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Japan Times
Special Supplements
Apr 19, 2019

Culture, industry before a backdrop of scenic rice field

On Jan. 1, Niigata Port celebrated its 150th anniversary since opening. One of the first five ports in Japan open to foreign trade, business was active and Niigata's Kitamaebune ships transported a variety of both international and domestic goods and supplies to and from the area to be distributed throughout...
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Apr 17, 2019

South Korean court wades into historical issue

Is there a way out of the Tokyo-Seoul spat?
Japan Times
CULTURE / Entertainment news
Apr 15, 2019

Bear essentials: A forthcoming animated series celebrates Rilakkuma's lackadaisical ethos in all its glory

Few fictional characters in Japan are as laid-back in their overall approach to life as Rilakkuma, which has attracted a loyal following over the years, rising through the ranks to sit alongside such established characters as Hello Kitty and Doraemon.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Apr 12, 2019

Foreign student numbers don't tell whole tale

The government's goal of strategically attracting outstanding students from abroad under its plan to accept 300,000 foreign students is far from accomplished.
Japan Times
LIFE / Travel / A Weekend In
Apr 12, 2019

A weekend in Shizuoka: More than the sum of its tea fields

Little-known outside Japan, Shizuoka Prefecture hugs the coast to the south of Mount Fuji. Home to the Tokyo getaway of Izu, the prefecture is known as the starting point for three of the main hiking trails up Fuji, which forms the greater part of Shizuoka's northeastern boundary line, and for the volume...
Japan Times
Rugby
Apr 11, 2019

Wallabies icon George Gregan preaches value of preparation in quest for RWC title

George Gregan has experienced the full gamut of Rugby World Cup emotions, but the Australian legend knows what he is looking forward to most when Japan hosts the tournament later this year.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Apr 10, 2019

U.S.-China 'Cold War' narrative is misleading

Misreading Chinese public opinion and U.S. intentions is one of the most classic mistakes that Japan tends to make.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Society
Apr 9, 2019

Gatekeepers, listeners, tax money: How Akita, once the prefecture with highest rate, halved suicides

Taeko Watanabe awoke one cold March night and found a trail of blood in the hallway, a bloody cleaver on her son Yuki's bed and no trace of him in the house. Then police discovered a suicide note in his bedroom.
Japan Times
ESG CONSORTIUM
Apr 7, 2019

Responsible investing gaining popularity

RI Asia Japan 2019 is a platform to learn, share and debate on key issues affecting responsible investment based on environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors, which are set to define every aspect of the investment landscape in the next decade.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / Cultivating Craft
Apr 6, 2019

Perseverance pays off for SanktGallen Brewery

With its innovative craft beers and approach to marketing, SanktGallen Brewery has established itself in Japan's craft beer world not just once, but twice.
JAPAN / Heisei Icons
Apr 4, 2019

Takanohana: The nail that sumo pounded down

In sumo's 2,000-year history, few men have been as steeped in the sport's traditions as Koji Hanada.
Japan Times
GLOBAL MEDIA POST / Northern Italy report 2019
Apr 2, 2019

Kindred spirits in business and culture

Three years after celebrating the 150th anniversary of bilateral relations, Italy and Japan have seen renewed vigor in their long-running partnership. While separated by much distance and distinct traditions, the two countries share a common ground on which they built valuable partnerships — namely...
JAPAN / Explainer
Apr 1, 2019

Imperial era names — once coined by emperors, now by the Cabinet

Japan will usher in a new era, Reiwa, when Crown Prince Akihito ascends to the Chrysanthemum Throne on May 1 — a day after Emperor Akihito abdicates.
JAPAN / Help Wanted?
Mar 31, 2019

Foreign workers are on the way, but are Japanese businesses ready?

A new visa program designed to lure more workers to Japan takes effect Monday, and government officials and industry leaders hope two new types will help alleviate the national labor shortage.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Society / FOCUS
Mar 31, 2019

As new era looms, women still face age-old challenges

Kumi Fujisawa launched her finance career in Tokyo in 1989. It was a notable year: Emperor Akihito ascended the Chrysanthemum Throne, the Nikkei average reached its giddy peak and the Sony Walkman was still a hot-selling gadget.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / NATURE'S PANTRY
Mar 30, 2019

Yuzu koshō might be the only spicy condiment you need

Thanks to a few key producers who make yuzu koshu014d responsibly and ethically, Japan's yuzu koshu014d boom shows no signs of letting up.
Japan Times
Special Supplements
Mar 29, 2019

Job agency pursues quality over quantity

As Japan's labor market becomes increasingly globalized, Spring Professional (the Adecco Group Japan Permanent Placement Division) has been rapidly attaining achievements and a reputation for successfully matching job seekers of varied nationalities with domestic and foreign enterprises in Japan.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Mar 28, 2019

Chai, Otoboke Beaver and Yahyel: The Japanese musicians representing at SXSW 2019

Every year, more than 2,000 bands flock to Austin, Texas, for the South By Southwest Music Conference and Festival (SXSW). The internationally recognized event has recently leaned heavy on tech, but music still plays a big part. During this year's mid-March music showcase, Japan was represented by a...
SOCCER / Heisei Icons,HEISEI ICONS
Mar 27, 2019

Kazuyoshi Miura: Flashy 'King Kazu' steered soccer's rise

It could be said that no team sport in Japan has outpaced soccer's growth through the Heisei Era, and 52-year-old Kazuyoshi Miura is the only player who can claim to have been a part of that growth throughout.
Japan Times
Mar 27, 2019

Kotozna, Inc and Usuki City Collaborate on
First Ever Full-Scale R&D of
Tourism and Disaster Prevention SNS Utilization Services

Tokyo, Japan – On March 26th, Kotozna, Inc. and Usuki City announced utilizing multilingual translation platform “Kotozna Group Chat” for tourism as well as studying and utilizing its application for disaster prevention. The R&D collaboration is a world first and the findings based on a country...
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Mar 26, 2019

Elderly workers: Expectations and challenges

Labor system reforms have the potential to pave the way for greater roles for elderly workers in the workforce.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / The Big Questions
Mar 25, 2019

Diplomatic career offers a variety of opportunities

Jorge Toledo has a novel piece of advice to offer any foreigner coming to Japan — learn your gestures.Spain's new ambassador to Japan recalled how during his first posting here in the mid-1990s, he was often confronted with 'lost in gesticulation' moments, such as the time he was driving through Tokyo and tried to get a motionless taxi in front of him to drive on through a green light.
Japan Times
LIFE / Lifestyle
Mar 23, 2019

Flower power: A Tokyo florist's decision to close his shop amid a shrinking market affects a wider community

It's 2:30 a.m. and dark outside. Tsuyoshi Hirasawa can see his breath in the February chill as he turns the key in the ignition of his white Honda minivan. The large hands gripping the steering wheel are rough and leathery from years of working with water, soil and the stems and branches of plants he...
JAPAN
Mar 22, 2019

Justice Ministry overturns deportation order for gay Taiwanese man without visa

The case is said to be the first in which an overstayer has received special permission to stay due to a relationship with a Japanese partner of the same sex.
JAPAN / History / Heisei Icons,Heisei Icons
Mar 22, 2019

Haruki Murakami: Writing in a parallel universe, connecting with a global readership

In Japan, it was the runaway best-seller status of 'Norwegian Wood' (1987), his wistful tale of crushed innocence and young love that sold more than 4 million copies in Japanese alone, that established Murakami's iconic status.
BASEBALL / MLB
Mar 22, 2019

Ichiro's remarkable baseball journey comes to an end

When it was finally time for it to end, after a career that began with the Orix BlueWave in 1992 in Kobe, Ichiro Suzuki looked into the crowd at Tokyo Dome and began to wave goodbye.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / JAPAN LITE
Mar 20, 2019

If you want to fix the problem of overtourism then just look overseas

I was speaking with a woman the other day who had recently been to Japan. She acknowledged that Japan is the "in" place to travel to and, as if to qualify this fact, complained that "Kyoto was so crowded, I couldn't even get a photo of the Golden Pavilion because of all the Chinese tourists."
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Mar 19, 2019

Is Nissan a Japanese or a global company?

Which view prevails will greatly impact the lessons learned from the Ghosn case.

Longform

Japan's growing ranks of centenarians are redefining what it means to live in a super-aging society.
What comes after 100?