More Editorials Articles - The Japan Times

February 01, 2025

Today's print edition

Subscribe for more access

EDITORIALS

Feb 6, 2010

Mr. Ozawa's moral responsibility

Public prosecutors Thursday decided not to indict Democratic Party of Japan Secretary General Ichiro Ozawa over the alleged falsification of political fund reports, saying there was insufficient evidence to convict him. The decision comes as a relief for Mr. Ozawa, Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama and Cabinet...

EDITORIALS

Feb 5, 2010

Both sides of the story

Japanese and Chinese academics on Jan. 31 released a 549-page report on their joint studies of ancient, medieval and modern history involving both countries. Release of the report, originally scheduled in 2008, was delayed because of political considerations on China's part. In addition, the postwar...

EDITORIALS

Feb 4, 2010

New face on the sumo board

In an unexpected development, former yokozuna Takanohana has been elected to the 10-man board of the Japan Sumo Association. But to think that the election of the 37-year-old will bring quick change to the JSA may be too optimistic. After his election, he did not disclose any reform plans. Takanohana...

EDITORIALS

Feb 4, 2010

Fishing for false confessions

Audio tapes recorded some 17 years ago of Mr. Toshikazu Sugaya being questioned during a murder investigation reveal how investigators can manipulate suspects into making false confessions. The recordings, which were played over two days (Jan. 21-22) of Mr. Sugaya's retrial in Utsunomiya District Court,...

EDITORIALS

Feb 3, 2010

Critical labor negotiations

The annual wage negotiations have started amid difficult economic conditions, including a high unemployment rate topping 5 percent and a prevailing fear of a second recessionary dip. The Japanese economy is in such bad shape that the Japanese Trade Union Confederation (Rengo), Japan's largest labor organization,...

EDITORIALS

Feb 3, 2010

Sending more help to Haiti

The government will dispatch some 300 Self-Defense Forces members to join the U.N. peacekeeping mission in quake-devastated Haiti. This is a substantial addition to the 39 SDF members currently engaged in U.N. peacekeeping operations (PKO). Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama said that the expanded mission...

EDITORIALS

Feb 2, 2010

Sri Lanka's chance to start again

Mr. Mahinda Rajapaksa, president of Sri Lanka, has been re-elected. Mr. Rajapaksa's victory was expected following the government's victory last year over the Tamil Tigers, ending a 26-year insurgency. Peace on the island opens the door to long-delayed economic development, a key to enduring stability....

EDITORIALS

Feb 1, 2010

State of a divided nation

Since the speech is called the State of the Union address, it was expected that U.S. President Barack Obama would devote most of his time to domestic concerns. In that regard, he did not disappoint. Two-thirds of his 75-minute talk focused on the economy, with much of the remainder challenging members...

EDITORIALS

Jan 31, 2010

To protect and enhance life

Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama, whose administration is 4 1/2 months old, opened his policy speech for the coming year with words that bore his colors: "I want to protect people's lives. This is my wish. . . . I want to protect the lives of those who are born, of those who grow and mature."

EDITORIALS

Jan 30, 2010

Our duty to remember Auschwitz

"Let us remember that we are on the site of the most gigantic cemetery in the world, a cemetery where there are no graves, no stones, but where the ashes of more than one million people lie."

EDITORIALS

Jan 30, 2010

Shots across the bow

North Korea fired field artillery rounds near the de facto maritime border between North and South Korea on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. On Wednesday alone, it is estimated that the North fired more than 100 rounds into North Korean waters 2 to 3 km from the Northern Limit Line. It is the first time...

EDITORIALS

Jan 28, 2010

The reconstruction of Haiti

As the horrific death toll in Haiti has so tragically demonstrated, the primary defense against earthquakes is to have buildings strong enough to withstand their destructive force. It is estimated that at least 150,000 Haitians perished in the magnitude-7.0 temblor and aftershocks that flattened much...

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

Kabukicho: Tokyo’s ‘stadium of desire’

Ayumi Matsuki, a priestess at Yoshiwara Shrine, shows off some "o-mamori" charms. She says visitors to the shrine have increased since the NHK drama “Unbound” began airing this month.

Tracing Tsutaya Juzaburo, Edo’s media maverick

By Alex K.T. Martin

SUSTAINABLE JAPAN

Challenging spirit and teamwork keep ANA flying high

Challenging spirit and teamwork keep ANA flying high

SPECIAL SUPPLEMENTS

SUPPLEMENTS BINDER

international-reports