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COMMENTARY / World
Oct 17, 2010

European middle-class entitlements: R.I.P.

PARIS — It is usually easier to see the beginning of something than the end of it. Born in 1945 in postwar Britain, the welfare state met its end in Britain last week when British Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne repudiated the concept of the "universal benefit," the idea that everyone, not...
JAPAN / Media / BIG IN JAPAN
Oct 17, 2010

Utopia means free money for everyone

Scientifically and technologically, the world is in flux bordering on chaos. Every day brings something new: a new discovery, a new device, a new technique, a new cure. The pace of change is dizzying; we scarcely know where we stand. Yesterday's novelty is today's norm, tomorrow's anachronism.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Oct 15, 2010

Lopez-Curval tells moving motherly tale

"Meres et Filles" (released in Japan as "Kakusareta Nikki)" is a film about women. But contrary to expectations, it's not a celebration of womanhood. Director Julie Lopez-Curval (working from a script by Sophie Hiet) is more concerned with the telltale details of women's lives: the momentary coldness...
JAPAN / U.S. FORCES IN JAPAN
Oct 14, 2010

Suddenly, U.S. alliance is back in vogue

Only a few months ago, the Japan-U.S. military alliance — considered by both nations as the "cornerstone" of peace and security in the Asia-Pacific region — was in crisis.
Japan Times
JAPAN / CABINET INTERVIEW
Oct 13, 2010

Takaki stresses value of foreign languages

Education minister Yoshiaki Takaki is stressing the importance of teaching children foreign languages to promote their interest in other countries.
EDITORIALS
Oct 13, 2010

More light on the next leader

North Korea is increasing the public exposure of Mr. Kim Jong Un, the third and youngest son of the country's leader Kim Jong Il and his heir apparent, through the mass media. The process represents North Korea's efforts to consolidate Mr. Kim Jong Un's political standing and legitimacy.
CULTURE / Books
Oct 10, 2010

S. Korea riding a cinematic wave

Anyone who has been watching for the last decade or so has witnessed the rapid growth and blockbusterization of South Korean cinema and its transformation from what was a marginal pop-cultural backwater into local success story gaining increasing attention from audiences across Asia and even in the West....
SOCCER / PREMIER REPORT
Oct 9, 2010

Davies would make England history with debut

LONDON — England plays Montenegro in a Euro 2012 qualifier on Tuesday, when Bolton's Kevin Davies, at 33, could become his country's oldest debutant in modern times.
Japan Times
JAPAN / CABINET INTERVIEW
Oct 7, 2010

Okazaki to beef up consumer agency

Tomiko Okazaki, newly appointed National Public Safety Commission chairwoman and new state minister in charge of consumer affairs, intends to give the Consumer Affairs Agency more clout.
COMMENTARY
Oct 6, 2010

Japan's loss, America's gain?

WATERLOO, Ontario — At the inaugural Singapore Global Dialogue on Sept. 23-24, there was a sharp exchange between retired Chinese and Japanese officials. In response to a question after his opening keynote address, former Chinese Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan admonished Japan for its inexplicable stance...
EDITORIALS
Oct 6, 2010

Mr. Ozawa on the ropes

The Tokyo No. 5 Prosecution Inquest Committee, an independent judicial panel composed of 11 citizens, on Monday said former Democratic Party of Japan Secretary General Ichiro Ozawa should be indicted for having his Rikuzankai political funds management body make allegedly false reports in 2004 and 2005....
COMMUNITY / Issues / JUST BE CAUSE
Oct 5, 2010

Census blind to Japan's true diversity

It's that time of the decade again. By now, all households in Japan should have received and submitted Japan's National Census (kokusei chosa), a survey taken every five years expressly to assist in policymaking, drawing up electoral districts and other matters of taxation and representation. This of...
COMMENTARY / World
Oct 3, 2010

The resistance to Russia's political order

MOSCOW — Russian President Dmitry Medvedev's decision to fire Moscow's long-entrenched mayor, Yuri Luzhkov, is the most decisive move of his presidency. Is it really part of his drive to modernize Russia, or part of an emerging power play with Moscow's real strong man, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin?...
SOCCER / PREMIER REPORT
Oct 2, 2010

Wenger needs to turn Wilshere loose against Chelsea

LONDON — Arsenal has the chance to prove it is ready to mount a serious Premier League title challenge when it takes on champion Chelsea on Sunday.
JAPAN
Oct 1, 2010

Rocky road ahead for Kan as DPJ addresses economy

The top priority for Prime Minister Naoto Kan and the Democratic Party of Japan during the extraordinary Diet session Friday will be to clear a supplementary budget to kick start the feeble economy.
EDITORIALS
Oct 1, 2010

Epaulets to rule North Korea

Mr. Kim Jong Un, the third and youngest son of North Korean leader Kim Jong Il, has joined the leadership of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea. Party delegates on Tuesday elected him as a member of the party's Central Committee and as a vice chairman of the party's Central Military Commission, a position...
COMMENTARY
Sep 29, 2010

Japan vs. China: What makes societies succeed?

A namesake — a U.S. economics professor also called Gregory Clark — has caused waves with a theory that says the 18th century U.K. Industrial Revolution was due to heredity creating superior genes.
Japan Times
LIFE / Digital
Sep 29, 2010

Japanese facility aimed at creating a sun on Earth

Outside a small town in Gifu Prefecture is a little-known scientific research establishment engaged in a project to "create a sun on the Earth." If successful, this venture will profoundly affect the lives of most people in the world.
MULTIMEDIA
Sep 26, 2010

Recruit founder revisits a scandal that shook the nation

Remember the infamous Recruit scandal of the late 1980s that brought down a government, tarnished the reputations of Japan's movers and shakers and left the public convinced that the government was rotten to the core?
Japan Times
JAPAN / CABINET INTERVIEW
Sep 26, 2010

Corporate tax cut, EPAs key: Ohata

Newly appointed Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Akihiro Ohata believes Japan needs to pull out all the stops to boost its economy, including drafting an extra budget, lowering corporate tax and forging more economic partnership agreements with other countries.
Japan Times
JAPAN / CABINET INTERVIEW
Sep 24, 2010

Mabuchi worried about China fallout

Sumio Mabuchi, the new minister of land, infrastructure, transport and tourism, said he is concerned political tensions between Japan and China will seriously damage the tourism industry, which is starting to see trip cancellations, including one involving about 10,000 employees of a Chinese company....
BUSINESS
Sep 23, 2010

APEC tourism ministers meet amid Senkakus row

NARA — Amid growing tensions between Japan and China, the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation kicked off its tourism conference Wednesday in the ancient capital of Nara, where delegates discussed regional tourism trends since the economic crisis of 2008, when they last met, and ways to improve Asia's...
COMMENTARY / World
Sep 19, 2010

Europe neglects a strategic asset, Ukraine

KIEV — The world's center of gravity is heading eastward so fast that we Europeans can almost feel the ground moving beneath our feet. Because almost all major actors on the international stage are redefining their roles in response to this tectonic shift, Europe must do the same. So it is right that...
JAPAN
Sep 17, 2010

Kan taps Okada for party's No. 2 post

Prime Minister Naoto Kan on Thursday tapped Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada as the party's secretary general, in what amounts to a test of whether Kan can achieve party unity after Tuesday's presidential election.
COMMENTARY / World
Sep 16, 2010

Gillard has her work cut out

SYDNEY — With the Labor Party back in power by the skin of its teeth and with the Greens holding the whip, countries buying essentials from Australia should expect to negotiate more carefully with suppliers of coal, iron ore, uranium and foodstuffs.
JAPAN
Sep 15, 2010

Kan cruises to victory in DPJ election

After a fierce two-week campaign, Prime Minister Naoto Kan on Tuesday defeated Democratic Party of Japan bigwig Ichiro Ozawa in the ruling party's presidential election, securing his post and avoiding yet another leadership change.
Japan Times
LIFE / Digital
Sep 15, 2010

Petition project lets Web surfers make their mark

As of Tuesday, 84,512 people were united in their call for laws banning restrictions on manga / anime content, at least 8,984 people had endorsed same-sex marriage, and 1,609 individuals wanted Panasonic to keep a speech aid for the physically impaired on the market.
Japan Times
LIFE
Sep 12, 2010

Aging through the ages

"If only, when one heard That Old Age was coming One could bolt the door Answer 'not at home' And refuse to meet him!" (Anonymous, "Kokinshu" Imperial poetry anthology, 10th century)

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