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Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Nov 19, 2016

Yoshino Yoshikawa switches up his 'kawaii' sound on 'Event Horizon'

The Japanese word for cute, "kawaii," has been popping up more and more in the English lexicon in recent years. From the popularity of Hello Kitty to singer Gwen Stefani's new kawaii-filled cartoon "Kuu Kuu Harajuku" being cute means making money, and it's no different in the world of music.
Japan Times
LIFE / Digital / ON: TECH
Nov 19, 2016

Line takes on Instagram with Moments app

JAPAN / History / THE LIVING PAST
Nov 19, 2016

Vileness is a quality more repugnant than evil

There is a kind of moral ugliness that, without being quite evil, may be even more repellant than evil because evil — genuine evil — has, sometimes, a certain romantic appeal. You can admire the villain's strength, or courage, or dash, or reckless defiance of that which we all, sometimes, wish we...
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Tech
Nov 17, 2016

Apple wants OLED displays in next iPhone iteration but most suppliers aren't ready

Apple Inc. has big plans to outfit its next iPhone with vibrant, energy-sipping organic LED displays, seeking to entice consumers with new technology that's already been embraced by other high-end smartphone makers.
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC
Nov 15, 2016

China says its first aircraft carrier is now 'combat ready'

China's first aircraft carrier is now ready for combat, state media said Tuesday, a key breakthrough as the Asian giant seeks to flex its naval muscle in waters far beyond its shores.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Art
Nov 15, 2016

Maruyama Okyo melded styles to pioneer a new path in art

The 18th century was an exciting time for Japan. After unification in 1603, a remarkable spirit of innovation pervaded as urban centers grew and the arts flourished.
EDITORIALS
Nov 14, 2016

Hong Kong's autonomy eroded

Beijing's promise to uphold the 'one country, two systems' formula that was designed to protect Hong Kong's distinct features — in particular its political system — looks increasingly empty.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / KONBINI WATCH
Nov 11, 2016

Haagen-Dazs Japan's new ice creams mix things up

The latest ice cream range from Haagen-Dazs requires a little bit of work to appreciate. The "Decorations" mini-cup line features a decadent mix of flavors — banana caramel cake, cheese berry cake — that are ideally mixed together before eating.
Japan Times
LIFE / Travel / HOTELS & RESTAURANTS
Nov 10, 2016

Cakes offer Christmas cheer

The Hyatt Regency Tokyo is offering seven varieties of the hotel's original Christmas cakes that have always captured the hearts of many.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink
Nov 10, 2016

Belgian beer is a 'perfect partner' when it comes to these food pairings

The Belgians take their beer seriously. With a brewing history that dates back to the 12th century, Belgium is one of Europe's most prolific producers, turning out 1.8 billion liters per year, according to industry statistics. Scattered around the country, Belgium's roughly 180 breweries produce an impressive...
Japan Times
JAPAN / Media
Nov 10, 2016

NewsPicks: Staying ahead of 'old media' with financial news focusing on tech trends

NewsPicks is a Japan-oriented financial news website focused on new technologies and IT, using corporate reporters to target young, tech-savvy readers.
BUSINESS / Tech
Nov 9, 2016

After cyberattacks, internet of things wrestles with making smart devices safer

Recent cyberattacks harnessing everyday devices such as cameras, video recorders, printers, routers and speakers are a wake-up call to the hidden dangers of the "internet of things (IoT)."
BUSINESS / Companies
Nov 8, 2016

Toyota lifts profit forecast on stable yen

Toyota Motor Corp. raised its profit forecast for this fiscal year as the yen's rally stopped short of levels that the automaker had predicted, providing some respite from a sales slowdown that is threatening its position as the world's top seller.
Japan Times
JAPAN / CHUBU CONNECTION
Nov 7, 2016

Japanese food fad lifts ceramic grinding disks

Ceramic grinding wheels produced by Noritake Co. in Nagoya, usually used to cut or grind metal and glass, are gaining unexpected attention thanks to the increasing popularity of Japanese food in other countries.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Nov 6, 2016

Keiji Haino, Jim O'Rourke to join event paying tribute to 'disruptive' artist Tony Conrad

Of the many words used by friends and collaborators to describe Tony Conrad, who died last April at the age of 76, one of the most frequently heard is "disruptive." In a career that straddled experimental music, film, visual art and education, Conrad vigorously resisted the complacency that befell many...
COMMENTARY / Japan
Nov 4, 2016

Tsai looks to Japan as cross-strait ties grow cool

Relations between Japan and Taiwan have the potential to reach new heights since the election of Tsai Ying-wen as president earlier this year.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink
Nov 4, 2016

Tokyo's first Russian-style maid cafe

Twelve men sit in silence at a new cafe in Tokyo's Shinjuku district as three women dressed in Russian attire start serving a sour-looking plate of borscht.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / DESSERT WATCH
Nov 4, 2016

Ca Ca O finally brings its rich chocolate eclair to Tokyo

The newly opened Food Depot in the basement of Shinjuku's Lumine 1 department store features a lot of intriguing eateries, with a number of dessert shops among them. Ca Ca O, a chocolate store originally from Kamakura, Kanagawa Prefecture, offers a variety of goods made from rich cacao beans. The Ca...
Japan Times
Places
Nov 2, 2016

Prime koyo (autumn leaves) viewing spots in Japan

While Japan is famous worldwide for its spring cherry blossoms, its autumn leaves are equally as breathtaking. The country's mountainous terrain means travelers can see hills full of reds, oranges and yellows — if they time their trips just right.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / TELLING LIVES
Nov 2, 2016

A portrait of the tattooist as a nice young man

'Otattoo' artist Hori Benny overcame prejudice, poverty and punishing training to blaze an inky trail through Osaka.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Art
Nov 1, 2016

Every hero has a few human flaws

Ryoma Sakamoto (1835-1867), among Japan's most beloved heroes, came of age when U.S. Commodore Matthew Perry's Black Ships arrived demanding trade relations and ending the country's closed-door foreign policy. The old Japan ruled by the feudal Tokugawa shogunate was giving way to the modern nation state....
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Oct 31, 2016

Why you won't learn natural Japanese from dubbed foreign TV

It seems that in Japanese dubbing there is always something found rather than lost in translation — something that wasn't in the English original and is not part of regular Japanese either.
Japan Times
JAPAN / CHUBU CONNECTION
Oct 31, 2016

Led by Shabani, gorillas challenge koalas for popularity title at Nagoya zoo

Expectations are running high that Shabani, a male gorilla famed for his "good looks," may win the prize for most popular animal at Higashiyama Zoo and Botanical Gardens in Nagoya.
Japan Times
LIFE / Travel / BACKSTREET STORIES
Oct 29, 2016

Living on prayer and paper in Otsuka

Hoping to catch the earliest blush of autumnal colors, I seek out the Important Cultural Property of Gokokuji, a prominent temple located in Tokyo's Bunkyo Ward. A satellite map shows it embraced by a forest of trees. I suspect a cemetery might lurk below the leaf canopy, but in late October who would...
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / COUNTERPOINT
Oct 29, 2016

Could nuclear advocacy be Abe's undoing?

Voters have elected anti-nuclear governors in Kagoshima and Niigata prefectures in recent months. These elections can be considered referenda on nuclear power because that issue was the main focus of debate in both campaigns. The results have put Prime Minister Shinzo Abe — and his plans to rev up...
ASIA PACIFIC
Oct 26, 2016

Firm that helped build South China Sea islands wins Philippine contract

A Chinese state-owned firm that helped build man-made islands in a disputed area of the South China Sea has clinched a big-ticket infrastructure deal with the Philippines, a rival claimant to the strategic waters, amid Manila's newfound detente with Beijing, a report has said.
COMMENTARY / Japan
Oct 25, 2016

Will Abe's new approach to ties with Russia pay off?

Anticipation is building that a breakthrough could finally be achieved in the territorial dispute between Japan and Russia. But is it merely wishful thinking?

Longform

Totopa in Tokyo’s Shinjuku Ward was picked by consultants TTNE as the best sauna of the year.
Japan’s sauna movement: Relax, refresh, repeat