuesday, President Barack Obama will extol the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade deal and commit to getting it done, a top White House official said Friday, even though Obama's fellow Democrats panned it at their convention this past week.
WORLD / Politics
Jul 29, 2016

FBI probes hacking of Democratic congressional group: sources

The FBI is investigating a cyberattack against another U.S. Democratic Party group that may be related to an earlier hack against the Democratic National Committee, four people familiar with the matter told Reuters.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Jul 28, 2016

Turkey crisis illustrates why U.S. should stop meddling

In Turkey the U.S. has found itself forced to embrace a man who cannot be trusted to support people's liberty at home or fight Islamic radicalism abroad.
Japan Times
WORLD
Jul 28, 2016

Turkey axes 40% of military brass, shuts 131 media outlets as post-coup purge continues

Turkey on Wednesday deepened a crackdown on suspected followers of a U.S.-based cleric it blames for a failed coup, dismissing nearly 1,700 military personnel and shutting 131 media outlets, moves that may spark more concern among its Western allies.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Jul 27, 2016

Tokyo forum urges working women to think big, bring diversity

Women in Japan should not hesitate to dream big and have the confidence to develop their careers in order to boost diversity in the workplace, panelists at Japan's largest annual conference for working women said.
Japan Times
WORLD / Politics
Jul 27, 2016

After shaky '60 Minutes' spot, Pence learns to dance delicately with roughshod Trump

Donald Trump was in the middle of creating another nickname for Democratic rival Hillary Clinton — "Hillary Rotten Clinton!" — when he suddenly thought of his mild-mannered vice presidential running mate, Mike Pence.
COMMENTARY / World
Jul 25, 2016

Mirage of a rules-based order

As demonstrated by China's response to The Hague's South China Sea decision, international law is powerful against the powerless, but powerless against the powerful.
COMMENTARY / World
Jul 25, 2016

Paradise lost: the revenge of unrealistic hopes

U.S. voters are angry at the perceived discrepancy between today and a romanticized past.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Politics
Jul 25, 2016

Clinton a known quantity to Japanese officials, while Trump is still a wild card

As the Democrats start up their national convention Monday, Japanese officials are pondering which of the two hopefuls — Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump — are more likely to get along, both on a personal and professional level, with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.
COMMENTARY / World
Jul 23, 2016

Since the '60s, imperfect progress on race

African-Americans have it better now than they did in the 1960s, but the progress has been woefully uneven.
WORLD / Politics
Jul 23, 2016

Clinton's pick of Kaine for running mate signals pivot to center for election

Hillary Clinton named Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine as her running mate for the Democratic presidential ticket, a widely anticipated choice that may say more about how she wants to govern than how she plans to win in November.
COMMENTARY / World
Jul 20, 2016

Duterte to focus on domestic affairs for now

Despite his bravado and lack of clear signals on foreign policy, the Philippine's new leader is unlikely to be a destabilizing force in regional international politics, at least for now.
EDITORIALS
Jul 19, 2016

Beware the backlash in Turkey

There is a real danger that President Erdogan will use the failed coup to further consolidate power in his own hand, undermining Turkey's democracy.
COMMENTARY / Japan
Jul 19, 2016

BOJ's perpetual QE quandary

It may be time for BOJ Gov. Haruhiko Kuroda to read from a 1930s playbook if deflation is here to stay.
EDITORIALS
Jul 14, 2016

The Emperor and abdication

Public discussion should be launched to discuss the issues that must be resolved to permit the abdication of the Emperor.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Politics
Jul 13, 2016

Utsunomiya withdraws from Tokyo gubernatorial race to boost opposition-supported Torigoe

One day before campaigning kicks off in Tokyo's gubernatorial election, major contender Kenji Utsunomiya withdraws to give the opposition a better chance.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Jul 13, 2016

Britain should reflect on its self-inflicted mess

Brexit's narrow victory has caused a political meltdown in Britain and economic uncertainty.
COMMENTARY / World
Jul 13, 2016

China keeps upper hand in geostrategic arena

Beijing's shrill rejection of an international tribunal's ruling should induce grave pessimism among those who wish to contain China's march toward hegemony in Southeast Asia.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Jul 12, 2016

Trump adviser outlines an all-out war on terror

A former U.S. general who is advising Donald Trump argues the next president should go big and try to win the fight against radical Islam.
COMMENTARY / World
Jul 11, 2016

U.S. cops protect violent, racist system

Black or white, the U.S. police are paid to oppress, not protect, and citizens of all races have good cause to be afraid of them.

Longform

An illustration features the Japanese signs for "ganbare" (good luck) and the Deaflympics, which will be held between Nov. 15 and 26.
A century of Deaf sport finds its moment in Tokyo