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Japan Times
BUSINESS
Jan 23, 2015

Tourists tempted by paid, free Wi-Fi access campaigns

As tourists visit Japan in increasing numbers, mobile phone operators are moving to tap the market by providing better Wi-Fi services.
CULTURE / Music
Jan 23, 2015

Former owner of club Noon sees acquittal upheld

The former owner of an Osaka nightclub charged under Japan's controversial "no dancing" law has been cleared of wrongdoing after a High Court upheld his acquittal last year.
CULTURE / Entertainment news
Jan 22, 2015

Israeli arrested over Madonna song leak

An Israeli man was arrested on Wednesday on suspicion of hacking Madonna's computer and selling the pop icon's songs online, a private investigator involved in the case said.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Jan 21, 2015

Sayonara Kabukicho: Life and love in Shinjuku's red-light district

Ryuichi Hiroki has become a victim of his own success, though his studio employers probably don't see it that way. This one-time maker of so-called pink films (i.e., soft pornography), who became internationally celebrated for intimate indie dramas like "Vibrator" from 2003 and "Yawarakai Seikatsu (It's...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Stage
Jan 21, 2015

Avignon chief sees culture and politics sharing the stage

"The Avignon Festival is not only about shows and theater, but also about thinking, searching and seeking to understand the world and its politics — and offering an opportunity for three weeks' intellectual life experience every year," Olivier Py, the event's artistic director, declared with passion...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Entertainment news
Jan 21, 2015

Sony's 'The Interview' surpasses $40 million in digital sales

"The Interview," the Sony Pictures comedy believed to have triggered a cyberattack on the studio, has racked up over $40 million in sales from 5.8 million digital downloads, the studio said on Tuesday.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Jan 20, 2015

2014 a groundhog year for top record labels

Avex has landed another No. 1 spot on the charts, but this time it's for the record label itself.
Japan Times
JAPAN / EXPLAINER
Jan 19, 2015

Bullying finds fertile ground in social media

Smartphones have become an essential tool for people of all ages, but they also pose serious challenges for parents and teachers trying to protect children from online abuse.
Japan Times
WORLD
Jan 19, 2015

U.S. started penetrating North Korea's computer network in 2010: report

The U.S. National Security Agency (NSA) began tapping into North Korean computer networks in 2010, an effort that ultimately helped provide evidence to persuade the Obama administration that Pyongyang was behind the November cyberattack on Sony Pictures Entertainment, the New York Times reported Sunday....
WORLD
Jan 19, 2015

Ex-spy chief says outdated U.K. anti-terrorism laws are not fit for purpose

Britain's ability to prevent terrorist attacks is hampered by outdated laws that are "no longer fit for purpose," a former MI5 chief said in an interview published on Sunday, as the government considers new powers to monitor the Internet.
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC
Jan 18, 2015

'The Messenger of God'? India censor quits over guru's Bollywood dreams

An Indian film that features a self-styled spiritual leader in jewel-studded costume riding motorbikes and sending the bad guys flying has prompted the chief of the country's censorship panel to quit, citing government interference.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Media / MEDIA MIX
Jan 17, 2015

Snark levels were on full blast for 'Kohaku'

The 2014 edition of NHK's venerated song contest, "Kohaku Uta Gassen," broadcast on Dec. 31, was remarkable for several reasons, though the performance that generated the most remarks was the one by the equally venerated pop-rock group Southern All Stars, their first on the show in 31 years.
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC / Crime & Legal
Jan 16, 2015

Macau sex ring bust shows China expanding crackdown on graft

The arrest of a prominent Macau executive in the largest prostitution bust in the city's history shows Chinese President Xi Jinping is broadening his crackdown on corruption to restrict even long-tolerated vices.
ASIA PACIFIC
Jan 16, 2015

Malaysian contractor pleads guilty in U.S. Navy corruption case

A Malaysian businessman accused of bribing high-ranking United States Navy officers to steer millions of dollars of contract services to his company pleaded guilty to corruption charges in federal court in San Diego on Thursday.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink
Jan 13, 2015

Eat Osaka teaches you how to cook like a local

Here's a joke unlikely to be endorsed by the Osaka Government Tourism Bureau: "There are three great reasons to visit Osaka: great people, great food and because Kyoto doesn't have an airport." The truth hurts, even if it's also mildly humorous.
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics
Jan 11, 2015

Scrutinized Chinese officials frozen in headlights of Xi's anti-graft campaign

The sustained scrutiny of Chinese President Xi Jinping's anti-corruption campaign has been traumatic for many Communist Party and government officials who have grown rich on their power to dispense favors. With so much attention on their lifestyles, spending, travel, entertainment and networks of friends...
JAPAN / Media / MEDIA MIX
Jan 10, 2015

Dull and authentic beats out polished TV

Another New Year's break, another two-week onslaught of inconsequential television programs based on the variety show model of comedians talking about themselves, watching videos of other people doing supposedly interesting things and playing games whose main entertainment function is humiliation. The...
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Companies
Jan 9, 2015

Sony Pictures CEO says hack won't set studio back

Over the past seven weeks, the chief executive of Sony Pictures Entertainment has dealt with the fallout from a cyberattack he likens to having your house robbed and burned to the ground.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Jan 8, 2015

GungHo and Nintendo to combine 'Super Mario Bros.' and 'Puzzle and Dragons'

GungHo Online Entertainment Inc. said Thursday its latest title for the Nintendo 3DS represents a mash-up of two immensely popular games.
WORLD / Crime & Legal
Jan 8, 2015

Sony hackers 'got sloppy' and posted from North Korea addresses: FBI

FBI Director James Comey said on Wednesday that hackers behind the cyberattack on Sony Pictures Entertainment provided key clues to their identity by sometimes posting material from IP addresses used exclusively by the North Korean government.
COMMENTARY / World
Jan 4, 2015

Asia's bad to good for 2014

Find out who or what in Asia were honored for having the worst, bad, good and best year in 2014.
Japan Times
JAPAN / AT A GLANCE
Jan 4, 2015

Ginza: Tokyo's beacon of prosperity

Ginza, Tokyo's posh shopping and entertainment district, has delighted visitors for over a century with high-end shops selling everything from jewelry and clothing to sweets and stationery.
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC
Jan 2, 2015

Shanghai cancels New Year's celebrations after deadly crush; money scramble alleged

Shanghai called off New Year's events and the central government demanded a review of crowd-safety procedures after 36 people were killed and dozens injured in a deadly crush on Shanghai's historic Bund on Wednesday night.

Longform

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