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Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / JAPAN LITE
Nov 27, 2016

Finding fishy enlightenment and sustenance on the Mackerel Trail

The Wakasa Road is a historical trail that helped advance Japan's culture and cuisine. The Wakasa region of Fukui Prefecture, on the nation's west coast, was one of the strategic miketsukuni regions of Japan that produced food for the emperor in ancient times.
JAPAN
Nov 27, 2016

Nobel-winning Belarusian writer Alexievich speaks on nuclear disasters and the future of human hubris

Svetlana Alexievich, winner of the 2015 Nobel Prize in literature, called the nuclear catastrophes at Chernobyl and Fukushima events that people cannot yet fully fathom and warned against the hubris that humans have the power to conquer nature.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Books
Nov 26, 2016

A dark, bittersweet childhood becomes a manga masterpiece

"Sunny" is a manga masterpiece. Page by page, it quietly transcends similar slice-of-life comics in its depiction of children in a foster home, their caregivers and estranged parents. Written and illustrated by renowned manga artist Taiyo Matsumoto, this six-volume collection, which won the prestigious...
CULTURE / Books / ESSENTIAL READING FOR JAPANOPHILES
Nov 26, 2016

'Dave Barry Does Japan': Three weeks in Nippon with a baffled American

It has been a quarter of a century since American humorist Dave Barry "did" Japan — a task he completed in three weeks. "The Japanese culture is thousands of years old," he writes. "To truly grasp its incredible complexity and infinite subtle nuance, you'd need at least a month." Free of nuance and...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Nov 23, 2016

'Ants on a Shrimp': How Rene Redzepi found himself in Tokyo

Rene Redzepi is having his moment — and it's a long one. It began in 2010 when his Copenhagen restaurant, Noma, was deemed by Restaurant Magazine to be the best on the planet. Noma has now been voted to the No. 1 slot on the magazine's World's 50 Best Restaurants list four times and Redzepi remains...
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Nov 22, 2016

A sad ending looms for Park's political career

Even if South Korean President Park Geun-hye isn't forced to resign, she's finished politically.
Japan Times
JAPAN / EXPLAINER
Nov 22, 2016

Overwork sanctioned by both firms and unions, with dim prospects for state intervention: expert

When the suicide of a female worker at ad giant Dentsu Inc. was recognized as karoshi, or death from overwork, many blamed a corporate culture that glorifies the "warrior" workers who sacrifice themselves for the good of the firm.
COMMENTARY / Japan
Nov 21, 2016

Boosting Japanese innovation

To revive Japan's international competitiveness, the educational system must teach students how to think, make judgements and express themselves.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Nov 20, 2016

Did U.S. academia help elect Donald Trump?

U.S. institutions of supposedly higher education are awash with hysteria, authoritarianism, obscurantism, philistinism and charlatanry.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Nov 19, 2016

Yoshino Yoshikawa switches up his 'kawaii' sound on 'Event Horizon'

The Japanese word for cute, "kawaii," has been popping up more and more in the English lexicon in recent years. From the popularity of Hello Kitty to singer Gwen Stefani's new kawaii-filled cartoon "Kuu Kuu Harajuku" being cute means making money, and it's no different in the world of music.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Economy
Nov 17, 2016

Analysts point to Japan's untapped potential to boost the economy

Japan's population is declining, deflation has returned, and the nation's economy is still stuck in cycle of weak, stop-start growth. And yet, there are a number of hidden and underutilized resources that Japan could tap to try to escape this economic malaise.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Nov 16, 2016

Mifune: The making of Japan's 'Last Samurai'

Toshiro Mifune was the first Japanese — or, for that matter, Asian — actor to become an international action star.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Nov 16, 2016

'The Girl on the Train' charts a rough ride

Why does modern society assume that all women want the same three things: love, sex and babies? The short answer is, because pop culture has decreed it so.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Nov 15, 2016

Will Donald Trump reset U.S.-Russia relations?

Vladimir Putin is happy to see Trump win the White House.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Art
Nov 15, 2016

Maruyama Okyo melded styles to pioneer a new path in art

The 18th century was an exciting time for Japan. After unification in 1603, a remarkable spirit of innovation pervaded as urban centers grew and the arts flourished.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Art
Nov 15, 2016

Kyoto museum celebrates the works of native son Ito Jakuchu

In 2000, the Kyoto National Museum commemorated the death of Ito Jakuchu (1716-1800) with an exhibition that generated a surge of interest in the artist. The boom has possibly reached its zenith this year, which marks the 300th anniversary of his birth.
Japan Times
JAPAN / CHUBU CONNECTION
Nov 14, 2016

Nagoya finds no such thing as bad publicity after own survey deems it most unpopular

Nagoya has been featured heavily in magazines and TV programs recently as the city that people hate the most.
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics
Nov 13, 2016

South Korean prosecutors to question president this week over political scandal: report

South Korean prosecutors are seeking to question President Park Geun-hye this week over a political scandal that has engulfed her presidency, the Yonhap news agency reported Sunday.
Japan Times
BASKETBALL / B. League / HOOP SCOOP
Nov 12, 2016

B. League needs more marquee players

The B. League is doing a commendable job marketing and promoting itself in its inaugural season.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Nov 12, 2016

LGBT-inclusive curriculum badly needed

For too long, Japanese LGBT students have faced verbal abuse, physical harassment and far worse because of homophobia.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Nov 11, 2016

Rise of the anti-Trump Left

The election of Donald Trump sets the stage for a civil war within the Democratic Party in which its liberal progressive wing is likely to emerge victorious.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / KANPAI CULTURE
Nov 11, 2016

The Kyoto Distillery: home of Japan's first artisanal gin

It's a mild Kyoto evening, and a group of spirits enthusiasts are gathering at a handsomely restored machiya (traditional townhouse) to celebrate the launch of Ki No Bi, a boutique gin produced by The Kyoto Distillery, Japan's first craft gin specialist. Guests spill onto the machiya's moss-covered courtyard,...
Reader Mail
Nov 11, 2016

Reduce bluefin tuna catch now

Overfishing is a serious problem around the world. All major countries are responsible for the current state of fish decline, but Japan is the leader in consumption of many fish taken.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Media
Nov 10, 2016

NewsPicks: Staying ahead of 'old media' with financial news focusing on tech trends

NewsPicks is a Japan-oriented financial news website focused on new technologies and IT, using corporate reporters to target young, tech-savvy readers.
JAPAN
Nov 9, 2016

Fukushima eyed for baseball, softball games in 2020 Olympics

Tokyo 2020 Olympic organizers on Wednesday gave the green light for disaster-affected Fukushima Prefecture to host baseball and softball games.

Longform

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