Search - features

 
 
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Companies
Jan 19, 2018

Memories of Tohoku tsunami prompt man to create floating car

Hideo Tsurumaki watched the giant tsunami crash onto Japan's northeast coast on March 11, 2011, sweeping away cars as people tried to escape from them.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Stage
Jan 17, 2018

Jerome Bel and his amateurs test the limits of contemporary dance in Saitama show

Controversial French choreographer lets the locals loose in 'Gala.'
EDITORIALS
Jan 17, 2018

Revamping the nation's basic energy plan

The government's basic energy plan, established in 2014, should be subject to a major overhaul.
CULTURE / Music
Jan 17, 2018

Beck, Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds to headline Summer Sonic

American singer-songwriter Beck and British rock outfit Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds have been named as headliners at this year's Summer Sonic music festival in August.
EDITORIALS
Jan 16, 2018

Increasing inbound tourism

Efforts must be made to overcome hurdles that could restrict the number of tourists visiting Japan.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Society
Jan 16, 2018

Docomo experiment to take bite out of food waste woes

The move is part of an ongoing effort by Japan Inc. to reduce the immense quantity of food discarded by food companies and retailers.
Japan Times
WORLD
Jan 16, 2018

Propaganda counterstrike: Boko Haram airs video of Chibok girls and its chief

The release of a video purporting to show some of the Nigerian Chibok schoolgirls kidnapped by Boko Haram apparently happy with their lives is a propaganda strike to show the Islamist group is unbowed, security experts said on Monday.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Jan 14, 2018

Custom cars dazzle at Tokyo's ride-pimping extravaganza

It's Japan's biggest custom-car show. The Tokyo Auto Salon has hundreds of exhibitors — from automotive titans like Toyota and Mercedes to tire makers, tool makers and toy makers — who all want to show you how to tune up, dress up, or otherwise pimp your ride.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink
Jan 13, 2018

Pair turn passion for craft beer into guide to Japan's scene

Website explores the good, the bad and the ugly of Japan's artisanal ales.
Japan Times
JAPAN / YEN FOR LIVING
Jan 12, 2018

Electric vehicles are here, but are they practical and economical?

The future seems to belong to electric vehicles (EVs).
Japan Times
LIFE / Travel
Jan 12, 2018

Takamatsu: Udon the key to Shikoku castle town's heart

Come for the gardens, stay for the noodles in Kagawa's capital city.
Japan Times
JAPAN / OKINAWA BEAT
Jan 12, 2018

Okinawa zoo's lion cubs proving too cute to pass up

Tokyo's Ueno Zoological Gardens may have the giant panda cub Xiang Xiang to adore, but a zoo in Okinawa has its own critters to be crazy about: lions.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Society
Jan 11, 2018

YouTube pares back Logan Paul partnership after Japan suicide video

YouTube said Wednesday it is removing popular American celebrity YouTuber Logan Paul from its Google Preferred platform and putting future projects with him on hold, after Paul posted a video on the platform that included footage of a suicide victim in Japan.
Japan Times
LIFE / Travel / HOTELS & RESTAURANTS
Jan 11, 2018

Sweet treats for Valentine's Day

From Feb. 1 to 14 the Park Hyatt Tokyo is offering a selection of valentine chocolates and treats from the hotel's Pastry Boutique.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Tech
Jan 10, 2018

Amazon's Alexa voice assistant coming to Toyota's cars in 2018

Amazon.com Inc.'s Alexa voice-activated virtual assistant will be added to some Toyota and Lexus vehicles this year, advancing Amazon's ambitions to expand its speech platform beyond the home.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Voices / COMMUNITY CHEST
Jan 7, 2018

Much for Japan Times Community readers to crow and squawk about in year of the rooster

A selection of unpublished letters about Community stories from the first half of 2017.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / WHY DID YOU LEAVE JAPAN?
Jan 6, 2018

Tattoo artist Gakkin leaves his mark in Amsterdam

Gakkin, a native of Wakayama and now a resident of Amsterdam, draws freehand, forgoing modern stencil machines to work directly on the body.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Jan 3, 2018

Diving into Southeat Asian cinema at the Singapore International Film Festival

Since its start in 1987, the Singapore International Film Festival has become a key regional film event, despite being held in a city state that produces only a handful of feature films annually.
EDITORIALS
Jan 2, 2018

Scrutiny needed on expanding defense spending

Measures must be taken to cope with the changing security environment, but tight fiscal conditions mean defense spending must still be prioritized.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / How-tos / HOME TRUTHS
Dec 31, 2017

Lessons about Japan's school catchment areas

A neighbor recently asked us to sign a petition requesting that the local education committee keep a certain elementary school open. Due to falling enrollment, students who attended the school would be transferred to a different one in the near future.
CULTURE / Books
Dec 30, 2017

'Wagohan: The ABCs of Japanese Cuisine': Reiko Yamada's ode to Japanese comfort food

Food is "the most basic form of diplomacy" for cooking adviser Reiko Yamada. With this philosophy in mind, "Wagohan: The ABCs of Japanese Cuisine" aims to bridge cultures and present the "versatility and beauty of Japanese cuisine."
Japan Times
LIFE / Travel
Dec 29, 2017

Here comes the sun: Recommended hatsuhinode spots

The first sunrise of the new year represents a chance for a new beginning and so it's hardly surprising that some once viewed the first rays of the sun on Jan. 1 with special reverence. It was believed to be the moment that Toshigami, god of the new year, descends from heaven and bestows happiness on...
CULTURE / Music / Sound Off
Dec 28, 2017

Namie Amuro saves 'Kohaku' ... for now

The weekly Shukan Bunshun released a survey in early November highlighting the acts its readers wanted to see perform on NHK's yearend "Kohaku Uta Gassen" music program. They chose Namie Amuro as the artist they wanted to see the most, likely because she announced her plans to retire from the entertainment...
Japan Times
BASKETBALL / B. League / B. LEAGUE NOTEBOOK
Dec 28, 2017

Lakestars' Narito Namizato one of top talents at ball distribution

The art of the pass isn't in vogue like rapid-fire 3-point shooting at any juncture, but there are a number of gifted ball-distribution artists in the B. League. And like Christmas cards, it's the gift that keeps on giving.
EDITORIALS
Dec 25, 2017

More efforts needed for fiscal consolidation

The record-breaking u00a597.7 trillion budget for fiscal 2018 won't put the nation on a steady path for fiscal consolidation.
Japan Times
JAPAN / CHUBU CONNECTION
Dec 25, 2017

GHQ photographer's color shots offer rare insights on postwar Japan

The National Diet Library in Tokyo caught attention this autumn when it published color photos taken immediately after the end of World War II by a staffer at the General Headquarters (GHQ).
Japan Times
JAPAN / FUKUSHIMA FILE
Dec 24, 2017

Fukushima farmers looking for authoritative ways to shed nuclear stigma

In light of the 2011 Fukushima nuclear crisis, the Fukushima Prefectural Government is hoping to find a new, faster and easier way to certify the safety of homegrown rice to ease the burden on local farmers.

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.