More Commentary Articles - The Japan Times

November 28, 2024

Today's print edition

Subscribe for more access

COMMENTARY

Jul 12, 2004

Bush goes to work with the whitewash

By Doug Bandow

WASHINGTON -- Former U.S. President Bill Clinton's commitment to doing the popular thing politically was legendary. He has met his match, however. If anything, President George W. Bush is even more devoted to turning everything to his political advantage.

COMMENTARY / World

Jul 12, 2004

Death-penalty debate rages anew in India

By Gautaman Bhaskaran

MADRAS, India -- India is once again hotly debating capital punishment. This time the discussion has been provoked by the death sentence given to Dhananjoy Chatterjee, who was convicted of raping and murdering a 14-year-old schoolgirl. Indian President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam has stayed Chatterjee's hanging...

COMMENTARY / World

Jul 12, 2004

Moderate Islam's voice must be heard

By George Sioris

CHIANG MAI, Thailand -- The fact that every day a new "armchair" terrorism expert appears can be viewed as a welcome sign, for it shows that there is growing alertness to the new challenge of our times. Terrorism experts continue to argue over the best ways to confront unimaginable threats, but frequently...

COMMENTARY / THE VIEW FROM MOSCOW

Jul 11, 2004

Exile in America inspired a revolution

By Constantine Pleshakov

MOSCOW -- George Balanchine was an exile thrice. The first time came without his consent and even without his prior knowledge, as his family went from its native Georgia in the Caucasus to the capital of Russia, St. Petersburg, before he was born.

COMMENTARY

Jul 11, 2004

Japan can't compete with a burning Iraq

By Tom Plate

LOS ANGELES -- Before too long, Asia might get weary of being declared by self-appointed Occidental experts as the new center of the political universe. For one thing, the notion is hardly novel in Asia. But, then again, it might as well enjoy the limelight so long denied this most pivotal region on...

COMMENTARY

Jul 9, 2004

Hu's star will keep rising

By Frank Ching

HONG KONG -- Ever since Hu Jintao took over as general secretary of the Chinese Communist Party in 2002 and assumed the presidency in 2003, there has been much speculation as to whether he really wields the powers of those offices or whether his predecessor, Jiang Zemin, who remains head of the armed...

COMMENTARY

Jul 8, 2004

Rising doubts about NATO

By David Howell

LONDON -- The June 28-29 summit meeting of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization in Istanbul was a sour affair. The so-called allies within NATO could not agree on how to help with reconstruction in Iraq and ended up merely offering to do some training of Iraqi personnel, but not much more.

COMMENTARY / WASHINGTON UPDATE

Jul 7, 2004

Bush's financial edge fades as Kerry's coffers grow fat

By Bob Keefe

WASHINGTON -- Throw away all of those crying towels that have been held in reserve to sop the tears of Democrats whining about the financial superiority of the Great Bush Money Machine. John Kerry just beat the record for fundraising by a presidential challenger, and he has a month to go to keep piling...

COMMENTARY / World

Jul 6, 2004

Pie-in-the-sky Asian monetary reform

By Christopher Lingle

GUATEMALA CITY -- Following the experiences of the European Union's euro zone, a common currency area for Asia has been widely discussed. Even though an Asian monetary union is a fantasy that ignores both economic and political realities, respectable economists have bought into the idea.

COMMENTARY / World

Jul 6, 2004

Clarify 'self-defense' role

By Hisahiko Okazaki

The government decided recently to keep Self-Defense Force troops stationed in Iraq as participants in the multinational force following the handover of sovereignty. I support this decision. One reason the decision has been criticized is that Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi made a procedural faux pas...

COMMENTARY / World

Jul 6, 2004

Expressway debts: New policy goes on the road to nowhere

By Tai Kawabata

By passing expressway legislation that omitted a key part of privatization panel's suggestions, Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's political 'style' may now be under scrutiny by politicians and the general public.

COMMENTARY / Japan

Jul 6, 2004

Expressway debts: New policy goes on the road to nowhere

By Tai Kawabata

By passing expressway legislation that omitted a key part of privatization panel's suggestions, Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's political 'style' may now be under scrutiny by politicians and the general public.

One of the many entrances to the Kabukicho neighborhood in Tokyo’s Shinjuku Ward.

Kabukicho: Tokyo’s ‘stadium of desire’

Totopa in Tokyo’s Shinjuku Ward was picked by consultants TTNE as the best sauna of the year.

Japan’s sauna movement: Relax, refresh, repeat

By Greg Dvorak

SUSTAINABLE JAPAN

Azabudai Hills, Tokyo’s green new downtown ‘village’

Azabudai Hills, Tokyo’s green new downtown ‘village’

SPECIAL SUPPLEMENTS

SUPPLEMENTS BINDER

international-reports