Search - information

 
 
WORLD
May 5, 2018

Spy agency NSA triples collection of U.S. phone records, official report shows

The U.S. National Security Agency collected 534 million records of phone calls and text messages of Americans last year, more than triple gathered in 2016, a U.S. intelligence agency report released on Friday said.
Japan Times
WORLD
May 4, 2018

No respite for millions of civilians as Syria war drags on, U.N. says

Syria's war rages unabated despite a fall in the number of besieged civilians, a senior U.N. official said on Thursday, warning of a potential worsening of the conflict in the rebel-controlled governorate of Idlib.
Japan Times
JAPAN
May 3, 2018

In Trump-esque fashion, Abe on offensive against Japan's established media

Harsh media coverage has left a lasting impression on Abe. Perhaps so it doesn't happen again, his administration is now considering amending Japan's laws to fundamentally change the industry.
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC
May 3, 2018

Trump hints at imminent release of Americans held in North Korea

U.S. President Donald Trump has hinted at the imminent release of Americans detained in North Korea, just weeks ahead of a planned summit between him and the North's leader, Kim Jong Un.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
May 3, 2018

Nariaki Obukuro comes out of left field

Nariaki Obukuro bristles at the suggestion he makes J-pop. He prefers his music being described as J-pop-adjacent.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
May 3, 2018

Why we need globalization

Free trade, migration and foreign direct investment promise far-reaching potential gains for all parties involved.
Japan Times
WORLD / Politics
May 3, 2018

Democrats demand answers over Scott Pruitt's mystery Morocco trip and lobbyist pal's pricey contract

EPA Chief Scott Pruitt's four-day trip to Morocco last December was puzzling from the start.
Japan Times
LIFE / Style & Design / NEW IN TOWN
May 2, 2018

Kungyokudo, Japan's oldest purveyor of incense, upgrades for launch of Tokyo flagship

The first branch of Kungyokudo, Japan’s oldest incense supplier, opened near Tokyo Station on April 26, and despite how it might appear on paper, it’s a very good fit.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
May 2, 2018

What to expect from the Trump-Kim summit

Before U.S. President Donald Trump starts celebrating the apparent diplomatic rapprochement on the Korean Peninsula, he should consider the challenges that lie ahead.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
May 2, 2018

'Oh Lucy!': A made-in-Japan take on the American road trip movie

I've seen my share of Japanese movies set partly or wholly in the United States. With a few exceptions, the filmmakers only skim the exotic surface, while the Japanese characters never become more than fish out of water gasping for a breath of the familiar, be it instant noodles or spoken Japanese.
Japan Times
SUMO / INSIDE SUMO
May 2, 2018

Ancient banzuke adds human touch to sumo

"I can't do this for 10 years. I want to have a normal job. I want to live in a normal house. I want to eat normal food. I want to live a normal life."
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
May 1, 2018

Hide: The musician whose death rocked Japan

On the evening of May 2, 1998, as most of Japan was basking in the annual Golden Week holidays, a few dozen young women had gathered outside an apartment building in Tokyo's Minamiazabu neighborhood.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Art
May 1, 2018

The Spanish Golden Age of earthy realism

'Velazquez and the Celebration of Painting: The Golden Age in the Museo Del Prado' celebrates 150 years of Japan-Spain diplomatic relations with an exploration of the authority of vision and humanity of the divine.
CULTURE / Music
May 1, 2018

Elleh story: 'Sad boy disco' that isn't all that lonely

Club music usually gets you pumped up for a night out. Music about clubs? Those songs are just as likely to focus on the come down from the good vibes: There's Robyn being ignored in the corner on "Dancing on My Own" or Morrissey going, standing and leaving on his own in The Smiths' "How Soon Is Now?"...
Japan Times
BUSINESS
May 1, 2018

Judge hearing $85 billion AT&T-Time Warner deal signals middle-of-road ruling

The judge who will decide if AT&T will be allowed to buy movie and TV show maker Time Warner indicated on Monday that he could be considering a decision that wasn't a clear approval or blocking of the $85 billion deal.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
May 1, 2018

Panasonic unit agrees to pay $280 million to settle U.S. federal corruption probe

A unit of Panasonic Corp. has agreed to pay about $280 million (¥30.5 billion) in a deal with the U.S. government to resolve criminal and civil charges that the company falsified its financial records to conceal payments to sales agents in China and other parts of Asia.
COMMENTARY / World
Apr 30, 2018

How to stop surveillance capitalism

Facebook, Google & Co. are the new quasi-royal sovereigns. Their algorithmic de-facto laws do not require the approval of any parliaments.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Apr 30, 2018

Using the internet to dig up some basics in Japanese

Once, many, many years ago, I found a rail pass someone left behind next to a public pay phone in Hamamatsucho Station in Tokyo's Minato Ward.
Japan Times
LIFE / Style & Design
Apr 29, 2018

Architect Fumihiko Maki: Finding intimacy in the city

Fumi Maki talks about a landmark book of Japanese architecture, 'City with a Hidden Past,' and the virtues of Tokyo's inner havens.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / JAPAN LITE
Apr 29, 2018

Chichibu: Steeped in tradition, but challenged by industry

The city of Chichibu, about 90 minutes by train from Ikebukuro, Tokyo, has a population of approximately 60,000. The region, which sits in the shadow of Mount Buko and alongside the Arakawa river is steeped in tradition with more than 300 festivals taking place each year.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Apr 29, 2018

Mapping out the future of tech policy

The far-reaching social, political and economic risks posed by 'Big Tech' have finally prompted a more concerted response from policymakers and regulators.
LIFE / Lifestyle
Apr 28, 2018

LGBTQ voices: Dealing with reality

Despite the advances in awareness surrounding LGBTQ issues, sexual minorities continue to face challenges in disclosing their sexual orientation or gender identity.
JAPAN / Media / MEDIA MIX
Apr 28, 2018

Fukuda scandal highlights how Japan's news outlets take advantage of their female employees

For the past two weeks, media outlets in Japan have been interrogating themselves over the revelation that female reporters are exposed to sexual harassment due to the nature of their work. When weekly magazine Shukan Shincho published a story alleging that Administrative Vice Finance Minister Junichi...
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC
Apr 28, 2018

North Korea's first lady: From cheerleader to global stage

Ri Sol Ju first traveled to South Korea more than a decade ago as a cheerleader for North Korea's 2005 athletics team.
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC
Apr 27, 2018

North Korea's Kim and South's Moon pledge 'new era of peace'

In a historic summit that few could have imagined just months ago, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and South Korean President Moon Jae-in announced Friday the opening of "a new era of peace" that would end the Korean War and achieve a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula.

Longform

Sumadori Bar on Shibuya Ward's main Center Gai street targets young customers who prefer low-alcohol drinks or abstain altogether.
Rethinking that second drink: Japan’s Gen Z gets ‘sober curious’