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Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Nov 13, 2017

Where Koike's new political party lost hope

Japan needs a two-party system, sooner rather than later.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Media / BIG IN JAPAN
Oct 7, 2017

Is the response to scams criminally slow?

One of the more cynical dictums in Japanese goes "Shōjikimono ga baka o miru" ("Honesty doesn't pay"). In pre-modern times, neither did crime. The Osadamegaki Hyakkajo — the criminal code enforced by the Tokugawa rulers — prescribed an extensive list of severe punishments for those found guilty...
EDITORIALS
Sep 26, 2017

Abe's hardly convincing reason for snap election

His decision to call the snap poll seems driven by the political calculation that the LDP can maximize its seat gains — or minimize its possible losses — by catching the opposition off guard.
JAPAN / Politics
Sep 7, 2017

Lawmaker Yamao resigns from the DP after alleged extramarital affair deepens opposition party's crisis

Long considered a rising star, Shiori Yamao exits the Democratic Party amid an emerging scandal, dealing a blow to the nascent leadership of the struggling opposition.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Aug 21, 2017

Quieting down the language of war

Cool heads and clarity need to prevail to prevent an escalation in the North Korea crisis.
JAPAN / Media / MEDIA MIX
Jul 15, 2017

Fundraising loopholes, a political norm

The Liberal Democratic Party lost a large number of seats to Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike's upstart Tomin First Party in the Tokyo assembly election. Media surveys reveal that the public is dismayed by recent scandals involving the LDP, in particular the one surrounding educational company Kake Gakuen, which...
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Jul 10, 2017

In Japan everything counts in its own way

When emails first hit Japan in the mid-1990s, these were counted in u901a (tsu016b), the common classifier for letters. However ...
COMMENTARY / Japan / SENTAKU MAGAZINE
Jun 29, 2017

Imperial succession issue neglected

The Imperial family's future is endangered by the male-only paternal lineage succession rules, yet the Abe administration is taking no action.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / COUNTERPOINT
Jun 10, 2017

Arrogant Abe disrespects U.N. and the press

What is with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's arrogant disrespect for the United Nations?
JAPAN / Society
May 31, 2017

Soccer star Honda's tweet on government suicide data draws criticism by some, praise by others

Soccer star Keisuke Honda has caused a stir on social media with an impassioned "motivational" tweet he posted in response to a news report about Tuesday's government white paper on suicide.
JAPAN / Media / MEDIA MIX
May 6, 2017

Japanese tradition denies surrogacy

Most major media covered the March 22 Tokyo news conference where Sachiko Kishimoto of the nonprofit organization Oocyte Donation Network (OD-Net) explained how a woman in her 40s had recently given birth to a daughter who had been conceived using the woman's husband's sperm and an egg from a third party....
LIFE / Language / COMMUNICATION CUES
Mar 13, 2017

Polish woman becomes shogi queen

A Polish woman has become the first foreign female professional shogi player after a victory last month boosted her ranking.
COMMENTARY / Japan
Feb 27, 2017

Japan's Senkaku challenge

No group of islands poses a bigger challenge for Japan's security than the Senkakus.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Feb 19, 2017

Abe needs to place Japan's interests ahead of Trump's

Prime Minister Abe should be pursuing a more Asian-oriented policy with the aim of creating a peaceful backyard that can withstand any future Trump tantrums.
JAPAN / Politics
Feb 9, 2017

Can golf diplomacy help Abe score win-win on trade and defense?

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is betting a round of golf with President Donald Trump will help protect Japan's crucial auto industry and strengthen defense ties with the U.S.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Jan 28, 2017

Big in Japan? Artists from abroad may find it more difficult to draw a crowd

There are now just three major record labels left on the planet: Universal Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment and Warner Music Group.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Politics / GAUGING TRUMP
Jan 22, 2017

Tokyo all smiles as it takes stock of Trump's nascent team with a wary eye

After Prime Minister Shinzo Abe met with President-elect Donald Trump following his November election win, Tokyo cautiously assesses the new U.S. leader's policies.
JAPAN / Politics
Jan 19, 2017

Abe to pursue contentious law against criminal conspiracies from outset of Diet session

As this year's ordinary Diet session kicks off Friday, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is set to make waves yet again. His newest goal is to make conspiracies to commit crimes a punishable offense.
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 / COMMUNICATION CUES
Jan 2, 2017

Nintendo teams up with Universal Studios

Universal Parks & Resorts and Nintendo are joining forces to add Nintendo-themed areas to Universal parks in Orlando, Los Angeles and Osaka, the companies announced on Nov. 29.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Media / BIG IN JAPAN
Dec 31, 2016

Japan and the world enter a long night of 'post-truth'

In an essay titled "The Future of Mankind," British philosopher Bertrand Russell (1872-1970) laid out three possibilities: "The end of human life," "a reversion to barbarism" or "unification of the world under a single government." He saw the third as the only alternative to either of the first two....
WORLD / Politics
Nov 14, 2016

Trump looking at fast ways to quit global climate deal: source

President-elect Donald Trump is seeking quick ways to withdraw the United States from a global accord to combat climate change, a source on his transition team said, defying broad international backing for the plan to cut greenhouse gas emissions.
LIFE / Language / COMMUNICATION CUES
Oct 24, 2016

Tokyo cell scientist gets Nobel prize

Japanese scientist Yoshinori Ohsumi was awarded this year's Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine for explaining the processes whereby proteins are degraded and recycled.
BUSINESS / YEN FOR LIVING
Oct 22, 2016

Shocking blog post forces debate on the financial drain of dialysis in Japan

About 0.25 percent of the population requires dialysis, but this group is responsible for one-30th of the country's medical costs.
Japan Times
WORLD / Politics
Oct 18, 2016

Trump sharpens 'rigged' election allegations disputed by Republican lawyers

Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump on Monday cited studies he said showed rampant voter fraud, saying the Nov. 8 election was "rigged" against him even as Republican lawyers called his allegations unfounded.
COMMENTARY / World
Oct 7, 2016

Why are Chinese tourists so badly behaved?

Narratives of exceptionalism and nationalism are crucial ingredients in making an 'ugly Chinese' tourist.
Japan Times
JAPAN / THE JAPAN TIMES FORUM ON TICAD VI
Jun 30, 2016

Africa outlook seeing shift from assistance to investment

The sixth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD VI) will be held in Nairobi on Aug. 27 and 28, where political and business leaders from around the world will discuss various issues facing the continent.

Longform

Bear attacks have dominated Japanese news headlines in recent months, with 13 people so far having been killed by the animals.
Japan’s bears have been on their killing spree for more than 100 years