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Japan Times
WORLD / Politics
Jan 26, 2019

'Broken man': Right wing rips Trump over no-wall U.S. shutdown deal

President Donald Trump's deal to end the U.S. government shutdown without getting money for his border wall drew immediate scorn from some of the prominent conservative figures whose support may be crucial to his 2020 re-election bid.
Japan Times
LIFE / Travel
Jan 25, 2019

Ice diving in Hokkaido: All adrift beneath a frozen sea

Hokkaido's Shiretoko Peninsula is a treasure trove of forests, wild animals and birds. But from early February to early March it is the home of ice diving, scuba diving beneath the drift ice that blows south from the Sea of Okhotsk.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Science & Health / NATURAL SELECTIONS
Jan 25, 2019

Japan's commercial whaling may have two silver linings: freeing up the IWC and sparing the Southern Ocean

The condemnation of Japan became louder with the announcement that Tokyo would leave the International Whaling Commission, but is there a benefit to this?
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC
Jan 25, 2019

South Korea looks for nuclear dismantling pledge by Kim at second summit with Trump

North Korea must make concrete pledges toward curbing its nuclear weapons program, such as dismantling its main nuclear complex and allowing international inspections to confirm the process, when leader Kim Jong Un meets U.S. President Donald Trump as soon as next month, South Korea's foreign minister...
Japan Times
JAPAN / Society
Jan 24, 2019

In smoker's paradise Japan, 81-year-old Bungaku Watanabe has spent decades leading a war on tobacco

"Is it OK if I smoke during the interview?" I ask Bungaku Watanabe, reaching into my coat pocket.
Japan Times
BASKETBALL
Jan 24, 2019

UNC Wilmington's Kai Toews bursts onto scene as dynamic passer in freshman season

As a college freshman, Kai Toews has quickly become a player to pay attention to.
Japan Times
SUMO
Jan 23, 2019

Sumo 101: Trading cards

With a sport as ancient as sumo, trading cards aren't the first things that spring to mind when you think of memorabilia.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Tech
Jan 23, 2019

Latest trick for Sony's Aibo robotic pooch: Acting as watchdog

Sony Corp. on Wednesday showed off the latest tricks of its signature robotic dog, Aibo, including a new security capability of patrolling inside a house.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Jan 23, 2019

'The Relative Worlds': A rough ride across two universes

The concept of parallel universes is a fascinating one. What if there was another you out there, making the big bucks, fighting in a war or writing bad poetry? And what would happen if you and your alternate self were ever to meet up?
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Issues / LEARNING CURVE
Jan 23, 2019

Waxing philosophical in English class with 'Thinking Experiments'

If you've ever taught English at a Japanese school, you'll likely be familiar with a certain kind of silence — pervasive and tinged with teenage ennui. Authors Alexander Dutson and James Hill want to recommend breaking the ice with philosophy.
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics
Jan 23, 2019

U.S. top envoy Pompeo expects 'good marker' with North Korea before next Trump-Kim summit

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Tuesday there remains "an awful lot of work to do" to achieve the denuclearization of North Korea but he anticipates further progress by the end of next month, when the U.S. and North Korean leaders are expected to meet for a second summit.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Jan 22, 2019

Where is the European Union's Brexit policy?

The U.K. has set a new standard for political paralysis — but the EU has little to boast about.
SUMO
Jan 22, 2019

Sumo 101: Keshō-mawashi

One of the first orders of business for a rikishi promoted to sumo's second-highest division (jūryō) is getting a keshō-mawashi (ceremonial apron-style belt).
Japan Times
JAPAN / History
Jan 22, 2019

The Todai Riots: 1968-69

A photographer who documented the occupation of the University of Tokyo from inside the barricades half a century ago remembers the final days of resistance
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC
Jan 22, 2019

Report revealing undeclared North Korean missile base HQ seen as backing up first-strike capability

One of 20 undeclared ballistic missile operating bases in North Korea serves as a missile headquarters, according to a report by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) published on Monday.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / davos special 2019
Jan 22, 2019

Innovative ideas to address global challenges

As a forerunner facing various social challenges, including addressing the aging population, as well as environmental and energy issues, Japan is poised to find solutions and share them with other countries that are also expected to be confronted with these complex problems.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / davos special 2019
Jan 22, 2019

Shifting to a decarbonized society amid climate change

Since the adoption of the Paris agreement in December 2015, the role of non-state players with the aim of realizing a decarbonized society has become more significant than ever. Non-state parties include companies, local governments, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and others, who have not necessarily...
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC / Society
Jan 21, 2019

From pariah to demi-god: Transgender leader becomes a star at India's massive Kumbh Mela festival

In a desert tent guarded by armed police and a well-built bouncer, Laxmi Narayan Tripathi is blessing a constant stream of pilgrims, who garland her with marigolds and kneel to touch her feet.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / WELL SAID
Jan 21, 2019

Throw out idioms left and right using ... the Japanese words for left and right!

'Hidari' (left) and 'migi' (right) are used in several well known expressions in Japanese that indicate everything from a level of skill to a propensity for spending money.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Regional voices: Chubu
Jan 21, 2019

Factory night views of Yokkaichi a tourist draw and a bitter legacy of pollution

Factory night view cruises in Yokkaichi, Mie Prefecture, are recently attracting visitors from across the nation. While the city's tourism association hopes the tour will help make the city become a major tourist destination, people who suffered from industrial pollution in the 1960s say they don't want...
Japan Times
JAPAN / Society
Jan 20, 2019

Nonprofit groups help find safe homes for Japan's abandoned pets

Life hasn't been easy for Stella.
Japan Times
JAPAN / History
Jan 19, 2019

The University of Tokyo riots of 1968-69: A photographer remembers the final days of resistance

Riot police at the University of Tokyo haul off a man wearing a white helmet, cuffed hands clasped above his bowed head. His expression is a mixture of resignation and defiance, but the fine details are hard to discern, obscured by the dark shades of the monochrome photograph he is depicted in — where...
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / JAPANESE KITCHEN
Jan 19, 2019

Chase away the winter blues with a comforting nabe hot pot

Japanese nabe (hot pot) is a warming and hearty dish that is easy to prepare, even for the inexperienced cook. Preparing nabe together at the table makes cooking a fun group activity instead of a tedious chore.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / TOKYO FOOD FILE
Jan 19, 2019

Lakan-ka: Light, wholesome and not a speck of sugar added

From the outside, you might take Lakan-ka for just another of the smart-casual cafe-dining establishments that proliferate on the Aoyama-Jingumae side of town. But behind the sleek, modern facade with its pet-friendly terrace, this new arrival is doing things a bit differently.
Japan Times
SUMO
Jan 19, 2019

Sumo 101: Championship portraits

One of the most striking features of Ryogoku Kokugikan is the ring of giant portraits hanging from the rafters.
Japan Times
LIFE / Travel
Jan 18, 2019

Madarao: The tree skiing capital of Japan?

The Madarao Kogen ski resort prides itself on two things: its powder snow ('Madapow!') — enjoying over 10 meters of fresh snow annually — and its tree skiing. It is less well-known than some of its rivals within the prefecture, but that just means emptier runs and shorter lift queues.

Longform

After the asset-price bubble crash of the early 1990s, employment at a Japanese company was no longer necessarily for life. As a result, a new generation is less willing to endure a toxic work culture —life’s too short, after all.
How Japan's youth are slowly changing the country's work ethic