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Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Dec 5, 2021

Putin needs a real casus belli to invade Ukraine

It would be reasonable to assume that Putin is weighing some kind of sudden onslaught scenario in case his 'red line” in relation to Ukraine is crossed.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Dec 1, 2021

The inflation conundrum

Unlike prior inflation episodes, what is remarkable this time is how different the cross-country experiences have been as governments' diverse responses have led to varied economic outcomes.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Books
Nov 25, 2021

The superheroes from House of Slay are here to stay

How five fashion friends got a starring role fighting discrimination and hate in a new comic book series.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Nov 19, 2021

Rupert Murdoch has the power if he wants Trump to move on

To get Trump and his cultists to change their stripes, Murdoch could stop allowing some of Fox's most influential anchors and broadcasters to spew poisonous talking points.
Japan Times
WORLD
Nov 17, 2021

On podcasts and radio, misleading COVID-19 talk goes unchecked

According to a survey, many young people primarily get their news through audio, trusting it more than print or video.
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC
Nov 17, 2021

Christian Dior draws ire in China with photo that ‘smears Asian women’

Global brands are facing a dilemma as they try to to satisfy the demands of Western shoppers without triggering a conflict with China.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Oct 24, 2021

A dangerous global divide on vaccine access

The inequitable vaccine divide leaves humanity far more vulnerable to the next stage of the pandemic, as well as to any other systemic crisis that may emerge.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Oct 20, 2021

Market moving language under machine learning microscope

Advocates say NLP can unlock the untapped potential for insight from the world of verbal 'unstructured data.'
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Oct 15, 2021

An important issue for Japan’s coming Lower House election: Defending Taiwan

Japan's security, and hence its future, is directly related to Taiwan's security and future existence. A vote for Taiwan is a vote for Japan.
Japan Times
WORLD
Oct 9, 2021

Recognizing the growing repression of the news media by governments

In an era of increasing authoritarianism and swirling misinformation, Maria Ressa and Dmitri Muratov were honored for their work to hold leaders to account.
JAPAN / Media
Sep 30, 2021

Kei Komuro’s ponytail caused a media frenzy in Japan — leaving some to ask why

To some extent, the ratings-driven coverage speaks to the Japanese public's disapproval of Princess Mako's boyfriend.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / FOCUS
Sep 20, 2021

The global housing market is broken, and it’s dividing entire countries

The perennial issue of housing costs has become one of acute housing inequality, and an entire generation is at risk of being left behind.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Sep 20, 2021

Xi’s celebrity crackdown no match for Universal Studios in China

A commentary published widely in state-run media last month warned against 'fan culture” and 'worshiping Western culture.”
Japan Times
CULTURE / Books
Sep 19, 2021

'The Book of Form and Emptiness': Ruth Ozeki’s inquisitive side is still on point

An award-winning author with four titles and two film credits under her belt, Ruth Ozeki’s greatest talent may be her ability to ask the right questions. Her fifth novel, "The Book of Form and Emptiness," demonstrates that her inquisitive side is still on point.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Aug 19, 2021

‘Last of the Wolves’: A sequel with just as much bite as the first

The follow-up to Kazuya Shiraishi's “The Blood of Wolves” features emotionally raw and poignant moments in the middle of violent gang power struggles.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Aug 19, 2021

‘Drive My Car’: Slow-burn drama does best when taking new routes

Ryusuke Hamaguchi's adaptation of a Haruki Murakami story, which won the award for best screenplay at this year's Cannes film festival, is a meta-drama on loss and breaking down barriers.
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC
Aug 11, 2021

Alibaba worker’s desperate plea for help sparks #MeToo reckoning

The episode has triggered what many say is a long overdue examination of the ways Chinese women are too often treated at work.
Japan Times
WORLD
Aug 10, 2021

Restarting cruises has been a game of ‘operational whack-a-mole’

As well as managing cases of COVID-19 on their own sailings, operators have had to keep on top of vaccination and testing requirements at their stops on the way.
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC / Science & Health
Aug 9, 2021

China’s COVID-19 strategy risks leaving it isolated for years

China is tethering itself to eliminating the virus over the long term — an approach that risks leaving the world's second-biggest economy isolated for years to come.
JAPAN / View from Osaka
Aug 6, 2021

Kansai looks to lessons from Olympics for own international events

Political and business leaders are likely to focus on the good and bad points of Tokyo's experience as they look ahead to the World Masters Games Kansai and the 2025 World Expo.
BUSINESS
Aug 2, 2021

World’s biggest pension fund makes record cut to U.S. bond weighting

The Government Pension Investment Fund made a record cut to its weighting of U.S. government bonds last fiscal year as it increased investments into European sovereign debt.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / FOCUS
Aug 2, 2021

Xi Jinping’s capitalist smackdown sparks a $1 trillion reckoning

The tutoring sector crackdown has triggered a growing realization that the old rules of Chinese business no longer apply.
LIFE / Language
Jul 31, 2021

Skateboarding slang comes to the hallowed halls of NHK

'Hella risky' and 'totally hot' are not the usual terms that NHK commentators use on air, but Ryo Sejiri isn't your usual commentator.
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics
Jul 29, 2021

China dispatches sharp-tongued diplomat Qin Gang as new ambassador to U.S.

While relatively unknown outside diplomatic circles, Qin has long been an active combatant in China's battles with the West.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Jul 27, 2021

Promise and peril in a changing cybersecurity sphere

A relentless increase in cyberattacks is prompting a reassessment of responses and an increasingly popular option is going on offense.
Japan Times
OLYMPICS
Jul 26, 2021

'Sooo sick': Japan skate champ wins fans as TV commentator

Ryo Sejiri, a TV commentator for NHK, was in his element, giving the kind of move-by-move analysis that's all too common in sports, but with his distinctive flair.
Japan Times
OLYMPICS
Jul 23, 2021

Live commentary for the Tokyo Summer Olympics' Opening Ceremony

Coming to you live from Tokyo, this is where we’ll be updating you on the 2020 Summer Olympics and Paralympics. Please join staff and contributors of The Japan Times now as we all view an Opening Ceremony like no other.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Jul 23, 2021

Crossing the Rubicon? The deepening of Japan and Taiwan's relationship

A Taiwan that is not free and open or wedded to a rules-based order is a serious security concern for Japan.

Longform

Visitors walk past Sou Fujimoto's Grand Ring, which has been recognized as the largest wooden structure in the world.
Can a World Expo still matter? Japan is about to find out.