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July 16, 2024
 

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Noriko Hama
BUSINESS / JAPANESE PERSPECTIVES
Feb 2, 2004
The unofficial truth about Japan and its official economic recovery
So it's official. Or so the officials say. The Japanese government's latest monthly report on the state of the economy proudly announces that recovery is now steadily in progress.
BUSINESS / JAPANESE PERSPECTIVES
Dec 29, 2003
Enough monkey biz for year of the sheep
The new year approaches, and according to the Chinese zodiac sign calendar it will be the year of the monkey. Just what kind of monkey business awaits the animal in its namesake year is anybody's guess. The hunch is there will be no lack of such activity.
BUSINESS / JAPANESE PERSPECTIVES
Dec 1, 2003
The visionless world of postelection Japan
"Now when you go to look for your left -- when you need them most -- they are nowhere to be found," says Michael Moore in the introduction to the U.K. version of his new book, "Dude, Where's My Country."
BUSINESS
Nov 3, 2003
How money changes hands in deflationary Japan
An old Japanese saying has it that money is a roving commodity. It will forever keep changing hands, so that yesterday's borrowers are today's lenders, and today's impoverished will be tomorrow's affluent.
BUSINESS / JAPANESE PERSPECTIVES
Oct 6, 2003
Why short-circuit ourselves in a battery-operated world?
We live today in a world of information and communications technology. For all the wonders it can work, it is actually quite fragile, dependent on a whole host of things to ensure it operates smoothly.
BUSINESS / JAPANESE PERSPECTIVES
Sep 8, 2003
Taking the blue pill in a deflationary world
"Welcome to the real world," says Morpheus, captain of the hovercraft Nebuchadnezzar. That is how the cult-movie serial "Matrix" first ventured out into its progressively surreal world. Fans avidly await the coming of the third and (supposedly) last installment of the saga later this year.
BUSINESS / JAPANESE PERSPECTIVES
Aug 4, 2003
Seasonal thoughts on Japan's sweltering summer troubles
Summer is as much the silly season in Japan as well as elsewhere. Nothing much moves forward and the papers struggle to find suitable topics to comment on. So do economists. Here are some thoughts for the season.
BUSINESS / JAPANESE PERSPECTIVES
Jun 30, 2003
Devolution trinity needs more than a moniker to succeed
Fewer subsidies, less transfers, more taxing power. Thus goes Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's "trinity" of local government reforms.
BUSINESS / JAPANESE PERSPECTIVES
Jun 2, 2003
Consequences of eternal stability may mummify Japan's economy
Stability is a good thing. But you can always have too much of a good thing. Too much stability turns into rigidity. Rigidity begets stagnation. Stagnation leads to decline. Decline leads to death. Such is the dynamics of economic activity.
BUSINESS / JAPANESE PERSPECTIVES
Apr 28, 2003
Time for Japan to return to reality and give us safer reasons to invest
"Wonderful thing, death. So uncontroversial," said Jim Hacker, the hero of BBC TV's highly successful 1980s political sitcom "Yes Prime Minister."
BUSINESS / JAPANESE PERSPECTIVES
Mar 31, 2003
The economics of friendly fire
Friendly fire is a terrible thing to be a casualty of. But such things happen in the battlefield. As has indeed been happening in the Iraqi war zone.
BUSINESS / JAPANESE PERSPECTIVES
Mar 3, 2003
Unorthodox likely to be deprived of death wish
So now we know. After much speculation, leaking and hearsay, the next governor of the Bank of Japan has been named. Toshihiko Fukui it is, to the surprise and dismay of many it seems, judging by immediate media reactions here and elsewhere.
BUSINESS / JAPANESE PERSPECTIVES
Feb 3, 2003
Beware of the risks of inflation targeting
America borrows to keep growing. China grows to keep standing still. And Japan stands still to keep from falling apart.
BUSINESS / JAPANESE PERSPECTIVES
Nov 25, 2002
'Asianization' and 'Wimbledonization' can avert final collapse
An economy is like a balloon. Pump hot air into it and it will soar up into the heavens. If it soars too high for too long, it eventually gets worn or torn, or both, and starts to collapse.
BUSINESS / JAPANESE PERSPECTIVES
Sep 2, 2002
Japan laying it on thick with ancient corporate shtick
The hammier the act, the better it gets. Nippon Ham, Japan's largest ham and sausage processor, tries to tap the government's post-BSE meat buyback program by pretending it has a lot of unsold domestic beef on hand, which actually turns out to be imported stock.
BUSINESS
Aug 5, 2002
False logic of 'Koizumispeak' hinders economic progress
"A cat has four legs. My dog has four legs. Therefore my dog is a cat." False logic cannot get much better than this. False logic is music to the ear of those who wish to be deceived and honey on the tongues of those who wish to deceive.
BUSINESS
Dec 31, 2001
The euro's tangible new legacy
On New Year's Day, many traditional Japanese performance arts come into their element. Rakugo is a time-honored version of standup comedy. Well, sit-down really, since the kimono-clad performer actually sits on a cushion and uses nothing but a towel and a fan as props -- any kind of prop that may be...
BUSINESS
Oct 1, 2001
Koizumi should follow in Thatcher's footsteps
The infamous terrorist attacks on the United States have done much to alter the global economic landscape. But they have done nothing to change the economic problems Japan needs to tackle.
Who needs AI when you have Hatsune Miku?
Over the first six months of 2024, a handful of songs using Vocaloid singer Hatsune Miku’s voice have enjoyed widespread attention, underlining a global interest in the character and the technology she represents.
Bloodied Trump survives assassination attempt at political rally
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is surrounded and evacuated by Secret Service agents at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on Saturday. Trump was rushed off stage at the rally after shots rang out.
Shooter came within inches of killing Trump, but left few clues as to why
An aerial view shows the stage where Republican presidential candidate and former U.S. President Donald Trump had been standing during an assassination attempt the day before, and the roof of a nearby building where a gunman was shot dead by law enforcement, in Butler, Pennsylvania, on Sunday.
Yen’s woes seem too big for even a BOJ hike this month to solve
The Bank of Japan headquarters in Tokyo
How to beat Japan’s summer heat in ways better for the planet
Tenugui towels hang up to dry at a dyeing company in Sakai, Osaka Prefecture, on May 8. The durable and versatile tenugui, which many people have in their homes, can be used in many ways to cool one’s body.
The neurological disorder that 'kills culture'
Akiko Trush says her experience with the neurological disorder dystonia left her feeling like she wanted to chop her own hand off.
How to beat Japan’s summer heat in ways better for the planet
Tenugui towels hang up to dry at a dyeing company in Sakai, Osaka Prefecture, on May 8. The durable and versatile tenugui, which many people have in their homes, can be used in many ways to cool one’s body.
After Trump shooting, U.S. presidential race might take a violent turn
United States Secret Service Counter Snipers stand guard on a rooftop during a campaign rally for U.S. President Donald Trump in Avoca, Pennsylvania, in 2020.
No AC this summer? No problem (for me).
Think air conditioning is a requirement for a Tokyo summer? Think again.
She’s paying ¥1 million to help behind the scenes at the Paris Olympics
Mai Tarumi, who previously volunteered at the postponed Tokyo Olympics in 2021, has a travel budget of ¥1 million for her trip to volunteer at the Paris Games.

Podcast

You can often see generations of families enjoying performances together at Fuji Rock Festival.
Japan’s summer music festivals are feeling the heat in more ways than one

Longform

Akiko Trush says her experience with the neurological disorder dystonia left her feeling like she wanted to chop her own hand off.
The neurological disorder that 'kills culture'
By Tomoko Otake

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Exploring Japanese culturevia Tohoku’s festivals
Exploring Japanese culturevia Tohoku’s festivals

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