Search - people

 
 
COMMENTARY / World
Jan 10, 2017

Pitfalls of strongman populism

Democratically adopted policies have more staying power than those imposed by autocrats.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Jan 10, 2017

Group drawing on long-term foreign residents to help newcomers navigate life in Japan

Foreign residents in Japan may be at a disadvantage in some ways, but they are by no means powerless nor on their own, says Tokyo-based nonprofit organization Asian People's Friendship Society (APFS).
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC / Science & Health
Jan 10, 2017

From Iceland to Maldives, Chinese seek 'lung-cleansing' trips

Toxic haze that settled over much of China during the last three weeks has triggered a flight reflex among residents, leading to the rising popularity of smog avoidance travel packages to far-flung locations such as Iceland and Antarctica.
LIFE / Language
Jan 9, 2017

Feel young again with the 'yokozuna' products of last year

Back in 1971, a newly launched newspaper covering retailing and distribution, named the 日経流通新聞 (Nikkei Ryūtsū Shimbun, subsequently named Nikkei Marketing Journal), was looking for a promotional idea. It came up with a real winner by mimicking a 相撲番付 (sumō banzuke, a stylized hierarchical...
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics
Jan 9, 2017

Chinese state tabloid warns Trump, end 'one-China' policy and China will 'take revenge'

State-run Chinese tabloid Global Times warned U.S. President-elect Donald Trump that Beijing would "take revenge" if he reneged on the "one-China" policy, only hours after Taiwan's president made a controversial stopover in Houston.
JAPAN / Media
Jan 7, 2017

Inada's Yasukuni visit sinks Pearl Harbor gesture

If Prime Minister Shinzo Abe meant what he said about the "power of reconciliation" on his Dec. 27 visit to Pearl Harbor in Hawaii, he should sack Defense Minister Tomomi Inada who visited Yasukuni Shrine two days later. If he does nothing, then his visit will be reduced to an empty public relations...
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / 20 QUESTIONS
Jan 7, 2017

Entrepreneur Elio Orsara: 'Tokyo is the dining out capital of the world'

Restaurant owner on the magic of being involved in the hospitality industry.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Society
Jan 6, 2017

As welfare costs climb, gerontology groups propose higher age for definition of 'elderly'

Japanese between 65 and 74 should no longer be classified as elderly because they are physically and mentally much younger than their counterparts were decades ago, says a proposal backed by two academic societies.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink
Jan 6, 2017

Richie Hawtin: Pairing Japan's best sake with techno

Richie Hawtin needs no introduction to anyone familiar with electronic music. For 25 years, this Berlin-based, English-Canadian DJ has been at the forefront of techno and he continues to play at major music and art events around the planet.
BUSINESS / Companies
Jan 6, 2017

SoftBank fund said to draw up to $15 billion from Abu Dhabi's Mubadala

Abu Dhabi's Mubadala Development Co. is considering committing $10 billion to $15 billion to partner with SoftBank Group Corp. and Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund in a new vehicle to invest in global technology, according to people familiar with the matter.
Japan Times
WORLD / Science & Health
Jan 5, 2017

Canada scientists: Living near heavy traffic raises dementia risk

People who live near busy roads laden with heavy traffic face a higher risk of developing dementia than those living farther away, according to researchers in Canada.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Jan 4, 2017

'Wiener-Dog': Todd Solondz is always painfully funny

Trigger warning: I am about to discuss a Todd Solondz film.
JAPAN / Society
Jan 4, 2017

Children in Japan struggle to break out of poverty cycle

The relative poverty rate — the percentage of children living under the poverty line — has increased from 10.9 percent in 1985 to 16.3 percent in 2012. The figure translates into roughly 1 in 6 children.
COMMENTARY / World
Jan 3, 2017

Brace for an interesting year

The period of economic and political upheaval that began in 2016 will continue this year.
COMMENTARY / World
Jan 2, 2017

Democrats: Stop the fear and loathing of 2017

Democrats need to stop wallowing in misery and start planning on how to take America back.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Jan 1, 2017

2017 rings in across Japan as shrine, temple throngs pray for good year

As people across Japan celebrated the turn of the year, they flocked to shrines and temples Sunday morning for their traditional hatsumode pilgrimage to make a fresh start on New Year's Day.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Media / MEDIA MIX
Dec 31, 2016

Buried truths: Digging deep into Japanese media from 2016

Everyone agrees 2016 was a terrible year, and not just because so many popular celebrities died. In addition to the wars, both hot and rhetorical, that continue unabated throughout the world, the political situation in Europe and America veered toward isolationism. Hatred ruled, and no resentments were...
Japan Times
LIFE / Travel
Dec 31, 2016

Buried alive in the shadow of a Kyushu volcano

"Is the temperature alright for you ma'am?" my Japanese attendant asks in a polished U.S. accent as he cheerfully heaps another pile of hot sand on my torso.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / How-tos / HOME TRUTHS
Dec 31, 2016

Getting too cozy to the next-door neighbors

In its Dec. 20 issue, Asahi Shimbun reported on a couple in their 60s living in Saitama City. Two years ago their neighbor installed an Eco Cute system that uses heat pump technology to heat water more efficiently and, thus, reduce electricity costs. But since the system was installed, the older couple's...
Japan Times
BASKETBALL / B. League / B. LEAGUE NOTEBOOK
Dec 29, 2016

Fazekas, Spangler shine for Kawasaki

A season ago, established stars Nick Fazekas and Naoto Tsuji set the tone for the then-Toshiba Brave Thunders in the final NBL season. From a statistical standpoint, they were the driving force behind the team's championship.
BUSINESS
Dec 29, 2016

Japan looks to Singapore for ideas as Diet debate over new casino law looms

What are the odds that the public can be convinced of the case for legalized casino gambling?
JAPAN
Dec 29, 2016

The top Japan news stories of 2016

The Japan Times newsroom selected these national news stories as the most important of 2016.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Dec 28, 2016

Democracy may be down but it's far from out

This past year has been one where the limits and failings of democracy became more visible than at any time since World War II enshrined the view that representative government was best.

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