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EDITORIALS
Jan 15, 2013

Chinese media test their limits

Recent protest, including strikes by some reporters, against Chinese authorities' heavy censorship of new year articles by the Southern Weekly, a Guangdong newspaper known for its hard-hitting investigations, points to Chinese people's strong desire for freedom of speech and expression.
EDITORIALS
Jan 15, 2013

Stimulus package alert

The Abe Cabinet on Friday endorsed an emergency economic stimulus package designed to buoy the sagging economy. It is only second in size to the one adopted after the Lehman Brothers shock in the fall of 2008. Government spending will reach ¥10.3 trillion. If spending by local governments and the private...
JAPAN / EXPLAINER
Jan 15, 2013

Tokyo hopes this Olympics bid wins

Tokyo's quest to host the 2020 Olympics entered a new stage last week when it presented its candidature file to the International Olympic Committee in Switzerland.
JAPAN / Politics
Jan 12, 2013

Abe gives out info on his terms, via Facebook page

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has learned his lesson: Instead of giving short daily media interviews, he has launched a new Facebook page to provide information to the public on his terms while conveniently avoiding the kind of verbal missteps that plagued his recent predecessors — including himself, during...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Jan 11, 2013

'The Future'

Facebook is so awash in shared quotes and clever little sayings attached to graphics, ranging from heartwarmingly New Age to hipster snarky, that few make an impression beyond the time it takes to read them. Still, every now and then you'll hit one that sticks; for me, it was one of those faux 1950s...
COMMENTARY / World
Jan 10, 2013

At last, Russia wins the seal of French approval

President Vladimir Putin has finally done it. Russia has been vying for the West's esteem for centuries, with approval by the French — a sought-after prize since the time of Peter the Great — coveted the most. But, despite the defeat of Napoleon and the World War I alliance, Russia could never get...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Jan 10, 2013

Wasabi takes old sounds to a young audience

The members of Wasabi, a quartet who plays traditional Japanese instruments, are all used to fans and the politics of backstage meet-and-greets. However, they were surprised to see one particular fan after a recent 11 a.m. performance at a high school in Nara.
ASIA PACIFIC
Jan 9, 2013

'Re-education' labor camp reform revealed, deleted

Beijing AFP-JIJI
ASIA PACIFIC
Jan 9, 2013

In North Korea, a leader rises while brothers fade

Kim Jong Un is portrayed in North Korea's official state media as a leader without comparison, blessed with a supreme bloodline, flanked by a supportive wife and endowed with the "brilliant" ability to revamp the economy, command an army and guide the space program.
JAPAN / EXPLAINER
Jan 8, 2013

Xenophobia finds fertile soil in web anonymity

As diplomatic strains with China and South Korea worsen over territorial disputes, more and more Japanese are using the relative anonymity of cyberspace to vent their political spleens online.
COMMENTARY / World
Jan 8, 2013

Leave gay-bashing out of defense of marriage

Social conservatives who oppose gay marriage have suffered a series of losses as voters have embraced gay marriage in state referendums and in public polling.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Voices / COMMUNITY CHEST
Jan 8, 2013

From Taiji to Okinawa, readers dissect some issues of 2012

In the first of our new Community Chest letters columns, we bring together a selection of mails received in response to some of the final Community stories of 2012.
Japan Times
WORLD / Politics
Jan 7, 2013

Obama recharges in Hawaii

The place where President Barack Obama vacations each winter is farther from Washington than almost any other place in the United States. So, it is not terribly surprising that less than 45 minutes after Congress passed a bill averting the "fiscal cliff" on Jan. 1, Obama was racing back there.
COMMENTARY / World
Jan 7, 2013

Don't blame U.S. passivity for the chaos in Syria

Who lost Syria?
EDITORIALS
Jan 7, 2013

Women for decision making

One of the big issues facing Japan is how to improve economic conditions. The situation in which Japanese women find themselves should not be forgotten. Generally women's pay is lower than men's for similar jobs.
WORLD / Politics
Jan 6, 2013

Lincoln killer like tea party members: documentary maker

John Wilkes Booth "could be the poster child for the tea party," Erik Jendresen, executive producer of National Geographic Channel's "Killing Lincoln," said at Winter TV Press Tour 2013.
WORLD / Politics
Jan 6, 2013

Lincoln killer like tea party members: documentary maker

John Wilkes Booth "could be the poster child for the tea party," Erik Jendresen, executive producer of National Geographic Channel's "Killing Lincoln," said at Winter TV Press Tour 2013.
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / WHEN EAST MARRIES WEST
Jan 5, 2013

When in doubt, keep running

My buddy grinds his teeth and says, "You know what irks about this country?"
Japan Times
WORLD / Politics
Jan 5, 2013

Record numbers of women, minorities enter U.S. Congress

Record numbers of women and racial minorities were elected to the 113th Congress, which was sworn in Thursday. Among them were the first Buddhist to join the Senate, the first Hindu and the first openly bisexual woman in the House of Representatives.
WORLD / Politics
Jan 5, 2013

Record numbers of women, minorities enter U.S. Congress

Record numbers of women and racial minorities were elected to the 113th Congress, which was sworn in Thursday. Among them were the first Buddhist to join the Senate, the first Hindu and the first openly bisexual woman in the House of Representatives.
EDITORIALS
Jan 4, 2013

Russia's orphans as political pawns

Russia has closed the year with one of the more odious and misguided acts of public policy in a long time. On Dec. 28, President Vladimir Putin signed a law that bans Americans from adopting Russian children and imposes other sanctions in retaliation for a new U.S. human rights law.
ASIA PACIFIC
Jan 3, 2013

China signals tighter Internet control

Chinese citizens were last year treated to an unaccustomed number of hard-hitting exposes and investigations detailing the private lives and corrupt financial dealings of the most senior Communist Party officials and their family members.
Reader Mail
Jan 3, 2013

Chongryon students as scapegoats

Comments in the Dec. 29 Kyodo article "Pro-North (Korea) schools to lose tuition waiver" are biased. Contrary to the picture painted in the media, the Chongryon schools are far more accessible than we are led to believe. Most Chongryon schools hold open days and joint events with local Japanese schools...
COMMENTARY / World
Dec 31, 2012

The fight to limit agricultural use of antibiotics can be won with the right political alliances

Ask a dozen food activists what political change they want to see in 2013 and you'll get a dozen different answers, maybe two dozen: Restrict sodium in packaged foods. Label genetically modified ingredients. End subsidies to big farms.
Japan Times
WORLD / Politics
Dec 29, 2012

American couples hurt by Russia's adoption ban

Russian President Vladimir Putin's decision to sign a bill that bars Americans from adopting Russian children provoked anguish Thursday among U.S. families that have been waiting months, and in some cases years, to complete the process.

Longform

Bear attacks have dominated Japanese news headlines in recent months, with 13 people so far having been killed by the animals.
Japan’s bears have been on their killing spree for more than 100 years