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Japan Times
LIFE / Style & Design / ON: FASHION
May 8, 2012

Issey Miyake's innovations beat the Brits to win the Design Museum of London fashion award

Colloquially called "The Oscars of Design," the Design Museum of London Design Awards are prestigious accolades given in six categories to the most innovative and inspiring designs of the year — and this year's top honors in the fashion category went to Japan's own Issey Miyake and his team of boundary-pushing...
JAPAN
May 1, 2012

Tax hike small change in senior-care dilemma

The ominous demographics of aging Japan have long been seen by the people as a distant concern, not a present-day one. But that mindset is being called into question by a prime minister who says a crisis requiring immediate sacrifices has already begun.
JAPAN / EXPLAINER
May 1, 2012

Constitution again faces calls for revision to meet reality

Thursday marks the 65th year since the Constitution took effect in 1947.
EDITORIALS
Apr 30, 2012

Sorting out bills for careful debate

A special committee was set up in the Lower House on April 26 to mainly discuss tax and social welfare reform bills, including a bill to raise the consumption tax. The political parties should have careful discussions in the committee because the bills will directly affect people's lives.
JAPAN
Apr 28, 2012

Eased postal reforms, Diet pay cuts passed

The Diet passed a bill Friday to amend the Postal Privatization Law and water down the postal reforms championed in the early 2000s by then Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, and a bill to trim national lawmakers' salaries for two years.
JAPAN
Apr 27, 2012

Ozawa not guilty of fund conspiracy

Ichiro Ozawa, former president of the ruling Democratic Party of Japan, was acquitted Thursday of conspiring with former aides to make false financial reports in his political fund management body Rikuzankai in 2004 and 2005.
JAPAN / ANALYSIS
Apr 27, 2012

Political showdown, and possibly poll, loom

Now that Ichiro Ozawa has been acquitted of funding irregularity charges, experts said one thing is certain at this stage: he will try to regain power within his Democratic Party of Japan and send Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda packing.
BUSINESS
Apr 26, 2012

Development 'challenges' postpone maiden voyage, first deliveries of MRJ by at least a year

Mitsubishi Aircraft Corp. has pushed back the maiden flight and delivery schedule of its Mitsubishi Regional Jet by at least a year, citing delays in the development schedule.
JAPAN
Apr 25, 2012

It's what Oi reactor tests don't cover that worries

After having undergone major safety checks that were mandated because of the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear plant crisis that started last year, the government is moving to restart reactors at Kansai Electric Power Co.'s Oi facility in Fukui Prefecture.
BUSINESS
Apr 25, 2012

Nissan can post ¥10 trillion in sales if Japan's '1,000-lb. gorilla' allows: Ghosn

Nissan Motor Co. Chief Executive Officer Carlos Ghosn said revenue at Japan's second-biggest automaker may reach ¥10 trillion ($123 billion) in 2012, depending on the strength of a currency he compared to an oversize ape.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Apr 25, 2012

MUFJ to hire 200 for derivatives business

Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group Inc. will hire 50 currency and interest-rate derivatives traders globally in the next three years to help more than double annual profit in the business to ¥500 billion.
BUSINESS
Apr 24, 2012

Growing 'butterfly gap' shows 10-year JGBs top bet

Investors are favoring Japan's 10-year notes over both shorter- and longer-term debt on prospects the central bank will succumb to lawmaker calls to buy a wider spectrum of debt to support the economy.
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / JAPAN LITE
Apr 21, 2012

Kansai's new budget airline offers juicy savings

On March 1, the first flight of All Nippon Airways' new low-cost carrier, Peach Aviation Ltd., was launched. Yes, now we know that fruit can fly. This may bring on a whole slew of flying fruit — flying bananas, pineapples, and even low-budget strawberries.
JAPAN
Apr 21, 2012

Censure motions passed on ministers

The Upper House passed nonbinding censure motions Friday against Defense Minister Naoki Tanaka and Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Minister Takeshi Maeda, delivering a double blow to Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda's administration.
BUSINESS
Apr 12, 2012

Myanmar taps TSE to build stock exchange

Tokyo Stock Exchange Group Inc. and Daiwa Securities Group Inc. said Wednesday they have reached an agreement with the central bank of Myanmar to set up a stock exchange and help grow a capital market in the country.
JAPAN
Apr 12, 2012

Opposition grills Noda over tax reform details

Social security and tax reform plans were the main issues of contention Wednesday as opposition party leaders grilled Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda during a one-on-one Diet debate.
BUSINESS
Apr 12, 2012

Currency chief says it's time to act

Japan's top currency official warned against delays in efforts to improve the nation's finances as Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda grapples with the world's biggest public debt burden.
COMMENTARY
Apr 11, 2012

What Mitt Romney needs in a vice president

Barack Obama's intellectual sociopathy — his often breezy and sometimes loutish indifference to truth — should no longer startle. It should, however, influence Mitt Romney's choice of a running mate.
JAPAN
Apr 10, 2012

LDP and Komeito shoot down reform talks

Two main opposition parties on Monday spurned a call by the ruling Democratic Party of Japan to hold talks on social security and tax reform, dealing another setback to Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda as he seeks support for a contentious tax hike bill.
COMMENTARY
Apr 10, 2012

World Bank could use a competitive advantage

From a turn of phrase by Jim O'Neill of Goldman Sachs in 2001, a grouping was born in 2009. BRICS (Brazil, Russia, China, India and South Africa) make up two-fifths of the world's population, one-fifth of world gross domestic product and one-seventh of world trade. Yet, they account for two-thirds of...
JAPAN
Apr 7, 2012

Debate growing over 'local' reactor consent

Dissent between those inside Fukui Prefecture who want two reactors in the town of Oi restarted quickly and those in adjacent prefectures who want to wait for stronger safety measures or are opposed altogether, highlights the dilemma Tokyo faces in obtaining local consent.

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