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Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC
May 2, 2018

South Korea's Moon says peace deal wouldn't mean U.S. troops' withdrawal

South Korean President Moon Jae-in delivered a denial Wednesday that U.S. troops stationed in the country would withdraw following the possible signing of a peace treaty to end the Korean War, saying that they should stay even if a deal is reached.
JAPAN / Politics
Jan 26, 2018

Proposed Kibo no To policy criticizes Abe-backed security laws, but conservative members may balk

The leadership of Kibo no To (Party of Hope) on Friday proposed to rank-and-file members that the opposition party strongly criticize the controversial 2015 security laws pushed by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, a senior member and media reports said.
JAPAN / Media / MEDIA MIX
Jan 20, 2018

Debate grows over paying compensation to Olympic 'volunteers'

A  constant concern about the upcoming 2020 Tokyo Olympics is its cost. Projected operating expenses for the games as of the end of last year was ¥1.35 trillion based on calculations made last May. Although the figure is smaller than it once was, the International Olympic Committee says it is still...
CULTURE / Entertainment news
Jan 19, 2018

Famed producer Tetsuya Komuro quits music industry over alleged affair

Music producer Tetsuya Komuro said Friday he will retire from the industry following a recent magazine report about his alleged extramarital affair with a nurse.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Dec 14, 2017

Japan Times advisory board weighs in on the paper's past and future

The Japan Times Media Advisory Board met at the newspaper's office Oct. 24 to review the redesign implemented on April 1 and news coverage over the past year.
JAPAN / Media / MEDIA MIX
Nov 25, 2017

#MeToo movement confuses media in Japan

During a recent discussion on Bunka Hoso's radio talk show, "Golden Radio," about sexual misconduct in the U.S., the participants wondered if the #MeToo social media movement would catch on in Japan. "Me Too" as a movement was started more than a decade ago by American social activist Tarana Burke to...
JAPAN
Nov 24, 2017

Newsweek causes stir by reporting 'Japan wants war' with North Korea

Misreporting an opinion poll, a Newsweek story claims 'Japan wants war with North Korea's Kim Jong Un, not dialogue.'
Japan Times
JAPAN / Media / MEDIA MIX
Aug 5, 2017

Parsing gender stereotypes in Japan's media landscape

Tomomi Inada's resignation as defense minister ended a tenure that often made reporters wonder if her transgressions had more to do with ignorance than with incompetence. It would be wrong to associate her failures with her sex, though there were some in the media who harped on her fashion sense or supposed...
JAPAN / Media / MEDIA MIX
Jun 10, 2017

The Imperial family and public vs. LDP

NHK has become the go-to media outlet for scoops on the Imperial family. In July, the public broadcaster was the first to break the news that the Emperor wanted to step down and, last month, it was the first to report Princess Mako's intention to marry a man she met at university. Both stories annoyed...
JAPAN / Media / MEDIA MIX
May 27, 2017

Discrimination in day care is a vexed issue

Last January, the mayor of Chiba, Toshihito Kumagai, raised eyebrows when he called for increasing the number of male staff in the city's public day care program. Tending to children is still considered a woman's job in Japan, which is why pay remains criminally low. Over the years, however, men have...
JAPAN / Media / MEDIA MIX
Mar 25, 2017

How the word 'terrorism' can help pass a bill

During the recent Diet grilling over his alleged involvement in the Moritomo Gakuen land purchase scandal, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe accused his opposition party tormentors of resorting to inshō sōsa. The most accurate English translation is probably "image manipulation," which, in the age of fake...
JAPAN / Politics
Jan 12, 2017

After Trump remark, Suga calls Japanese firms in U.S. 'good corporate citizens'

Accumulated direct investment by Japanese firms has totaled $411 billion, and about 840,000 people have been employed, the top government spokesman said.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Media / MEDIA MIX
Dec 10, 2016

Could easier adoptions stem child abuse in Japan?

The national news has recently reported a number of stories about young children dying at the hands of their parents or guardians, either from neglect or direct physical violence. It's hard to say if these tragedies constitute a trend since detailed child abuse statistics weren't really available until...
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Issues / THE FOREIGN ELEMENT
Oct 5, 2016

Japan's English-language print media feel the pinch

Publications struggle for relevance in a world where news is available free, to all, all the time.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Media / MEDIA MIX
Aug 27, 2016

Japan zoos could be an endangered species

In terms of zoos per capita, Japan is No. 1 in the world, despite the fact that attendance has been dropping for more than two decades.
JAPAN / Politics
Aug 5, 2016

Renho steps forward in bid to lead DP ahead of Sept. 15 vote

The deputy leader of the Democratic Party announces she will run for its presidency, vowing to reform it into a viable alternative.
LIFE / Language / MORNING ENGLISH
May 30, 2016

Let's discuss ex-PM Koizumi's support for the ailing U.S. sailors

Former Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi has thrown his support behind a group of former U.S. sailors suing the operator of the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear plant.
LIFE / Language / MORNING ENGLISH
Apr 4, 2016

Let's discuss relocating government agencies out of Tokyo

The Cultural Affairs Agency will be moving to Kyoto as part of a policy to revitalize regional economies and address the over-concentration of government offices in Tokyo.
Japan Times
JAPAN / History / JAPAN TIMES GONE BY
Apr 2, 2016

Munitions orders grow; Japan, Soviet Union sign neutrality treaty; Metric system enforced; Public asked to accept gulf mission

100 YEARS AGO
Japan Times
JAPAN / Media / BIG IN JAPAN
Feb 20, 2016

Deja vu as Shukan Shincho turns back the clock

The title of the Japanese government's White Paper on the Economy for the 31st year of Showa (1956) was "The 'postwar' era is over." That same year, a delegation from the World Bank headed by Alfred Watkins spent five months studying the feasibility of extending a loan for an expressway linking the cities...
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / TELLING LIVES
Jan 20, 2016

Hatoyama dreams of a Japan anchored within a united Asia

Former leader apologizes for his failures as PM and shares his views on Fukushima, Tokyo 2020 and his hopes for Okinawa, Japan and the wider region.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Voices / FOREIGN AGENDA
Nov 25, 2015

Japan: surprisingly, sensibly and endearingly low-tech

The common image of Japan abroad as a high-tech country is severely out of step with the everyday experience of those of us who live here.
COMMENTARY / World
Jul 20, 2015

Israelis feel surrounded yet alone after Iran deal

To many Israelis, the Obama administration has become synonymous with betrayal of Israel.
JAPAN / Media / BIG IN JAPAN
Jan 17, 2015

Mags go big for Kobe gang's 100th

This year will see the observance of various centennials, including the ill-fated Gallipoli campaign in the Dardanelles; the Second Battle of Ypres; and the sinking of the RMS Lusitania with the loss of 1,198 lives.
COMMENTARY / World
Jan 4, 2015

If Obama won't bring U.S. torturers to justice, why not compensate torture victims for life?

If President Barack Obama won't bring U.S. torturers to justice, why not compensate torture victims for lost wages, medical expenses, counseling and other costs of their detention?
JAPAN / Media / DARK SIDE OF THE RISING SUN
Jan 3, 2015

The biggest terrorism threat in Japan

Remember how the government said Japan needed a state secrets law to protect it from acts of terrorism?
Japan Times
WORLD / Politics
Dec 7, 2014

Putin allies channeled billions to Ukraine oligarch with sweetheart deals

In Russia, powerful friends helped him make a fortune. In the United States, officials want him extradited and put behind bars. In Austria, where he is currently free on bail of $155 million, authorities have yet to decide what to do with him.
COMMUNITY / Issues / LABOR PAINS
Nov 26, 2014

Would-be NTV announcer's fate hangs on issues of morality and fraud

How will Japan's odd mutation of the traditional job of news announcer impact the Tokyo court's decision on the fate of Rina Sasazaki?

Longform

Atsuyoshi Koike, the president and CEO of Rapidus, says there is a “sense of urgency” when it comes to Japan’s efforts in manufacturing semiconductors. “We have to make sure we are successful,” he says.
Atsuyoshi Koike’s big game: Fourth down and 2 nanometers to go