Search - 2015

 
 
Japan Times
JAPAN / DAVOS SPECIAL 2015
Jan 21, 2015

Forging better Japan through 'quiet revolution'

Entrepreneur Yoshito Hori has a strong sense of mission to guide Japan to become a better place as it undergoes what he calls a "quiet revolution," and he thinks his role is outside of politics.
Japan Times
JAPAN / DAVOS SPECIAL 2015
Jan 21, 2015

Switzerland and Japan celebrate 150th anniversary of their diplomatic relations

Switzerland, which is home to Davos, is celebrating the 150th anniversary of diplomatic relations with Japan. The Japan Times had an opportunity to interview Swiss Ambassador to Japan Urs Bucher on the bilateral relationship. He has been the ambassador in Tokyo since October 2010.
JAPAN / DAVOS SPECIAL 2015
Jan 21, 2015

Exhibition examines Swiss design

Venue: Tokyo Opera City Art Gallery
Japan Times
JAPAN / DAVOS SPECIAL 2015
Jan 21, 2015

Carrying on 'washi' paper tradition

"Washi," or traditional Japanese handmade paper, was officially added to UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage list last November. It is a remarkable accomplishment that the nation's traditional culture has achieved such recognition for the second year in a row, following the inclusion of "washoku" traditional...
Japan Times
JAPAN / DAVOS SPECIAL 2015
Jan 21, 2015

Sake: Best drink for 'washoku'

What are good alcoholic beverages to enjoy with "washoku," traditional Japanese cuisine? While beer, shochu and even whisky and wine are popular choices, the best match by far is sake, the national beverage of Japan. After all, washoku has been developed over many centuries as a cuisine to go well with...
COMMENTARY
Jan 20, 2015

Proven scare tactics serve Putin well

President Vladimir Putin knows that the canny use of fear and forgiveness will allow him to retain his grip on power.
COMMENTARY
Jan 20, 2015

Building community resilience to disasters: legacy of the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake

The Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake ushered in a new era of volunteerism in Japan, and highlighted many lessons on how to prepare for disasters.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Jan 20, 2015

E-Girls "E.G. Time"

Idol group E-Girls have a knack for covers. On last year's "Colorful Pop," they opened with a song borrowing the main synthesizer line from Yellow Magic Orchestra's "Rydeen" before later transforming Japanese disco tunes and Bananarama singles into tightly crafted blasts of electro-pop. It made for one...
BUSINESS / Economy
Jan 20, 2015

LDP lawmaker says he wants inflation targets fixed in law

A lawmaker who has advised Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on economic policy said he will urge the government to enshrine its inflation-targeting agreements with the Bank of Japan in law as early as next year.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Jan 20, 2015

Tokyo to spend ¥45 billion on hydrogen stations, subsidies ahead of Olympics

Tokyo plans to spend ¥45.2 billion on fuel-cell vehicle subsidies and hydrogen stations for the 2020 Olympics as part of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's plan to reduce the nation's reliance on nuclear power.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY
Jan 19, 2015

Magic moments of noncompetitive surfing

Many of the highlights of surfing have more to do with experiencing the splendor and power of the waves than with the competitive ability to ride them.
COMMENTARY
Jan 19, 2015

Charlie and the anti-Muslim media factory

If European Muslims are expected to identify with their citizenships and other secular identities, then their fellow Europeans should not categorize them by their religious identity.
COMMENTARY
Jan 19, 2015

A perceived insult against religion is countered with words, not arms

There is a place for passionate debate on the moral question of how to balance freedom of speech with respect for religion. But the weapons of this debate should be the keyboard — not the Kalashnikov.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY
Jan 19, 2015

Russia's European home

If Western sanctions are to be an effective tool in countering Vladimir Putin's ambitions, they must combine a firm hand toward Russia's president with an open one toward its people.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Companies
Jan 19, 2015

Subaru puts China production plans on hold as car demand wanes

Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd., the only Japanese automaker without Chinese government approval to start a joint venture, has put efforts on hold to build cars in the country, where demand growth is slowing.
WORLD / Science & Health
Jan 19, 2015

Mali government declares country Ebola-free

Mali's health minister declared the West African nation free of Ebola on Sunday following a 42-day period without a new case of the deadly virus.
COMMENTARY / World
Jan 18, 2015

The future of Netanyahu and the Jewish state

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appeared politically unassailable until the abrupt resignation of two Cabinet ministers and the inconclusive war in Gaza.
JAPAN / Media / BIG IN JAPAN
Jan 17, 2015

Mags go big for Kobe gang's 100th

This year will see the observance of various centennials, including the ill-fated Gallipoli campaign in the Dardanelles; the Second Battle of Ypres; and the sinking of the RMS Lusitania with the loss of 1,198 lives.
BASEBALL / Japanese Baseball / HIT AND RUN
Jan 17, 2015

Abe leaves big shoes to fill at catcher's spot in lineup

A few seasons ago, in 2012, the Yomiuri Giants won the Japan Series just a few days after the San Francisco Giants clinched the World Series title. While the two teams already shared a nickname and color scheme, it was the first time they'd reached the pinnacle of their respective leagues in the same...
COMMENTARY / World
Jan 17, 2015

'Dynamic' deceptions in U.S. budget debate

Instead of facing the real issues of how to cut spending in the U.S. budget debate, Republicans and Democrats find it easier to argue over technical questions that, in the end, won't much affect the budget.
Japan Times
MULTIMEDIA
Jan 17, 2015

[VIDEO] Wearable Expo 2015

JAPAN
Jan 16, 2015

Disaster experts warn of need for 'risk-informed' development policies

Disaster plans that combine risk reduction with the need to quickly erect new buildings and infrastructure are becoming crucial to rebuilding from natural disasters.
WORLD
Jan 16, 2015

China renews its atomic ambition with additional reactors

China is expected to start building at least five nuclear reactors in 2015 while facing a further delay at a plant that had been slated to start this year.

Longform

Koichi Tagawa’s diary entry from Aug. 9, 1945, describes the day of the atomic bombing of Nagasaki.
The horrors of Nagasaki, in first person