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December 23, 2024
 

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Chikako Nakayama
COMMENTARY / Japan
Jan 5, 2015
Survival of 'freedom, democracy'
From top to bottom, Japanese society seems to be growing more introverted and to be shedding its openness toward the outside world. Can the ideal of 'freedom and democracy' survive this trend?
COMMENTARY / Japan
Dec 8, 2014
Economics of 'memento mori'
The primary role of taxes — the redistribution of money for social security and welfare purposes — has been neglected, hidden by the more pressing need to reduce debt.
COMMENTARY / Japan
Oct 30, 2014
To err on the side of caution
It is not fair to underestimate compensation for disaster damage in the name of general interest. This is an area where ordinary cost calculations should be discarded.
COMMENTARY / Japan
Oct 2, 2014
Ray of hope for democrats
For those Japanese who grumble about low voter turnouts in local and national elections, or who complain about the secretive character of political procedures, the open, democratic process of the recent Scottish referendum on independence was an object of envy.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Sep 4, 2014
Profiting off our biocapital
We must be watchful of attempts by DNA testing services to sell the private data they've accumulated from people to other companies for their own profit.
COMMENTARY / Japan
Aug 11, 2014
Building global support for a new economic balance
The proposed BRICS-led development bank sounds promising for developing countries in Asia and Africa, as it may exercise indirect influence on the activities of those development banks that reflect the intentions of their national governments.
COMMENTARY / World
Jun 26, 2014
Deceptive labor shortages
Is Japan experiencing a real economic recovery or an attempt by the Abe administration to cheer people up with the appearance of lively labor markets?
COMMENTARY / World
May 29, 2014
World Cup without succor
International sports events such as the upcoming World Cup Championship in Brazil have become a severe burden on host countries. Haven't we had enough of this slapstick?
COMMENTARY / Japan
May 2, 2014
Rethinking Japan's whaling
Although many Japanese seem indifferent to the question of whether they can get whale meat, pro and con reactions in and out of Japan will affect those who still live by whale hunting on a local scale.
COMMENTARY / World
Apr 1, 2014
The bitcoin rhapsody to continue
Attempts to save on remittance fees by using bitcoins could lead to an addiction, which in turn risks the loss of one's savings.
COMMENTARY / Japan
Mar 4, 2014
Our beastly post-Fukushima age
We have to remember the Fukushima nuclear disaster from the perspective of how Japan's system for providing meat, vegetables, rice, fish and other foods is still suffering as a result.
COMMENTARY / Japan
Feb 3, 2014
Uphold basic living standards
To attain a national minimum for social welfare, some urge introducing a basic income — provision of a fixed sum of money to each citizen — to replace social security, which covers only needy people.
COMMENTARY / Japan
Jan 2, 2014
Public's reaction to 'betrayal'
In light of the recent enact of the state secrets protectiion law, it is urgent that Japan improve its handling and disclosure of government information.
COMMENTARY / World
Dec 5, 2013
Economics that aids people
Confronted with a worldwide, systemic economic crisis, isn't it time we rethink the foundation of mainstream economic theory and move to change the way we measure the quality of life for mankind?
COMMENTARY / Japan
Nov 5, 2013
Perseverance an effective weapon for activists in Japan
As in other developed countries, there are many cases of steady and long-enduring social activism in Japan, but they have remained largely unknown until recently.
Bankruptcies and suicides rise as Japanese struggle with mounting debt
Lawyers estimate that personal bankruptcies in Japan are on track to reach the highest since 2012 this year.
Honda and Nissan consider mutual production of vehicles, report says
Honda CEO Toshihiro Mibe at the Japan Mobility Show 2023 at Tokyo Big Sight in October 2023.
The mighty Mekong River's growing plastic problem
A group of elephant keepers in Chiang Saen, Thailand, remove plastic waste from the Ruak River, a tributary of the Mekong River, as a pair of Asian elephants bathe behind them.
Record 78% of people in Japan feel anxious, government survey finds
The public opinion survey on people's lives, conducted by the Cabinet Office, found that 28.1% of respondents think that their standard of living is at a lower-middle level among the general public — the highest percentage to give that response in 35 years.
Nippon Steel alleges undue White House influence on doomed deal review
U.S. President Joe Biden delivers remarks on the economy at the Brookings Institution in Washington on Dec. 10.
Casual workouts, cool living, ‘complete’ food: Japan’s health trends of 2024
In 2024, efficiency trumped effort among Japan's fitness-focused aspirants.
The mighty Mekong River's growing plastic problem
A group of elephant keepers in Chiang Saen, Thailand, remove plastic waste from the Ruak River, a tributary of the Mekong River, as a pair of Asian elephants bathe behind them.
Japanese officials inspect Yokota Air Base over PFAS concerns
The Yokota Air Base in western Tokyo in September 2019. An inspection of the base by Japanese government officials on Friday came amid public pressure to investigate suspected links between the use of PFAS-containing firefighting foam by the U.S. base and contamination of soil and groundwater in western Tokyo.
Crime numbers rise in Japan for second straight year
A police officer stands in front of the residence of a man alleged to have stabbed two junior high school students in Kitakyushu.
A year of Oscar wins and a quiet push for diversity
Ryusuke Hamaguchi’s “Evil Does Not Exist,” released in Japanese theaters in April, sharply dramatizes the clash between rural and urban values. The film won five awards at the 2023 Venice Film Festival, including the second-place Silver Lion prize.

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