Search - 2013

 
 
BUSINESS / Markets
Sep 8, 2014

Abe recasting Cabinet cuts risk to six-year low

The Cabinet overhaul has revived failing public support for Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's economic policies and invigorated markets that have shown more confidence in him than his predecessors.
Japan Times
JAPAN / EXPLAINER
Sep 8, 2014

How vulnerable is Japan to severe weather?

The deadly mudslides in Hiroshima and other parts of western Japan last month caused by torrential rains have raised concerns about how vulnerable Japan is to such natural disasters, especially given severe weather events due to climate change.
JAPAN
Sep 8, 2014

Speeding blamed for high death rate in Aomori traffic accidents

Speeding led to 10 times more deaths in traffic accidents, compared with other factors, in Aomori Prefecture between 2009 and 2013, the Mainichi Shimbun reported Sunday.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Entertainment news
Sep 8, 2014

Spirit fades for famed Ghibli animation studio after Miyazaki signs off

The artistic legacy of Hayao Miyazaki, the reclusive and bearded Academy Award-winning director and animator sometimes called Japan's Walt Disney, has never been more certain.
COMMENTARY / World
Sep 7, 2014

Why the shale revolution is not about to end

Doubts about the sustainability of the North American oil and gas boom center on rapidly declining output from many shale wells after they are drilled.
Japan Times
ENVIRONMENT / OLD NIC'S NOTEBOOK
Sep 6, 2014

A tale of two parks, and their preservation

As I sit in my study here in Kurohime in the hills of northern Nagano Prefecture, through the window I can see 2,053-meter Mount Kurohime, a dormant volcano that's forested to the top.
BASEBALL / Japanese Baseball / NPB NOTEBOOK
Sep 6, 2014

Trio of NPB teams hit it big with midseason acquisitions

The Seibu Lions were fielding a toothless lineup early in the NPB season while Ernesto Mejia was up to his usual hard-hitting trick on the other side of the world with the Gwinnett Braves, the Triple-A affiliate of the Atlanta Braves.
EDITORIALS
Sep 6, 2014

Tuna catch limit, too little too late?

Japan's Fisheries Agency plans to call for a reduction in the annual catch of immature Pacific Bluefin tuna. The proposal is welcome, but it may be too little, too late.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Sep 5, 2014

Uniqlo's tennis bet pays off as endorsers square off at U.S. Open

Fast Retailing Co. is ready for war. The clothing maker's battle begins Saturday, when world No. 1 Novak Djokovic takes on 10th-seed Kei Nishikori in the U.S. Open semifinal.
BASKETBALL
Sep 5, 2014

FIBA may arbitrate Pavlicevic-Wakayama dispute

The Wakayama Trians gave Zeljko Pavlicevic a guaranteed two-year contract when he was hired in 2013 to lead the team, formerly based in Osaka, as it made the transition from the Japan Basketball League to its successor, the National Basketball League.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / How-tos / HOME TRUTHS
Sep 5, 2014

Can Japan level its problem with vacant buildings?

On July 29, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications released the results of its latest survey on Japanese housing, which it completed last fall and conducts every five years. The statistic that caught the media's attention was the one for akiya, or vacant homes. As of the end of October 2013,...
EDITORIALS
Sep 5, 2014

Stronger measures against stalking

In its budgetary requests for fiscal 2015, Japan's National Police Agency includes expenses to beef up measures against the persistent problem of stalking.
Japan Times
JAPAN / CHUBU CONNECTION
Sep 5, 2014

First-language classes in Aichi struggle to find funding

Various cities in Aichi Prefecture have started offering language classes to children of foreign descent in their first language.
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC
Sep 5, 2014

IAEA sees signs North Korea reactor may be running

The U.N. nuclear watchdog said it has seen releases of steam and water indicating that North Korea may be operating a reactor, in the latest update on a plant that experts say could make plutonium for atomic bombs.
BASKETBALL
Sep 4, 2014

Herb Brown returns to college ranks

Longtime NBA coach Herb Brown has been named a University of Portland men's basketball assistant coach, it was announced on Wednesday.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Sep 4, 2014

Profiting off our biocapital

We must be watchful of attempts by DNA testing services to sell the private data they've accumulated from people to other companies for their own profit.
ASIA PACIFIC
Sep 4, 2014

Al-Qaida announces India wing, renews loyalty to Taliban chief

Al-Qaida leader Ayman al Zawahri on Wednesday announced the formation of an Indian branch of his militant group he said would spread Islamic rule and "raise the flag of jihad" across the subcontinent.
BUSINESS / Economy
Sep 4, 2014

Yen to weaken after pension fund reforms, panel adviser Takatoshi Ito says

The yen will weaken as the Government Pension Investment Fund moves to become more competitive, according to Takatoshi Ito, who led a panel advising the Abe administration on overhauling the system.
BUSINESS / Companies
Sep 4, 2014

Mazda unveils new Miata as top-selling two-seat Roadster turns 25

Mazda Motor Corp. unveiled a new version of its iconic MX-5 Miata sports car Thursday for the first time in nine years, counting on the model to help sustain rising sales.
Japan Times
MORE SPORTS / NFL NOTEBOOK
Sep 3, 2014

Seahawks striving for repeat championship

The NFL kicks off the 2014 season when the Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks host the Green Bay Packers at CenturyLink Field on Thursday night. Many predict the Seahawks are ready for another Super Bowl run and there are a few reasons to share that belief.
BASEBALL / Japanese Baseball / NPB NOTEBOOK
Sep 3, 2014

Fan-favorite Inaba jumping into sunset

Atsunori Inaba may have been Japan's most popular player among foreign fans during the 2013 World Baseball Classic. The quadrennial competition doesn't just bring 16 nations together, it allows the baseball cultures of various nations to come together. Prominent among these is Japan's ouendan.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Issues / JUST BE CAUSE
Sep 3, 2014

Visible minorities are being caught in police dragnet

Around noon on Aug. 13, in Ushiku, Ibaraki Prefecture, a local apartment manager notified the police that a "suspicious foreigner" was hanging around the nearby JR train station.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Sep 2, 2014

Dustin Wong and Takako Minekawa let their imaginations run wild on new album

Guitarist Dustin Wong is upfront about not having the cleanest apartment. "There are so many plastic water bottles in the kitchen, equipment sprawled all over the place. Pieces of aluminum foil on the floor." This was where he and singer Takako Minekawa recorded their second album together.

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