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 Eric Johnston

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Eric Johnston
Japan Times
JAPAN
Aug 12, 2015
In major victory for nuclear industry, first reactor goes online under post-Fukushima regime
Four years and five months to the day after the crisis began at the Fukushima No. 1 power station, Japan formally returned to nuclear power Tuesday with the restart of Kyushu Electric Power Co.'s Sendai No. 1 reactor in Kagoshima Prefecture.
JAPAN
Aug 10, 2015
Reactor in Kagoshima poised for restart despite public opposition
Kyushu Electric Power will restart the No. 1 reactor at its Sendai nuclear plant on Tuesday, marking the country's first long-term return to nuclear power since the Fukushima crisis.
Japan Times
JAPAN / History / 70 YEARS AFTER THE WAR'S END
Aug 10, 2015
A legacy of WWII, Korean residents test nation's ability to accommodate non-Japanese
World War II had, and continues to have, a profound impact on the Korean community in Japan.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Aug 9, 2015
Nagasaki bombing remembered, but doubts emerge over anti-war, anti-nuke policy
Nagasaki marks the 70th anniversary of the atomic bombing with calls to abolish nuclear weapons and a direct criticism of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's security bills.
Japan Times
JAPAN / History
Aug 8, 2015
Truth hurts: censorship in the media
"Truth, it has been said, is the first casualty of war." — Philip Snowden, July 1916
JAPAN
Aug 5, 2015
U.S. stands by Henoko plan despite move by Tokyo to suspend construction
The United States will continue to back plans to relocate the U.S. Marine base at Futenma to Henoko, both in Okinawa, despite the surprise decision by Tokyo to suspend construction for a month due to opposition in the prefecture over the project, a U.S. official in Washington said Tuesday.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Aug 1, 2015
No final deal in TPP trade talks
Efforts to conclude the framework for the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement ended in failure Saturday, with negotiators unable to bridge differences over issues ranging from pharmaceutical patents to expanded imports of agricultural, and particularly dairy, products.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Politics
Jul 30, 2015
Kyoto bids to host Cultural Affairs Agency
The city of Kyoto is stepping up efforts to become the new home of the Cultural Affairs Agency, which works to protect Japan's officially designated cultural treasures.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Politics
Jul 26, 2015
Osaka merger, rejected by referendum, is not dead yet
Hang on. Haven't we seen this movie before?
Japan Times
JAPAN / Politics / KANSAI PERSPECTIVE
Jul 26, 2015
Hashimoto's proposed Kansai-centric party no easy sell in region, where rivalries limit appeal
No stranger to making headlines and raising eyebrows in politics, the fiery Toru Hashimoto did it again on July 4.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Jul 24, 2015
To avoid raising eyebrows, entities swapping Kinki for Kansai
In an effort to increase recognition abroad as well as prevent smirks, giggles, or shocked stares from English speakers, more businesses and private organizations are dropping the regional name "Kinki" from their titles and replacing it with "Kansai."
JAPAN / Politics
Jul 23, 2015
Onaga to address U.N. human rights body on Futenma dispute
Okinawa Gov. Takeshi Onaga is finalizing plans to take his objections over the planned Futenma replacement base to the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva in September, prefectural officials said Thursday.
Japan Times
JAPAN / View from Osaka
Jul 19, 2015
The cafes play jazz deep in the heart of Kyoto
Last month, it was announced the number of visitors to Kyoto in 2014 (including day trippers) topped 55 million people, a 7.8 percent increase over 2013. The total number of foreign visitors who spent at least one night was 1.83 million, a whopping 62 percent increase over 2013.
JAPAN / Politics
Jul 16, 2015
Panel finds 'flaws' in Henoko landfill approval
As the Lower House passed controversial security bills Thursday designed to deepen Japan's military ties with the United States, Okinawa Gov. Takeshi Onaga moved a step closer to halting work on a controversial new U.S. air base after an advisory panel found serious flaws in the approval process.
JAPAN
Jul 15, 2015
Ikata reactor in Ehime wins safety approval as nuclear plants inch closer to restart
Shikoku Electric Power Co.'s Ikata No. 3 reactor has become the fifth reactor to obtain regulatory approval for a restart since the 2011 Fukushima crisis began.
JAPAN / Politics
Jul 10, 2015
144 local, prefectural governments release statements condemning security bills
Local opposition is growing to security bills that Prime Minister Shinzo Abe hopes to push through the Lower House next week, with 144 prefectural, municipal and town governments releasing statements condemning the legislation as of Friday.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Economy
Jul 9, 2015
U.S., Japan enter 'final' trade talks ahead of possible TPP agreement
Trade negotiators from the U.S. and Japan met Thursday in Tokyo to work out what they hope will be a final bilateral deal needed for the Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Jul 7, 2015
Fuel is loaded into Kagoshima reactor as first restart nears
Kyushu Electric Power Co. begins loading fuel into a reactor at its Sendai station in preparation for the first restart under safety standards adopted in response to the Fukushima crisis.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Politics
Jul 6, 2015
Hashimoto raises prospect of forming all-Kansai political party
Osaka Mayor Toru Hashimoto expresses interest in forming an all-Kansai political party, which could split the party into eastern and western Japan factions.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / How-tos / LIFELINES
Jul 5, 2015
Kyoto residents rally around Nepal quake victims in charity drive
When earthquakes struck Nepal in April and May, killing more than 8,700 people, relief poured in from around the world. That included aid from a group of friends in Kyoto, for whom the people of Nepal were not far off strangers but friends, and almost family members, who they'd been assisting for many...

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