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Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / WHY DID YOU LEAVE JAPAN?
Dec 23, 2017

Yokosuka native Haruna Kamezaki attains the American dream

Kamezaki was born in the mid-1980s and grew up in a household 'full of American records and movies, because my parents — and especially my dad — loved American culture.'
Japan Times
CULTURE / Books
Dec 23, 2017

Accounts and Images of Six Kannon in Japan

An 11th-century text, "A Tale of Flowering Fortunes," described the Six Kannon who "filled the worlds in the 10 directions with innumerable rays of light, which manifested in their colors the bodhisattva resolve to benefit all living beings everywhere."
Reader Mail
Dec 21, 2017

Crown Princess Masako can highlight the needs of people with disabilities

Earlier this month, Crown Princess Masako appeared in public with her husband and Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to help celebrate 2017 Week of Persons with Disabilities. As expected, their role was simple: a photo shoot with the pamphlet for the event and very few words. Apolitical puppets these royals truly...
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Dec 20, 2017

Making Japanese small business thrive

It's time for Japan's small and medium-size enterprises to embrace technological solutions to find global customers.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Dec 20, 2017

Sexism sucks, but blame capitalism more

Most tragic cases of human underachievement are the direct result of economic discrimination.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Dec 20, 2017

A courtroom drama, an alien takeover and the lives of sex workers all feature in the best Japanese films of 2017

This year was bad for Japanese films box office-wise, but not quality-wise. Here are my best 10:
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Dec 20, 2017

Working in the film industry as a non-Japanese has its own challenges

Japan is home to one of the most lucrative movie industries in the world, and also one of the most prolific: 1,149 films received a theatrical release during 2016, over 600 of which were domestic productions. It can be hard to stand out in such a crowded marketplace and the challenges are often compounded...
COMMENTARY / Japan
Dec 19, 2017

Why Bannon showing Abe love is cringeworthy

Former Trump chief strategist may have inadvertently diagnosed why Abe isn't making Japan's economy great again.
Japan Times
MORE SPORTS
Dec 18, 2017

Frontiers set new points record in Japan X Bowl rout of BigBlue

No team would have been able to match the Fujitsu Frontiers on this day.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Dec 18, 2017

Now, a different and darker clash of civilizations

Far right, anti-immigrant parties have a new ideology that poses grave dangers to liberal democracy.
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / The Big Questions
Dec 17, 2017

Furthering Pakistan-Japan bonds through education

What the world needs now is less individualism and more Japanese-style consensus-building, said Pakistan's Ambassador Asad Majeed Khan.
WORLD / Politics
Dec 17, 2017

Sex allegations bring down another congressman: Nevada's Rep. Ruben Kihuen will not seek re-election

U.S. Rep. Ruben Kihuen announced on Saturday that he will not seek re-election, becoming the latest member of Congress to end his legislative career in the face of sexual harassment allegations.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink
Dec 16, 2017

Hokkaido's unique konbu dials up the umami to 12

Fisherman Kazuaki Ida entered the No Borders Cafe in Rausu just as we were finishing cups of hot coffee on a rainy Hokkaido afternoon. He held giant flat-leaved stalks that scraped against each other like hard plastic, garnering appreciative "ahs" of recognition among the cafe's customers. As a first-time...
Japan Times
JAPAN / Media / Japan Pulse
Dec 16, 2017

Getting to the bottom of a slippery game show gone viral

No aspect of Japanese pop culture titillates the world more than the country's game shows. From references on "The Simpson's" to inspiring Western riffs on subjects such as "Banzai" and "I Survived A Japanese Game Show," the idea of wacky creations bordering on torture have played a central place in...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Books
Dec 16, 2017

Playing War: Children and the Paradoxes of Modern Militarism in Japan

In an old magazine photo, a baby enjoys "children's heaven" — perched in a tank-shaped stroller and, the caption jokes, going to Manchuria. In a manga released by U.S. Forces Japan, two cute doe-eyed characters — the bunny-boy Mr. USA and the Japanese schoolgirl Ms. Alliance — discuss playfully...
EDITORIALS
Dec 14, 2017

Top court rules on NHK fees

NHK should realize that it's desirable to win the support of TV owners when asking them to sign subscription contracts.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Dec 14, 2017

Japan Times advisory board weighs in on the paper's past and future

The Japan Times Media Advisory Board met at the newspaper's office Oct. 24 to review the redesign implemented on April 1 and news coverage over the past year.
COMMUNITY / Issues / THE FOREIGN ELEMENT
Dec 13, 2017

Taunts, tweets and tough talk: Japan's quotes of 2017

Soundbites tell the story of a roller-coaster year for Japan, from its Diet to its dohyu014d.
JAPAN
Dec 13, 2017

Government mulls conferring national award to Japanese shogi, go champions

Japan considers conferring the People's Honor Award to two shogi and go champions after the pair won all major titles in their respective games.
Japan Times
SPORTS
Dec 13, 2017

Retired athletes put future options in spotlight

When Eiji Shiraki retired as an American football player for the powerhouse Fujitsu Frontiers of the semi-pro X League three years ago, he was completely bewildered.
Japan Times
SOCCER
Dec 13, 2017

Japan's World Cup hopefuls seize chance in win over China

Japan's third-string players are forcing their way into World Cup contention with their performances at the E-1 Football Championship, according to manager Vahid Halilhodzic.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Art
Dec 12, 2017

Asia in the wings of Japan's art scene

"Tis the season to be jolly ... circumspect. As regards art, despite suggestions from some art professionals that biennials and other recurring art festivals are an exhausted format, 2017 offered up an embarrassment of riches, some more embarrassing than others as it turned out.
JAPAN
Dec 12, 2017

Charles Jenkins, U.S. defector to North Korea and husband of former Japanese abductee Hitomi Soga, dies at 77

Jenkins, who spent nearly 40 years in North Korea as a prisoner, lived in Japan with his family after his release in 2004.
CULTURE / Art
Dec 12, 2017

Bohemia along the Sumida: In search of cultural capital

On paper, the Japanese government supports the arts, which are considered important vehicles for promoting Japanese culture globally, enhancing the country's image as a tourist destination and stimulating declining regional economies. But, where does the content for Japan's increasing number of art festivals...

Longform

Ichiro Suzuki, one of the most iconic players in NPB and MLB history, was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame with 99.7% of the vote.
With Hall of Fame induction, Ichiro makes himself heard loud and clear