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JAPAN / Politics
Jan 17, 2014

Ditch reactors, don't focus on Olympics: Hosokawa quote

Japan should have declined the 2020 Olympics because the country has to focus on what to do about nuclear power, ex-Prime Minister Morihiro Hosokawa, who is set to run for Tokyo governor, says in a recently published book.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Stage
Jan 15, 2014

'Kaz' Kumagai brings tip-top tap to town

"Anyone can enjoy being be a tap dancer in their daily life; all you have to do is casually make a rhythm with your feet when you're walking down the street," Japan's leading exponent of the art, Kazunori Kumagai, insists — seemingly oblivious to the gulf between him and most of the rest of clod-hopping...
COMMUNITY / Issues
Jan 15, 2014

Three cases, three paths to legitimacy for Supreme Court

When I began studying Japanese, one of my goals was to be able to read the Nihon Keizai Shimbun, Japan's version of The Wall Street Journal. Achieving that goal, however, meant realizing that it is possibly The Most Boring Newspaper on Earth.
Japan Times
BASKETBALL / NBL NOTEBOOK
Jan 15, 2014

Coach Hill brings patience, positivity to Tsukuba Robots

Asked what brought him over to Japan to take a head coaching job, Donte' Hill assertively answered with one word: basketball.
BUSINESS / Economy
Jan 14, 2014

Current-account gap widens to record on weak yen

As imports climbed, the nation's current-account deficit widened to a record in November, underscoring challenges for Prime Minister Shinzo Abe as he tries to drive a sustained economic rebound.
JAPAN / EXPLAINER
Jan 13, 2014

Novartis drug's data-tampering reflects unchecked collusion

Last week, the Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry filed a criminal complaint with prosecutors against Novartis Pharma K.K., the Japanese subsidiary of Swiss pharmaceutical giant Novartis, alleging the firm made exaggerated advertising claims for its blockbuster blood pressure drug Diovan.
BASKETBALL
Jan 12, 2014

Sunflowers reign supreme in Empress' Cup

The JX-Eneos Sunflowers captured the Empress' Cup, which, according to their veteran point guard Asami Yoshida, had always belonged to them.
Japan Times
JAPAN / WEDGE
Jan 12, 2014

Pakistanis find niche in used car business

Led by Pakistanis living in Japan, exports of Japanese used cars are growing, thanks to their durability and high technology. In particular, Pakistanis at Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University (APU) in Beppu, Oita Prefecture, have been very active in the used-car business, using social networking services...
Reader Mail
Jan 11, 2014

Connect the dots on English study

The Jan. 5 article "English fluency hopes rest on an education overhaul" leaves a logic gap as to why Prime Minister Shinzo Abe should dream of a nation "that will actively re-engage with the global marketplace."
JAPAN / Media / BIG IN JAPAN
Jan 11, 2014

Children are blank slates for truth, or propaganda

Imagine you are a parent whose child is being taught propaganda. What do you do? Teach your children the truth and watch their grades slip as they lose interest in school? Or turn a blind eye, knowing their future careers will depend on their grades?
Japan Times
CULTURE / Books
Jan 11, 2014

An inside look at the anime industry

Many books about anime and its makers have been published abroad in English and other languages, but few are by Japanese critics and scholars. In Japan, it's the reverse, with non-Japanese anime writers excluded from publishers' lists.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Media / MEDIA MIX
Jan 11, 2014

Dire quake forecasts fail to stir a numb public

Is there a level of fear above which the mind reflexively retreats from imagining the worst? The Great East Japan Earthquake was often described as being 'beyond imagination,' and the art and science of projecting future catastrophes has had to adjust accordingly.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Companies
Jan 9, 2014

Nissan set to double Leaf sales: Ghosn

Nissan Motor Co., which reported record U.S. sales of Leaf hatchbacks in 2013, is optimistic that it can soon double deliveries, Chief Executive Officer Carlos Ghosn said.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Jan 9, 2014

Takenaka touts Nikkei surge

Stocks could surpass a level not seen since 2007 if the Abe administration pushes through in its drive to loosen business regulations, said Heizo Takenaka, a member of a government council on special economic zones.
Japan Times
Events / Events In Tokyo
Jan 9, 2014

Taste some local fun at Tokyo Dome

Whenever you crave a home-made meal, chances are you'll head straight to your hometown or mom's house for a taste of your childhood. Failing that, though, you could visit the Furusato Matsuri at Tokyo Dome City in Tokyo's Suidobashi district, where all kinds of local foods and specialties from across...
COMMUNITY / Issues / LABOR PAINS
Jan 8, 2014

Restore the shuttered-up New Year's of yore

First of all, I would like to wish a happy new year to all the readers of Labor Pains. While labor news has generally been a gloomy topic of late, it is my hope that this year will bring brighter things for me to write about.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Jan 8, 2014

Sake boom revives rice types as Abe eyes exports

Farmers on Japan's west coast will sow Nihonbare rice this year for the first time in a decade as growers around the country return to older varieties to meet demand for record sake exports.
JAPAN
Jan 7, 2014

Expanded links to Indian air force eyed amid China spat

Japan and India moved to expand air force ties before Prime Minister Shinzo Abe visits New Delhi in a few weeks, bolstering relations two months after China declared an air defense identification zone in a disputed area.
JAPAN / Politics
Jan 6, 2014

Axed nationalist Gen. Tamogami seeks Tokyo governorship

An ex-top Air Self-Defense Force officer who was sacked in 2008 for his right-leaning, nationalistic views on history plans to run for the Tokyo gubernatorial election to be held Feb. 9, an employee at his office said Monday.
Japan Times
JAPAN / GENERATIONAL CHANGE
Jan 5, 2014

Rebuilding hope, one stitch at a time

Most of the 19 women from the tsunami-hit city of Kesennuma, Miyagi Prefecture, who work for Tamako Mitarai's knitwear company had no professional experience as knitters.
COMMENTARY / COUNTERPOINT
Jan 4, 2014

Back and forward: Asia in 2013; predictions for 2014

Crystal-ball gazing is a notoriously inexact science, so before getting to that, let's lessen the potential exposure to ridicule by starting with a roundup of the last 12 months' key trends and events in Asia.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / TELLING LIVES
Jan 3, 2014

Drawing out the demons and dreams of Fukushima

Artist Geoff Read is currently focused on helping Fukushima's children articulate their hopes and fears. As he explains, 'In my Strong Children Japan Project, the most important thing the pictures can do is to help these children have a safer childhood.'
COMMENTARY / World
Jan 3, 2014

Business tie-ups that help the Himalayan poor

The private sector can be a powerful partner in any endeavor just as it is with commercial satellite launches. This must include the fight against poverty in Hindu Kush-Himalayas.
BUSINESS / Companies
Jan 2, 2014

Komatsu bets on local concrete boom as global mining sales falter

Construction equipment maker Komatsu Ltd. expects spending on disaster reconstruction and prevention, as well as preparations for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games, to boost earnings in its home market.

Longform

After pandemic-era border regulations eased, Indian migrants began returning to Japan. Their population now stands at more than 50,000 across the country.
How remote work is rewriting the migrant experience in Japan