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Japan Times
WORLD
Sep 7, 2018

Syria is preparing chemical weapons for attacks in Idlib, U.S. envoy says

There is "lots of evidence" that chemical weapons are being prepared by Syrian government forces in Idlib in northwest Syria, the new U.S. adviser for Syria said on Thursday as he warned of the risks of an offensive on the country's last big rebel enclave.
Reader Mail
Sep 7, 2018

Foreign workers have been underreported

Regarding the front-page article headlined "Firms want skilled foreign workers: poll" in the Aug. 21 edition, the author states that the number of foreign workers in Japan "more than doubled in the past decade to 1.3 million," but that is simply untrue.
JAPAN
Sep 6, 2018

Abe announces typhoon-hit Kansai airport will reopen to some domestic flights Friday

The airport remained closed Thursday after Typhoon Jebi caused flooding that damaged the main runway and tarmac, and drove a tanker into the bridge connecting the facility to the mainland.
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics
Sep 6, 2018

Kim agrees to 'cooperate closely' with U.S. on denuclearizing, says 'stronger' measures possible

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has agreed to "cooperate closely" with the U.S. — even possibly accepting "stronger" denuclearization measures — a top South Korean official said Thursday, amid an apparent rift over progress in U.S.-North Korean nuclear talks.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Issues / LAW OF THE LAND
Sep 5, 2018

Dog tale bites judge: His tweets muzzled, Japan's 'Judge White Briefs' faces his own trial

Disciplinary hearings for outspoken jurist over a dog-dumping story can only damage Japan's judiciary.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Companies
Sep 5, 2018

As Brexit looms, Muji eyes Germany for new European base

The retailer of Muji products is considering moving its European headquarters out of the U.K. because of Brexit, in what would be at least the second such shift by a Japanese company.
Japan Times
WORLD / Politics
Sep 4, 2018

Xi to send China's No. 3 to Pyongyang for 70th anniversary celebrations

Chinese leader Xi Jinping will not make his inaugural visit as president to Pyongyang to attend ceremonies marking the 70th anniversary of North Korea's founding, the official Xinhua News Agency said Tuesday.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Sep 4, 2018

We may be facing a textbook emerging-market crisis

Argentina and Turkey look like outliers but the rot could spread fast.
Japan Times
Figure Skating / ICE TIME
Sep 4, 2018

Koshiro Shimada, Shiika Yoshioka shine at Austria JGP

Koshiro Shimada and Shiika Yoshioka combined to make last week a successful one for Japan on the Junior Grand Prix circuit with podium finishes in Linz, Austria.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Sep 3, 2018

When electric vehicles' day comes, it will be suddenly

Californians will soon be presented with compelling, cost-competitive electric vehicles of many different types. Those factors will probably drive sales up significantly.
MORE SPORTS
Sep 3, 2018

Canada's national water polo squad forges new bonds during trip to Japan

Half a world away from home, quality competition is a top priority for the Canada men's national water polo team.
Japan Times
WORLD / Politics
Sep 3, 2018

Democrats blast Trump move to withhold 100,000 pages of Brett Kavanaugh's records

Senate Democrats criticized the withholding of documents ahead of Tuesday's start of confirmation hearings for President Donald Trump's Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, even as a top Republican predicted he would be approved by a healthy margin.
Japan Times
WORLD
Sep 2, 2018

New U.S. general takes over command of NATO forces in Afghanistan, but peace still elusive

U.S. Army General Scott Miller assumed command of NATO forces in Afghanistan on Sunday, arriving as Washington faces growing questions over its strategy to force the Taliban into talks to end the 17-year conflict.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / The Big Questions
Sep 2, 2018

Cultural inspiration furthers hobbies outside the office

The Embassy of Mexico occupies a spacious compound in an elegant, tree-lined corner of Chiyoda Ward. The location is somewhat unusual for a foreign embassy in Tokyo, in that it shares a neighborhood with the residences of some of Japan's top officials, including the prime minister and the leaders of both the House of Representatives and the House of Councillors.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / TOKYO FOOD FILE
Sep 1, 2018

Eneko Tokyo: Basque-inspired, truffle-infused cooking

It was one of the major restaurant openings of last year — a renowned, award-winning European chef at the top of his game, launching his second self-named overseas offshoot. And yet, when you arrive at Eneko Tokyo, hidden away on a quiet Nishiazabu side street, it can feel as though you have come across...
Japan Times
JAPAN
Sep 1, 2018

Defense Ministry might ease ban on submarine duty for female SDF officers

The Defense Ministry is considering assigning female Self-Defense Forces officers to posts in submarines by lifting restrictions on such assignments, ministry sources said.
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics
Sep 1, 2018

China bides its time for Taiwan's last African ally to change allegience

China is not putting any pressure on self-ruled Taiwan's last diplomatic ally in Africa, the Kingdom of eSwatini, to switch to Beijing, but believes it is just a matter of time before that happens, a senior Chinese diplomat said on Saturday.
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC
Sep 1, 2018

Top U.S. spy catcher says China is using LinkedIn to recruit Americans

The United States' top spy catcher says Chinese spy agencies are using fake LinkedIn accounts to try to recruit Americans with access to government and commercial secrets, and the company should shut them down.
Japan Times
WORLD
Sep 1, 2018

UNICEF warns 1 million Syrian children are at risk if Idlib assault happens

More than a million Syrian children are at risk in the event of a government military assault on the rebel-held province of Idlib, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) said Friday.
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC / ANALYSIS
Aug 31, 2018

Detente revives North Korean leader's bullet train dreams

North Korea's ruling family has long dreamed of a state-of-the-art rail system linking its major cities with each other and the wider world.
BUSINESS
Aug 30, 2018

China's 'Silicon Valley' threatens to swallow up Hong Kong

The completion of one of the world's longest bridges stands as the biggest monument to China's success in reuniting its colonial-era concessions.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Aug 30, 2018

Pro-growth education for Japan

It is time for Japan to unleash the third 'arrow' of Abenomics: a long-term growth strategy underpinned by structural reforms.
JAPAN
Aug 30, 2018

Former Japanese diplomats, U.N. experts recall Kofi Annan's support and commitment

Former United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan, who died earlier this month, was remembered by former Japanese diplomats and U.N. experts as a strong supporter of Security Council reform plans that could have given Japan a permanent seat.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Aug 29, 2018

'The Miracle of Crybaby Shottan': It's never too late to make your move

Chess pops up in a surprising number of feature films. Just look at all the documentaries and dramas about the outrageously gifted Bobby Fischer. Shogi, or Japanese chess, is a different and smaller story, though "Satoshi: A Move for Tomorrow," a 2016 film about prodigy Satoshi Murayama, garnered awards...
Japan Times
SUMO / INSIDE SUMO
Aug 29, 2018

Unsung yobidashi keep sumo running smoothly

Who spends the most time in a sumo ring?
Japan Times
WORLD / Crime & Legal
Aug 29, 2018

U.S. judge gives partial win to prosecution ahead of Paul Manafort's second trial

A judge overseeing the upcoming second trial of former Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort on Tuesday approved the prosecution's request to allow evidence about a Justice Department inspection of Manafort's lobbying activities in the 1980s but limited the scope of what it can show.
JAPAN
Aug 28, 2018

Camping becoming more popular in Japan as options, including 'glamping,' increase

With various new camping options available, camping is regaining popularity in Japan after a mid-1990s boom led by the country's first baby boomers, who were born in the late 1940s.

Longform

A sinkhole in Yashio, which emerged in January, was triggered by a ruptured, aging sewer pipe. Authorities worry that similar sections of infrastructure across the country are also at risk of corrosion.
That sinking feeling: Japan’s aging sewers are an infrastructure time bomb