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Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
May 26, 2016

Short Shorts Film Festival & Asia casts Tokyo in a special role

Now in its 18th edition, the Short Shorts Film Festival & Asia, which will unspool from June 2 to 26 at six venues in Tokyo and Yokohama, has grown into a world-class showcase for short-form cinema.
Japan Times
SUMO / INSIDE SUMO
Sep 15, 2021

Lack of international streaming options hampers sumo's growth

While the Japan Sumo Association has made some progress on its online offerings, fans' inability to watch the sport overseas is a wasted opportunity for the sport to expand its audience.
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics
Apr 10, 2018

Vietnam activists question Facebook on suppressing dissent

Vietnamese human rights activists and independent media groups have written to Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook Inc.'s chief executive, questioning whether the social media platform was helping suppress dissent in the communist country.
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC
Nov 3, 2015

Beijing found to be covertly operating global public radio network

In August, foreign ministers from 10 nations blasted China for building artificial islands in the disputed South China Sea. As media around the world covered the diplomatic clash, a radio station that serves the most powerful city in America had a distinctive take on the news.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Companies
Nov 22, 2013

Sony's Hirai plans $250 million in entertainment cuts

Sony Corp. will cut $250 million in costs at its entertainment units over two years, part of Chief Executive Officer Kazuo Hirai's plan to boost profit and keep full ownership of the movie, TV and music businesses.
Japan Times
CULTURE / CULTURE SMASH
Jul 9, 2013

Can METI's ¥50 billion fund unfreeze 'Cool Japan'?

Naysaying is almost always risk-free, especially if you do it online. If you're a cynic, you're usually right, and if you're wrong, you can just delete those errant tweets and posts and join the party.
Japan Times
WORLD / Politics
Jan 1, 2023

The ‘red wave’ washout: How skewed polls fed a false U.S. election narrative

Coupled with the political factors already favoring Republicans, biased polls earlier this year helped feed an ultimately false narrative: A Republican wave was about to hit the U.S.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Companies / Taking the Lead
Jul 15, 2018

NewsPicks founder Yusuke Umeda aims to lead business news into social media age

Five years ago, Yusuke Umeda was in search of a media industry business model strong enough to survive a difficult time in journalism.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Apr 27, 2022

How Europe’s decisions shape the tech world

The EU plays a defining role in regulating big tech globally as many companies adopt European standards for their businesses, even if they don't operate in that market.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Jun 11, 2021

Google and Facebook pledged millions for local news. Was it enough?

Critics say the funding does not nearly compensate for the tens of billions of dollars publishers lost as the tech companies gobbled up the digital advertising market.
Japan Times
JAPAN / EXPLAINER
May 15, 2012

Exporting culture via 'Cool Japan'

The auto and electronics industries have served as the economy's main locomotives for decades, but now they are being eclipsed by heavier global competition, particularly from their aggressive Asian rivals.
Japan Times
CULTURE / CULTURE SMASH
Apr 18, 2015

At last, Japan gets it

The Japanese entertainment industry is finally growing up, says Shin Unozawa, and he should know. Unozawa joined Bandai Entertainment back in 1981, and serves as chair of the Computer Entertainment Supplier's Association (CESA), co-hosts of the Tokyo Game Show.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Media
Mar 27, 2014

Okinawa film fest gives fans an up-close view of the stars

Why go to Okinawa for movies? For anyone familiar with the international festival circuit, especially at its higher, artier end, the Okinawa International Movie Festival may well prompt this question — and a negative answer. "It's not a real film festival!" a fellow foreign journalist exclaimed to...
Japan Times
LIFE / CULTURE SMASH
Mar 13, 2013

The online anime revolution has finally ignited in Japan

The first question after a panel I once chaired at an anime convention in the United States sounded innocent enough. "So, what do you guys think about Crunchyroll?"
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Issues / THE ZEIT GIST
May 3, 2011

It's innovate or die in today's mad mag world

In few countries are the most vital political, economic and cultural activities as geographically concentrated as in Japan. All the main institutions can be found in Tokyo — one can only shudder to think what will happen not only to this city, but to the whole country if and when a massive earthquake...
Japan Times
LIFE / Travel / Longform
Jan 10, 2022

So close, yet so far: What will travel look like in 2022?

Japan's battered tourism operators are somewhat hopeful that travel will regain its footing this year while incorporating the lessons learned from the past two tumultuous years.
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics
Dec 10, 2019

'Fangirls' defend China from Hong Kong protesters and the world

For Li Mo, the footage of black-clad people clashing with police and vandalizing storefronts proved the final straw. The images of Hong Kong protesters fighting for greater autonomy from Beijing incensed the mainland-born postgraduate student and she could no longer remain on the sidelines. So, she joined...
COMMENTARY / World / SENTAKU MAGAZINE
Jan 24, 2017

Trump's election is bad news for human rights in China

If Donald Trump doesn't care about human rights, why should Beijing?
Japan Times
PRESS / Events
Feb 10, 2020

THE 11th JAPAN SPELLING BEE, PRESENTED BY THE JAPAN TIMES TO BE HELD MARCH 7

Tokyo, Feb.10, 2020 - The Japan Times, Ltd. (Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo. Representative: Takeharu Tsutsumi) is pleased to announce that the 11th Japan Spelling Bee will be held on Saturday, March 7, 2020.
COMMENTARY / Japan
May 28, 2017

'WannaCry' lesson for the Japan-U.S. alliance

The rapid and destructive spread of ransomware highlights the need for a coordinated international response by Japan and the U.S.
U.S. Vice President JD Vance waves during a bilateral meeting with the president of the European Commission held at the Chief of Mission's residence at the U.S. embassy in Paris on Tuesday.
WORLD / Politics
Feb 12, 2025

Vance warns Europe against overregulating emerging AI

JD Vance’s appearance in Paris is his first major engagement on his first foreign trip as Donald Trump’s vice president.
Journalist Shiori Ito's documentary "Black Box Diaries," which follows her own investigation into her sexual assault and struggle for justice, was one of 19 Japanese films that screened at the Busan International Film Festival this month.
CULTURE / Film
Oct 18, 2024

Japan-based features generate buzz at Busan International Film Festival

With 278 films on offer, Asia's largest film festival tackled heavy themes such as assisted suicide and struggles faced by migrants.
Lionel Messi has been a major draw for Inter Miami and MLS during his short time with the team.
SOCCER
Aug 11, 2023

Lionel Messi poised to take Major League Soccer to 'new level'

With the seven-time Ballon d'Or winner as the new face of its top league, soccer in the U.S. is heading for new heights.
A couple enjoy the sunset in Seoul. The proportion of people getting married has declined worldwide, but it has plummeted especially far in South Korea.
ASIA PACIFIC / Society
Aug 21, 2023

Seeking love, with help from the city government

Singles are signing up for city-hosted blind-dating events in South Korea, but some point to their inability to address real issues with family planning.
Cloning a person’s voice is increasingly easy. Once a scammer downloads a short sample from an audio clip they can use AI voice-synthesizing tools to create the content they need.
WORLD / Crime & Legal
Aug 22, 2023

Powered by technology, imposter scams drive new wave of fraud

Scammers methods sound like the stuff of science fiction, but advanced techniques are already available to criminals preying on everyday consumers.
Wakana Nukui has been described as having a knack for storytelling and vividly sharing her vision with those around her.
BUSINESS / WOMEN AT WORK
Mar 24, 2024

A social entrepreneur who is determined to lift Cambodian women's status

Wakana Nukui has fostered new talent in design while opening shops dedicated to local products.
Japanese people are exposed to less online disinformation compared to other countries, partly due to language barriers and inherent skepticism.
COMMENTARY / Japan
May 9, 2024

Japan’s accidental resilience in the disinformation age

The Japanese are exposed to less online disinformation compared to other countries, partly due to language barriers and inherent skepticism.
Things may look perfect to the outside world, but today's mom is fine with some imperfection at home.
JAPAN / Society / Longform
May 11, 2024

How 'Reiwa moms' are reshaping motherhood in Japan

Five years into the Reiwa Era and the challenges Japan's moms face are unique, though the qualities that help them persevere haven't changed a bit.
The Tokyo Port Brewery team in front of the brewery building. President Shunichi Saito (left) and Master Brewer Yoshimi Terasawa are the ones holding sake bottles.
BUSINESS
Mar 25, 2025

Sake brewery in central Tokyo revives Edo tradition

Although Japan had roughly 11,000 sake breweries around 1900, now only about 1,200 remain.

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.