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Japan Times
WORLD / Science & Health
Apr 4, 2018

Developing nations will study ways to block sunshine to slow global warming

Scientists in developing nations plan to step up research toward dimming sunshine to curb climate change, hoping to judge if a man-made chemical sunshade would be less risky than a harmful rise in global temperatures.
Reader Mail
Mar 16, 2018

Society's lack of dialogue is a disease

Colin Jones' March 12 commentary, "Schools plus rules equals Japan minus two," rekindled my anger about the lack of dialogue in Japanese society.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Mar 7, 2018

Bruce Foxton on breaking up and moving on after The Jam

Bruce Foxton pauses for thought. "How would I describe what I'm doing? I suppose I'm flying the flag for those great songs."
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Mar 5, 2018

Putting Japan's Olympic success into words

Team Japan amassed 13 medals in Pyeongchang, its best ever Winter Games medal haul.
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics
Mar 4, 2018

South Korea names envoys to North Korea in bid to lower tensions and possibly arrange talks with U.S.

South Korean President Moon Jae-in has picked two senior security officials as special envoys to North Korea, Yonhap news agency reported Sunday, as upcoming joint military drills by U.S. and South Korean troops drew condemnation from Pyongyang.
JAPAN / Media / Japan Pulse
Mar 3, 2018

NHK puppet show offers a rare glimpse into unconventional lives

Arguably the best interview show on terrestrial TV at present stars a bunch of puppets exploring the often unexamined corners of Japanese society.
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics
Mar 1, 2018

China's top paper says reform does not mean life-long presidency

Reforms to China's constitution to remove term limits for the presidency does not mean life-long terms, the ruling Communist Party's official People's Daily said on Thursday, after a surge of concern that Xi Jinping may stay in power forever.
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics
Feb 27, 2018

Trump says U.S. can talk with North Korea but 'only under right conditions'

U.S. President Donald Trump has weighed in on the prospect of talks with nuclear-armed North Korea, saying Monday that such a move would come "only under the right conditions," a refrain that came just a day after a top official from the North said for the second time that Pyongyang was open to dialogue...
Japan Times
Figure Skating / ICE TIME
Feb 22, 2018

Hamilton, Cousins reflect on Hanyu's brilliance, drawing power

It's not often that you get to chat with a legend in skating.
Japan Times
OLYMPICS
Feb 15, 2018

Discovery bets on Olympic Games to break European language barrier

Inside a hulking five-story building at the Winter Olympics, TV production crews are working with video in 21 languages, all part of a plan by their U.S. employer, Discovery Communications, to become the top sports media brand in Europe.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Feb 12, 2018

The point of sharp power

The view that despotism is incompatible with 'soft power is a popular one. Yet Russia and China are projecting more influence beyond their borders than at any time in recent memory.
Japan Times
OLYMPICS
Feb 12, 2018

NBC boots Ramo over insensitive comment on Japanese-Korean ties at Pyeongchang Games

NBC commentator Joshua Cooper Ramo, who offended residents during coverage of the Pyeongchang Olympics opening ceremony, has been taken off the air.
Japan Times
OLYMPICS
Feb 12, 2018

Pyeongchang 2018 Olympics Day 3: U.S. snowboarder Red Gerard earns team first gold medal

Gold medalist Yuzuru Hanyu's arrival on Sunday provides a much needed morale boost for Team Japan, who advanced to the final rounds of struggled to keep up in speedskating and team figure skating but well behind the leaders. In figure skating a resurgent Olympic Athletes of Russia climbed to second place...
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC / Society / FOCUS
Feb 2, 2018

China's Me Too movement in colleges initially encouraged by authorities, then frustrated

After declaring they were ready to fight sexual harassment on university campuses, the Chinese authorities now appear to be seeking to contain a nascent Me Too movement.
Japan Times
WORLD / Politics
Jan 13, 2018

Trump asked why 'pretty Korean lady' analyst wasn't negotiating with North Korea, report says

Still reeling from the scandal surrounding his comments about halting immigration from "sh-thole countries," U.S. President Donald Trump has again come under fire — this time for reportedly referring to an intelligence analyst as a "pretty Korean lady" and suggested she should be part of negotiations...
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics
Jan 11, 2018

Trump plays down talk of war with North Korea, reiterates openness to talks

U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday played down the possibility of conflict with nuclear-armed North Korea and reiterated that Washington would be open to talks with Pyongyang "under the right circumstances," as red-hot tensions appeared to cool.
Japan Times
WORLD
Jan 9, 2018

SpaceX-launched satellite lost following takeoff in setback for Elon Musk

A military satellite launched by Elon Musk's SpaceX appears to have crashed into the sea following a malfunction in the latter stages of its ascent, representing a potential setback for the billionaire's rocket program.
Japan Times
Figure Skating / ICE TIME
Jan 9, 2018

Ted Barton foresees rise in Japan skating, defends International Judging System

At last month's Grand Prix Final in Nagoya, Ice Time sat down with ISU announcer Ted Barton, whose voice is well known to Japanese skating fans, for a discussion on a wide range of skating issues, including the International Judging System.
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics
Jan 7, 2018

Trump puts rhetoric aside, says he'd be open to talking with North Korean leader Kim

U.S. President Donald Trump holstered his fiery rhetoric toward nuclear-armed North Korea and its leader, saying Saturday that he would "absolutely" be open to talks over the phone with Kim Jong Un.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Books / ESSENTIAL READING FOR JAPANOPHILES
Dec 30, 2017

'Strong in the Rain': Poetry from the heart and mind by Kenji Miyazawa

'Strong in the Rain," a classic Japanese poetry collection from Kenji Miyazawa (1896-1921), beautifully reveals much about both nature and humanity.
Japan Times
Figure Skating / ICE TIME
Dec 12, 2017

Race for two Olympic spots still wide open

Satoko Miyahara and Wakaba Higuchi came into the Grand Prix Final with excellent chances to solidify their positions as the favorites for Japan's two spots for women for the Pyeongchang Olympics.
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC
Dec 6, 2017

U.S. flies strategic bomber over Korean Peninsula in show of force against North Korea

The U.S. military sent a B-1B strategic bomber from Guam over the Korean Peninsula on Wednesday for a massive joint exercise with the South Korean Air Force this week, the U.S. Pacific Air Forces said amid heightened tensions with nuclear-armed North Korea.
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC
Dec 4, 2017

Leading U.S. senator urges Pentagon to evacuate military families from South Korea as threat of war grows

A top Republican lawmaker has urged the Pentagon to begin moving U.S. military dependents — wives and children — out of South Korea, warning that war with nuclear-armed North Korea is "getting close."
COMMENTARY / World
Nov 25, 2017

Take hypertension news with a grain of salt

U.S. doctors may be changing how they define hypertension, but the need to exercise and eat less junk food remain the best ways to fight off high blood pressure.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Politics / ANALYSIS
Nov 21, 2017

U.S. relisting of North Korea as state sponsor of terror seen as symbolic step with limited impact

The U.S. decision hands Washington and Tokyo a symbolic victory, but will do little to solve the nuclear crisis roiling the Korean Peninsula, experts say.
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics
Nov 20, 2017

China's Chongqing renews attacks on former disgraced leaders: 'Redouble efforts to root out poison'

The government of the southwestern Chinese city of Chongqing renewed its attacks on two of its disgraced former leaders on Monday, saying one had set up an "independent kingdom" while the other was a lazy deceiver.
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC
Nov 9, 2017

U.S. Navy to run rare three-carrier military exercise in Pacific as Trump visits region

The U.S. Navy announced Wednesday that it will commence rare three-carrier strike force exercises in the Western Pacific starting this weekend and coinciding with the final leg of President Donald Trump's Asia tour.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Issues / LAW OF THE LAND
Nov 5, 2017

At the polls, a sweep for Abe and a rubber stamp for Japan's Supreme Court judges

Perhaps unwittingly, Japanese voters just gave their silent nod to the seven most recent appointees to the nation's top court.

Longform

People in cities across Japan will pop into their local convenience store for any number of products they believe will help them with a night of drinking.
Hangover cures are everywhere in Japan — but do they work?