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Japan Times
CULTURE / Books
Aug 6, 2016

The Long Defeat

In "The Long Defeat," Akiko Hashimoto explores how Japan's World War II loss has been remembered. More sociologist than historian, she does this by looking beyond political speeches and newspaper editorials and examines how memories manifest in the media, in classrooms and in the home.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Art
Aug 2, 2016

The earliest memes also had humor

The curators at Tokyo's National Museum of Western Art (NMWA) have decided that Japan, a country well-known for its own print art, should know more about the print art of Europe. In this endeavor, they have chosen the work of Israhel van Meckenem (c. 1445-1503), a Germanic print artist from the Lower...
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Companies / ANALYSIS
Aug 2, 2016

Didi's dominance of Uber in China offers road map for ride-hailing competitors

China ride-hailing service Didi Chuxing's dominance of Uber Technologies Inc. in the China market may provide a play book for other regional rivals to fend off the biggest U.S. ride-hailing company, especially in other Asian countries.
COMMENTARY / World
Aug 1, 2016

Can Nixon's campaign wizard help Trump win?

If Trump wants to increase his likelihood of winning, he needs to the man who masterminded Nixon's innovative TV ads to run his campaign.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / COUNTERPOINT
Jul 30, 2016

Is Japan ready for the LGBTQ revolution?

This past spring, at a restaurant in Tokyo's upscale Omotesando neighborhood, I encountered something new in Tokyo: a prominent sign written in English on the door of the communal WC declaring it "gender-free."
Japan Times
JAPAN / KANSAI PERSPECTIVE
Jul 24, 2016

Kyoto pushes to retrieve share of Imperial action to honor deep cultural roots

When a young Emperor Meiji moved to Edo from Kyoto in 1868, many of Kyoto's noble families were strongly opposed to his leaving what had been Japan's capital and home to the Imperial family since 794.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Art
Jul 19, 2016

Spooky beasts keep haunting Japan's art

Seething masses of people crushed together in searing heat; empty-eyed wraiths, heads drooping in despair, shuffling to and fro — waiting for the time when they will be released their suffering. Tokyo can be hell in July and August. It isn't all bad though; there's an excellent exhibition on yōkai,...
Japan Times
CULTURE / TV & Streaming
Jul 16, 2016

Ultraman: Ultracool at 50

Ultraman has been defending humanity against monsters and aliens for half a century. We examine the superhero's enduring legacy.
Japan Times
CULTURE / CULTURE SMASH
Jul 16, 2016

Anime discovers a rural outpost

For the past few years, the beginning of July has found me on a flight from Tokyo to Los Angeles to attend Anime Expo (AX), the largest annual North American convention devoted to Japanese popular culture, and its related industry-only event, Project Anime (PA). Both continue to break attendance records....
COMMENTARY / World
Jul 12, 2016

The end of America's love affair with cars?

The quintessential symbol of American mobility may be losing its grip on the national psyche.
COMMENTARY / World
Jul 11, 2016

Police are killing, and dying, in a vicious circle

What's at stake in the U.S. is the preservation of police legitimacy.
Japan Times
LIFE / Travel / PHOTO ESSAY
Jul 9, 2016

Yuasa: The salty, fermented heart of Japan

Craftsmen from two regional factories — one makes miso; the other, shoyu — ponder the future of their little town and its centuries-old traditions
Japan Times
BASKETBALL / NBA / NBA REPORT
Jul 5, 2016

Durant's decision based on best chance to win titles

Jerry West may have done it again.
EDITORIALS
Jul 3, 2016

India's commitment to reform

India may come to miss Raghuram Rajan's commitment to deregulation after he steps down as governor of the nation's central bank.
SUMO / SUMO SCRIBBLINGS
Jul 1, 2016

YouTube poses unique challenges for Japan Sumo Association

Every few days, year-round, I receive emails from foreign visitors to Japan asking just how to gain access to morning training sessions at one of the sport's (current) 44 stables.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Issues / THE FOREIGN ELEMENT
Jun 29, 2016

How to address the foreign elephant in the room — in Japanese?

For some long-term residents, how they are referred to in Japanese is a bone of contention.
Japan Times
CULTURE
Jun 23, 2016

In search of Japan's essential summer festivals

With July just around the corner, Japan is gearing up for another sultry summer. Since the sizzling-hot days only last until early September, people make the most of the season by getting outside — that includes going to film festivals, art and fashion events or outdoor musical gatherings.
LIFE / Language / MORNING ENGLISH
Jun 20, 2016

Let's discuss what young Japanese want from work

Google, All Nippon Airways and Toyota have emerged as the ideal workplaces for Japanese millennial talent, according to a survey.
Japan Times
LIFE / Travel
Jun 18, 2016

A spiritual high in the temples of Takayama

Isolated from the pulsating sounds of pachinko parlors and the neon lights of Tokyo, the small, laid-back city of Takayama in the mountains of Gifu Prefecture offers something that visitors to Japan's urban hubs don't typically find: quiet.
Japan Times
WORLD / Society
Jun 17, 2016

Pope's comments on modern marriage raise storm of criticism

Pope Francis has said the "great majority" of Catholic marriages being celebrated today are invalid because couples do not fully realize it is a lifetime commitment, drawing sharp criticism from Church conservatives.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / TRAVEL INSIDER
Jun 7, 2016

Alitalia unveils new look; Cathay lounge revamp; Air France menu change

Alitalia unveils new look Alitalia unveiled its new uniform collection in Rome on May 18. The collection was designed and tailor-made by a team of nearly 500 people in Italy, with fabric from Tuscany, silk from Como, leather accessories such as gloves from Naples and shoes from the Marche region.
Japan Times
JAPAN / EXPLAINER
May 30, 2016

Japan shedding 1940s morality by relaxing rules on nightclubs

Late-night dancing is just a step away after the revision of a law that forced nightclubs to close by midnight.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Books
May 28, 2016

'Japaneseness: A Guide to 76 Values and Virtues'

Love it or hate it, Yoji Yamakuse's explanation of the concepts fundamental to Japanese behavior, "Japaneseness: A Guide to Values and Virtues," deserves a read.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Politics
May 26, 2016

Abe's pro-Shinto motives in spotlight with choice of G-7 opening ceremony venue

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe looked satisfied as he met top leaders from the Group of Seven countries at the gate to a giant Shinto-style wooden bridge.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Stage
May 24, 2016

The Royal Ballet brings two classic romances set to sparkle afresh

In the competitive melee of world-class dance, the Royal Ballet keeps on its toes. Since 2011, when Christopher Wheeldon's groundbreaking "Alice in Wonderland" became its first new, full-length work in 16 years, the company based at the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden, London, has been continually...
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Companies / FOCUS
May 19, 2016

Mitsubishi Motors scandal was an accident waiting to happen

It's a familiar Japanese corporate ritual: a deep bow before the cameras to atone for wrongdoing. And when it comes to the art of public mea culpa, few companies can top scandal-prone Mitsubishi Motors Corp.

Longform

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