More Editorials Articles - The Japan Times

January 23, 2025

Today's print edition

Subscribe for more access

EDITORIALS

Jan 12, 2007

Opportunity in Somalia

Somalia's recent history is sad and confusing. The war-torn country has had 14 governments in 15 years; none has been able to stabilize the country. Most recently, Ethiopia sent troops into Somalia to drive the ruling Union of Islamic Courts from power and restore the government of President Abdullahi...

EDITORIALS

Jan 11, 2007

Baby boomers can continue to shine

A large number of postwar baby boomers reach retirement age this year. The working population, aged 15 to 64, will decrease by several hundred thousand people every year while the number of citizens aged 65 or older will continue to increase.

EDITORIALS

Jan 11, 2007

Uphold self-defense principles

The Defense Agency was upgraded to the Defense Ministry on Tuesday in accordance with a law revision supported by the Liberal Democratic Party, Komeito and the Democratic Party of Japan. The defense minister can now directly ask the Finance Ministry for funding for the Self-Defense Forces as well as...

EDITORIALS

Jan 10, 2007

Caring for the victims of crime

The government's first white paper on crime victims says that 222 of 258 measures designed to help crime victims have been implemented. The basic law for crime victims, which took effect in April 2005, requires the government to report annually on the progress of support for crime victims. It is hoped...

EDITORIALS

Jan 10, 2007

Candidates who can win

As it has become certain that an Upper House election, which will decide the nation's political direction, will be held July 22 unless the regular Diet session is extended, political parties have started serious preparations. While the opposition Democratic Party of Japan's leader Ichiro Ozawa is busy...

EDITORIALS

Jan 9, 2007

Driving a train under pressure

On the morning of April 25, 2005, a "rapid service" (express) commuter train derailed along a curve between Tsukaguchi and Amagasaki stations on the West Japan Railway Co.'s Fukuchiyama Line in Hyogo Prefecture, slamming into a nine-story condominium building near the tracks. The accident killed 106...

EDITORIALS

Jan 8, 2007

World epidemic defies retreat

The HIV/AIDS epidemic continues to grow more than 25 years after the epidemic was identified, despite worldwide efforts to prevent and contain it. According to a recent update on the epidemic jointly issued by UNAIDS (Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS) and WHO (World Health Organization), an estimated...

EDITORIALS

Jan 7, 2007

Toyota as No. 1

Fifty years ago, Toyota Motor Co., a virtually unknown upstart, entered the U.S. market. Last month, Toyota predicted that it would become the world's largest automaker in 2007, overtaking General Motors. In U.S. auto sales for 2006, Toyota passed Chrysler Group and became No. 3. That is a remarkable...

EDITORIALS

Jan 6, 2007

Two nations bigger

With the arrival of 2007, Romania and Bulgaria joined the European Union, increasing its membership to 27 states. Simultaneously, Slovenia adopted the euro, Europe's single currency, becoming the first former communist state to do so and the 13th member of the euro-zone. The accession of Romania, with...

EDITORIALS

Jan 5, 2007

Solidarity to reproduce

A new forecast says Japan's population will drop by about 40 million from 2005 to about 89 million by 2055 and about 40 percent of the population will be at least 65 years old. The forecast by the health ministry's National Institute of Population and Social Security Statistics clearly shows that a population...

EDITORIALS

Jan 5, 2007

Clean process for governors

Last year saw 15 local government heads arrested in connection with corruption in the bidding process for public projects. Three of them were the governors of Fukushima, Wakayama and Miyazaki prefectures. The elimination of bid rigging will help local government heads regain the trust of local residents....

EDITORIALS

Jan 4, 2007

Deja vu in 2007

Readers should be prepared for a recurring sense of deja vu in the year ahead. Few of the problems that dominated international affairs in 2006 were resolved. The headline issues that absorbed decision makers will continue to demand time and attention in 2007. There is little hope for resolution as neither...

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