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Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics
Mar 14, 2020

U.S. summons Chinese envoy over Beijing's coronavirus conspiracy comments

The U.S. State Department summoned the Chinese ambassador to the United States on Friday to protest against comments by Beijing suggesting the U.S. military might have brought the coronavirus to Wuhan, as tensions between the two global powers over the outbreak intensified.
Japan Times
LIFE / Travel
Mar 6, 2020

As coronavirus cases mount, is it still safe to travel to Japan?

Practical information for travelers about the outbreak of coronavirus in Japan and what to do if you're planning on visiting.
Reader Mail
Feb 28, 2020

Companies shifting toward cage-free eggs

I read the article "Free-range eggs from Tottori help crack regional revitalization" in the Feb. 16 edition with great interest.
JAPAN / Media / MEDIA MIX
Feb 15, 2020

Unmarried single parents find an unlikely ally in scrap over tax deduction

The ruling Liberal Democratic Party submitted an amendment to the Diet in January to expand the "widow's deduction" to cover single parents who have never been married. This system allows single parents who have lost spouses to death or divorce to deduct a certain amount of money from their taxable income...
Reader Mail
Feb 7, 2020

Use idled liners to deal with outbreak

A professor of public health in Japan has pointed out the need for proactive steps to prepare for an outbreak of the new coronavirus in Japan ("Closing of borders will only 'delay inevitable'" in the Feb. 5 edition. The article notes that "the government faces the urgent task of preparing health care...
Japan Times
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
Feb 2, 2020

Japanese justice: Innocent until proven guilty or innocent until detained?

It's been a month since ex-Nissan chief Carlos Ghosn's dramatic escape pushed the Japanese justice system back into the global spotlight. Critics have long called Japan's extended detentions and other legal practices "hostage justice" and an affront to international standards.
JAPAN / Media / MEDIA MIX
Jan 25, 2020

Okinawa base debate ignores the bigger picture

Like many construction projects supported by the public sector, the new U.S. Marine Corps air base being built in the Henoko district of Nago, Okinawa Prefecture, has seen its budget skyrocket since it was first proposed and its completion date postponed. When the project was first announced jointly...
Japan Times
JAPAN / Regional Voices: Hokkaido
Jan 24, 2020

In print and online, English media proliferate in Hokkaido ski resort of Niseko

English-language media outlets are stepping up their presence in Hokkaido's renowned ski resort of Niseko, benefiting from growing global interest from skiers and snowboarders lured by the region's fine powder snow.
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC / Science & Health
Jan 22, 2020

North Korea closes borders to all foreign tourists as new coronavirus spreads from China

North Korea has blocked foreign tourists from entering the country, travel operators said Wednesday, amid fears over the spread of a new coronavirus first detected in China.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Media / MEDIA MIX
Jan 18, 2020

Fleeing in Japan may be more common than many think

Having fled Japan while awaiting trial for alleged financial wrongdoing, former Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn has probably become the most famous foreign national ever arrested in the country. For a while after his initial detention in November 2018, the media discussed Japan's so-called hostage justice system,...
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Jan 13, 2020

Putin's latest obsession: Rewriting World War II

Russia's leader believes the narrative is shifting in ways that make the Soviet Union a villain.
JAPAN / Media / MEDIA MIX
Jan 11, 2020

Japan Post Holdings drags its heels on insurance sales scandal

On Dec. 27, the top three executives of Japan Post Holdings Co. announced they would be resigning on Jan. 5 over the insurance sales scandal that first came to light more than a year and a half ago. The announcement comes on the heels of an order from the Financial Services Agency for subsidiaries of...
COMMUNITY / Issues / JUST BE CAUSE
Jan 6, 2020

'Low IQ' kids, parental rights and problematic terminology dogged Japan's international community in 2019

Of the issues non-Japanese had to deal with in the past year (and even the past decade), some were major news stories and some fell quietly into the cracks.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Dec 29, 2019

How Instagram has changed the way we shop

It has also transformed the way we brag about what we bought.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Dec 15, 2019

Don't mock Greta; listen to her

Let's put aside the finger-pointing, and let Time's choice be a reminder that the problem isn't going to solve itself. There's more carbon entering the atmosphere every day.
COMMENTARY / World
Dec 5, 2019

Trump is the least of NATO's problems

Unclear goals, bickering leaders and a changing world are pushing the alliance to the breaking point.
Japan Times
WORLD / Crime & Legal
Nov 25, 2019

GOP Rep. Devin Nunes defiant as associate of Rudy Giuliani connects him with bid to dig up Joe Biden dirt

Rep. Devin Nunes lashed out at the media on Sunday as he faced criticism — and a potential ethics probe — for his alleged role in helping President Donald Trump dig up dirt on political rival Joe Biden.
COMMENTARY / Japan
Nov 11, 2019

Why Japan's English education is a fiasco

The first step toward improving Japanese student's English-speaking ability is to ensure their English teachers can speak the language.
JAPAN / Media / MEDIA MIX
Nov 9, 2019

Exploring the artistic subtleties at play behind the controversial Aichi Triennale exhibition

The Aichi Triennale arts festival closed on Oct. 14, and, along with it, a controversial exhibition titled "After 'Freedom of Expression?'", which had been temporarily shut down following threats of violence and complaints. The main point of contention was a statue of a Korean "comfort woman," the inclusion...
SUMO / INSIDE SUMO
Oct 16, 2019

Slicker production needed for amateur sumo

Typhoon Hagibis raged across Japan last weekend leaving in its wake a trail of devastation both deep and wide-ranging.
COMMENTARY / World
Oct 7, 2019

Beset by Hong Kong protests, Beijing showcases missiles

The more aggressive China gets, the harder Beijing may find it to get the things it wants.
JAPAN
Oct 2, 2019

North Korea fires ballistic missile built to be launched from submarine into Japan's EEZ

North Korea tested a suspected sub-launched ballistic missile in a technological advancement, if successful, could make it significantly more difficult to destroy its nuclear arsenal.
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC
Oct 2, 2019

Amid gleaming skyscrapers, Hong Kong's poor set aside hardships and join protests

Just before midnight in Hong Kong's Mong Kok district, a slight man in his 70s peels away from a crowd of protesters jeering at police. Behind him, a young woman calls out, "Be safe!"
Japan Times
JAPAN / Media / MEDIA MIX
Sep 28, 2019

Cabinet reshuffle raises a slew of new questions

Since the new Cabinet was announced on Sept. 11, the focus has been on Shinjiro Koizumi as environment minister. Described by some as earnest but lacking in substantive ideas, the 38-year-old lawmaker has tried to make the most of the spotlight, commenting on Japan's role in addressing climate change...
JAPAN
Sep 15, 2019

Japan's anime tourism: A blend of cash and chaos

When Liu Chenyu and Ji Xiaotian arrived in Kamakura, Kanagawa Prefecture, for their honeymoon early this summer, the Great Buddha and Tsurugaoka Hachiman Shrine, two well-known tourist spots in the area, weren't what they wanted to see.
WORLD / Crime & Legal
Aug 27, 2019

Ex-White House aide Rob Porter subpoenaed by House committee probing alleged obstruction of justice by Trump

Former White House Staff Secretary Rob Porter is being called to testify before the House Judiciary Committee as the panel pursues what its chairman calls an investigation into whether to draft articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / NEWS IN NIHONGO
Aug 19, 2019

Popular girls' manga wins U.S. award

We look at Japanese-language coverage of the Will Eisner Awards.

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