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Reader Mail
Jan 29, 2014

Doubts about today's morality

On the basis of new NHK chief Katsuto Momii assertion that the use of "comfort women" only seems wrong by "today's morality," one might infer that there exists some shred of international morality in today's Japan and that there was no recognizable human morality here whatsoever in the past.
BUSINESS / Companies
Jan 29, 2014

Skylark said working with Nomura, BoA on IPO

Restaurant operator Skylark Co., which is controlled by Bain Capital LLC, is working with Nomura Holdings Inc. and Bank of America Corp. to prepare its initial public offering, two sources said.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / NATURE'S PANTRY
Jan 28, 2014

Local pioneers of natural farming strong after 60 years

"Soil is a living thing" is almost a mantra for Sakae Suka, wife of Kazuo Suka, who has practiced shizen nōhō (natural farming) in Kamisato-machi, Saitama Prefecture, for more than 60 years. Truly the father of natural farming in our Kanto area, Kazuo has quietly and gently mentored most of the organic...
CULTURE / Music / STRANGE BOUTIQUE
Jan 28, 2014

Music scene loses a legend after Plastics' member Masahide Sakuma dies

On Jan. 16, 2014, the musician and producer Masahide Sakuma died after losing his battle with cancer. He was 61.
COMMENTARY / World
Jan 28, 2014

Benjamin Bernanke's triumph — and defeat

In the initial days of the 2008-09 financial crisis, Ben Bernanke, the outgoing U.S. Federal Reserce chairm, mobilized the Fed as the lender of last resort and, arguably, averted a second Great Depression. His efforts to kick-start the economy by keeping short-term interest rates low and by massive bond-buying were less successful.
Japan Times
WORLD
Jan 28, 2014

Ukraine PM offers to resign

Ukraine's prime minister offered his resignation Tuesday to help bring about an end to more than two months of street protests that turned deadly last week and have taken over government buildings across the nation.
Japan Times
Figure Skating / ICE TIME
Jan 28, 2014

Murakami surging toward Sochi with style, confidence

When you work in this business, there is nothing more rewarding than watching an athlete truly come into their own.
COMMENTARY / World
Jan 27, 2014

Beware, the robots are coming

If you are an accountant, real estate agent, retail shop assistant, technical writer or telemarketer. Your jobs could be in imminent danger from the rampaging bots.
EDITORIALS
Jan 26, 2014

Leadership change at Keidanren

Keidanren has selected a new leader just as its clout declines and it faces challenges to its role as the nation's most powerful business lobby.
COMMUNITY / How-tos / LIFELINES
Jan 26, 2014

No time for free reading? You can make it up at university

I hope 2014 has started well for all our readers. Lifelines kicks off the Year of the Horse with an email from overseas reader Hannah, who has several questions about the Japanese education system:
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Jan 26, 2014

Healing words for a hospital stay

One morning, you wake up feeling kibun ga warui (気分が悪い, under the weather) and slightly darui (怠い, lethargic). Rising out of bed, you take two steps forward when the world goes dark and you taoreru (倒れる, pass out). In a panic, your roommate calls ichi ichi kyū (119, Japan's equivalent...
WORLD
Jan 26, 2014

Former leader reignites simmering debate about his role in Iraq conflict

Tony Blair reignited the debate about the West's response to terrorism Sunday, with a call on governments to recognize that religious extremism has become the biggest source of conflict around the world.
CULTURE / Books
Jan 25, 2014

Silence Once Begun

If you've ever thought book reviewing was a questionable business — so opinionated! so subjective! — this may be the review to prove you right.
CULTURE / Books
Jan 25, 2014

In Pursuit of Lavender

Akutagawa-prize-winning author, Akiko Itoyama, is known to focus on human relations in her work and with "In Pursuit of Lavender" she explores the relationship between two mentally unstable people as they hit the road together on a journey across Japan.
COMMENTARY / World
Jan 25, 2014

U.S. regulators undermining Net neutrality

The U.S. has the most innovative people in the world working in an increasingly information-based economy, yet its Internet service providers are subject to neither competition nor oversight.
Reader Mail
Jan 25, 2014

Little respect for the oceans

I am outraged by the annual brutal slaughter of dolphins and whales that takes place in Japan. The images of bloody red water clearly show the world that Japan has little respect for the world's oceans and for the conservation of the marine resources it claims to support.
BASEBALL / Japanese Baseball / HIT AND RUN
Jan 25, 2014

Tanaka's exit puts focus on Maeda

Outside of New York Yankees fans, the conclusion of Masahiro Tanaka's move to the majors probably had the biggest effect on Kenta Maeda and the Hiroshima Carp.
BUSINESS / JAPANESE PERSPECTIVES
Jan 25, 2014

In Davos, gripping kabuki with little substance

Afriend asks via email: "Did you see the video of Abe in Davos?"
COMMENTARY / World
Jan 24, 2014

Francois Hollande: What became of dull Mr. Normal?

However indignant French President Francois Hollande might have been about a glossy celebrity magazine revealing the details of his affair with a French actress, the idea of sitting down and drafting his resignation was almost certainly not among them.
BUSINESS
Jan 24, 2014

EPA with Canada would help Japan, open NAFTA door: Quebec official

Japan should consider concluding a bilateral economic partnership agreement with Canada, which could then be used as a card against the United States in the Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiations, Quebec's minister of international relations and foreign trade said this week during a trip to the Kansai...

Longform

The building of new high-rise residential buildings has some alarmed that they could empty and fall into disrepair as Japan's population shrinks.
The high cost of letting Japan's condos crumble