More Editorials Articles - The Japan Times

January 25, 2025

Today's print edition

Subscribe for more access

EDITORIALS

Jun 22, 2012

Reviving Fukushima's fisheries

A fishing cooperative in Fukushima Prefecture on June 14 carried out a fishing operation on a trial basis off the prefecture. The prefecture's fishing industry has suffered greatly from the severe accident at Tokyo Electric Power Co.'s Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant.

EDITORIALS

Jun 21, 2012

Tepid vote for Europe in Greece

Greece and Europe have gained some breathing room — but not much — after Sunday's parliamentary elections in Greece. A victory by the conservative New Democracy (ND) party offers hope that the country will support a government that backs the existing austerity program, permitting Greece to stay in...

EDITORIALS

Jun 20, 2012

Sake makes a comeback

Japanese traditional sake had a resurgence in 2011, with drinkers consuming more than in 2010. After hitting a peak in the mid-1970s, consumption gradually fell to a third. Last year, though, saw a return of enthusiasm for sake as a way of supporting Tohoku, a region with three major sake-producing prefectures:...

EDITORIALS

Jun 19, 2012

Reversing the population decline

Demographic statistics findings made public on June 5 by the health and welfare ministry has confirmed what is already well known: Japan's population will steadily decline unless effective measures are taken in a timely manner. The government and enterprises must waste no time in implementing policies...

EDITORIALS

Jun 19, 2012

Scrutinize 'special ward' plans

The ruling and opposition parties have respectively submitted bills designed to allow prefectures and other local governments to set up "special wards" — similar to those that exist in Tokyo — to the Diet. Behind this is a move by Osaka Mayor Toru Hashimoto, leader of Osaka Ishin-no Kai (Osaka Association...

EDITORIALS

Jun 18, 2012

Dousing the Flame

Reports of a new computer virus, dubbed "Flame," have raised alarms about a new era of cyber threats. While countries are increasingly reliant on cyberspace for their very survival — it is now part of the social, economic and security infrastructure — it remains a largely unregulated domain; worse,...

EDITORIALS

Jun 17, 2012

Consensus on risky tax raise

The ruling Democratic Party of Japan and the two main opposition parties, the Liberal Democratic Party and Komeito, on Friday reached a basic agreement on raising the consumption tax. Although the tax raise is coupled with reform of the social security system, the agreement has failed to present a clear...

EDITORIALS

Jun 17, 2012

Regrettable 'go' on reactors

The government on Saturday finally gave the go-ahead to Kansai Electric Power Co.'s plan to restart the Nos. 3 and 4 reactors at its Oi nuclear power plant in Fukui Prefecture. The decision ignores the crucial lesson from the accident at Tokyo Electric Power Co.'s Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant:...

EDITORIALS

Jun 16, 2012

New fisheries approach needed

The Cabinet on May 25 endorsed a white book on fisheries for fiscal 2011. As the white book points out, it is important to revitalize fisheries in the Pacific coastal areas of the Tohoku region, which greatly suffered from the 3/11 earthquake and tsunami and the subsequent Fukushima nuclear crisis. Reviving...

EDITORIALS

Jun 16, 2012

A champion of independent media

Cancer took the life of lawyer and journalist Mr. Kazuo Hizumi on June 12 at the age of 49. Although he died young, he has left behind a persuasive analysis of contemporary Japanese society from the viewpoint of protecting and promoting freedom of expression and citizens' right to know. The public in...

EDITORIALS

Jun 15, 2012

Legacy of a Minamata researcher

Dr. Masazumi Harada, who devoted himself to the study of Minamata disease, Japan's worst disease induced by industrial pollution affecting an estimated more than 30,000 people, died on June 11 of acute myelocytic leukemia at his home in the city of Kumamoto. He was 77. In carrying out his research, he...

EDITORIALS

Jun 15, 2012

Direct yen-yuan trade

On June 1, new currency markets opened in Tokyo and Shanghai for direct trading between the Japanese yen and the Chinese yuan. The direct trading of the two currencies has been motivated largely by the instability of the main currencies such as the U.S. dollar and the euro.

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

Kabukicho: Tokyo’s ‘stadium of desire’

Atsuyoshi Koike, the president and CEO of Rapidus, says there is a “sense of urgency” when it comes to Japan’s efforts in manufacturing semiconductors. “We have to make sure we are successful,” he says.

Atsuyoshi Koike’s big game: Fourth down and 2 nanometers to go

By Kazuaki Nagata and Richard Meyer

SUSTAINABLE JAPAN

SWCC keeps changing with keyword ‘new challenges’

SWCC keeps changing with keyword ‘new challenges’

SPECIAL SUPPLEMENTS

SUPPLEMENTS BINDER

international-reports