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COMMENTARY / World
May 17, 2011

Religious fundamentalism after the uprisings

Most analysts would agree that al-Qaida has not played a significant role in the revolutions sweeping the Arab world today, while remaining largely silent about the remarkable political transformation that is taking place.
COMMENTARY / World
May 11, 2011

Britain's adversity to A.V.

Britain's rejection of a new electoral system in last Thursday's referendum comes as no surprise. Nor does the predictably low turnout of 42 percent. Alternative Vote (A.V.), the system proposed to replace the First-Past-The-Post (FPTP) method of electing ministers of Parliament (MPs) to Westminster,...
Japan Times
JAPAN / CHUBU CONNECTION
Apr 30, 2011

3/11 renders tax-cut advocates' poll momentum a distant dream

When candidates from the new local group Genzei Nippon (Tax Reduction Japan) led by Nagoya Mayor Takashi Kawamura won the triple elections held in Aichi Prefecture in February, the group's tax cut initiative seemed to have gained momentum.
COMMENTARY
Apr 10, 2011

Realigned values help global order evolve

CANBERRA — On March 17, Security Council Resolution 1973 authorized the use of "all necessary measures," short of an invasion and occupation, "to protect civilians and civilian-populated areas": the first United Nations-sanctioned combat operations since the 1991 Persian Gulf War.
COMMENTARY / COUNTERPOINT
Jan 30, 2011

Voters have their apathy to blame for Japan's dire farce at the top

Here's a fable about Japanese politics circa 2011.
EDITORIALS
Dec 26, 2010

New START to arms control

The New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) has won ratification in the U.S. Senate, passing by a 71-26 vote. Ratification is a victory for President Barack Obama, those who seek a world with fewer nuclear threats as well as proponents of a constructive U.S.-Russia relationship.
COMMENTARY / World
Dec 22, 2010

Probing the Berlusconi paradox

ROME — One storm has passed in Italy. Another, perhaps bigger storm, has yet to begin.
EDITORIALS
Dec 1, 2010

Vote of confidence for the KMT

Local elections in Taiwan are considered a bellwether for national politics. By that standard, the Kuomintang (KMT), the ruling party on the island, should be feeling good. KMT candidates won three of five mayoral seats in the local elections held Saturday. While a lot can change between now and 2012,...
JAPAN
Oct 23, 2010

Sengoku's growing influence causes a stir

On the first day of the Lower House Budget Committee session last week, Nobuteru Ishihara, secretary general of the Liberal Democratic Party, chose to deride the growing power of Yoshito Sengoku, chief Cabinet secretary of the ruling Democratic Party of Japan.
COMMENTARY / COUNTERPOINT
Oct 17, 2010

New Russia's political maneuvering harkens back to the U.S.S.R.

If I had to choose the event in my adult lifetime with the greatest historical import it would be, hands down, the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. In 2005, then president of Russia Vladimir Putin was not exaggerating when he called it "the greatest political catastrophe of the 20th century."
COMMENTARY / World
Jun 30, 2010

Canberra's bloodless coup

SYDNEY — Women rule. Or so it seems in Australia where the first female prime minister has ousted a male colleague, where a woman is the governor general, still another runs the main state, New South Wales, and another presides over that state's capital city, Sydney. Topping all, an Australian woman...
JAPAN
Jun 12, 2010

Kan targets tax reform to repair economy

Stressing the need for tax reform to restore the country's battered finances, Prime Minister Naoto Kan vowed Friday in his first policy speech to the Diet that he will exert strong leadership to overcome Japan's economic struggles.
EDITORIALS
Jun 12, 2010

Mr. Kan states his approach

In his first general-policy speech before the Diet on Friday, Prime Minister Naoto Kan showed that while he will inherit the major policy line of his predecessor Mr. Yukio Hatoyama, he will make a clear departure in economic policy, calling for serious efforts to reconstruct state finances.
JAPAN
Jun 4, 2010

Quiet end to a vexed tenure

Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama returned to his office Wednesday minutes after announcing his resignation and was greeted by hoards of reporters expecting a comment from the once-popular leader.
COMMENTARY / World
May 8, 2010

Diffident India won't get U.S., Chinese respect

LONDON — Recently, India engaged with two major powers — China and the United States — at the highest levels. Both are vital states insofar as Indian national security interests are concerned.
COMMENTARY
Apr 28, 2010

U.K. overdoses on change

British politics has been turned upside down by recent events. The traditional two-party battle between Labour and Conservatives has been thrown into confusion by a big surge in support for a third party, the Liberal Democrats. The likely result could be a "hung parliament," with the Conservatives being...
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Issues / THE ZEIT GIST
Apr 6, 2010

'Non-Japanese only' Okinawa eatery turns tables

Okinawa Prefecture is home to three-quarters of America's military bases in Japan. The vast majority of these, including Kadena Air Base, Torii Station and the contentious Marine Corps installation at Futenma, are located in the central part of the main island.
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...
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / CLOSE-UP
Feb 7, 2010

Taeko Tomiyama: Brushing with authority

I will never forget the day I went to a show titled "Embracing Asia: Taeko Tomiyama Retrospective 1950-2009," which was one of 370 art exhibits by creators from 40 countries comprising the fourth Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennial staged over 50 days last autumn at locations across a huge area of rural Niigata...
EDITORIALS
Jan 1, 2010

Mr. Hatoyama and the DPJ in '10

The year 2010 will be a watershed year for the administration of Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama, which came into power last September, ending the Liberal Democratic Party's almost unbroken rule since November 1955. If the administration fails to produce results that meet people's expectations this year,...
EDITORIALS
Dec 3, 2009

Europe's new leaders

"Who?" was the general reaction to the selection of the European Union's first semi-permanent president of the European Council and the high representative for foreign affairs, who took office Tuesday. Although Mr. Herman Van Rompuy, formerly Belgium's prime minister, and Mrs. Catherine Ashton of Britain,...
JAPAN
Sep 1, 2009

Interest high among foreign media in 'historic' election

The Democratic Party of Japan's landslide victory election has stirred interest among foreign media, who generally view the ousting of the conservative Liberal Democratic Party, which has ruled almost without interruption for 54 years, as a positive sign of change.
JAPAN / ELECTION 2009
Aug 28, 2009

LDP heavyweight Koga running for his life

OMUTA, Fukuoka Pref. — For decades, voters in the Fukuoka No. 7 district, which encompasses the southern part of the prefecture, have always said, "Makoto ni arigato gozaimasu" come election time.
Japan Times
JAPAN / ELECTION 2009
Jul 29, 2009

Politicians tap Twitter to tweak profiles

At 6:44 p.m. on July 15, Democratic Party of Japan lawmaker Seiji Osaka posed a question on his Twitter profile: "I think bringing the voting age down to 18 years old is OK. What do you think about it?"
JAPAN
Jul 13, 2009

DPJ scores big win in Tokyo assembly

The Democratic Party of Japan was cruising Sunday night to a clear victory in the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly election, taking over as the No. 1 force from the Liberal Democratic Party.
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / CLOSE-UP
Jun 7, 2009

Kang Sang Jung: Born but not Bred

Kang Sang Jung is one of the most influential ethnically Korean residents of Japan (zainichi). A political science professor at the University of Tokyo, he also gives lectures around the country, is a regular television commentator and has a column in the prestigious weekly current affairs magazine Aera....
EDITORIALS
Dec 5, 2008

Political theater of the absurd

It is tempting to call Thai politics a comedy, but to be more accurate, it has descended into farce — if not tragedy. The machinations that have paralyzed the country has undermined a once thriving and vibrant democracy. The Bangkok elites' determination to disregard the will of the Thai majority shows...
JAPAN
Nov 27, 2008

Japan lags U.S. in using Net to mobilize voters

When Tadamasa Kimura says he is envious of Barack Obama's victorious campaign to become president of the United States, it's not because he's an unsuccessful aspirant to political office.
Reader Mail
Oct 2, 2008

Old blood begets tired gaffes

I read with interest the Sept. 28 article "Koizumi confirms plan to retire, pass torch to son." Former Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's designated political heir apparent for Kanagawa District No. 11 will be 27-year-old Shinjiro Koizumi.

Longform

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Japan’s bears have been on their killing spree for more than 100 years