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JAPAN / Politics
Dec 30, 2019

How socialism and the left wing failed in Japan

Three decades ago, the fall of the Berlin Wall and the Malta Summit signified the end of the Cold War and the defeat of left-wing forces, including the socialists and communists.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Companies
Dec 30, 2019

Old habits die hard: Japan still struggling with push toward working style reform

Older managers are failing to recognize changing expectations among a younger workforce.
COMMUNITY / Voices / OVERHEARD
Dec 28, 2019

'Christmas sale'

'Selling minced meat at its standard weekly sales price is not really a 'Christmas sale.''
Japan Times
JAPAN / Media / BIG IN JAPAN
Dec 28, 2019

Childhood in Japan is certainly not getting any easier

The girl was 15, the teacher in his early 30s. He recognized her ability, encouraged her, befriended her, seduced her. He took her to a love hotel and said, "This is what grown-ups do."
Japan Times
CULTURE / TV & Streaming / 'Terrace House Tokyo 2019-2020' Recaps
Dec 27, 2019

Ep. 27 'I Can't Be Here'

Last episode, we were bombarded with new roommates joining the house, and now it's time to see how Vivi, Tupas and Kai are settling in. It's clear that everyone loves Vivi, and who can blame them? Well, everyone but Hana, probably, because that ray of sunshine is after her man.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Entertainment news
Dec 24, 2019

The Netflix decade: How one company changed the way we watch TV

In the not-so-distant past, TV viewers were forced to wait a week for the next installment of their favorite shows, parceled out by networks in half-hour or hour-long increments.
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC
Dec 22, 2019

Indonesian miracle survivor is on a mission to help close gaps in tsunami warning system

Arif Munandar had been pronounced dead before he woke up in a body bag four days after a monstrous wave swept his village in Indonesia's northern Aceh province 15 years ago.
Japan Times
CULTURE / TV & Streaming / 'Terrace House Tokyo 2019-2020' Recaps
Dec 21, 2019

Ep. 26 'Internationalization at Once'

It’s a small world after all. No stranger to keeping the mix of personalities and backgrounds interesting, “Terrace House” continues to invite people from around the world into its little televised bubble. Before we meet the fresh new faces replacing Haruka and Ruka, however, we have to say one...
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
Dec 17, 2019

Akihiro Hatsushika of Japan's CDP opposition party suspected of sexual assault

The Metropolitan Police Department sent papers on the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan's Akihiro Hatsushika to public prosecutors last week over allegations he sexually assaulted a woman in a taxi in May 2015, according to police sources.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Dec 16, 2019

The impeachment articles are a vindication for Trump

The Democrats have effectively admitted the U.S. president did not commit any statutory crimes.
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC
Dec 16, 2019

Hong Kong protesters clash with police as Carrie Lam visits Beijing

Hong Kong's demonstrators clashed with police late Sunday as Chief Executive Carrie Lam visited Beijing, where she's expected to update Chinese President Xi Jinping and other senior officials on the violent protests that have gripped the city for the past six months.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Dec 16, 2019

French CGT union gives ultimatum to government to pull pension reform plan

France's CGT union threatened on Sunday to double its protests unless the government withdraws its pension reform proposal within the next week.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Media / BIG IN JAPAN
Dec 14, 2019

Laughing at life's trials and tribulations in Japan

Life is tragic, life is comic; the glass is half-empty — no, half full. Point of view is all. Two magazines — President and Spa — represent the opposite poles of optimism and pessimism. For President, bad luck and good luck are all in the mind. The former is a failure of will, the latter always...
JAPAN / Media / BIG IN JAPAN
Dec 7, 2019

The long arm of the law can't be rushed in Japan

In Japan, 2019 will be remembered as a year that ended twice. In addition to the Western calendar year, which ends on Dec. 31, April 30 marked the final day of year 31 of the Heisei Era, thereby bringing an end to the reign of Emperor Akihito, who had abdicated in favor of Crown Prince Naruhito. From...
JAPAN / Media / MEDIA MIX
Nov 30, 2019

Taro Yamamoto blurs the popular line on climate change

Climate change is not much of a social issue in Japan. Even in the wake of three recent weather-related disasters, there has been little discussion across the political spectrum that climate change contributed to them. In Europe and the United States, left-leaning groups demand action to mitigate the...
Japan Times
CULTURE / TV & Streaming / 'Terrace House Tokyo 2019-2020' Recaps
Nov 29, 2019

Ep. 24 'Pink Rose'

This week's episode of 'Terrace House' treated us to two roommate pairings, two dates and two very different outcomes.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Nov 26, 2019

You say 'Nihon,' I say 'Nippon,' or let's call the whole thing 'Japan'?

There's a famous part of Tokyo called Nihonbashi, but a place in Osaka using the same kanji is pronounced Nipponbashi. When do you use the 'ho' and when do you use the 'po'? It depends on what everyone else is saying.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Companies
Nov 25, 2019

WeWork's escape plan is buried in the books at its Tokyo office

Masayoshi Son stood on stage in Tokyo earlier this month and told skeptical SoftBank Group Corp. investors that making WeWork Cos. profitable is not only possible, but will be "simple." Driving that confidence is WeWork's Japanese unit, which is already in the black and will be the springboard for a...
Japan Times
CULTURE / TV & Streaming / 'Terrace House Tokyo 2019-2020' Recaps
Nov 22, 2019

Ep. 23 'Friendship Between Men and Women'

I propose a very low-stakes drinking game for watching the recent episodes of "Terrace House" — you'll probably be parched by the end credits, though. Whenever Ruka appears on screen, take a sip of your beverage of choice. His appearances have become so rare lately that he's basically making cameos...
Japan Times
BASKETBALL / NBA
Nov 20, 2019

Wizards look to capitalize on Rui Hachimura's wave of popularity

Washington Wizards part owner Raul Fernandez described the team's top rookie Rui Hachimura as "an incredible human being, incredible athlete and great ambassador" for the club and the NBA on Tuesday.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Nov 18, 2019

Asian airlines slash flights to Hong Kong as unrest escalates

Several Asian airlines have cut flights to Hong Kong for the coming weeks, an industry scheduling publication showed, as anti-government protests in the city grow increasingly violent and disrupt daily life.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Media / BIG IN JAPAN
Nov 16, 2019

News outlets are uncertain about the nation's future

The BBC in October published a glowing encomium to Japanese cleanliness. "How," it asks, "does Japan stay so clean?"
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Nov 16, 2019

Millennials missed their own boom times

Too many economic forces were against them when they came of age.
Japan Times
CULTURE / TV & Streaming / 'Terrace House Tokyo 2019-2020' Recaps
Nov 15, 2019

Ep. 22 'Tip Off'

Last week's episode of "Terrace House" made it look like the housemates were on the verge of pairing off into couples: Emika and Ruka; Haruka and Peppe; and Hana and Ryo. The commentators love how harmonious and lovey-dovey the house has become (with the positive mood making their own lives feel stress...
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC
Nov 12, 2019

U.S. condemns latest Hong Kong violence, urging both sides to de-escalate

The United States on Monday condemned "unjustified use of deadly force" in the latest Hong Kong violence and urged police and civilians alike to de-escalate the situation, a senior Trump administration official said.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Nov 12, 2019

FAA official sought grounding of pre-owned Southwest Boeing jets amid concerns over repairs

A Federal Aviation Administration official wrote a memo last month saying that Southwest Airlines Co. should ground 49 of its airliners because repairs were performed that don't meet legal standards.
JAPAN
Nov 8, 2019

Japan's rugby, disasters and social change generate buzzwords in 2019

The 2019 Rugby World Cup, natural disasters and cashless payment inspired a large portion of the nominations for the annual buzzword of the year awards.
Japan Times
CULTURE / TV & Streaming / 'Terrace House Tokyo 2019-2020' Recaps
Nov 8, 2019

Ep. 21 'Too Shy Girl'

Hold on, are we watching "Terrace House" or a spinoff of "The Bachelor"? Because it looks like everyone is receiving a rose this week, as Haruka, Emika and Hana — who all have flower kanji in their names (hence the previous episode's title "The Third Flower") — come clean about their respective crushes....
JAPAN
Nov 8, 2019

'Nagoya passing' no more? Aichi pins hopes on expo center to bring in big names and tourism

Avid fans of all-girl pop act AKB48 braved a persistent drizzle outside Aichi Sky Expo on a recent Saturday morning, forming a long queue as they waited for a "handshaking" session with the group's idols to kick off.
Japan Times
WORLD
Nov 7, 2019

Hundred of thousands displaced by floods in East Africa

Heavy rains and floods have killed more than 50 people and forced hundreds of thousands of people from their homes across East Africa as researchers warn warming oceans are causing unpredictable weather patterns in the region.

Longform

A small shrine perched atop rocks braves the waves hitting the shoreline during a storm in Shimoda, Shizuoka Prefecture. The area is under threat of a possible 31-meter-high tsunami if an earthquake strikes the nearby Nankai Trough.
If the 'Big One' hits, this city could face a 31-meter-high tsunami