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Japan Times
JAPAN / Politics / CABINET INTERVIEW
Jan 1, 2013

NRA has final reactor say-so: Motegi

No matter what, no reactor will be restarted unless the Nuclear Regulation Authority has confirmed its safety, according to new trade and industry minster Toshimitsu Motegi.
JAPAN / CABINET INTERVIEW
Dec 31, 2012

Altering nonnuclear principles not on the table, Kishida says

The Cabinet of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is not considering revising the three nonnuclear principles that forbid the possession, manufacture or storage of nuclear weapons on Japanese soil, new Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida says.
JAPAN / CABINET INTERVIEW
Dec 31, 2012

Onodera to review defense plans, up spending

Amid China's military rise and the continued threat from North Korea, new Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera has vowed to bolster Japan's defensive capabilities by reviewing its strategies, increasing the defense budget and revising the guidelines in place with the United States.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Dec 31, 2012

Even language has winners and losers

If there's one thing to be sure of in Japan these days, it's that by the end of the year you will have a prime minister different from the one you started out with. This year was the sixth year in succession to follow this pattern. Somewhat differently, though, this year there was a general election...
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Our Lives
Dec 29, 2012

Textile scholar advocates sustainable fashion

Yoshiko Wada, textile artist and scholar, believes the word "sustainable" in foods and fashion shares the same philosophical taste. "Both are a holistic approach, about health, environment, and the community that supports it. We must recapture and rethink how we are going to sustain our Earth and society,...
Japan Times
JAPAN / CABINET INTERVIEW
Dec 29, 2012

Aso slams DPJ predecessors, talks of keeping BOJ close

The new government will continue working closely with the Bank of Japan, at least more frequently than the previous administration did, in order to fend off deflation, newly appointed Finance Minister Taro Aso said Friday.
JAPAN
Dec 27, 2012

DPJ test ends as Noda's team quietly bows out

Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda and his Cabinet resigned en masse Wednesday morning, quietly closing the door on the Democratic Party of Japan's first attempt to lead the nation and making way for the old Liberal Democratic Party's return to power.
BUSINESS / ANALYSIS
Dec 27, 2012

'Abenomics' gets off to a flying start

The very idea of big-spender Shinzo Abe's reappointment as prime minister was enough to send the yen falling against the dollar and spurred the Nikkei above the 10,000 mark for the first time in months.
JAPAN
Dec 27, 2012

Abe ready for 'fresh' restart as Cabinet is sworn in

Shinzo Abe, president of the Liberal Democratic Party, became Japan's seventh prime minister in six years Wednesday, replacing Yoshihiko Noda of the Democratic Party of Japan.
EDITORIALS
Dec 26, 2012

LDP's vague nuclear energy policy

In their policy agreement, the Liberal Democratic Party and its coalition partner Komeito have failed to declare that they will aim to eventually end nuclear power generation in Japan. They have agreed only to gradually decrease Japan's reliance on it, without indicating the year in which all of Japan's...
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / WORDS TO LIVE BY
Dec 25, 2012

Benshi Midori Sawato

Midori Sawato is a benshi, a unique kind of performer who provides live narration to silent films at the movie theater. The benshi brings the characters in films alive using different voices and vocal expressions. They sit to the side of the screen, watching the movie with the audience and using their...
COMMUNITY / How-tos / LIFELINES
Dec 25, 2012

Sites for J-footy fans; variable service at Softbank

In response to our Oct. 23 column, " 'Prenups' uncommon but doable; aid for avid J. League fans," some of our readers wrote in with their favorite Japan soccer resources.
BUSINESS / JAPANESE PERSPECTIVES
Dec 24, 2012

Rip van Winkle returns to government with trade war on his mind

Japan is about to get a new government and it's just like old times. Liberal Democratic Party leader Shinzo Abe, who is set to become prime minister, again sounds as if he has been spending his time out of office back in the 1960s.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Media / MEDIA MIX
Dec 23, 2012

Public works funds best spent fixing aging infrastructure

Last week's Lower House election was all about what people didn't want — the Democratic Party of Japan — but the issue foremost in voters' minds was the state of the economy, and new prime minister Shinzo Abe has made that his first priority by pledging to boost inflation through monetary easing...
Reader Mail
Dec 23, 2012

LDP doesn't get a grace period

I was tremendously interested in the Dec. 17 editorial, "LDP back in the saddle again." A few comments about that.
EDITORIALS
Dec 23, 2012

Facedown over privacy

In and around Tokyo, face-recognition cameras have started to take photos of passersby at various locations. Supermarket chains, shopping malls and vending machines inside JR East stations all have been using face-recognition software to identify the sex and age of individuals who come within line of...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Books / THE YEAR IN BOOKS
Dec 23, 2012

Revisiting Asia's past, present

"From the Ruins of Empire: The Revolt Against the West and the Remaking of Asia" (Allen Lane) by Pankaj Mishra. This is the story of the Asian intellectual's response to Western imperialism. It is an intelligent and rewarding read that crisscrosses time and space, helping readers better understand the...
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Our Lives
Dec 22, 2012

Dutchman keeps paper-making traditions alive at his Shikoku studio

Rogier Uitenboogaart, who has been charmed by the world of washi (traditional Japanese paper) for the past three decades — especially its deep relationship with nature and people's everyday lives — is trying to help preserve both nature and the traditional craft in this country.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Dec 22, 2012

Starbucks pours fewer drops of drip per cup

A cup of Starbucks coffee in Japan just got smaller.
JAPAN
Dec 22, 2012

LDP mulling U-turn on Takeshima Day

The Liberal Democratic Party may not sponsor an event to mark Takeshima Day on Feb. 22 despite pledging to do so during its election campaign, an LDP executive said Friday, in another apparent effort by party chief Shinzo Abe to improve strained ties with South Korea.
BUSINESS
Dec 21, 2012

BOJ will ease more, denies Abe pressed

The Bank of Japan on Thursday boosted its asset-purchasing program from ¥91 trillion to about ¥101 trillion and promised to review its medium- to long-term price stability goals next month.

Longform

Once smoky, male-dominated spaces, today's net cafes, like Kaikatsu Club, are working to make their operations more attractive to women customers.
The second life of Japan's net cafes