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Japan Times
ENVIRONMENT / The Climate Crisis
Jan 18, 2020

Balance of power: Redefining Japan's energy needs

Sitting silently among the rolling pastures, rice paddies and lush forests of the idyllic village of Otama are rows upon rows of photovoltaic solar panels — vast swaths of dark gray injecting dissonance into the postcard-like landscape local residents pride themselves on.
COMMENTARY / World
Jan 18, 2020

A transformative deal for nature

Protecting biodiversity will require a whole-of-society effort and strong government commitments.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Tech
Jan 17, 2020

Toshiba touts PC algorithm that's faster than a supercomputer

It's a tantalizing prospect for traders whose success often hinges on microseconds: a desktop PC algorithm that crunches market data faster than today's most advanced supercomputers.
JAPAN
Jan 17, 2020

It’s a boy! Christel Takigawa, wife of minister Shinjiro Koizumi, gives birth

Christel Takigawa, a freelance TV newscaster and wife of Environment Minister Shinjiro Koizumi, gave birth to a boy early Friday morning.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Regional voices: Chubu
Jan 17, 2020

Nagoya tech school students plan to build seaplane for flood rescues

Members of Nagoya City Technical High School's airplane club are planning to develop a seaplane that can be used to rescue people from floods — an idea they came up with after learning about the Ise Bay Typhoon, a 1959 storm that swept through the Chubu region, claiming more than 5,000 lives.
Reader Mail
Jan 17, 2020

Back to Basu's drawing board

Regarding the opinion piece "For the 2020s, it's time to go back to the drawing board" in the Jan. 6 edition, "the start of a new decade" is indeed "an occasion for pause and reflection." The questions that writer Kaushik Basu asks about the increasing inequalities and fractiousness of our democracies...
Jan 17, 2020

SUNTORY GROUP PLEDGES $500,000 TO SUPPORT BUSHFIRE RELIEF AND RECOVERY IN AUSTRALIA

Suntory Holdings Joined by Operating Units Beam Suntory, Frucor Suntory and Suntory Coffee to Give Back to Communities Impacted by Tragic Fires
JAPAN
Jan 16, 2020

'Fun disaster' drills catching on across Japan, 25 years after Kobe quake

Disaster prevention initiatives with entertaining twists are becoming popular as the nation marks a quarter century since the Great Hanshin Earthquake on Friday.
BUSINESS
Jan 16, 2020

Toyota makes new $394 million bet on flying taxis

Toyota Motor Co. is investing $394 million (¥43.3 billion) in Joby Aviation, one of a handful of companies working toward the seemingly implausible goal of making electric air taxis that shuttle people over gridlocked highways and city streets.
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC
Jan 16, 2020

Australian fires turn historic surfboard collection to cinders

White cinders, a few fins and melted board skins are all that remain of Australian surfer David Ford's 260-strong collection of irreplaceable vintage surfboards.
COMMUNITY / How-tos
Jan 16, 2020

Why English translation needs the native touch

Japan is a country that prides itself on focusing on the smallest details, so why do incorrect English translations plague signage across the country?
Japan Times
JAPAN
Jan 15, 2020

Japanese response to alleged global Chinese assault on rights 'lukewarm,' rights group says

Human Rights Watch released a scathing report Wednesday slamming the Chinese government for crafting an "Orwellian high-tech surveillance state" at home and deploying its growing economic clout to silence its critics overseas, while an official with the group criticized Japan's response to alleged rights...
JAPAN
Jan 14, 2020

Local group plays key role in Nagano three months after Typhoon Hagibis

Ever since the city of Nagano was hit by massive floods caused by a strong typhoon last October, a group of local people has been playing an important role in supporting those affected by the disaster at a time when the number of volunteers is decreasing.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Issues / THE FOREIGN ELEMENT
Jan 13, 2020

Living in Japan during a time of climate crisis

Substantial action needs to take place in order to deal with the environmental problems on our planet. Still, don't discount the little things you can do just yet.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Voices / FOREIGN AGENDA
Jan 13, 2020

How my local Japanese supermarket killed 'Methuselah'

We all try to do our part for the environment, William Lang's contribution was 'Methuselah,' his trusty (and banged up) reusable shopping bag.
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC / FOCUS
Jan 13, 2020

No soul-searching for Xi Jinping after Taiwan rebuffs China in election

In a democracy, two resounding election defeats in a matter of months might prompt some soul-searching in the losing camp.
Japan Times
LIFE / Lifestyle
Jan 13, 2020

Japan's rockin' pastor: Counseling those living on a prayer

No ordinary pastor, Kazuhiro Sekino wields a bass guitar like a rock star to bring his congregation together.
Japan Times
WORLD / Politics
Jan 13, 2020

Malta's new leader vows to strengthen rule of law after predecessor exits under cloud

Malta's incoming leader, Robert Abela, promised to strengthen the rule of law and said the country would emerge stronger after recent events, in an address on Sunday a day before he is due to succeed Joseph Muscat as prime minister.
Japan Times
WORLD
Jan 11, 2020

Aftershocks in Puerto Rico collapse more homes

Two strong aftershocks collapsed homes and cracked walls in Puerto Rico on Friday as the Caribbean island tried to recover from its worst earthquake in more than a century.
COMMENTARY / World
Jan 10, 2020

Where does Gulf crisis go after limited Iran strikes?

Faced with a confrontation, Trump was clearly willing to countenance more aggressive direct action than almost any of the U.S. foreign policy community would have embraced.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Jan 10, 2020

Hopes for spike in U.S. farm exports to China dim ahead of trade deal signing

Days before a U.S.-China trade deal is due to be signed, large Chinese purchases of Brazilian soybeans and a pair of unexpected policy moves by Beijing have dimmed U.S. hopes that China would double its imports of American farm products this year.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Jan 8, 2020

Japan to urge firms to employ workers until age 70 from next year

The labor ministry plans to urge companies from April 2021 to ensure jobs are available for workers until the age of 70, it was learned Wednesday.
WORLD
Jan 7, 2020

Argentina boosts security at airports and U.S. Embassy over Iran tensions

Argentina's government boosted security at its airports, borders and the U.S. Embassy in Buenos Aires as tensions simmer between the United States and Iran, the South American country's defense minister told local media on Monday.
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics
Jan 6, 2020

China's new liaison officer in Hong Kong 'confident' city will stabilize

China's new top official in Hong Kong said he is certain the city will stabilize following months of political unrest, backing leader Carrie Lam and her administration in his first public comments since being appointed.
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC / Science & Health
Jan 6, 2020

Brief respite from devastating wildfires allows Australia to plan for next onslaught

Australian officials Monday used a respite from fierce wildfires that have killed 24 people across the country's southeast to race to reopen blocked roads and evacuate people who have been trapped for days.
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics
Jan 5, 2020

Signaling frustration with protests, China appoints new Hong Kong liaison head

China has replaced its top liaison official for Hong Kong, signaling Beijing's growing frustration with prodemocracy protests that have dragged on for months.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
Jan 5, 2020

Carlos Ghosn's companions on escape included a Green Beret with a rap sheet

Carlos Ghosn shared his escape flight from Japan with two Americans, one of whom was a former Green Beret who went to jail for fraud.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Media / Japan Pulse
Jan 4, 2020

Predicting Japan's digital trends of the next decade

Last year was all about looking back. Between the end of the Heisei Era (1989-2019) and the decade coming to a close, people appeared to go to extra lengths to reflect on the recent and not-so-recent past (this column included). Now that we’ve entered 2020, though, it’s time to leave the highlights...

Longform

After the asset-price bubble crash of the early 1990s, employment at a Japanese company was no longer necessarily for life. As a result, a new generation is less willing to endure a toxic work culture —life’s too short, after all.
How Japan's youth are slowly changing the country's work ethic