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Japan Times
JAPAN / Media / MEDIA MIX
Sep 23, 2012

Scrutiny of Tohoku reconstruction funds needed

Last December there was a mild eruption of indignation when it was reported that some of the money earmarked for reconstruction of areas affected by the earthquake and tsunami of March 2011 would go to protect research whaling from interventionists like Sea Shepherd. Greenpeace and a few other organizations...
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Sep 21, 2012

Game show highlights smartphone offerings

Producing more quality social games will be a key to succeeding in the growing smartphone video game market as devices become more powerful and high-speed networks spread, according to Yoshikazu Tanaka, the president of game site operator Gree Inc.
BUSINESS
Sep 21, 2012

Komatsu aims to halve power use in three years

Battling with the power shortages stemming from the Fukushima nuclear crisis, Komatsu Ltd. will spend ¥58 billion to scrap aging facilities and become more energy-efficient.
EDITORIALS
Sep 20, 2012

U.S. Fed keeps hoping

The U.S. Federal Reserve on Sept. 13 announced a third round of quantitative easing to stimulate the national economy. The previous round of easing had lasted from November 2010 to June 2011.
COMMENTARY
Sep 12, 2012

New ships give China's navy a stronger punch

In the latest step in its naval modernization and expansion, China recently announced that it is accelerating serial production of an advanced destroyer. This will tilt the regional balance of power at sea in its favor and put it in a stronger position to enforce its sovereignty claims over Taiwan and...
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Sep 11, 2012

Mitsui opens power-saving model 'smart house'

Mitsui Home Co. unveiled a "smart house" Monday equipped with temperature sensors and other high-tech gear that can help reduce electricity consumption by some 50 percent.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Sep 11, 2012

Nomura CEO: Overseas units to see '14 profit

Koji Nagai, who took over as Nomura Holdings Inc.'s chief executive officer last month, said he plans to make overseas operations profitable by June 2014.
EDITORIALS
Sep 7, 2012

Lure of public works spending

As the next Lower House election is expected to take place in the near future, proposals are gaining momentum among political parties to inject large amounts of government money for public works projects.
BUSINESS / YEN FOR LIVING
Sep 5, 2012

Buy now to beat the consumption tax increase ... or don't

The pros and cons of making big-ticket purchases before the consumption tax increase.
BUSINESS
Sep 4, 2012

Both Ford, Toyota claim top-selling car in the world

Ford Motor Co., the second-largest U.S. automaker, and Toyota Motor Corp., Asia's biggest car company, are each saying they produced the best-selling car in the world in the first half. Their definitions are the key.
COMMENTARY / World
Sep 1, 2012

Putin's bad neighbor policy reaps poor harvest

Russia has shown itself to be an international spoiler with its ardent support for Syrian President Bashar Assad. The contrast with its benign policy toward Libya in 2011 reflects how Russian foreign policy changed with the return of Vladimir Putin to the Kremlin. On foreign policy, at least, Russia's...
EDITORIALS
Sep 1, 2012

The blame for Diet paralysis

Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda and the ruling Democratic Party of Japan bear primary responsibility for the current paralytic political situation — the virtual stoppage of Diet deliberations after a censure motion against Mr. Noda passed in the opposition-controlled Upper House Wednesday.
EDITORIALS
Aug 31, 2012

Diet business at an impasse

Diet business has reached paralysis as the opposition forces on Wednesday passed a censure motion against Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda. Following passage of the motion, the opposition forces plan to boycott all the deliberations in both houses of the Diet on bills submitted by the government.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Aug 31, 2012

Reverse imports on the rise thanks to strong yen

Japan Inc. has found a new export market: Japan.
JAPAN
Aug 30, 2012

Censure motion against Noda OK'd

With the Sept. 8 end of the current Diet session nearing, political players in Nagata-cho engaged in a heated tit-for-tat battle Wednesday as the opposition-controlled Upper House passed a censure motion against Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda to try to push him into dissolving the Lower House.
COMMENTARY
Aug 30, 2012

Going to the moon still matters

When the first man on the moon died Saturday, U.S. President Barack Obama tweeted: "Neil Armstrong was a hero not just of his time, but of all time." Armstrong's final comment on Obama, on the other hand, was that the president's policy on manned space flight was "devastating," adding that it condemned...
BUSINESS
Aug 29, 2012

LDP likely to halt deficit bond bill

The legislation passed Tuesday by the Lower House authorizing the sale of bonds to finance the budget will probably be blocked by the Upper House, complicating Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda's economic policy.
EDITORIALS
Aug 28, 2012

Dangers of consumption tax hike

With the enactment of a law to raise the consumption tax rate, Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda may feel relieved and believe that he has done something good. But one wonders whether he has given serious thought to the effects that the tax hike will have on the economy, which has been suffering from persistent...
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Aug 28, 2012

Home purchases rise ahead of tax increase

Record low mortgage rates and the prospect of a consumption tax hike that will add the price of a new Toyota Corolla to the cost of an average home spurred Sumiko Morigaki into action.
Reader Mail
Aug 19, 2012

Noda tempts economic disaster

Regarding the Aug. 11 front-page article "Upper House passes bill to hike sales levy": As someone who lives in Japan, I think raising the consumption tax at this time is an ill-conceived idea and one that could very well be the impetus for economic disaster.

Longform

Ichiro Suzuki, one of the most iconic players in NPB and MLB history, was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame with 99.7% of the vote.
With Hall of Fame induction, Ichiro makes himself heard loud and clear