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JAPAN / Politics
Jan 28, 2016

Embattled economy minister Amari resigns over graft claims

Embattled economic minister Akira Amari on Thursday resigned over a graft scandal involving the misappropriation of funds within his office.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Politics
Jan 21, 2016

Amari vows to answer claims over ¥12 million in undeclared funds

Scandal-hit economic minister Akira Amari vows to answer allegations that he and two secretaries received large undeclared donations and hospitality.
JAPAN / Politics
Jan 20, 2016

Japan's economic minister hit with bribery allegations, vows response

Akira Amari swears to answer accusations of a money scandal leveled against him by a weekly tabloid after conducting an investigation.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Media / MEDIA MIX
Jan 16, 2016

The elephant in the room for Toshiba is nuclear

Japanese press outlets often cover scoops from competing outlets, but it's rare to build on a competitor's story with original reporting, especially when the scoop is a few years old. In December, the weekly magazine Aera, which is affiliated with the Asahi Shimbun, ran an article about a secret meeting...
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / How-tos / HOME TRUTHS
Jan 2, 2016

Getting a high rise out of dodging taxes

About a year ago, we talked about using real estate purchases to lower inheritance and gift taxes. Obviously, people who are able to take advantage of these schemes are already well off — the average person doesn't have to worry about paying inheritance taxes when his or her parents die because for...
LIFE / Language / MORNING ENGLISH
Dec 28, 2015

Let's discuss the law on surnames

Plaintiffs contesting family laws that require spouses to choose a single surname expressed shock and anger at Wednesday's Supreme Court ruling, saying it will force more women to suffer the misery of having to change their name upon marriage.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Issues / LABOR PAINS
Dec 27, 2015

Japan's culture and courts need to get with the program on overtime

Practice and precedent fly in the face of government slogans about achieving 'work-life balance' and reducing Japan's excessively long work hours.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Issues / THE FOREIGN ELEMENT
Dec 16, 2015

Airbnb: Will Japan kill the golden goose?

Time will tell whether new legislation kills or culls the golden-egg-laying goose that Airbnb has become for hosts and travelers.
LIFE / Language / MORNING ENGLISH
Dec 14, 2015

Let's discuss this year's buzzwords in Japan

This year's most memorable buzzwords in Japan were recently announced, with the words 'bakugai' and 'toripuru surii' jointly taking home the top honors.
COMMUNITY / Issues / LABOR PAINS
Nov 29, 2015

Lessons in Japan's labor laws from striking NPB baseball stars and English teachers

What do Nichibei Eigo Gakuin teachers in 2000, pro baseball players in 2004 and Berlitz language instructors in 2007 have in common?
COMMENTARY / Japan
Nov 9, 2015

Weighing Japan's options in the South China Sea

Rather than send Japanese ships to conduct freedom of navigation patrols in the South China Sea, Japan should continue to focus its efforts on maritime capacity building in Southeast Asia.
Japan Times
LIFE / Lifestyle
Oct 17, 2015

What's in a name? Japan debates whether to allow spouses to adopt separate surnames

Upper House lawmaker Mizuho Fukushima and her partner, Yuichi Kaido, have been together for about 40 years. They don't celebrate any kind of anniversary, however, because they've never been officially married.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Issues / THE FOREIGN ELEMENT
Oct 14, 2015

Animal advocates divided over shelter practices

Foreign volunteers break off contact with Tokyo NPO over conditions at dog facility.
JAPAN / Politics
Oct 8, 2015

Tide turns for LDP factions in reshuffle

Wednesday's Cabinet reshuffle has caused a commotion among intraparty factions of the ruling LDP, with the faction led by Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida hit hardest.
COMMENTARY / Japan
Oct 4, 2015

In lieu of taking in refugees, Abe opens up checkbook

While Japan has not been open to accepting refugees amid the current world crisis, it has at least increased its financial contributions to addressing the problem.
COMMENTARY / Japan
Sep 19, 2015

On the security bills, let me keep out of it

Though writing about the security bill, I will not mention my own opinion. I am, in fact, opposed to the oxymoronic approach called “collective self-defense,” but I will not tell you so.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Sep 12, 2015

Isao Takahata's stark world of reality

Having survived a devastating U.S. air raid on his hometown in World War II, film director Isao Takahata has firsthand experience of the horrors of war. It's perhaps not surprising, therefore, that he staunchly opposes Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's attempt to push controversial security bills through the...
COMMENTARY / Japan
Aug 18, 2015

To counter Abe, opposition must offer viable alternatives

Simply rejecting Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's policies on defense and nuclear power is not sufficient. The opposition must formulate viable alternatives and advance different visions of Japan's future.
WORLD
Jul 28, 2015

NATO backs Turkey's fight against Islamic State

NATO offered political support for Turkey's campaign against militants in Syria and Iraq at an emergency meeting Tuesday, and President Tayyip Erdogan signaled the alliance may have a "duty" to become more involved.
Reader Mail
Jul 4, 2015

Correct definition of 'singularity'

The Big in Japan column titled "Humans face singular concern over AI jobs" in the June 28 edition contains an error which needs to be corrected.
LIFE / Language / MORNING ENGLISH
Jun 29, 2015

Let's discuss NHK in the news

This week's featured article
EDITORIALS
Jun 27, 2015

University autonomy under fire

Education minister Hakubun Shimomura and Prime Minister Shinzo Abe are moving dangerously close to trampling on the academic independence of universities.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / How-tos / LIFELINES
Jun 7, 2015

Paid leave: Use it or risk losing it

'When I asked HR if paid leave can be converted to cash, the answer was no. Is HR correct?'
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
May 25, 2015

Correctly understanding Japan's postwar history

Japan's mission should be to provide humanitarian solutions to the problems confronting the victims of conflicts rather than engage in war in the name of collective self-defense.
LIFE / Language / MORNING ENGLISH
May 25, 2015

Let's discuss Osaka referendum in the news

As the city of Osaka prepares for Sunday's unprecedented referendum on the merger plan being championed by Osaka Mayor Toru Hashimoto, most media polls show those opposed to the plan holding anywhere from a slim to a wide lead, though the margin is too close to call.
COMMUNITY / Issues
May 24, 2015

Society helps sustain Japan's sordid sexual trade in schoolgirls

When you hear the expression "JK business," do you have any idea what kind of work this refers to? JK stands for joshi kōsei (high school girls). In Japan, JK is a very powerful brand — and high school girls are a highly valued commodity.
LIFE / Language / MORNING ENGLISH
May 18, 2015

Let's discuss inbound tourism in the news

Japan came ninth on the World Economic Forum's list of the most tourist-friendly countries for 2015, rising from 14th place in the previous 2013 rankings, the WEF said Wednesday.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Media / MEDIA MIX
May 16, 2015

JCP gains ground, but not column inches

Years ago a Japanese acquaintance applied for a green card when her American husband decided to move back to the United States. Someone told her she should not say she once voted for the Japanese Communist Party (JCP) during her interview, otherwise U.S. Immigration would reject it. As far as I know,...
LIFE / Language / MORNING ENGLISH
May 11, 2015

Let's discuss visa overstayers in the news

Visa overstayers facing deportation orders marched through Tokyo's Ginza district on Wednesday afternoon, pleading for permission to remain in a country that many have called home for decades.

Longform

Tetsuzo Shiraishi, speaking at The Center of the Tokyo Raids and War Damage, uses a thermos to explain how he experienced the U.S. firebombing of March 1945, when he was just 7 years old.
From ashes to high-rises: A survivor’s account of Tokyo’s postwar past