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BUSINESS / YEN FOR LIVING
Oct 22, 2016

Shocking blog post forces debate on the financial drain of dialysis in Japan

About 0.25 percent of the population requires dialysis, but this group is responsible for one-30th of the country's medical costs.
JAPAN / Media / BIG IN JAPAN
Oct 15, 2016

The audacity of trust: defying the dangers of life in Japan

I am a very trusting fellow. When I cross the street I trust the driver of the approaching vehicle to suppress whatever rage or hatred my appearance may inspire and not mow me down. I walk down the street trusting those within knife-range not to have a knife, or whoever has one not to be in the grip...
Japan Times
LIFE / Lifestyle / HOME TRUTHS
Oct 1, 2016

Tokyo faces declining condominium prices

In Japan's housing market, there has always been one verity: Certain parts of Tokyo will always be popular and, therefore, profitable for developers. However, according to various media reports, that verity may have collapsed, at least when it comes to new condominiums.
JAPAN / Media / BIG IN JAPAN
Sep 10, 2016

Godzilla hits middle age but is still fueled by Japan's anxieties

Within one month of its July release, Toho's "Shin Gojira" ("Godzilla Resurgence") attracted more than 3.6 million viewers. Box-office takings are already estimated to have surpassed ¥5.3 billion, putting the film more than halfway toward the seldom-attained figure of ¥10 billion. Toho has great expectations...
JAPAN / Media / MEDIA MIX
Sep 3, 2016

Two of Japan's pacifist voices go silent

Rokusuke Ei — writer, broadcaster, raconteur — died on July 7 at the age of 83, roughly two decades after publishing a best-seller called "Daiojo," which means "Dying Peacefully." Several media outlets reported that Ei passed peacefully. He'd had Parkinson's disease for a number of years before he...
Japan Times
JAPAN / Media / DARK SIDE OF THE RISING SUN
Aug 6, 2016

Sitting on reform of the criminal justice system only exacerbates the problem

One of my favorite Japanese sayings is "Zen wa isoge," or "Make haste to do what is right." Such a philosophy is particularly true insofar as crime prevention is concerned — if you move too slowly, or not at all, terrible things can happen.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Media / BIG IN JAPAN
Jul 30, 2016

Crimes that imperil Japan's safe image

On July 22, The Japan Times ran an article with the headline, "Crime set to hit postwar low this year, first-half data shows." In it, the National Police Agency reported that the number of criminal offenses is on track to fall below 1 million for the first time since World War II ended, down from the...
Japan Times
JAPAN / Media / MEDIA MIX
Jul 2, 2016

Japan dances with the death penalty

Last week, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte announced his plans to reinstate the death penalty, which was abolished in his country in 2006. Duterte says he believes in retribution: If you kill someone, you deserve to die.
CULTURE / Music
Jun 25, 2016

Yesterday: When the 'Beatles typhoon' hit Japan

Fifty years ago this week, the Fab Four played some of their final live performances in Tokyo. We speak to fans who were u2018swept off their feet' by the visit.
JAPAN / Media
Jun 17, 2016

Minor’s death sentence sees Japan media split on anonymity rule

The debate centers on whether to name a man who lost an appeal against a death sentence for a 2010 double murder.
JAPAN / Politics / Q&A
Jun 13, 2016

Masuzoe clings to office as pressure mounts over funds scandal

Japanese Communist Party representatives in the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly announced Monday the party's decision to submit a no-confidence motion against Tokyo Gov. Yoichi Masuzoe, which could force the embattled governor from office.
BUSINESS / YEN FOR LIVING
Jun 11, 2016

Fuel-efficiency scandal could end up hitting car buyers in the pocket

The entire auto industry has had its image damaged in the mileage scandal, which means the transport ministry will likely require all carmakers to carry out stricter testing that will cost much more money.
JAPAN / Media / BIG IN JAPAN
Jun 4, 2016

The struggles of a local sumo hero

An oft-repeated question these days, and one not necessarily confined to sports media, is whether 29-year-old wrestler Kisenosato will make it to sumo's highest rank. Or is he destined to remain a perennial bridesmaid?
JAPAN / Media / BIG IN JAPAN
May 21, 2016

The second life of Kakuei Tanaka

In July 1976, the month when 218 million Americans were feting their nation's 200th birthday, dramatic events were taking place on other continents also. On July 4 — America's Independence Day — an Israeli commando force staged a dramatic raid on Entebbe airport in Uganda, rescuing all but four of...
CULTURE / Books
May 16, 2016

Crime and thriller writer Kanae Minato named winner of Yamamoto Shugoro Prize

The 29th Yamamoto Shugoro Prize will be given to Kanae Minato for her book "Utopia," the award's screening committee said Monday.
JAPAN / Politics
May 13, 2016

Tokyo governor Yoichi Masuzoe apologizes but remains defiant in face of funds scandal

Yoichi Masuzoe insists his use of political money was legal even as he admits feeling embarrassed and vows to do better for his city.
JAPAN
May 11, 2016

Tokyo's governor becomes embroiled in fresh public funding scandal

Yoichi Masuzoe once again finds himself mired in ignominy, this time over a possible violation of political funding laws.
BUSINESS
May 9, 2016

BOJ board member Sakurai's Ph.D. credentials questioned

Weekly magazine Shukan Post has raised questions about new Bank of Japan Board member Makoto Sakurai's credentials, saying there is no record of him submitting a thesis or graduating with a Ph.D.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / YEN FOR LIVING
May 7, 2016

Tokyo's governor is in a high-spending league of his own

The more the media digs, the more it is uncovering about Tokyo Gov. Yoichi Masuzoe's profligate ways.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
May 2, 2016

Stalking the elusive subtleties of Japan's political humor

Certain Japanese publications are rife with political word play, and deciphering these puns and riddles can be a fun challenge for language learners.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Media / MEDIA MIX
Apr 30, 2016

Idols put Band-Aids on fragile male egos

Two cities in Tottori Prefecture have set up a facility called the Tottori Deai Support Center, which is a kind of matchmaking service for young residents. In December it published a pamphlet to help people looking for mates better understand what the opposite sex wanted.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / COUNTERPOINT
Apr 23, 2016

Ebb tide for press freedoms in Shinzo Abe's Japan

A perfect storm is descending on freedom of the press in Japan: The country just sank to No. 72 in the global press freedom ranking issued Wednesday by Reporters Without Borders, down from No. 11 in 2010. And David Kaye, the U.N. special rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom...
EDITORIALS
Apr 21, 2016

Time for Amari to talk

Former economy minister Akira Amari should follow through on his pledge to account for the millions of yen that he and his aides received from a construction company.
JAPAN / Politics
Apr 7, 2016

Hokkaido, Kyoto by-elections a test for both DP and LDP

Two by-elections later this month in Hokkaido and Kyoto will pose the first political tests for the newly formed Democratic Party as well as Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's ruling coalition.
JAPAN / Politics
Apr 7, 2016

Yamao apologizes over ¥4.29 million fuel claim in 2012

The new Democratic Party's inaugural policy chief has been forced to apologize after it emerged that her office had claimed up to ¥4.29 million in fuel expenses in a single year.
JAPAN / Media / DARK SIDE OF THE RISING SUN
Apr 2, 2016

The drug problem that keeps getting older

Former pro baseball player Kazuhiro Kiyohara was released from police custody on ¥5 million bail last month following his arrest and subsequent indictment for alleged possession and use of stimulant drugs.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan / SENTAKU MAGAZINE
Mar 30, 2016

Narcotics flooding into Japan

Japan is becoming a paradise for drug dealers.
COMMUNITY / Issues / LABOR PAINS
Mar 27, 2016

Bearded train driver, out-of-pocket teacher and CV faker: How would they fare in court?

A look at three shiny new news items from the gossip columns that take on a different sheen when examined under the piercing light of labor law.

Longform

Visitors to Kyoto walk along a street near Kiyomizu Temple in April. A popular tourist spot, Kyoto has seen what locals feel to be an overwhelming amount of tourists in 2024.
Is Japan ready for 60 million tourists?