author

 
 

Meta

Gearoid Reidy
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Nov 2, 2022
Japan asks if it’s better to flip burgers than work at a megabank
The weak yen makes the wages of Japan's long-suffering workers seem absurdly low.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Nov 1, 2022
Halloween tragedy is a test for a deeply unpopular leader
President Yoon Suk-yeol's political future greatly depends on how he deals with the Halloween tragedy that left over 150 people dead after a crowd surge over the weekend.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Oct 26, 2022
The West has failed: North Korea is a nuclear state
From Afghanistan to China, Biden has been willing to abandon ill-fated policies. The goal of removing nuclear weapons from North Korea should be the next to go.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Oct 19, 2022
Maskless tourists in Japan trigger a debate over ‘face underwear’
Should Japan look to the world for advice on COVID-19 protocols, or the other way around? Both visitors and residents have something to learn from one another.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Oct 13, 2022
Struggling Rakuten may need to phone a friend for help with mobile bet
Hiroshi Mikitani isn't as rich as he used to be — and is losing money rapidly on his bet on mobile. The smart play may be to find a partner with deeper pockets.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Sep 27, 2022
Shinzo Abe’s funeral furor is Japan’s most unedifying debate
Partisan bickering over Shinzo Abe's state memorial was an embarrassment for the nation on the world stage.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Sep 14, 2022
Tourists will love the yen. Will Japan love them back?
With the yen near the cheapest level in decades, Japan is set to reopen its borders — but it should think about what type of tourist nation it wants to be.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Sep 13, 2022
A Japanese philosophy for the 'quiet-quitting' generation
Here's what disillusioned workers and overstretched managers can learn from one of Japan's greatest businessmen.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Sep 7, 2022
Mr. Play-It-Safe prime minister is living dangerously
Fumio Kishida's approval ratings are tanking. The prime minister must be more proactive to ensure his political longevity.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Aug 25, 2022
Can the Japanese learn to love nuclear power again?
The Japanese government is backing the construction of new reactors for the first time since Fukushima. It will have to convince a skeptical public first.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Aug 24, 2022
A 'sober-curious' generation leaves Japan with a hangover
Should the tax arm of the government be encouraging people to drink, even in moderation?
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Aug 19, 2022
Manchester United is a joke even to Elon Musk
Frustrated supporters briefly hoped against hope the mogul was serious when he tweeted he was buying the struggling club.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Aug 17, 2022
Lay Japan’s war debates to rest along with Abe
Commemorating the end of World War II can be a sensitive moment in Japan. How to honor the slain prime minister is now another one.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Aug 10, 2022
Forget about Brad Pitt in his latest movie; the bullet train is the real star
A new movie finally gives top billing to Japan's most famous train. But it comes during troubled times for the fabled Shinkansen.
COMMENTARY / Japan
Jul 20, 2022
Even senseless assassins can get lucky once
The murder of Shinzo Abe has put the spotlight on fringe religious and political groups. That doesn't necessarily help us find a future killer.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Jul 18, 2022
It’s up to Kishida to achieve Abe’s great unrealized dream
An Upper House election victory may bolster the premier's ability to make hard calls. He should start with Japan's military.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Jul 17, 2022
What the world got wrong about Shinzo Abe
Shinzo Abe's time in power was often tainted by an undeserved distrust. But all he sought to do was to make Japan a normal country
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Jul 10, 2022
Shinzo Abe made Japan assertive. Can it stay the course?
The current prime minister will be hard pressed to match his achievements.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Jul 8, 2022
Pension riches are no panacea for Japan’s startups
The world's biggest pension fund might invest in the next unicorns and decacorns. That's a good beginning — but the country's fledgling scene needs more.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Jul 6, 2022
Warren Buffett’s advice for the barbarians at Japan’s gate
Activist investing and private equity are growing in Japan, but that doesn't mean Western-style management has all the answers.

Longform

Professional cleaner Hirofumi Sakurai takes a moment to appreciate some photographs in a Gotanda apartment whose occupant died alone. 
The last cleanup: Life and death in a lonely Japan