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 Eric Johnston

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Eric Johnston
Japan Times
JAPAN / Politics
Oct 30, 2014
Okinawa gubernatorial election kicks off with four candidates
The Okinawa gubernatorial race kicks off with four candidates in an election that could sink Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's political fortunes and strain military ties with the United States.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Politics
Oct 28, 2014
Hashimoto loses bid to reshape Osaka into five mini-cities
The Osaka Municipal Assembly on Monday voted down Mayor Toru Hashimoto's plans to integrate the city into a series of semi-autonomous zones.
JAPAN / Science & Health
Oct 28, 2014
Questions remain over how Japan would handle actual Ebola cases
Health experts have said authorities were correct to intercept a Canadian journalist who subsequently tested negative for the Ebola virus and remains under observation.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Politics
Oct 26, 2014
More distrust, less harmony if law pits local patriarchs against Tokyo secrecy fetishists
With the state secrets law about to take effect, a fundamental question awaits: When is a “state” secret no longer merely national and starts to infringe upon “local” autonomy?
Japan Times
JAPAN / Politics / KANSAI PERSPECTIVE
Oct 26, 2014
Kansai's fears of new law no state secret
With less than two months to go until the new designated state secrets law comes into force, how, exactly, it will work in practice is the subject of extensive debate and concern. Much of the commentary focuses on how the fundamental rights of individuals will be affected.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Oct 25, 2014
Treasures of the Shoso-in hoard on display
The 66th annual exhibition of important cultural artifacts from the Shoso-in treasure house opened to the public on Friday with 59 items on display, including over a half dozen appearing for the first time.
JAPAN / View from Osaka
Oct 18, 2014
Osaka looks to swim with the 'whales' in casino bid
Osaka faces a challenge: What to do about the whales? No, there's nothing the International Whaling Commission can do and don't bother calling Greenpeace or Sea Shepherd, for catching these whales is a form of hunting far more difficult than firing harpoons into a leviathan.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Oct 17, 2014
No biohazard facilities in Japan can handle Ebola
Despite government assurances that Japan can handle an Ebola outbreak, there are no biosafety facilities rated to handle the deadly virus and 400 SDF troops are stationed near Congo.
BUSINESS
Oct 15, 2014
Green energy tariffs draw scrutiny
A committee involved with the nation's energy policy met Wednesday to discuss revisions to the 2-year-old feed-in tariff system for renewable energy.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Politics
Oct 10, 2014
Wave of local elections likely to be held in April
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's government decided Friday that next year's nationwide round of local elections will be held on April 12 and 26.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Oct 5, 2014
Technology, business rub elbows at STS confab
The annual Science and Technology in Society Forum, a three-day international gathering of scientists, engineers, university and government officials and corporate heads, kicked off Sunday with discussions on issues ranging from climate change to energy efficiency.
JAPAN
Oct 1, 2014
Osaka mayor prepares to tackle anti-Korean group Zaitokukai
Osaka Mayor Toru Hashimoto is finalizing plans for a public debate with the right-wing, anti-Korean group Zaitokukai over the definition of hate speech and the need to balance freedom of expression with others' human rights.
JAPAN
Sep 30, 2014
Volcanic eruption fires concern about Kagoshima reactor restarts
Saturday's eruption of Mount Ontake is likely to set back plans to restart nuclear reactors in Kagoshima Prefecture and possibly elsewhere, as local officials and residents start debating how safe the plants would be in the event of a nearby volcanic eruption.
MULTIMEDIA
Sep 26, 2014
Okinawa set to invite Universal Studios Japan to build theme park near Nago
Okinawa is planning to formally invite Universal Studios Japan to open a theme park in the Nago area, a prefectural official said Thursday.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Politics / KANSAI PERSPECTIVE
Sep 21, 2014
Mihama viewed as test case for Japan's aging nuclear reactors
In recognition of Japan's rapidly aging nuclear plants, Kansai Electric Power Co. has begun discussing the possibility of decommissioning the Mihama No. 1 and No. 2 reactors, now more than 40 years old, in Fukui Prefecture.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Politics / KANSAI PERSPECTIVE
Sep 21, 2014
Politicians discuss plan B in nuclear power push: underground reactors
With Japan's nuclear power plants nearing the end of their 40-year life cycle, a group of politicians is entertaining the idea of replacing them with underground reactors.
JAPAN / View from Osaka
Sep 20, 2014
Importance of China trade not lost on Kansai leaders
Judging by the frequent overheated rhetoric coming out of parts of the Japanese media, you'd think Japan and China were heading toward war.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Sep 11, 2014
Japanese youths becoming less engaged with U.S., observers warn
The U.S.-Japan relationship remains extremely close due to shared interests and common strategic concerns. But issues ranging from trade negotiations over the Trans-Pacific Partnership to a perception on the U.S. side that Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is too focused on the past, have created immediate political...
JAPAN / Politics
Sep 10, 2014
New Cabinet ministers' pasts coming back to haunt Abe
One week after Prime Minister Shinzo Abe reshuffled his Cabinet with an eye to the future, the past is coming back to haunt him: Revelations of controversial past statements and actions by his newly appointed ministers are drawing criticism abroad.
Japan Times
JAPAN / EXPLAINER
Sep 8, 2014
How vulnerable is Japan to severe weather?
The deadly mudslides in Hiroshima and other parts of western Japan last month caused by torrential rains have raised concerns about how vulnerable Japan is to such natural disasters, especially given severe weather events due to climate change.

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