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COMMENTARY / Japan
Jun 29, 2015

The kabuki art of public apology

Until Japanese CEOs back up their apologies with concrete action, their words will ring hollow — as will government efforts to improve the sorry state of the country's corporate governance.
Japan Times
JAPAN / CHUBU CONNECTION
Jun 22, 2015

Tokoname pottery makers turn to Russia, see vast market opportunity

Dealers and producers of Tokoname pottery, one of the six oldest types of potteries in Japan, are turning to Russia to market their teapots. They recently held the first teapot exhibition in Moscow, and sold 30 pieces in two days.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Art
Jun 16, 2015

Just one collector can make all the difference

When Tokyo Opera City Art Gallery opened "Takahashi Collection: Mirror Neuron," it was packed with people keen to see Ryutaro Takahashi's selection of 140 contemporary artworks by 52 artists. It's only the second major showing of pieces owned by Takahashi, a psychiatrist and one of the most influential...
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink
Jun 12, 2015

Cronut master is concocting new pastries for Tokyo store

Cronut fans in Japan can swap local imitations for the real thing when the creator of the croissant-doughnut hybrid, pastry chef Dominique Ansel, opens his new bakery in Tokyo on June 20.
JAPAN
Jun 10, 2015

International students face job hunting hurdles in Japan

A 23-year-old student from China who attends the prestigious University of Tokyo is now looking for a job in Japan.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Jun 2, 2015

China shows how to crack down on soccer

China's experience with its soccer federation shows that eliminating corruption from a sporting organization requires more than knocking off that organization's leadership.
JAPAN
May 11, 2015

Narita airport launches short tours for layover passengers

Waiting for a flight in transit at an airport is an unwelcome burden for travelers. But at Narita International Airport, that spare time could become a memorable part of the journey.
Japan Times
LIFE / Style & Design / ON: FASHION
May 9, 2015

Catch the last day of Harajuku Kawaii!!; Undercover is going mad; Ultraman for the everyman

Catch the last day of Harajuku Kawaii!!
Japan Times
LIFE / Digital / JAPAN TIMES BLOGROLL
Apr 20, 2015

Rachel & Jun

Husband-and-wife YouTube team Rachel & Jun first started making videos in 2012 as a fun way to keep in touch while they were apart. Now, with over 350,000 subscribers, the Japanese-American couple covers a variety of subjects, from what’s considered overweight in Japan to making mochi.
Japan Times
JAPAN / History
Apr 4, 2015

Okinawa: In the crosshairs of war

"We always seem to be at the tail end of history, dragged along roads already ruined by others."
COMMENTARY / World
Mar 31, 2015

Lee Kuan Yew and the myth of Asian capitalism

Singapaore's Lee Kuan Yew thought a competent meritocratic government should not only provide order but also guide economic development. The success of 'Asian capitalism' seems to prove him correct.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Mar 25, 2015

From nuclear safety to nuclear security

Japan's nuclear disaster has spurred reforms in the field of nuclear safety. But when it comes to nuclear security, complacency remains a major problem.
COMMUNITY / Issues / LEARNING CURVE
Mar 15, 2015

First impressions count for ALTs meeting their new Japanese colleagues

Fostering a good vibe early in the new school year can pay huge dividends, making the next 12 months easier for the both of you.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Books
Mar 7, 2015

The problems and pleasure of publishing the horrors of the 3/11 tsunami

At a symposium on "Trauma and Utopia" held in Tokyo in October 2014, photographer Naoya Hatakeyama talked about his work in the aftermath of the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami, a disaster that killed his mother and destroyed his home in Rikuzentakata, Iwate Prefecture. During this, he acknowledged...
PRESS / Publications
Mar 2, 2015

“Japanese History in Simple English” and “American History in Simple English”on sale now

COMMENTARY / Japan
Feb 24, 2015

Brazilians, Japanese and the virtues of integration

Japan can strengthen its future by integrating foreigners and rejecting voices that call for separation.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music / STRANGE BOUTIQUE
Feb 24, 2015

Sympathy for the snob: Real DJs play vinyl

Up a backstreet in Shibuya's Udagawacho neighborhood, tucked in behind the Milky Way, Chelsea Hotel and Star Lounge live-music venues — an area tight with record stores — I'm on my way to a party crammed with style-conscious young folk in sweaters and berets, DJing against the backdrop of Roman Polanski's...
Japan Times
LIFE / Lifestyle
Feb 14, 2015

Love thy neighbor? Chinese nationals who call Japan home

Like tempestuous lovers, China and Japan have sparred for centuries but have remained interdependent in each other's economy, politics, culture, language and arts.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Media / BIG IN JAPAN
Feb 7, 2015

In violent times, young Japanese just shrug

The weekly Shukan Kinyobi discerns a "new fatalism" among young people. Meaning what? A feeling that effort reaps no rewards and so is not worth making; that the world is what it is and cannot be changed — at least not by me, even if I felt like changing it, which I don't; that luck or inborn talent...
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Issues / LEARNING CURVE
Jan 18, 2015

A top 10 for non-Japanese parents considering local schools

Whether your children are already in the local system or you are weighing up your future schooling options, here are 10 issues for parents to keep in mind.
JAPAN / History / THE LIVING PAST
Jan 17, 2015

Seeking independence through civilization

For the first time in 600 years Japan was threatened by foreign aggression. One among many differences between the 19th century American threat and the 13th-century Mongol invasions is this: 13th-century Japan was fiercely militarist, 19th-century Japan was impotently militarist.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Jan 13, 2015

Lantis looks to woo a dedicated fan base with anisong tour

Fans breach the language barrier at overseas expos of Japanese pop culture as soon as the music starts. Legions of non-Japanese, most of whose knowledge of the language is limited to basic greetings and exclamations, burst into karaoke-style singalongs, mimicking dance moves and waving glow sticks. This...
COMMUNITY / Voices / COMMUNITY CHEST
Jan 1, 2015

Readers' letters: Roppongi, Ferguson, 'Massan,' Julien Blanc and more

Some emails received in response to Community articles at the tail end of 2014.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Dec 24, 2014

Our critics in the crossfire

The Japan Times' three film writers got together before Christmas to discuss their top picks of movies released this year. Unusually, this year both Giovanni Fazio and Kaori Shoji agreed on their No. 1, choosing "The Broken Circle Breakdown." Mark Schilling picked Mipo Oh's "Soko Nomi Nite Hikari Kagayaku"...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music / STRANGE BOUTIQUE
Dec 23, 2014

Who was music being made for in 2014?

When looking back on the year in music, the big question music fans should be asking themselves is, "Who was music being made for in 2014?" Looking at the broader picture, we can find the answers writ large across the Japanese music scene.

Longform

Ichiro Suzuki, one of the most iconic players in NPB and MLB history, was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame with 99.7% of the vote.
With Hall of Fame induction, Ichiro makes himself heard loud and clear