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Japan Times
BUSINESS / YEN FOR LIVING
May 21, 2016

Whither the taxi in a withering Japan?

Taxi revenues have been dropping steadily in recent years mainly due to demographic changes, but their main problem is handling moment-to-moment supply and demand.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
May 21, 2016

Subaru CEO says carmaker will maintain Japan production focus despite stronger yen

Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd., the carmaker most reliant on exports from Japan, said it will stick to a strategy of producing the bulk of the company's Subaru vehicles at home as the yen strengthens.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
May 20, 2016

What if the North conducts another nuclear test?

The U.S., Japan and South Korea should start planning seriously for a nuclear North Korea rather than expect a miraculous policy change by Pyongyang.
WORLD / Science & Health
May 20, 2016

Canadian food agency says genetically modified salmon is safe for comsumption

Canada approved a type of genetically modified salmon for sale, health officials said Thursday, the first such animal to be cleared as safe for consumption in the country.
Japan Times
JAPAN
May 20, 2016

Japan to take in 150 Syrians as exchange students after criticism of harsh refugee policy

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe announces Japan will accept 150 Syrians over five years as exchange students to help conflict-stricken Syria.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
May 19, 2016

What Joseph Stiglitz really said about Abenomics

Leading economist Joseph Stiglitz has firm ideas about what steps are needed to cure Japan's ailing economy, and they don't include a higher consumption tax or corporate tax cuts.
Japan Times
BASKETBALL / BJ-LEAGUE NOTEBOOK
May 19, 2016

McHenry revels in Golden Kings' legacy

Winning a title to close out the Ryukyu Golden Kings' remarkable stretch of sustained excellence in the bj-league put a huge smile on Golden Kings legend Anthony McHenry's face.
WORLD / Politics
May 19, 2016

Wall Street bearish on Trump's call to scrap Dodd-Frank reform law

U.S. banking lobbyists said on Wednesday they disagree with presidential candidate Donald Trump's call for a wholesale repeal of President Barack Obama's financial reform law, even though they share his view that it is overly burdensome.
Japan Times
WORLD / Science & Health
May 19, 2016

California ends mandatory water conservation rules as drought eases

California moved on Wednesday to dramatically roll back strict mandatory water conservation rules imposed at the height of a multiyear drought, after a wet winter eased conditions in parts of the state.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Companies / FOCUS
May 19, 2016

Mitsubishi Motors scandal was an accident waiting to happen

It's a familiar Japanese corporate ritual: a deep bow before the cameras to atone for wrongdoing. And when it comes to the art of public mea culpa, few companies can top scandal-prone Mitsubishi Motors Corp.
JAPAN
May 18, 2016

Japan sketches out action plan to address wage disparity and low pay for care workers

Tokyo adopts a draft blueprint to narrow the wage gap between regular and nonregular workers and address other problems of the aging society.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
May 18, 2016

U.S. trade chief hoping for TPP approval despite negative rhetoric

The top U.S. trade official is not losing hope for congressional approval of a sweeping pan-Pacific free trade agreement this year despite strong anti-trade rhetoric in the U.S. presidential campaign that may be influencing reluctant lawmakers.
ASIA PACIFIC
May 18, 2016

Combat power, allies best way to deter North Korea: U.S. Pacific commander

North Korea is on a quest to develop nuclear-armed ballistic missiles that can strike the United States, and the best way to counter Pyongyang is with combat power and strong alliances, the commander of U.S. forces in the Pacific said on Tuesday.
COMMENTARY / Japan
May 17, 2016

How China boosts Japan's security role in Southeast Asia

Japan has gained the trust and confidence of Southeast Asian nations as all parties seek to cope with regional challenges presented by China.
BUSINESS / Companies
May 17, 2016

Mitsubishi UFJ projects 11% lower profit amid negative rates

Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group Inc. sees full-year profits falling 11 percent as negative interest rates squeeze loan profitability and the costs of bad loans increase.
Japan Times
JAPAN / EXPLAINER
May 16, 2016

Trump remarks prompt debate over cost of Japan-U.S. defense ties

Donald Trump, who is now expected to be the Republican candidate for U.S. president, has made a number of disturbing remarks.
Japan Times
JAPAN
May 16, 2016

While Tokyo counts fewer homeless in daytime, advocacy group finds higher numbers at night

Tokyo's efforts to lift people out of homelessness have borne fruit, according to the government, as a survey showed their numbers hit a record low this past winter. But critics question the methods used and argue such people are only becoming increasingly less visible.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
May 15, 2016

Xi Jinping — a son of the Cultural Revolution

Power is Xi Jinping's lodestar, and he appears willing to go to any length to secure it. In this effort, he has one key advantage: Mao Zedong's legacy.
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC
May 14, 2016

Beijing's 'coercive tactics' lay foundation for long-term maritime goals, Pentagon report says

China has used "coercive tactics" to boost its presence and control over disputed areas of the South China Sea and is shifting gears to beef up its military assets in the contested waters, a report released Friday by the Pentagon said.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink
May 13, 2016

Why is Tokyo starting to taste like Portland?

Walking into PDX Taproom, a bar in Tokyo's Shibuya Ward, is like wandering into a condensed, alternate version of Portland, Oregon. Everything from the folk-pop hits playing in the background to the craft beers on tap hail from the Pacific Northwest metropolis.
COMMENTARY / World
May 13, 2016

Lessons from Asia's drought

Asia's water crisis highlights an urgent need for better management of this life-sustaining resource.
WORLD / Science & Health
May 12, 2016

Lava bubbles show primordial Earth had thin air that still supported life

Tiny bubbles that formed inside volcanic rock 2.7 billion years ago are providing big insights into the conditions on primordial Earth.
Japan Times
JAPAN
May 10, 2016

Japanese technology, investment could help turn Ethiopia into gateway to Africa, ambassador says

Introducing Japanese technology and investment projects to Ethiopia would not only speed up its growth but could also serve as a gateway to Africa, Cham Ugala Uriat, Ethiopia's new Ambassador to Japan, said Tuesday.

Longform

A sinkhole in Yashio, which emerged in January, was triggered by a ruptured, aging sewer pipe. Authorities worry that similar sections of infrastructure across the country are also at risk of corrosion.
That sinking feeling: Japan’s aging sewers are an infrastructure time bomb