Search - 2012

 
 
Japan Times
LIFE / Lifestyle
Nov 8, 2014

Kendama: a whole new ball game

Almost every child that has grown up in Japan has seen a kendama, a wooden traditional Japanese toy consisting of a ken (sword) and tama (ball) connected by a length of string.
Japan Times
LIFE / Digital / JAPAN WEB WATCH
Nov 8, 2014

Smartphone app CocoPPa takes a custom approach to overseas sales

Although very few smartphone apps made in Japan have managed to take the world by storm, one that has is CocoPPa. Made by Japanese company United, Inc., the app allows users to customize the design of not only their smartphone wallpaper but also the icons for the other apps on their phone.
WORLD
Nov 8, 2014

Cloud of pot smoke puts Colorado high school on partial lockdown

A high school in Colorado, one of the first two U.S. states to legalize recreational marijuana use, was put on partial lockdown Friday after a student's weed pipe filled a classroom with pot smoke, the school said.
Reader Mail
Nov 8, 2014

Transparency trumps DIY rules

In his Oct. 25 article, "Western media distorts Japan," Gregory Clark tries to justify the reprehensible behavior of certain executives of Olympus.
BASKETBALL
Nov 7, 2014

Hot-shooting Akita pounds struggling Fukuoka

Deshawn Stephens scored a team-high 24 points on 9-for-11 shooting and five teammates reached double figures as the Akita Northern Happinets rolled to a 116-86 road victory over the Rizing Fukuoka on Friday night.
JAPAN / Politics
Nov 7, 2014

Japan denies report that abductee Yokota died of overdose in 1994

The central government on Friday denied a report out of South Korea claiming that Megumi Yokota, who was abducted by North Korea at the age of 13 and remains a symbol of the four-decade campaign to recover kidnapping victims, died in 1994 of an overdose.
EDITORIALS
Nov 7, 2014

The GOP retakes Congress

Despite the Republican Party retaking control of the U.S. Senate and increasing its holdings in the House, it's difficult to be optimistic about legislative progress in Washington over the next two years given the deep fissures within the GOP itself.
Japan Times
LIFE / Style & Design / ON: FASHION
Nov 7, 2014

Fashion exhibitions take the limelight this month

H&M's big sister, COS, is here
BUSINESS / Companies
Nov 7, 2014

Profits at Japanese firms approach all-time high, but not everyone is smiling

Japanese companies are headed toward their highest profits ever, as the falling yen boosts exporters from Toyota Motor Corp. to Uniqlo-operator Fast Retailing Co.
Japan Times
WORLD / Science & Health
Nov 7, 2014

Facebook tackles Ebola threat by prompting users to donate

Facebook Inc. knows how much influence its news feed can have on members' behavior, and the social network is using that clout to fight Ebola.
JAPAN
Nov 6, 2014

Renowned architect condemns Olympic stadium design

A revised design for the main Tokyo Olympic stadium is nothing more than a "white elephant" that's been stripped of its original designer's artistic talent and will forever burden the capital if built, internationally renowned architect Arata Isozaki said.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Nov 6, 2014

Dan Stevens goes from Crawley to creepy in 'The Guest'

Dan Stevens achieved TV stardom via his role as English gentleman Matthew Crawley on the popular British period drama "Downton Abbey," and he has now set his sights on the big screen. Will it happen?
COMMENTARY / Japan
Nov 6, 2014

An opportunity for Abe and Xi

One reason for Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Chinese President Xi Jinping's newfound flexibility toward each other may be domestic political shifts in both countries that have created a more equal balance between conservative, nationalist groups and more internationally oriented business interests.
EDITORIALS
Nov 6, 2014

Space, the final frontier

Given the many, irreducible uncertainties of space flight tourism in the future — brought home last week by the crash of Virgin Galactic's SpaceShipTwo vehicle — the guiding principle for customers is likely to be 'informed consent.'
WORLD / Politics
Nov 6, 2014

Voters OK legal marijuana in Oregon, Alaska, and Washington, D.C.

Residents of Oregon, Alaska, and the U.S. capital voted to legalize marijuana on Tuesday, in key victories that could fuel the legalization movement as cannabis usage is increasingly recognized by the American public.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Nov 5, 2014

Wales minister says nuclear power remains a good investment

While the nation debates the wisdom of restarting its nuclear power plants, the energy source remains central to some nations' investments for tomorrow. The process to construct a new two-reactor facility in Wales has been going as planned, the British province's economy minister said.
EDITORIALS
Nov 5, 2014

To hike the consumption tax, or not

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe must address concerns about the economy's health before he makes a decision on whether to raise the consumption tax.
COMMENTARY / World
Nov 5, 2014

Is Ukraine's crisis the U.S. and Europe's fault?

The question at the heart of the Ukraine crisis remains whether Russia should have special right to determine the policies and governments of its neighboring countries.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Stage
Nov 5, 2014

Street-dance show's dazzling 'tribute to manga' hits the spot

Street-dance types in Japan can often be seen working on their moves in parks or in front of big plate-glass windows, but in Britain the dance movement is being taken to an entirely new level.
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics
Nov 5, 2014

Washington takes hands-off stance on future of Myanmar's Suu Kyi

Despite hailing Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi as "an icon of democracy," U.S. President Barack Obama is quietly acquiescing to the government's decision to bar her from running for the presidency in next year's election, U.S. officials say.
Japan Times
WORLD / Politics
Nov 5, 2014

Republicans prevail in big, bitterly fought U.S. governor races

Republicans governors triumphed in key races on Tuesday in the political heavyweight states of Florida, Michigan and Wisconsin, joining the partisan tide that gave Republicans control of the U.S. Senate.

Longform

Mount Fuji is considered one of Japan's most iconic symbols and is a major draw for tourists. It's still a mountain, though, and potential hikers need to properly prepare for any climb.
What it takes to save lives on Mount Fuji