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January 25, 2025
 

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EDITORIALS
Jul 1, 2008
Resistance to devolution
The government's devolution promotion headquarters has decided on a general plan for devolution in response to the first set of recommendations made by a government panel dealing with the issue. The general plan shows that some ministries are still putting up resistance to giving up their powers. The...
EDITORIALS
Jun 30, 2008
Tokyo: a livable megacity
A recent United Nations Report on World Urbanization found that Tokyo remains the world's largest city. That will come as no surprise to anyone, but London-based magazine Monocle's ranking Tokyo as the third most livable city in the world just might astonish many.
EDITORIALS
Jun 30, 2008
A new prescription
The government's regulatory reform panel has recently proposed improvements in the screening process for new medicinal products. Currently, most new drugs, even those with approval overseas, can take up to four years to be approved in Japan. Under the new proposal, that screening time will be reduced...
EDITORIALS
Jun 29, 2008
Subtle change in the Middle East
It did not take long before the ceasefire that went into effect on June 19 between Israel and Hamas was tested. The launch of rocket attacks last week from the Gaza Strip into Israeli territory prompted Tel Aviv to launch an armed incursion, leaving the truce tattered, but not yet terminated. Peace must...
EDITORIALS
Jun 28, 2008
The case against Mr. Sahashi
Mr. Nozomu Sahashi once built Japan's largest English-language chain. But the former president of Nova Corp. and one other former Nova official were arrested Tuesday on suspicion of misusing some ¥320 million deposited by employees into a welfare fund. Their arrests are expected to help unravel what...
EDITORIALS
Jun 28, 2008
Make North Korea accountable
North Korea has filed a declaration of its nuclear programs with China, which chairs the six-party talks, and the United States has started a procedure to remove the North from its list of state sponsors of terrorism.
EDITORIALS
Jun 27, 2008
Quakes in unexpected places
The June 14 earthquake in the Tohoku region underscores the need to strengthen studies of active faults for which quake-occurrence probability has not been evaluated. The 7.2-magnitude earthquake caused vibrations of upper 6 on the Japanese scale of 7 in Oshu, Iwate Prefecture, and in Kurihara, Miyagi...
EDITORIALS
Jun 27, 2008
Unrelenting suicide toll
The year 2007 saw 33,093 suicides in Japan, with the number of people taking their own lives topping 30,000 for the 10th straight year. This is a sad situation. Some suicides may have been caused by strictly personal problems, but the National Police Agency's statistics hint that social factors also...
EDITORIALS
Jun 26, 2008
Divided Diet on break
The ordinary Diet session ended last week, but an extraordinary session will begin in late August with the Diet as divided as it is now. Despite confusion, the divided Diet produced some desirable results. Based on their experiences in the ordinary Diet session, both the ruling and opposition forces...
EDITORIALS
Jun 26, 2008
Social security is calling
The People's Conference on Social Security, established on Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda's initiative, has handed him an interim report on how to reform Japan's social security system. The group, composed of 15 members including business and labor leaders, academicians and social welfare experts, is expected...
EDITORIALS
Jun 25, 2008
More doctors needed
A private advisory body for health minister Yoichi Masuzoe has urged the government to increase its quota for medical students. The recommendation comes amid reports that pregnant women, children and rural residents are having difficulties getting medical treatment. The government should implement this...
EDITORIALS
Jun 25, 2008
Facing a science challenge
The 2008 white paper on science and technology underlines the difficult situation in which Japan finds itself in the economic and science fields. The government report says that Japan is facing unprecedentedly fierce competition and warns that if Japan fails to ride out this "dreadful storm," it may...
BOJ takes rates to 0.5% amid calm markets after Trump inauguration
Bank of Japan Gov. Kazuo Ueda had sounded dovish after the central bank's December policy meeting, which led some analysts to say that rate hikes might only emerge in March.
Ishiba stresses regional revitalization in policy speech
Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba delivers his policy speech at the Lower House of parliament in Tokyo on Friday.
Japan's foreign minister vows to take ties with U.S. to new heights
Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio at the State Department in Washington on Tuesday
U.S. Marine not indicted in sexual assault case in Okinawa
A building in Naha, Okinawa Prefecture, that houses the Naha District Public Prosecutor's Office
Global tourism is back to pre-COVID highs
While Japan deals with so-called overtourism, the rest of the world is just getting back to pre-pandemic levels of visits from international travelers.
The cartoon chaos of ‘Hi Hi Puffy AmiYumi’ was ahead of its time
Animated series “Hi Hi Puffy AmiYumi” premiered on Cartoon Network on Nov. 29, 2004, and ran for three seasons. The show is based on real-life J-pop band Puffy.
How 'Twin Peaks' turned David Lynch into Japan's favorite weirdo
“The Elephant Man” and “Twin Peaks” director David Lynch became a favorite among Japanese moviegoers who flocked to new arthouse cinemas (known as “mini theaters”) popping up around the country in the 1980s and ’90s.
As parliament opens, ruling coalition enters uncharted territory
Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba delivers a policy speech at the Lower House of the parliament in Tokyo last November.
Dodgers introduce Japanese pitching phenom Roki Sasaki
Dodgers pitcher Roki Sasaki speaks during his introductory news conference with the team in Los Angeles on Wednesday.
Japan-made games part of a rising tide of indie greatness
One of the brighest spots of Japan's indie gaming landscape in 2024 was Sonokuni, and with more incubators and other avenues of support springing up, there may be more games like it in the future.

Podcast

One of the many entrances to the Kabukicho neighborhood in Tokyo’s Shinjuku Ward.
Kabukicho: Tokyo’s ‘stadium of desire’

Longform

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

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