Search - article

 
 
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC / FOCUS
Mar 18, 2019

Activists in Hong Kong and Taiwan feel heat as China fears 'separatist' collusion

As Beijing grows wary of pro-independence groups seeking to forge closer ties in Hong Kong and Taiwan, activists say they are coming under increased surveillance and harassment from pro-China media outlets and unofficial "operatives."
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Voices / FOREIGN AGENDA
Mar 17, 2019

Non-Japanese people are poorly represented in Japanese media: That needs to change

For almost a decade, the Japanese TV show "Why Did You Come to Japan?" has operated on the premise of finding foreign tourists and asking them the titular question. It might seem like an innocent query at first, but in fact this show and its ilk embody everything that is wrong with the depiction of non-Japanese...
Japan Times
JAPAN / Media / MEDIA MIX
Mar 16, 2019

News outlets gloss over South Korea friction

March 1 marked the 100th anniversary of a speech given by a student in a Seoul park declaring Korean independence. To commemorate the event, South Korean President Moon Jae-in delivered an address in which he called for strengthening bonds between Japan and South Korea, which are severely frayed at present...
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / WHY DID YOU LEAVE JAPAN?
Mar 16, 2019

Nick Sakagami: When something fishy makes great business

The only certified fish master outside of Japan, Nick Sakagami has been making a splash in the U.S. for nearly two decades.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Media / BIG IN JAPAN
Mar 16, 2019

Does NHK drama credit instant noodles to the right inventor?

Each morning at 8 o'clock, millions of homemakers across the country tune into a 15-minute-long segment of a serialized morning drama on NHK. The current story, titled "Manpuku," relates the saga of the man who invented instant noodles and his devoted wife, played by Hiroki Hasegawa and Sakura Ando,...
Reader Mail
Mar 15, 2019

Immigrant influx needs preparation

Regarding the article "Tohoku turns to foreign workers," growing up in the United Kingdom in the postwar boom years of the 1950s and '60s, we saw an enormous influx of immigrants, mainly Indian, Pakistani and West Indian, who had come to Britain looking for a better life.
Reader Mail
Mar 15, 2019

Freeing up time for more babies

In their March 6 "Yen for Living" column, Philip Brasor and Masako Tsubuku quote Naoko Kuga's research indicating that "30 percent of female regular employees quit their jobs when they give birth, while 75 percent of female nonregular employees do likewise." Rather than a response to tax policy, it is...
Japan Times
JAPAN / Regional Voices: Fukushima
Mar 15, 2019

As population declines, Fukushima Prefecture to lose 15 of its 96 high schools

The Fukushima Prefectural Board of Education will reduce its number of prefecture-run high schools by 15 by the end of fiscal 2023 as the region continues to struggle with a dwindling number of students due to a declining birthrate.
Japan Times
BASKETBALL / B. League / B. LEAGUE NOTEBOOK
Mar 14, 2019

Rookie guard Yuta Okada is shining bright for SeaHorses

As the regular season winds down, SeaHorses Mikawa rookie guard Yuta Okada continues to demonstrate impressive skills and an exciting all-around game.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Regional Voices: Hiroshima
Mar 13, 2019

Is flashing the peace sign in front of the Hiroshima A-bomb memorial appropriate?

The newsroom of the Chugoku Shimbun recently received a letter of complaint from a 76-year-old whose daily ritual is to take a stroll around the Hiroshima Peace Memorial every morning.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Mar 12, 2019

Sino-U.S. rivalry raises tough choices for allies

China's response toward the Huawei CFO's extradition are a bellwether of the difficult choices Japan and other middle powers are going to face as the Sino-U.S. rivalry intensifies.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Regional Voices: Okinawa
Mar 12, 2019

Lose your wallet or cash in Okinawa? It's more than likely you'll get them back, police data shows

Lost wallets or hard cash reported to the Okinawa Prefectural Police last year had a higher chance of being returned than in the preceding four years, earning praise from foreign tourists who got their money back.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / NEWS IN NIHONGO
Mar 11, 2019

Japan's 2018 plastic waste shipments fall 30% after China's import ban

Following China implementing a restriction on the import of plastic waste, Japan has looked to Southeast Asia as a possible destination for its plastic rubbish.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Regional voices: Chubu
Mar 11, 2019

Have Japan's yuru-kyara reached critical mass? Minds behind the mascots discuss

Over the past few decades, towns, cities and prefectures throughout Japan have been churning out mascots to represent and promote themselves, resulting in an annual contest, the Yuru-kyara Grand Prix, that has come to symbolize their popularity.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Mar 7, 2019

Missing female entrepreneurs

Creating a level playing field for female entrepreneurs will unleash the tremendous potential of this country.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Issues / LAW OF THE LAND
Mar 6, 2019

Robot rights: From Asimov to Tezuka

Asimov's 'Three Laws of Robotics' are fictional rules, so why do we keep looking to them for guidance? The closest thing to real-world robot law we could have more seems likely to develop around the question of when autonomous military drones can make 'kill' decisions without human intervention.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Mar 6, 2019

After almost a year behind the wheel, Tokyo's foreign cab drivers reflect on navigating a new way of life

Growing up in Canada, Alex Lipson never imagined he would one day become a taxi driver — especially not on the other side of the world in Tokyo.
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC
Mar 6, 2019

U.S. sends B-52s for missions over disputed South and East China seas and around Japan

A U.S. B-52 bomber was sent near disputed islands in the South China Sea and another circumnavigated Japan, conducting joint military exercises with the Air Self-Defense Force, the U.S. Pacific Air Forces said Wednesday.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / NEWS IN NIHONGO
Mar 4, 2019

Japan sees high demand for coins in final year of Heisei Era

A set of commemorative coins, released to mark the final year of the Heisei era, has seen high demand from buyers, leading to a lottery for those who wish to purchase a set.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Society / Regional voices: Chubu
Mar 4, 2019

Few foreign residents aware of public nursing care plan but more expected to tap it as Japan grays

The number of foreign people living and retiring in Japan is expected to increase following the overhaul of the nation's immigration control law in April, which will introduce new types of working visas.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Mar 3, 2019

Prime minister to show Crown Prince Naruhito options for new Japanese era name

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe later this month plans to show Crown Prince Naruhito multiple names, one of which might be chosen and used when a new Imperial era begins on May 1, government sources said Saturday.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Media / Japan Pulse
Mar 2, 2019

Reaction to Niigata bullying video reflects changing attitudes in Japan

A video of a first-year high school student in Niigata being bullied appeared online in mid-February and quickly became a topic of discussion. The clip shows a group of male students pushing, kicking and eventually striking the victim with a stick, all while throwing insults the victim’s way, too....
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink
Mar 2, 2019

Uighur restaurants in Tokyo: Finding heaven through food

The Xinjiang region of China goes relatively unnoticed for its distinct cuisine, though it has certainly garnered international attention in other respects.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Politics / ANALYSIS
Mar 1, 2019

For Japan, 'no deal' at Kim-Trump summit beats a bad deal with concessions to nuclear North Korea

At a glance, this week's Kim-Trump summit meeting in Hanoi, held to foster progress toward the denuclearization of North Korea, generated few tangible victories — despite U.S. President Donald Trump's boasts of the "tremendous" achievements he had expected.

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