Search - 2012

 
 
BUSINESS / YEN FOR LIVING
Jan 27, 2012

Higher electric bills on horizon to pay for solar

To jumpstart solar energy promotion, power companies have started adding higher surcharges.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Media / Japan Pulse
Jan 27, 2012

Companies connect with free mobile apps

With mobile apps, both clever and practical, innovative companies glom onto fans and potential customers.
COMMENTARY
Jan 27, 2012

Lesson of Great Recession is too hard to accept

The recent release of the 2006 transcripts of the Federal Reserve's main policymaking body stimulated a small media frenzy: "Little Alarm Shown at Fed at Dawn of Housing Bust," headlined The Wall Street Journal. The Washington Post agreed: "As financial crisis brewed, Fed appeared unconcerned." The New...
Events / Events Outside Tokyo
Jan 27, 2012

New National Theatre, Tokyo, opens season with Puccini classic

The New National Theatre, Tokyo, (NNTT) is opening its 2012 opera season with a classic by Italian composer Giacomo Puccini.
JAPAN
Jan 27, 2012

Opposition digs in against Noda

Opposition lawmakers grilled Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda on Thursday over planned social security and tax reforms and his "inability" to keep his party's campaign pledges, and pressed again for him to call a Lower House election.
EDITORIALS
Jan 27, 2012

Power users on the hook

Tokyo Electric Power Co. said Jan. 17 that it will seek an average 17 percent hike in electricity rates from April for some 240,000 enterprises having contracts for 50 kW or more. It hopes to raise some ¥400 billion annually through the hike and to use the revenue to finance part of the fuel costs of...
Japan Times
LIFE / Travel / HOTELS & RESTAURANTS
Jan 27, 2012

Conrad Tokyo offers beauty plan

Together with French luxury skin-care brand Orlane Paris, the Conrad Tokyo is offering a special accommodation plan focusing on beauty called "Beauty Hunter Conrad Meets Orlane," throughout 2012.
EDITORIALS
Jan 26, 2012

Tax plan ill-timed and ill-thought

Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda made a policy speech before the Diet on Tuesday as it started a regular session for 2012. His main theme was a raise of the consumption tax and he called on opposition parties to take part in consultations on the matter with his ruling Democratic Party of Japan.
COMMENTARY / World
Jan 25, 2012

Does austerity promote economic growth?

In his classic "Fable of the Bees: or, Private Vices," Publick Benefits (1724), Bernard Mandeville, the Dutch-born British philosopher and satirist, described — in verse — a prosperous society (of bees) that suddenly chose to make a virtue of austerity, dropping all excess expenditure and extravagant...
COMMENTARY
Jan 25, 2012

A snapshot of freedom of expression in America

Shawn Nee, 35, works in television but hopes to publish a book of photographs. Shane Quentin, 31, repairs bicycles but enjoys photographing industrial scenes at night. The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department probably wishes both would find other hobbies. Herewith a story of today's inevitable friction...
EDITORIALS
Jan 25, 2012

At loggerheads over tolls

The Honshu-Shikoku expressway system links Honshu and Shikoku via three routes. But its tolls are higher than other expressways because the expressway system includes many bridge crossings over straits, where construction costs were high. Tolls for its land sections are 1.1 times higher and those for...
Japan Times
LIFE / Digital / TECH_JAPAN
Jan 25, 2012

Sony and Fujitsu take Japan into the battle for global smartphone dominance

Last year was the year that finally saw Android phones achieve booming growth all over the world, including here in Japan. But thus far, Japanese manufacturers have yet to crack the top tier of smartphone makers, as South Korea's Samsung and the Taiwanese HTC have led the charge thus far. But at the...
SUMO / SUMO SCRIBBLINGS
Jan 24, 2012

2012 kicks off with a bang for Baruto

Before the New Year's Grand Sumo Tournament, most fans would have predicted that Hakuho, the reigning yokozuna, would claim his third successive Emperor's Cup, and 22nd title overall.
EDITORIALS
Jan 24, 2012

Economic policy key to job creation

In October 2011, a new system started to help job seekers not covered by unemployment insurance. Under this system, unemployed people who have registered themselves with public employment security offices (PESOs) and meet certain conditions can join job training courses for up to two years while receiving...
COMMENTARY
Jan 23, 2012

Typecast 'vulture capitalist' has work cut out

For Mitt Romney, it's the best of times and the worst of times. While his New Hampshire win brings him closer to the Republican nomination, his campaign narrative against President Barack Obama may be unraveling.
COMMENTARY / World
Jan 23, 2012

Spring erosion of Seoul's ruling party forecast

The ascension to power of the pudgy 29-year-old Kim Jong Un in North Korea has grabbed headlines around the world, but the most important story involving Korean young people and politics is taking place in the South.
SOCCER / J. League
Jan 23, 2012

Makino determined to get career back on track at Urawa

Last year was one to forget for both Urawa Reds and Tomoaki Makino, but the national team defender believes 2012 will be a different story after joining the fallen Saitama giants on a season-long loan.
BASEBALL / BASEBALL BULLET-IN
Jan 22, 2012

'Boomer' came up short in latest bid for Hall of Fame

It was a good week for the Hiroshima Carp family as two former pitchers were elected to the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame. Manabu Kitabeppu and the late Tsunemi Tsuda garnered enough votes to enter Tokyo's version of Cooperstown. Their induction ceremony will take place at an All-Star Game at Kyocera...
ENVIRONMENT / OUR PLANET EARTH
Jan 22, 2012

Changing self and systems for a leaner and greener Japan

Year in, year out, it never ceases to amaze me what a difference a day makes.
BASKETBALL
Jan 21, 2012

Happinets cut Terry following arrest

After being arrested for theft of alcoholic beverages at an Akita convenience store last weekend, veteran swingman Curtis Terry has been released by the Akita Northern Happinets, the bj-league team announced on Thursday.
COMMENTARY
Jan 21, 2012

Bring the world closer to Japan

Once the Cold War was over, globalism was widely expected to expand but has since lost its momentum due to the credit crunch stemming from the sovereign debt crisis in Europe and the ensuing economic recession around the world. As a result, the World Trade Organization gave up in December on concluding...
COMMENTARY
Jan 20, 2012

Finessing the dramatic opening to Myanmar

Perhaps a democratic system of government will not prove the final answer for Myanmar. Just take a look at the Philippines if you're crazy about another possible "for sale" democracy in Asia. But considering what the good people of what used to be called Burma have had to endure — an intellectually...

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Visitors walk past Sou Fujimoto's Grand Ring, which has been recognized as the largest wooden structure in the world.
Can a World Expo still matter? Japan is about to find out.