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Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Issues / LEARNING CURVE
Jan 12, 2014

No lack of ideas on a course of action for English education

Last week's Learning Curve column, "English fluency hopes rest on an education overhaul," looked at the persistent mismatch between the education ministry's stated goals and the actual outcomes of English language education in Japan.
BUSINESS / YEN FOR LIVING
Jan 12, 2014

Deflation Watch: New Year's scorecard

It seems likely that the consumption tax increase will derail the government's economic boom train.
Japan Times
SUMO / SUMO SCRIBBLINGS
Jan 12, 2014

Hatsu 2014: Now or never for Kisenosato

When he first shot through the ranks in the mid 2000s, more than a few fans and commentators had Kisenosato penciled in as a future yokozuna.
COMMENTARY / COUNTERPOINT
Jan 11, 2014

A new-year Asian reading list to savor and inspire

At this time of year, many newspapers publish such lengthy lists of must-read books that it's daunting to even imagine them all piled up gathering dust on the bedside table. So let me narrow the field by sharing some amazing titles about or from Asia that I have enjoyed over the past year.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Companies
Jan 10, 2014

Nintendo shares surge as China lifts console ban

Nintendo Co., the maker of Wii U game consoles, is riding high in Tokyo trading after China lifted a 13-year ban on gaming machines this week.
BUSINESS / Companies
Jan 10, 2014

Robot startup co-founder eyes hidden local talent

Takashi Kato, co-founder of the robot venture Schaft Inc. bought by Google Inc. in November, has opened a fund to invest in technologies from Japanese startups and universities that have been overlooked by investors.
JAPAN / Politics
Jan 8, 2014

Masuzoe to run for Tokyo governor

Former health minister Yoichi Mau00adsuu00adzoe indicates he will run for Tokyo governor next month.
JAPAN
Jan 8, 2014

Kobe neighborhood gets spicy with 'kimchi town' moniker

A Kobe neighborhood densely populated with Korean residents is now touting itself as the "town of kimchi," having created brochures that have proved more popular than expected.
COMMENTARY / World
Jan 7, 2014

Will the bitcoin bite the dust?

Bitcoin was one of Oxford Dictionaries' runners-up for the word of the year for 2013. The virtual currency has received a partial blessing from the chairman of the U.S. Federal Reserve. But will it bite the dust because of its volatility?
COMMENTARY / World
Jan 7, 2014

China's anti-Kim campaign

The next target of China's autocrats, already waging an undeclared war over territory against multiple neighboring countries, is likely to be fellow communist state North Korea, now an estranged ally.
COMMENTARY / World
Jan 7, 2014

Preparing for the age of disruption

By 2020, the quantity of stored data could be 50 times greater than it was in 2010. Many pundits regard this massive explosion of data as the new oil, even a new asset class.
COMMENTARY / World
Jan 6, 2014

Obama's Asian 'pivot' went flying off like a divot

Even in Washington-centric Washington, President Barack Obama gets the award for having the worst year in Asia. His 'pivot to Asia' looked more like a divot.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Jan 6, 2014

'Solar girl' sheds reliance on Tepco for spartan life on the edge of the grid

It was August 2012 when Chikako Fujii had one of the most memorable conversations of her life. That moment came when a bill collector from Tokyo Electric Power Co. rang her doorbell in the west Tokyo suburb of Kunitachi and told her with finality that she had an important choice to make.
JAPAN / Media / BIG IN JAPAN
Jan 4, 2014

Cash, sex, the mob? Weeklies seek clues in gyōza king's killing

Just when it was starting to look like 2013 would end with minimal gun violence in Japan, two socially prominent individuals were shot dead in the space of two days.
Japan Times
JAPAN / GETTING SERIOUS ABOUT ENGLISH
Jan 3, 2014

Immersion tactics come with risks and benefits

Some parents opt to immerse their children at a young age in a multilingual environment, hoping they will become not only bilingual but also have new avenues of opportunity open up.
Japan Times
JAPAN / GERMAN JOURNALIST SYMPOSIUM
Jan 3, 2014

Germany's role in EU divides bloc

Does Germany hurt or help Europe?
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Jan 2, 2014

Our movie highlights of the coming year

Another year, another raft of unmissable movies. Here are the most hotly anticipated releases for JT film critics Mark Schilling, Kaori Shoji and Giovanni Fazio — get them in your diary now.
LIFE / Lifestyle
Jan 2, 2014

Google's drive into robotics should concern us all

Over the past year, Google has bought eight robotics companies. Its most recent acquisition is an outfit called Boston Dynamics, which makes the nearest thing to a mechanical mule that you are ever likely to see. It's called Big Dog and it walks, runs, climbs and carries heavy loads. It's the size of...
Japan Times
CULTURE
Jan 1, 2014

The most viewed culture stories of 2013

Pop culture ruled the roost in popular stories, but also showed its staying power: The most read online story from the JT culture section this year turned out to be a review of a manga drawn by Osamu Tezuka and first published in 1972. Meanwhile, Hayao Miyazaki's final feature at Studio Ghibli generated...
Japan Times
LIFE
Jan 1, 2014

The most viewed life stories of 2013

From burgers to ballerinas, LINE sending to gender bending, kawaii cute to Nadeshiko adorable, here are the life section stories that caught online readers' eyes in 2013. As a gyaru might say, “Yababa!”
Japan Times
SPORTS
Jan 1, 2014

The most viewed sports stories of 2013

The sports story most read online in the year in which Japan won the bid for the 2020 Olympics should come as no surprise. Baseball fans had plenty to celebrate, and figure-skating followers had no shortage of drama. Let's hope to see some Sochi gold medals in this round-up next year.
JAPAN
Jan 1, 2014

The most viewed news stories of 2013

On first impression, the news stories most read online in 2013 paint a fairly gloomy picture, a mix of loneliness, darkness and tragedy. However, you can also see readers' penchant for science and fantasy, even if Atlantis was not actually discovered. May there be plenty of good news in 2014!
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC / Society
Dec 31, 2013

China's workers leave kids in country

Regulars of the Jianba barbershop in the southern Chinese city of Zhuzhou recently found it shuttered, with a curious note taped to the door.
Japan Times
JAPAN / EXPLAINER
Dec 30, 2013

Simple tests fill health-check gaps

Although health checkups are often mandatory for corporate or institutional employees, some segments of society, including housewives and the self-employed, may not have this option.
Japan Times
WORLD / Science & Health
Dec 29, 2013

Hungry animals, people use 'Levy walk'

Imagine you are a member of a hunter-gatherer tribe living in a remote part of the sprawling African plains, and your stomach is growling. How do you search for something to eat?
COMMUNITY / Voices / COMMUNITY CHEST
Dec 27, 2013

From charity to chocolate, the best ways to blow ¥500

The Japan Times asked readers to email or tweet their suggestions of the best ways to use a single ¥500 coin, for a chance to win edible prizes. Here are some of the entries.

Longform

Ichiro Suzuki, one of the most iconic players in NPB and MLB history, was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame with 99.7% of the vote.
With Hall of Fame induction, Ichiro makes himself heard loud and clear