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Reader Mail
Jul 6, 2013

Luxury train a new beginning

The June 23 editorial "All aboard the luxury train" conjured up the allure of travel by train in Japan. It is true that Japan's train system is the envy of the world and has been symbolized by the Shinkansen with its safety, punctuality and speed. But I believe that the bullet train system lacks a certain...
Japan Times
JAPAN
Jul 6, 2013

Firm floats alternative to TOEFL

While Japan looks to make a passing score on the Test of English as a Foreign Language mandatory for university entrance, it should also consider alternative exams that might work better, said John de Jong, senior vice president at Pearson English, a division of Pearson PLC.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Politics / MAKING THEIR CASE
Jul 5, 2013

Whatever LDP stands for, we don't: Ozawa

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's economic policies cater to big business at the expense of the people and will only widen the wealth disparity between rich and poor, Seikatsu no To (People's Life Party) President Ichiro Ozawa said in a recent interview.
Japan Times
BASKETBALL / BJ-LEAGUE NOTEBOOK
Jul 4, 2013

Former Tokyo players train with ex-coach Hill in Texas

Former members of the Tokyo Apache have strengthened their friendship in recent days in Texas.
JAPAN
Jul 4, 2013

Abe aside, war apology stands: Suga

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga on Thursday reaffirmed that the Cabinet of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe upholds the position set out by the 1995 apology issued by then-Prime Minister Tomiichii Murayama, which admits that Japan waged wars of aggression.
JAPAN / Politics
Jul 3, 2013

Opposition directly attacks 'Abenomics'

Opposition parties took aim Wednesday at Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's economic policies, only to give the Liberal Democratic Party chief another chance to play up his administration's "achievements" over the last six months.
BASKETBALL
Jul 3, 2013

Geary done with Yokohama, poised to take over in Chiba

In a major announcement that was expected for weeks, Reggie Geary told The Japan Times on Monday evening that he won't return to coach the defending champion Yokohama B-Corsairs.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / NOTEBOOK
Jul 3, 2013

Kumamon visits Paris; Japanese Red Cross summer camps

EVENTS
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Issues / THE FOREIGN ELEMENT
Jul 2, 2013

The LDP constitution, article by article: a preview of things to come?

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is pushing for constitutional change. Yet he is playing the political huckster by proposing to first only fiddle with the amendment procedure in Article 96, lowering the threshold for the process to move forward from the approval of two-thirds of both houses of the Diet, as...
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / How-tos / HOME TRUTHS
Jul 2, 2013

Moved by the benefits of mobile-home housing

The model house sat on an empty patch of brown land along a commercial stretch of road in southern Ibaraki Prefecture. Few people would have identified it as a model house. It had a forlorn, out-of-place look to it. Technically, it was a mobile home — "trailer house," in Japanese parlance — propped...
EDITORIALS
Jul 2, 2013

Alternative ideas need a voice

Merely opposing Shinzo Abe's policies and goals before the Upper House polls is not enough. The opposition needs to clarify an alternative vision for Japan.
COMMENTARY / World
Jul 2, 2013

Understanding China's maritime aspirations

China's declaration that it wants to be a sea power and focus on this interest is not sudden. China has long dreamed of becoming a 'maritime civilization.
BASEBALL / Japanese Baseball
Jul 1, 2013

Blanco, Balentien putting up impressive homer totals

If there's a home run derby during this year's All-Star Series, odds are it won't be half as exciting as the one Wladimir Balentien and Tony Blanco are currently staging on a near-nightly basis during the regular season.
Japan Times
JAPAN / MAKING THEIR CASE
Jun 30, 2013

JCP chief tabs party as bulwark against Abe plans

Only the Japanese Communist Party can act as a counterweight to the ruling Liberal Democratic Party in the Upper House election, especially against Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's economic and constitutional revision plans, JCP Chairman Kazuo Shii declared Saturday.
Reader Mail
Jun 30, 2013

Universities are for the Japanese

In his June 24 article, "Top students shunning Japan," professor Takamitsu Sawa presents interesting facts and rightly concludes that Japan may not attract outstanding students from abroad. But he misses a very important point: Are there global brands among the Japanese universities, and do they present...
Reader Mail
Jun 30, 2013

Laid-back attitude needs work

I beg to differ with the headline for Takamitsu Sawa's article, asserting that top students are shunning Japan. Talented students are not shunning Japan, per se — just the laid-back, everyone-gets-a-degree, pay-your-tuition approach to higher education in Japan.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Politics
Jun 29, 2013

Opposition slams ruling bloc on jobs deregulation

Major party leaders held their first online debate Friday ahead of the July 21 Upper House election, with opposition chiefs voicing concern that ruling bloc-proposed employment deregulation may further worsen the working conditions of younger generations.
JAPAN
Jun 29, 2013

Abe wants to gut public protections: expert

If the Liberal Democratic Party succeeds in rewriting the Constitution, it would severely scale back fundamental human rights and strip the public of various civil liberties, a prominent constitutional scholar warns.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Politics / MAKING THEIR CASE
Jun 29, 2013

New Komeito chief vows to counter Abe if he tries to change Article 9

New Komeito President Natsuo Yamaguchi said Friday his party will continue to act as a counterweight to the Liberal Democratic Party if the senior coalition partner aggressively pursues revising the war-renouncing Article 9 or exercising the right of collective self-defense after the Upper House election....
Japan Times
JAPAN / Politics
Jun 27, 2013

Abe hopeful ruling bloc juggernaut cleans up in Upper House poll in July

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe vowed Wednesday to ensure the Liberal Democratic Party-New Komeito ruling bloc recaptures control of the Upper House in the July election, bringing an end to the divided Diet.
Reader Mail
Jun 27, 2013

The only ethical energy option

Regarding the June 19 article "Meltdowns haven't killed anyone: LDP bigwig": Liberal Democratic Party policy chief Sanae Takaichi's comment that the meltdowns at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant "have not claimed the lives of any people," however technically accurate, was deservedly criticized...
EDITORIALS
Jun 26, 2013

Mr. Obama rekindles nuclear dream

Japan, despite its reliance on the U.S. nuclear umbrella, must emphasize to the U.S. that it supports international agreements to reduce nuclear arsenals.

Longform

Mamoru Iwai, stationmaster of Keisei Ueno Station, says that, other than earthquake-proofing, the former Hakubutsukan-Dobutsuen (Museum-Zoo) Station has remained untouched.
Inside Tokyo's 'phantom' stations — and the stories they tell