Search - 2000

 
 
JAPAN
Apr 15, 1999

LDP, New Komeito look to soften blow to Finance Ministry

The ruling Liberal Democratic Party and New Komeito were close to striking a compromise deal Thursday over whether -- and how -- to strip the Finance Ministry of its policymaking power, officials of the two parties said.
JAPAN
Mar 17, 1999

Events set to mark 400th anniversary of Dutch ties

NAGASAKI -- 2000 marks the 400th anniversary of ties between Japan and the Netherlands, and various events are slated for the year to fete the shared history.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Feb 15, 2023

What Kazuo Ueda’s past says about the BOJ’s future

Japan’s new central bank boss, Kazuo Ueda, is being likened to a wise old policy 'owl' rather than a 'dove' or a 'hawk.'
On July 17, Jiyugaoka in western Tokyo held its summer Bon Odori Festival for the first time in four years. While the pandemic spelled the end of the road for some longstanding local events, others weathered the storm.
CULTURE / Longform
Jul 24, 2023

Fate of the fete: Japan’s matsuri fight to survive

While COVID-19 was the final nail in the coffin for many of the country's smaller festivals, others have clung on and are making a determined comeback this year.
The natural beauty of Minakami has attracted hundreds adventure tourism companies, but there's still no overarching network of safety protocols in place.
LIFE / Travel
Jul 15, 2023

In Japan’s adventure tourism mecca, the rush comes with risk

Minakami has come a long way since the early days of its adventure tourism beginnings, but if it wants to last well into the future, regulation may be key.
Investigators involved in the case shed light on one of Japan’s biggest crime stories of the 2000s in “Tokyo Police Files: The Lucie Blackman Case.”
CULTURE / Film
Jul 27, 2023

‘Tokyo Police Files: The Lucie Blackman Case’: Notorious crime story gets slick Netflix treatment

The detectives are the stars in the Japan-only version of Netflix’s true-crime documentary about a missing-person investigation that captured the nation’s attention.
Bank of Japan Gov. Kazuo Ueda gives a news conference in Tokyo on Friday. The BOJ jolted financial markets by loosening its grip on bond yields.
COMMENTARY / World
Jul 30, 2023

BOJ yields some control, but also throws a curveball

In trying to keep several plates spinning as it pertains to monetary policy and inflation, BOJ Gov. Kazuo Ueda steps on his message.
Many of the entrepreneurs who’ve become superwealthy are now seeking to manage and transfer riches to their descendants in Asia. That’s resulting in a surge in family office demand.
ASIA PACIFIC
Jul 31, 2023

Asia’s richest families fuel race for lucrative finance jobs

Many of Asia's superwealthy are now seeking help managing their estates just as old-money families in the West have done for decades.
An S-400 surface-to-air missile system outside the town of Gvardeysk, near Kaliningrad, Russia, in March 2019. The S-400 is one of the defense items India has procured from Russia.
COMMENTARY / World / Geoeconomic Briefing
Aug 15, 2023

A new tide of weapons imports, production and development

Some countries are beginning to diversify when looking for partners for their arms needs.
New revelations about dreams and creativity could move people toward more balance, giving sleep and even naps much needed respectability.
COMMENTARY / World
Jun 20, 2023

Want to be more creative? Try dream-hacking

New scientific methods are helping researchers understand how dreams can boost brainpower.
Bobby Valentine managed in Japan for seven seasons with the Marines and won the 2005 Japan Series with the club.
BASEBALL / MLB
Aug 4, 2023

Bobby Valentine enjoying more relaxed time with Angels

Former Marines manager Bobby Valentine is viewing the game from a different perspective these days.
A farmer picks coffee beans at his plantation in West Java, Indonesia, on Aug. 2.
ENVIRONMENT / Climate change
Aug 14, 2023

World's fourth largest coffee crop threatened by El Nino

Lower coffee output in Indonesia could trigger a steeper rise in prices, which have climbed more than 40% in 2023.
Nadeshiko Japan reached the knockout stage at a fourth consecutive FIFA Women's World Cup before being eliminated in the quarterfinals on Friday by Sweden.
SOCCER / Women's World cup / From the Spot
Aug 15, 2023

Bold steps needed from JFA, WE League to maintain momentum after WWC

After Nadeshiko Japan's inspiring quarterfinal run in New Zealand, the country's soccer bodies must avoid the missteps of the post-2011 boom and bust.
Kimono-clad visitors take selfie photographs at Kiyomizu Temple in Kyoto on Friday.
JAPAN
Aug 16, 2023

In July, Japan welcomed most overseas visitors since pandemic hit

The weak yen is helping to boost tourism and contribute to a surge in growth for the world's third-largest economy.
A demon prince named Beelzebub (voiced by Mutsumi Tamura) steals much-needed water from an evil ruler for the thirsty citizens of a desert world in “Sand Land.”
CULTURE / Film
Aug 17, 2023

‘Sand Land’: Summer fun with a bad-boy prince

Akira Toriyama's anime adventure is a straightforward romp, but it's also an entertaining ride through a post-apocalyptic future with lovable demons.
England's Alessia Russo celebrates after scoring her team's third goal against Australia during the Women's World Cup semifinals in Sydney on Wednesday.
SOCCER / Women's World cup
Aug 17, 2023

England beats Australia to reach first Women's World Cup final

Sam Kerr's wondrous second-half strike was not enough to lift co-host Australia into the Women's World Cup final.
A women-only passenger train in Tokyo
JAPAN / Explainer
Aug 18, 2023

DJ Soda incident spotlights prevalence of groping in Japan

The groping of the South Korean DJ at a festival spurred online conversations about the issue, with a term translating as "groping country" trending on X.
While the U.S. today accounts for only 25% of global economic output, the dollar remains involved in nearly 90% of all foreign-exchange transactions.
COMMENTARY / World
Aug 18, 2023

The real cost of de-dollarization

While there are currently no viable alternatives that could usurp the greenback, the biggest threat to its hegemony comes from the US government itself.
Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis speaks to the media on Aug. 14 after a grand jury brought back indictments against former President Donald Trump and his associates over their alleged attempt to overturn Georgia’s 2020 election results.
COMMENTARY / World
Aug 20, 2023

Trump’s hollow free-speech defense

The fact that Trump’s actions consisted of words does not make them constitutionally protected.
Spain's players celebrate with the trophy after winning the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup final in Sydney on Sunday.
SOCCER / Women's World cup
Aug 20, 2023

Spain downs England to win Women's World Cup for first time

La Roja outplayed England to deservedly claim their first major title in only their third World Cup.
A handful of trees stand at the Tabqa Reserve near the village of Jaabar, in the Kurdish-held part of Syria's Raqqa province.
WORLD / Society
Aug 21, 2023

Illegal logging turns Syria's forests into 'barren land'

Fuel shortages and rampant poverty have pushed many Syrians to chop the trees to sell or use for heating, dealing a blow to the nature surrounding Jaabar.
Hoshoryu (left) beats rank-and-file wrestler Hokutofuji in a playoff on the final day of the Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament at Dolphins Arena last month.
SUMO / INSIDE SUMO
Aug 23, 2023

A closer look at sumo's 'hot hand' after Hokutofuji's Nagoya run

Hokutofuji’s career best 12-win outing in July not only came out of the blue, but was his first winning record of any kind since the previous September.
Challenges to the U.S. dollar’s vital role in the world economic and financial system are often said to be imminent, but somehow never materialize.
COMMENTARY / World
Aug 23, 2023

A BRICS common currency is still a pipe dream

The greenback comprises just under 60% of global currency reserves, down from around 70% in 2000. Still that is well above any competitor.
ASIA PACIFIC
Aug 24, 2023

El Nino could doom Indonesia's rare tropical glaciers by 2026

Indonesia expects the dry season could run until October as El Nino increases the risk of forest fires and threatens supplies of clean water.
A protest against the redevelopment of Dharavi, one of Asia's largest slums, in Mumbai. Banners read: "Remove Adani, Save Dharavi" and "First we fought the whites now we fight the thieves".
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics
Aug 28, 2023

Billionaire's bid to remake Mumbai slum spurs residents' doubts

Amid massive financial setbacks and allegations that political allies gave him favorable treatment, some question Adani's intentions.
Czech firefighters watch smoke rising as a wildfire burns at the Dadia National Park in the region of Evros, Greece, on Tuesday.
ENVIRONMENT
Aug 30, 2023

Wildfire-preparation tactics every community should consider

Looking at lessons from past disastrous fires, here are steps that can help reduce fire risk at the home and community level.
Demonstrators in Warsaw protest against Vladimir Putin and the war on Aug. 24, Ukraine’s official Independence Day.
COMMENTARY / World
Aug 31, 2023

It would be wise to not personally humiliate Putin

Defeating autocrats like Vladimir Putin in an aggressive war requires progress on the battlefield, and rhetoric alone is unlikely to achieve the goal.
A clothing packaging warehouse near Barcelona last month
BUSINESS / FOCUS
Sep 1, 2023

Fast fashion firms prepare for EU crackdown on waste mountain

Fast fashion, or making and selling cheap clothes with a short lifespan, is "highly unsustainable," the European Commission said in July.
Tourists walk in front of Crown and Anchor pub on Neal Street in London in 2018. Pubs are big part of British culture.
WORLD / Society
Sep 4, 2023

What’s really killing Britain’s historic pubs

With each time-honored spot that’s shuttered, another little piece of British history is lost.
A rainbow at the site of this year’s Burning Man festival in the Black Rock Desert in Nevada
WORLD / Society
Sep 4, 2023

What is Burning Man, and why have Paris Hilton and Elon Musk shown up?

The festival has been described as a site of countercultural revelry that draws both hippies and Silicon Valley types.

Longform

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