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COMMENTARY / World
Nov 8, 2016

Witch hunts follow Thai king's death

Thailand's much revered King Bhumibol Adulyadej passed away Oct. 13. His death has heightened the anxiety felt by some members of the Thai public about the country's uncertain future without the charismatic monarch. Increasingly many royalists are expressing their concerns through a series of witch-hunt...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Books
Nov 5, 2016

Defining J-horror: Early encounters with the unhuman

The scene: It's night; someone is alone in a dimly lit room. There's an eerie stillness, a creeping anxiety. Then, behind them, you notice a strange shape: a hunched-over figure, lurking in a corner. It is standing deathly still. The head is obscured by what looks like tendrils of jet-black hair. A chill...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Nov 4, 2016

'PPAP' goes the world: How Pikotaro became a viral smash

Pikotaro still can't believe it all. Two days before he sits down with The Japan Times, the performer saw that American DJ duo The Chainsmokers had changed their Twitter name to "Pineapple & Pen," a nod to his song "PPAP." That pair previously claimed YouTube's most popular clip with "Closer" — until...
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Nov 4, 2016

Trump is not the only one casting political risk cloud over Southeast Asia

Donald Trump's protectionist policies aside, rising political risk in Southeast Asia is casting a shadow over economies that have been a driver of global growth in recent years.
Japan Times
WORLD
Nov 2, 2016

Documents detail Islamic State guidelines for beards, concubines

After the Islamic State group conquered villages in northern Iraq, it spelled out in minute detail the rules of its self-proclaimed caliphate, from beard length to alms to guidelines for taking women as sex slaves.
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC
Nov 2, 2016

Vietnam prime minister orders probe after karaoke blaze kills 13

Vietnam's prime minister demanded an investigation and punishment Wednesday over a fire at a karaoke lounge in the nation's capital killed at least 13 people a day earlier.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Oct 24, 2016

Tokyu to build two more skyscrapers in Shibuya over next two years

Tokyo's bustling Shibuya district is set to get new high-rise building complexes and a riverside promenade with open cafes and squares over the next couple of years, according to new images unveiled by Tokyu Corp. on Monday.
Japan Times
JAPAN / EXPLAINER
Oct 24, 2016

Can Spotify dent streaming-averse Japan?

Spotify's long-awaited launch last month has industry watchers wondering whether it will make a major breakthrough in altering Japan's $3 billion music industry, where 80 percent of sales still come from CDs and other physical formats.
WORLD
Oct 22, 2016

Multiple injuries as double-decker bus hits bridge in London

Twenty-six people were injured on Saturday morning when a double-decker bus crashed into a railway bridge in London, slicing its roof off, the Fire Brigade said.
Japan Times
SOCCER / PREMIER REPORT
Oct 21, 2016

Mourinho's match tactics not the most entertaining

If Jose Mourinho sets up Manchester United at Stamford Bridge on Sunday as he did against Liverpool on Monday, his return to Chelsea should carry a government health warning: "Watching Manchester United can severely damage your health."
Japan Times
Events / Events In Tokyo
Oct 21, 2016

Celebrating a month of Halloween

Last year, Japan experienced a surge of the Halloween spirit leading to estimates of ¥122 billion being spent on costumes, treats and entertainment.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Oct 19, 2016

TIFF takes viewers beyond the comfort zone

While sifting through the movies submitted for this year's Tokyo International Film Festival (TIFF), competition programming director Yoshihiko Yatabe says he noticed a recurring theme.
Japan Times
JAPAN / WORLD FORUM ON SPORT AND CULTURE
Oct 19, 2016

Forum demonstrates strong commitment

It is splendid to see the start of the World Forum on Sport and Culture. This event will kick off a series of activities, such as the 2020 Olympics and Paralympics in Tokyo, to promote culture, and also serve as a strong declaration of our commitment, inside and outside of Japan, to invigorate the country...
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Oct 18, 2016

Odds rise on Japan legalizing casinos after political gains by LDP

Moves to allow casinos in Japan have failed for 15 years, but the chance of success has improved sharply, people involved in the effort say, thanks to political shifts that could open the world's next great frontier for high-roller gambling.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Oct 17, 2016

Dylan surpassed Whitman as the American poet

Bob Dylan has surpassed Walt Whitman as the defining American artist, celebrating the capacity for self-invention as the highest form of freedom.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Oct 14, 2016

'Rakugo' comedy no joke for students keen to hone English skills

Japanese tend to be known for their shyness and stoic demeanor. But as Japanese companies increasingly think more globally, workers are feeling the need to communicate and express themselves clearly in front of people of various nationalities.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Oct 13, 2016

Short Shorts Film Festival & Asia provides movie buffs with a quick fall fix

In Japan, it's said that "autumn is the season for the arts." One film festival appears to share the sentiment.
ASIA PACIFIC / Society
Oct 6, 2016

Pakistan cracks down on TV airing Indian content as tension escalates

Pakistan's media regulator has launched a crackdown on companies airing Indian television channels and content, officials said on Thursday, after an escalation of violence in the disputed Kashmir region between the nuclear-armed neighbors.
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC
Oct 4, 2016

South Korea's graft-busters snooping on lavish weddings and funerals

A pair of aspiring paparazzi staked out two weddings in Seoul's high-end Gangnam district recently, but they weren't looking for celebrities. Their target: officials receiving gifts that might violate South Korea's tough new anti-corruption law.
Japan Times
BASKETBALL / B. League / B. LEAGUE NOTEBOOK
Sep 29, 2016

First weekend an encouraging start

Optimism is the common emotion shared by all teams as the new season unfolds in the early stages.
EDITORIALS
Sep 28, 2016

An unnerving debate in the U.S.

Hillary Clinton has offered what the world expects from a U.S. president. We hope American voters appreciate that fact.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Stage
Sep 27, 2016

Ishinha set for stunning final show

Performing on deserted beaches and in villages, temples, dockland warehouses and urban railyards, few theater companies can have traversed the range of landscapes and settings that have inspired Osaka-based Ishinha.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Sep 26, 2016

Deserted Yubari tries creating new population nucleus in test case for Japan

A former coal-mining town in Hokkaido is taking unprecedented measures to combat its biggest challenge: a devastating shrinking of its population. Its success could decide the future for hundreds of other local governments waging the same battle for survival.
EDITORIALS
Sep 25, 2016

Taking on ticket scalpers

Ticket scalping needs to be stamped out, but doing so won't be easy.

Longform

Construction takes place on the Takanawa Gateway Convention Center in Tokyo, slated to open in 2025.
A boom for business tourism in Japan?