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Reader Mail
Apr 22, 2010

Export plastic food models

Regarding the April 13 article "What Japanese phenomena would you like to see exported abroad?": A particular Japanese phenomenon I would love to see in my country is the practice of displaying wax models of dishes outside restaurants. This would help customers avoid making a wrong choice on the menu...
COMMENTARY
Apr 20, 2010

Between the lines of U.S. nuclear policy

HONOLULU — I have attended a number of discussions in recent years about U.S. nuclear weapons strategy and policy. All invariably begin with a presentation by a U.S. official or expert who proclaims that the United States, in the past decade, has significantly reduced the role and importance of nuclear...
COMMENTARY / World / SENTAKU MAGAZINE
Apr 19, 2010

Playing ends off the middle

Komeito, the third largest political party in Japan, is striving not to antagonize but to be friends with as many rival groups as possible in a determined bid to win in the Upper House election scheduled for this summer. The principal reason for pursuing this tactic, which has been described by some...
COMMENTARY / COUNTERPOINT
Apr 18, 2010

Hisashi Inoue: A great friend, writer, and people's champion is gone

O n Friday, April 9, Hisashi Inoue died at the age of 75, and with his passing Japan lost its most brilliant playwright.
Japan Times
BASKETBALL / HOOP SCOOP
Apr 17, 2010

Persevering Williams making most of shot in NBA

The NBA playoffs begin this weekend, which means — hallelujah! — the "real season" is only hours away.
BUSINESS / YEN FOR LIVING
Apr 13, 2010

Lawson 100 and the evolution of the convenience store

As a rule you don't go to a convenience store for value. The new exception to the rule is Lawson Store 100.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Issues / THE ZEIT GIST
Apr 13, 2010

'Sambo' racism row reignites over kids' play

"Little Black Sambo, Sambo, Sambo/His face and hands are completely black/Even his butt is completely black."
BUSINESS / SOUTH KOREAN JOURNALIST SYMPOSIUM
Apr 10, 2010

S. Korean recovery masks tough challenges ahead

South Korea managed a relatively quick recovery from the global financial crisis — with a 0.2 percent gross domestic product increase in 2009 — but the country will need to invest in new engines of the economy to secure future growth, veteran journalists from the country told a recent symposium in...
COMMENTARY
Apr 10, 2010

A reality check in Asia

The hearts of Asia-Pacific strategists are all aflutter. The desire of Japan's new government to "rebalance" its foreign policy between East and West and the subsequent tensions between Tokyo and Washington are seen as portents of a shift in the regional balance of power. Propelled by a global recession...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Japan Pulse
Apr 9, 2010

Office ladies shedding the uniform look

Fashion for office ladies used to be limited to monotonous uniforms as more companies lighten up, new ensembles are coming out of the closet.
EDITORIALS
Apr 8, 2010

LDP lawmakers jumping ship

The Liberal Democratic Party leadership is losing ground in its efforts to unite the party. The departures of former Finance Minister Kaoru Yosano and former acting LDP secretary general Hiroyuki Sonoda — following the March exit of former Justice Minister Kunio Hatoyama — makes LDP leader Sadakazu...
Reader Mail
Apr 8, 2010

Questions about deportee death

Regarding Minoru Matsutani's April 1 article "Protests hit immigration detainee treatment": I participated in protests in front of the Immigration Bureau and the Ministry of Justice on March 31. One of the demands was thorough investigation into the death of a Ghanaian aboard an airplane that was to...
COMMENTARY
Apr 8, 2010

Reverse Japan's insularity

Nine of the top 10 countries sending students to study at Harvard University, where I attended graduate school, have more students studying at the university now than 10 years ago. The only exception is Japan, where the number of students has declined. A decline in Japanese presence was also pointed...
COMMUNITY / Issues / JUST BE CAUSE
Apr 6, 2010

Japan, U.N. share blind spot on 'migrants'

On March 23, I gave a speech to Jorge Bustamante, United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Human Rights of Migrants, for NGO FRANCA regarding racial discrimination in Japan. Text follows:
Reader Mail
Apr 4, 2010

Ways to end drone dependency

Everything stated in Cesar Chelala's March 30 article, "Drone dependency trivializing Afghan war," is true. There is too much secrecy surrounding drone strikes that kill or injure innocents. So, what is Japan's solution for helping the Middle East, the Horn of Africa and South Asia?
Reader Mail
Apr 4, 2010

Wrong place for make-believe

Is the April 1 online article "Chinese consortium bids to purchase Tokyo Tower" a joke? The writing is too close to authentic for an April Fool's thing. It is confusing, not funny. I don't think newspapers should be playing April Fool's jokes. Do not play games with your readers! What is The Japan Times...
COMMENTARY / COUNTERPOINT
Apr 4, 2010

Basking in misplaced faith is no way to prepare for any disaster

"Calender journalism" is what it's called. It's when the anniversary of an event, ideally in some round number of years, provides the point of departure for an article commemorating the event and/or considering its ongoing relevance.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Media / Japan Pulse
Apr 1, 2010

NHK engages its viewers in a 'global' debate

NHK wants to start a global debate about global issues but will people outside Japan join the conversation?
JAPAN
Apr 1, 2010

Chinese consortium bids to purchase Tokyo Tower

When Japan changes from analog to terrestrial digital TV broadcasting from July 24, 2011, the Tokyo Sky Tree, now under construction in Tokyo's Sumida Ward, will be the source of these transmissions for the Greater Kanto area. One big question that has remained unanswered up to now is what will become...
Japan Times
LIFE
Mar 28, 2010

Tri-lingual system proposed for world communications

May 15, 1939
Japan Times
LIFE
Mar 28, 2010

Study of Noh continues in West

Dec. 10, 1939
Japan Times
LIFE
Mar 28, 2010

Letter from Rapallo

Aug. 12, 1940
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Mar 26, 2010

Japanese bands go big in Texas at SXSW festival

AUSTIN, Texas — 'We want to conquer the world," says Okamoto's vocalist Shou Okamoto after their well-received gig at the 24th annual South by Southwest (SXSW) Music and Media Conference.
Reader Mail
Mar 25, 2010

Limits needed on child allowance

The March 18 article "Residency requirement eyed for child allowance" made me realize that something is wrong [with the plan to pay families ¥13,000 per month for each child of junior high school age or younger]. Why should Japan raise its income tax [so that it can pay the allowance to foreign parents...
Reader Mail
Mar 25, 2010

Enough to gag a dolphin-lover

The March 10 article " 'Cove' Oscar won't end Taiji dolphin kill" mentions Japan's outrage over the activist documentary film that describes the town of Taiji, Wakayama, as having a "very big secret" — the annual killing of 20,000 dolphins near its shores.
Reader Mail
Mar 25, 2010

No chance of engaging generals

Regarding the March 13 AP article "U.S. suggests new engagement with Myanmar is failing": Engagement never had the slightest chance of success, as it was nothing more than wishful thinking based on the mistaken belief that if U.S. President Barack Obama opened his mouth and waved his index finger, everything...
COMMENTARY / World
Mar 23, 2010

Political meddling hurts corporate value

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. — The U.S. Supreme Court recently struck down limits on the freedom of companies to spend money on political elections. Large, publicly traded companies in other countries also often have a loose rein on their use of corporate resources to influence political outcomes, fueling fears...
EDITORIALS
Mar 23, 2010

New foundations for contract law

A panel of the Justice Ministry's Legislative Council has begun discussing revisions to the law of obligations, which sets down rules related to personal liability for sales and other commercial contracts. The discussions come at the request of Justice Minister Keiko Chiba.

Longform

Japan's growing ranks of centenarians are redefining what it means to live in a super-aging society.
What comes after 100?