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COMMENTARY / World
Dec 30, 2014

Oil prices and Saudi democracy

Saudi Arabia's top policymakers deny they have deliberately sought lower oil prices, and there are good reasons to doubt the kingdom is wielding the oil weapon as part of some grand geopolitical strategy.
CULTURE / Music
Dec 30, 2014

'Kohaku' rallies the J-pop acts, but don't count enka out just yet

On New Year's Eve, many families in Japan inevitably wind up gathered around the TV to watch a selection of holiday programming. One of the most popular shows is NHK's "Kohaku Uta Gassen."
Japan Times
JAPAN
Dec 30, 2014

Autistic people find independence at unique facility in Saitama

Due to a dearth of job opportunities in Japan for autistic people, mainly deriving from a lack of understanding toward the disorder, it is often difficult for them to lead independent lives after they attain adulthood.
CULTURE / Entertainment news
Dec 30, 2014

'The Interview' top-selling 2014 flick on Google Play

Sony Pictures' "The Interview" is the top-grossing movie of the year for Google Inc., after earning $15 million in online sales and rentals from all sources through Saturday.
WORLD / Politics
Dec 29, 2014

German ex-minister blames Merkel for rise of anti-immigrant groups

A former Cabinet minister and member of Angela Merkel's conservative bloc blamed Germany's chancellor for steering a course that has strengthened the euroskeptic AfD party and a new anti-immigrant grass-roots movement.
Japan Times
WORLD
Dec 29, 2014

Six feared dead after merchant ships collide off Italy

Two people drowned and four were missing at sea and feared dead after two merchant ships collided in rough seas off the Italian coast on Sunday, Italian officials said.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / ADOPT ME!
Dec 28, 2014

With a little help: a cat named Aurora

Aurora is 'a really a nice cat. She just needs some help finding the right person.'
Japan Times
LIFE / Lifestyle
Dec 27, 2014

Learning to love robots

With half the decade complete, we examine an industry that has significantly changed the way we think about ourselves.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Tech
Dec 26, 2014

Digital tack taken to revive interest in New Year's cards

The tradition of sending "nengajo," or New Year's postcards, has been in decline as people turn to the Internet, social networking and digital gadgets like smartphones instead of putting pen to paper.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Dec 26, 2014

North Korea's nukes are much scarier than its hacks

While the world's attention focuses on North Korea's cyberwar with Sony Pictures, the Hermit Kingdom is rapidly increasing its stockpile of nuclear weapons material, with real little pushback from the U.S.
COMMENTARY / World
Dec 26, 2014

End of the Facebook Revolution

When Facebook has already blocked an announcement inviting Muscovites to attend a January rally in support of an anti-corruption activist, imagine what it would do — or, for all we know, has already done — for the U.S. government.
Japan Times
JAPAN / CHUBU CONNECTION
Dec 26, 2014

Carnations inspire creation of unique bubbly in Nagoya

Talk about bouquet. Meijo University in Nagoya has produced sparkling wine from grapes and yeast derived from carnations.
CULTURE / Art
Dec 25, 2014

'Tohl Narita: Art/Special Effects/Monsters'

The work of designer and sculptor Tohl Narita — known for his character design for the "Ultraman" series — will be exhibited at Fukuoka Art Museum in January 2015.
CULTURE / Art
Dec 25, 2014

'A Genealogy of Snowscape'

The changing seasons have long been an important theme in Japanese art, especially after the Muromachi Period (1392-1573) when the style became an established genre of painting.
CULTURE / Art
Dec 25, 2014

'Ukiyo-e New Years Exhibition'

Ukiyo-e Ota Memorial Museum of Art will exhibit paintings from its collection, including works by Keisai Eisen (1790-1848), Utagawa Kunisada (1786-1865) and Utagawa Hiroshige (1797-1858).
JAPAN
Dec 25, 2014

Top domestic news of 2014

The Japan Times editors selected these domestic stories as the most important of 2014.
JAPAN / Politics
Dec 24, 2014

Shinzo Abe begins new term as prime minister, launches Cabinet

The Cabinet remains unchanged except Gen Nakatani, a former first lieutenant in the Ground Self-Defense Force, replaces scandal-hit Akinori Eto as defense minister and minister in charge of security legislation.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / JAPAN LITE
Dec 24, 2014

Mastering the art of incense takes longer than you think

If you find all this incense as intriguing as I did and are ready to sign up to become a master in the Way of Fragrance, then I suggest you start right away, if not 20 years ago.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Dec 24, 2014

Review: TM Network at Tokyo International Forum

Just as the year drew to a close, so too did J-pop trio TM Network's touring schedule at the Tokyo International Forum's Hall A.
WORLD
Dec 24, 2014

U.S. to pay $3.2 million to contractor freed from Cuba prison

Alan Gross, the contractor freed last week after five years in a Cuban jail will receive $3.2 million from the U.S. government as part of a settlement with his employer, the U.S. Agency for International Development announced on Tuesday.
JAPAN / Politics
Dec 23, 2014

Hashimoto quits Ishin leadership

Osaka Mayor Toru Hashimoto resigns as co-leader of Ishin no To (Japan Innovation Party) to focus on local elections in the spring, a move likely to further weaken the party's clout at the national level.
COMMENTARY / World
Dec 23, 2014

High risks, rewards in Xi's reforms

Only by addressing the weakening of investment-led growth, bureacratic inefficiencies and worsening pollution, and then shifting to an innovation-based, environmentally sustainable growth model, can China continue to prosper and ultimately achieve high-income status.
EDITORIALS
Dec 23, 2014

Protecting sexual minorities' rights

A Japanese civic group survey has the ruling Liberal Democratic Party standing out from other parties in its failure to view issues involving lesbian, gay, bisexual and transsexual people as human rights problems.
ASIA PACIFIC
Dec 23, 2014

North Korean Net access restored after long outage amid hacking dispute

North Korea's limited access to the Internet was restored after being cut off for hours, days after the U.S. government accused the country of hacking into Sony Corp.'s files.
LIFE / Language / WELL SAID
Dec 22, 2014

Express yo-self with this one essential particle

Today, we will introduce u3088, a particle which is added to the end of a sentence to show a speaker's intention.

Longform

Dangami House is a 180-year-old former samurai residence of the Kato clan, who ruled over Ozu, Ehime Prefecture, until the Meiji Restoration.
A house, a legacy and the quiet work of restoration in rural Japan