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Japan Times
CULTURE / Books
Jun 9, 2013

T.S. Eliot's life in letters

In this fourth volume of collected letters, the limitations of the project show up clearly. T.S. Eliot's correspondence documents his life but rarely expresses it.
COMMENTARY / World
Jun 8, 2013

Iran is outmaneuvering U.S. in Syrian proxy war

Syria is now a proxy war, and when U.S. officials say their options for intervention are constrained by Syria's air defense systems, they are also saying they fear Iran's.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Jun 7, 2013

Abe plan lifts renewables at utilities' expense

Shinzo Abe's pledge to spur ¥30 trillion of investment in Japan's electricity industry opens the way for a surge in clean energy projects at the expense of traditional utilities.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Jun 7, 2013

'Life of Pi'

Director: Ang Lee
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Jun 6, 2013

Travis returns with 'Where You Stand' after five-year break

You can't sell as many records as Travis have without dividing opinion.
COMMENTARY / World
Jun 5, 2013

Butchery on a London street

The brutal and flagrant murder of an off-duty British soldier on a street in a London suburb in broad daylight on May 22 has caused both shock and horror in Britain. The two alleged assailants were British nationals of Nigerian origin in their 20s who had converted to Islam and been imbued with jihadist...
Japan Times
WORLD
Jun 4, 2013

Manning 'harvested' secret papers: prosecution

Opening the court-martial of U.S. Army Pfc. Bradley Manning, a military prosecutor charged Monday that he "harvested" a massive trove of classified information from secure networks and made it available to America's enemies by dumping it onto the Internet.
Japan Times
WORLD
Jun 3, 2013

Liberal hawks mum on U.S. intervention in Syria

For interests on both sides of Syria's civil war, the past two weeks have been the time to increase the pressure. Hezbollah sent reinforcements to the troops of President Bashar Assad, and Russia reiterated its intention to furnish the regime with weapons. At the same time, Republican Sen. John McCain...
COMMENTARY / World
Jun 3, 2013

Lessons on moderation from an 18th-century British conservative aren't applied easily today

The political career of Edmund Burke was mediocre. Still, his 18th-century perspective offers a way to understand modern currents of ethnic/ideological alliances.
Reader Mail
Jun 2, 2013

A history of political stupidity

The Japanese have a place in their hearts for politicians who say outrageous and stupid things. There is a long history of it. First, the Japanese seem to confuse constitutional freedom of speech with the freedom to say absolutely anything with impunity. Hence there is a disposition to admire leaders...
Japan Times
SOCCER
May 30, 2013

Troussier urges Japan to clinch World Cup spot in style

Former national team manager Philippe Troussier has warned Japan not to sit back and play for the single point it needs to secure a place at a fifth straight World Cup in next Tuesday's qualifier against Australia.
Reader Mail
May 30, 2013

Fabulous example for the nation

Regarding the May 25 editorial "Challenge of a lifetime, again": A hearty congratulations to the fabulous Yuichiro Miura. I had been following his news, and it is wonderful to know that the 80-year-old scaled Mount Everest for the third time.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Politics
May 29, 2013

Japanese mayor calls off U.S. trip over wartime sex-slave defense

Osaka Mayor and Nippon Ishin no Kai (Japan Restoration Party) leader Toru Hashimoto announces that he is canceling the trip to San Francisco and New York he planned for next month.
EDITORIALS
May 29, 2013

Mayor's spin deepens suspicions

Osaka Mayor Toru Hashimoto's attempt to spin his earlier remarks about Japan's wartime sex slave system deepens suspicions about his fitness for public office.
Japan Times
WORLD / Society
May 29, 2013

Autobahn speed limit bid rankles

For many in this car-crazy nation, the freedom to hurtle down the famed autobahn at 190 kph or more is an inalienable right.
Japan Times
WORLD / Politics
May 27, 2013

Record as Newark mayor weighs heavily on Booker Senate bid

Cory Booker has become one of the most famous mayors in the nation with the help of a careful political campaign that cast him as a unique talent willing to forgo better opportunities to save this crime-ridden and poverty-plagued city.
Japan Times
BASEBALL / Japanese Baseball
May 26, 2013

Corporal punishment has long history in Japanese sports

Getting slapped by a a coach has always been, as far as I could see, simply another aspect of sports training in Japan.
EDITORIALS
May 26, 2013

Super global English schools

One recent proposal likely to have a good effect on English education in Japan is allowing certain high schools to teach subjects such as science or math in English.
Japan Times
BASKETBALL / HOOP SCOOP
May 25, 2013

Geary's vision, drive keyed Yokohama's title run

There was something refreshing, interesting and fun about the Yokohama B-Corsairs from the beginning. It wasn't always the easiest thing to explain in a few short words.
SOCCER / PREMIER REPORT
May 25, 2013

Cole not fit for England captaincy

He is seen as the type of player who gives footballers a bad name. Someone who typifies all the perceived negatives about the modern-day player.
COMMENTARY / World
May 25, 2013

Why U.K. exit from EU may now be a real possibility

The realization hits a recent visitor to the U.K. that Britain might actually leave the EU. Attitudes are hardening well ahead of a promised referendum on membership.
Reader Mail
May 23, 2013

Watching what the church does

It is instructive to parse Jennifer Kim's May 16 letter, "Catholic link to human rights," to see what she is really saying:
COMMENTARY / World
May 22, 2013

Substitute question marks for exclamation marks

A terrible tragedy is unfolding in (fill in the name of your favorite trouble spot). Something must be done. This (choose from sending troops, air strikes, enforcing a no fly zone, arming rebels) is something. Therefore it must be done.
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC
May 21, 2013

Thein Sein stresses 'special place' for military

The military that ran Myanmar for decades will continue to play a major role in the country, the former general who has presided over the transformation of a nation that only three years ago was considered one of the world's most repressive said Sunday.
Japan Times
JAPAN
May 16, 2013

Fault under reactor at Tsuruga active: NRA

A fault running under reactor 2 at the Tsuruga plant in Fukui Prefecture is active, a Nuclear Regulation Authority panel says, effectively killing any chance the reactor will be restarted.
Japan Times
JAPAN / History
May 15, 2013

Hashimoto takes flak for sex slave rationale

The backlash against Osaka political maverick Toru Hashimoto escalates over his remarks justifying Japan's wartime sex slave system and his suggestion that U.S. soldiers in Okinawa use more prostitutes.

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