Search - 2023

 
 
JAPAN
May 17, 2023

Concerns over Russia draw Finland and Japan closer together

Tanja Jaaskelainen, Finland’s ambassador to Japan, told the Japan Times in an interview that shared worries over Russia are leading her country and Japan to boost cooperation.
Japan Times
WORLD
May 17, 2023

Global executions highest in five years, Amnesty International says

Egypt, Iran and Saudi Arabia carried out 90% of the executions recorded last year, the rights group said. The numbers did not include China, it said, citing a lack of transparency.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
May 16, 2023

ESG investing gains followers and triggers a ferocious debate

New business concerns demand new investment strategies such as with ESG guidelines, but traditionalists are pushing back.
Japan Times
JAPAN / FOCUS
May 16, 2023

Exploring Black identity in Japan isn't easy, especially when it comes to hair

The case of a Hyogo student told not to wear cornrows has prompted Black people in Japan to reflect on expression and identity in a homogeneous society.
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC
May 16, 2023

Cyclone Mocha leaves thousands homeless in Bangladesh and Myanmar

There was less damage than predicted, but the Rohingya refugee camps on the coast of Bangladesh, where most live in simple shanties, were hit particularly hard.
Japan Times
WORLD
May 16, 2023

Ukraine hails first gains in six months as Zelenskyy secures drones from U.K.

Since last week, the Ukrainian military has started to push Russian forces back in and around the embattled city of Bakhmut, its first significant offensive operations since November.
Japan Times
JAPAN / FOCUS
May 15, 2023

Uzbekistan-born lawmaker looks to turn love of Japan into social change

Orzugul, who was recently elected to a seat in the Setagaya Ward Assembly, is looking to use it to address concerns of marginalized groups — issues she is all too familiar with.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
May 15, 2023

Winners and losers in the artificial intelligence arms race

Technological change always creates winners and losers, but artificial intelligence such as ChatGPT has the potential to create more of the former than the latter.
Japan Times
WORLD / ANALYSIS
May 15, 2023

Sustainable food — not more of it — needed as global hunger soars

Farmers today grow sufficient crops to feed twice the current population — but but nearly a third of food produced globally is spoiled or thrown away.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
May 15, 2023

The ‘peace dividend’ is over in Europe. Now come the hard tradeoffs.

Defending against an unpredictable Russia in years to come will mean bumping up against a strained social safety net and ambitious climate transition plans.
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC
May 14, 2023

From rap star to engineer to young mayor demolishing swaths of Kathmandu

Balendra Shahm known as Balen, made an unlikely bid for mayor of Kathmandu, Nepal's capital, last May.
Japan Times
WORLD
May 14, 2023

Ukraine’s offensive could set stage for diplomacy with Russia, U.S. officials say

It is unclear how the officials will define success in the counteroffensive, which could last many months, or how its outcome might affect their approach.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Tech
May 14, 2023

Taiwan is running low on a strategic asset: engineers

A shrinking population, demanding work culture and an abundance of competing tech jobs have meant workers have become ever more scarce.
Japan Times
LIFE / Style & Design
May 13, 2023

In the world of tatami, one Kyushu variety is a cut above

Shichitōi rushes can be difficult to harvest and weave, but many consider them the superior ingredient for unparalleled tatami.
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC
May 13, 2023

In Xi’s China, economic needs may take a back seat to security

Xi Jinping wants to insulate China from perceived threats from the West. He also wants to promote the country as deserving of foreign investment and clout. Can he do both?
Japan Times
WORLD
May 13, 2023

Ukraine’s advances near Bakhmut expose rifts in Russian forces

Russia’s pro-war bloggers were quick to claim that Ukraine’s long-anticipated counteroffensive had begun, but Ukrainian officials downplayed the advances.
Japan Times
MORE SPORTS
May 12, 2023

X Games returns to Japan without COVID-19 restrictions

The X Games will feature 10 events from the skateboarding, BMX and Moto X disciplines.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
May 12, 2023

Japan’s giant of central banking

Critics of former BOJ Gov. Kuroda complain that he never achieved the 2% inflation target. What they fail to acknowledge is his policies led to a dramatic strengthening of the labor market.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
May 12, 2023

History repeats in a world of unwelcome replays

From high inflation to a ground war in Europe to widespread technological disruptions, the biggest challenges facing the world today are hardly unprecedented.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
May 12, 2023

Foxconn profits plunge due to investment loss from Sharp’s write-down

Foxconn, which assembles around 70% of iPhones, has been diversifying production away from China, whose strict COVID-19 restrictions disrupted its biggest iPhone plant last year.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / ANALYSIS
May 12, 2023

Vast China-Russia resources trade shifts to yuan from dollars in Ukraine fallout

The switch to yuan to pay for billions in commodities trades in the wake of the Ukraine war accelerates China's efforts to internationalize its currency.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
May 11, 2023

The populist authoritarian hangover and democracies

After authoritarian governments are toppled, the hard work of institutional reconstruction begins.
Japan Times
WORLD
May 11, 2023

Europe battling punishing drought and unpredictable weather forecast for 2043

The continent has warmed nearly twice as fast as the rest of the world over the last three decades, according to the World Meteorological Organization.

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