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Japan Times
Features
Nov 7, 2004

Love her or hate her...

Nahoko Takato became famous on the night of April 8 this year, when the Arab satellite broadcaster Al-Jazeera aired video footage of her and two other Japanese held blindfolded at gunpoint in Iraq.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Art
Oct 20, 2004

Designs for life

Whether you regard Sir Terence Conran as an ambitious visionary or a restless control freak, the fact is that this 73-year-old English designer and "lifestyle guru" stays forever busy. He designs chairs, sofas and vases; restaurants, bars and cafes; apartment rooms and hotels. He consults, he lectures...
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / CLOSE-UP
Jul 7, 2002

Crusader for life on death row

Sister Helen Prejean, a nun with the Order of Saint Joseph of Medaille since 1957, has been accompanying death-row inmates to their executions since 1982. In her award-winning book "Dead Man Walking," which was made into a film in 1995, she relates the spiritual journey she went through with death-row...
JAPAN
May 8, 2001

Prime minister's policy speech

The following is a provisional translation of the policy speech given Monday by Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi to the 151st session of the Diet:
JAPAN
Feb 1, 2001

Mori highlights reform, recovery, IT

Introduction At the opening of the 151st session of the Diet, as the prime minister of Japan charged with the affairs of state as we mark the turn of the century, I would like to state my views as I once again brace myself to bear forward the burden of responsibility in this historical era.
JAPAN
Feb 1, 2001

Mori highlights reform, recovery, IT

Introduction At the opening of the 151st session of the Diet, as the prime minister of Japan charged with the affairs of state as we mark the turn of the century, I would like to state my views as I once again brace myself to bear forward the burden of responsibility in this historical era.
JAPAN
Sep 22, 2000

Full text of prime minister's speech to the Diet

Following is the full text of Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori's policy speech given to the 150th Diet session Thursday.
Japan Times
PODCAST / deep dive
Jun 7, 2023

Is Japan going to legalize same-sex marriage?

A series of court cases is helping to shape the debate over whether or not Japan will act on legalizing same-sex marriage.
Japan Times
PODCAST / deep dive
Mar 23, 2023

The cherry blossoms are here and business is blooming

Kathleen Benoza explains what's at stake during the hanami season, while Thu-Huong Ha and Alyssa I. Smith discuss the science, symbolism and culture of sakura in Japan.
Japan Times
PODCAST / deep dive
Mar 2, 2023

Infinity and beyond: Yayoi Kusama’s next evolution

Culture critic Thu-Huong Ha joins the podcast to explain Yayoi Kusama’s latest stage of evolution.
Japan Times
PODCAST / deep dive
Jul 5, 2023

Would you spend the night in a coffin … for art?

Want to know what it’s like to spend the night in a coffin? Culture critic Thu-Huong Ha joins us to discuss her night in artist Marina Abramovic’s nightmare-inducing Dream House.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / 20 QUESTIONS
Jan 12, 2023

Junji Takasago: ‘Photographers are a bridge between humans and nature’

In capturing nature's raw and mysterious beauty, Junji Takasago seeks not only to inspire awe but highlight its fragility.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Jan 11, 2023

Don't write off the retooled COVID-19 boosters

Two new studies claim the bivalent omicron shot is no better than the original vaccine. But there are important caveats.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Jan 8, 2023

As Asian societies age, ‘retirement’ just means more work

Across East Asia, populations are graying faster than anywhere else in the world, and while younger generations shrink, older workers are often toiling well into their 70s and beyond.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Society / New Year Special 2023
Jan 3, 2023

Tracing the history of Mio, a rural Wakayama community with deep ties to Canada

Efforts to preserve Mio's cultural heritage, including memories of the longstanding connections with Canada, have gained momentum in recent years.
Japan Times
LIFE / Digital
Dec 31, 2022

Business is booming for TikTok tutors

Want to be a social media star? There are plenty of online teachers willing to teach you how — for a price.
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC
Dec 30, 2022

How bad is China’s COVID outbreak? It’s a scientific guessing game.

In the absence of credible information from the Chinese government, researchers around the world are looking for any clues to determine the size and severity of the COVID-19 surge.
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC
Dec 24, 2022

As cases explode, China’s low COVID death toll convinces no one

A country trying to mourn its dead from a COVID-19 outbreak is grappling with a system unprepared for the surge in fatalities, but China's government is painting a less dire picture.
Japan Times
PODCAST / deep dive
Dec 21, 2022

Culture in 2022: Good books, outdoor art and 'Tokyo Vice'

Culture editor Alyssa I. Smith talks to culture critic Thu-Huong Ha about the books they read, the festivals they went to and how Japanese stories are currently capturing Hollywood's attention.
Japan Times
WORLD / FOCUS
Dec 15, 2022

Five reasons Africa's food crisis is the biggest yet

From east to west, people are experiencing a food crisis that is bigger and more complex than the continent has ever seen, say diplomats and humanitarian workers.
Japan Times
WORLD
Dec 12, 2022

A gray area of loyalties splinters a liberated Ukrainian town

Sviatohirsk remains divided not by trench lines and artillery, but by where people's allegiances lie: with Moscow or Kyiv.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Books
Dec 5, 2022

Forget 'Cool Japan,' just make it your Japan

'Cool Japan' ambassador and critic Benjamin Boas reimagines efforts to promote the nation's brand abroad in his new book, “From u2018Cool Japan' to u2018Your Japan.'”
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World / Geoeconomic Briefing
Dec 4, 2022

The populism trap that is throwing U.K. politics into chaos

A rapid turnover of leaders, the fallout of the war in Ukraine and an ever-worsening energy crisis are threatening stability in the home of parliamentary democracy.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Nov 30, 2022

Help wanted: Niseko facing labor crunch as ski season gets underway

Despite hope that winter tourists will return, some in Niseko's service industry may have to make do with limited staff.
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC
Nov 30, 2022

Proud, scared and conflicted. What the China protesters told me.

After nearly three long years of COVID zero, which has turned into a political campaign for Chinese President Xi Jinping, China's future looks increasingly bleak.
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC
Nov 29, 2022

A protest? A vigil? In Beijing, anxious crowds are unsure how far to go.

In a country where protests are swiftly quashed, many who gathered to voice their discontent — under the watchful eye of the police — were uncertain about how far to go.
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC / ANALYSIS
Nov 28, 2022

'COVID zero' unrest presents biggest domestic challenge yet for China's Xi

Driven by the excessiveness of the anti-COVID measures, experts say the rapid and organic spread of protests could represent one of the toughest tests for Beijing in recent years.
Japan Times
PODCAST / deep dive
Nov 24, 2022

Is Japan the model for Elon Musk's Twitter?

Elizabeth Beattie explains how the social media platform's Japan team has been affected since Elon Musk's purchase of Twitter.
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC
Nov 22, 2022

Indonesia quake kills scores, with many more thought to be trapped

The afternoon quake was centered in the Cianjur region, killing at least 162 people, and local authorities have warned that the death toll could rise further.

Longform

Mount Fuji is considered one of Japan's most iconic symbols and is a major draw for tourists. It's still a mountain, though, and potential hikers need to properly prepare for any climb.
What it takes to save lives on Mount Fuji