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Japan Times
WORLD / Crime & Legal
Jan 20, 2016

DNA ties fugitive Red Army Faction trio to failed '15 armored car robbery in Germany

Three members of the defunct radical leftist Red Army Faction carried out a failed armed robbery last year to finance their life on the run, German prosecutors believe.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / DAVOS SPECIAL 2016
Jan 20, 2016

Japan takes on global role under 'Vision for Tomorrow'

Vision for Tomorrow is a regional partner community project of the World Economic Forum in collaboration with consulting firm Accenture Japan Ltd. In short, the project aims to contribute to the world by Japan's experience together with today's advanced technology.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / DAVOS SPECIAL 2016
Jan 20, 2016

Globis initiates Japanese innovation

The World Economic Forum is hosting its annual conference in Davos, Switzerland, from Jan. 20 to 23, once again set to remind leaders from around the world they have roles to play in improving the state of the world — the nonprofit organization's stated goal.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Entertainment news
Jan 19, 2016

SMAP fans relieved but perplexed by apology over rumored breakup

Exceptional TV ratings, the apparent overloading of Twitter's servers and even a comment by the prime minister show the importance that Japan placed on the announcement that SMAP isn't breaking up.
COMMENTARY / World
Jan 19, 2016

Will Cameron suffer Neville Chamberlain's fate?

Prime Minister David Cameron's decision to hold a referendum — perhaps as early as June — on the U.K.'s continued membership in the EU could bring down his government, destroy his political party and literally tear his country apart.
COMMENTARY / World
Jan 19, 2016

Five years after the Arab Spring

democracy is still just as suitable for Arabs as it is for any other people. It's just going to take a little longer than we thought in 2011.
COMMENTARY / World
Jan 19, 2016

A wake-up call for Widodo

Indonesian President Joko Widodo must show the same leadership on the economy as he has in response to the Jakarta attacks.
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC
Jan 19, 2016

Nuclear test seen as move to boost Kim's legitimacy as Pyongyang readies for rare party congress

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's recent nuclear weapon test was designed to boost his domestic legitimacy ahead of a rare ruling party conference in May that could formalize market-based economic experiments in the isolated country, analysts say.
WORLD / ANALYSIS
Jan 19, 2016

After signing of nuclear deal, Iran moves from being pariah state to regional power

Iran's release from sanctions testifies to its new relationship with the United States as it moves from pariah state to regional power, a status that could come at the cost of Saudi Arabia, Washington's chief Arab ally.
EDITORIALS
Jan 18, 2016

Public access to government records

The principle of sovereignty resting with the people must be reinforced by improving public access to official documents.
COMMENTARY / World
Jan 18, 2016

Israel pays close attention to Putin, with good reason

Israel's interests vis-a-vis Russia run wide and deep, and are impossible for Jerusalem to ignore.
Japan Times
WORLD / Politics
Jan 18, 2016

Trump blasts Cruz as 'nasty guy' as rival fires back over 'New York values'

A rolling brawl between the two U.S. Republican presidential front-runners didn't abate on Sunday as Donald Trump termed his closest competitor, Ted Cruz, "nasty" and the Texas senator stood his ground in criticizing the billionaire's "New York values."
COMMENTARY / World
Jan 17, 2016

India yet again feels the wrath of terrorism

India's government has failed to develop a cohesive counterterrorism strategy and is hamstringing its military to a dangerous degree.
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics
Jan 16, 2016

Key facts about Taiwan's relationship with China

Taiwan went to the polls on Saturday to elect a new president and parliament. China, which considers Taiwan part of its territory, will be watching the outcome closely.
Japan Times
WORLD / Politics
Jan 16, 2016

Cruz blasted for 'New York values' comment in debate

Ted Cruz — be careful who you mess with.
EDITORIALS
Jan 15, 2016

A call for civility and honest debate

In his final State of the Union address, President Barack Obama attempts to deflate the bubble of anger and fear animating U.S. politics, but it's probably a hopeless task.
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC
Jan 14, 2016

Shipping unscathed as China flights raise South China Sea tensions

China's growing military presence in the South China Sea has drawn warnings from the United States that Beijing is seeking to exert control over one of the world's most important sea lanes, but so far the shipping industry seems less concerned.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Jan 14, 2016

Has Taiwan's China gamble gone wrong?

Taiwanese President Ma Ying-jeou made a critical mistake in 2008 when he hitched Taiwan's economy to China.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Jan 13, 2016

Brutal true story behind 'Moby Dick'

Finally we can start talking about something other than "the force" and how a guy in New York had his name legally changed to Darth Vader. "In the Heart of the Sea" is opening this weekend, and it's an adventure story on a whole other level, involving a killer whale instead of aliens. Set in 1820 and...
ASIA PACIFIC
Jan 13, 2016

Warnings emerge of Islamic State in Philippines, latest nation in region to face threat

There are growing signs of support for the Islamic State group in the southern Philippines, despite assertions by Manila that militants in the region are little more than criminal gangs.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Jan 12, 2016

Can China avoid turning Japanese?

Beijing is acting like Tokyo, circa 1998, and courting Japanization instead of much needed reforms.
COMMENTARY / World
Jan 12, 2016

North Korea challenges the world once again

So far nothing has stopped Pyongyang from developing nuclear weapons. Continued attempts at coercion aren't likely to yield a better result.
Japan Times
JAPAN / EXPLAINER
Jan 11, 2016

Abe's constitutional revision hopes ride on July election, right-leaning opposition cooperation

Japan's postwar pacifism will face a critical challenge this year that could drastically change the course of this country forever: the July Upper House election.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Jan 11, 2016

Can the Republican Party survive its civil war?

The clash of values and policies among Republicans goes beyond Donald Trump.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Jan 11, 2016

Did Kim just provoke China?

President Xi Jinping should tighten the screws on China's recalcitrant ally after the rogue nation's latest nuclear test.
COMMENTARY / World
Jan 7, 2016

Saudi Arabia's perilous divides

Saudi Arabia's execution of Shiite cleric Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr has exposed the dangerous political, religious and socioeconomic fault lines that run through the kingdom and the Gulf.
WORLD / Society
Jan 6, 2016

Illinois college moves to fire professor who said Muslims, Christians worship same God

Wheaton College, an evangelical Christian university outside of Chicago, said on Tuesday it was taking steps to fire a tenured political science professor after she wrote in a Facebook post that Muslims and Christians worship the same God.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Jan 5, 2016

The Islamic State group learns from the past

The Iraqi government's fight with Islamic State is just getting started.
COMMENTARY / Japan
Jan 4, 2016

2016: the year of looking beyond Japan's Abenomics

After three largely squandered years, Abe must finally get serious about the reforms he's been promising.

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