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Japan Times
JAPAN / Heisei Icons,Heisei Icons
Apr 11, 2019

Tetsuya Komuro: J-pop inventor's synth-powered dance tunes set the tone for post-bubble Japan

The term J-pop, a Heisei invention, needed a defining characteristic to make it stand out from the Showa Era's soundtrack, and Komuro provided a synthesizer-powered foundation.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Apr 11, 2019

Connan Mockasin finds his Japan groove ahead of his debut gig in his adopted country

"Sorry?" splutters Connan Hosford, better known as Connan Mockasin, as his bandmates cackle in the background. "Excuse me ... What did you say before?"
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Companies
Mar 28, 2019

Sony chairman, who keyed firm's turnaround with bet on PlayStation and image sensors, to retire

Sony Corp. Chairman Kazuo Hirai, the architect of a turnaround at the once-dominant electronics giant, will retire in June after spending more than three decades at the company.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Media / Japan Pulse
Mar 23, 2019

Denki Groove campaign reveals what Japan truly thinks of celebrities embroiled in drug scandals

It doesn’t take much for a celebrity drug scandal to be picked up by domestic news outlets in Japan, so when TV personality Pierre Taki was arrested on suspicion of cocaine use on March 12, it’s perhaps not surprising that TV and print media jumped on the story. Segments featured on morning shows...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Entertainment news
Mar 19, 2019

Warner Bros. chief Kevin Tsujihara ousted over relationship with actress

Warner Bros. Chief Executive Officer Kevin Tsujihara is leaving the studio over allegations that he had a sexual relationship with an actress he helped promote, adding to the number of Hollywood moguls toppled by scandal.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Voices / FOREIGN AGENDA
Mar 17, 2019

Non-Japanese people are poorly represented in Japanese media: That needs to change

For almost a decade, the Japanese TV show "Why Did You Come to Japan?" has operated on the premise of finding foreign tourists and asking them the titular question. It might seem like an innocent query at first, but in fact this show and its ilk embody everything that is wrong with the depiction of non-Japanese...
Japan Times
LIFE / Travel / A Weekend In
Mar 8, 2019

A weekend in Osaka: A sensory feast in the nation's kitchen

Osaka will host four games for the Rugby World Cup at its Hanazono Rugby Stadium. Check out our guide to the city to find out what to do when you're in Osaka for the weekend.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Entertainment news
Mar 6, 2019

Hello Kitty headed for Hollywood after years of talks on film rights

One of Japan's most beloved cat cartoon characters is headed for Hollywood.
Japan Times
LIFE / Travel / G20 host cities special
Mar 5, 2019

A vibrant landscape of cultural dynamism

With a history of about 1,400 years and long flourishing as a commercial center, Osaka is never boring, with its mix of traditional and contemporary attractions.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Media / MEDIA MIX
Mar 2, 2019

NHK's restructuring plan sparks concern over influence

In a recent post for the progressive website Common Dreams, consumer advocate and one-time presidential candidate Ralph Nader bemoaned public broadcasting in the United States. Created by the government "to provide serious programming without any advertisements," the Public Broadcasting Service and National...
Japan Times
CULTURE
Feb 5, 2019

Game for a laugh: Learning to become a manzai comedian

As I stand in the cramped wooden gangway at the side of the stage, going over my lines in a frantic whisper, I am reminded of something that American comedian Patrick Harlan had told me when we first met four months ago.
Japan Times
JAPAN / History / JAPAN TIMES GONE BY
Feb 2, 2019

Japan Times 1919: Tokyo gripped by dread disease

Spanish influenza again holds Tokyo in its deadly grip, favored by the changeable weather.
WORLD / Science & Health
Feb 1, 2019

With his eye on celestial billboards, Russian entrepreneur sparks debate about who owns the heavens

Some day soon, stargazers searching for answers in the night sky might see the logo of a soft drink company blazing past the Milky Way, or a promotional message from a fast food restaurant.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Jan 29, 2019

Perennials aside, 2019 promises movie classics in Japan

As a program advisor for the Udine Far East Film Festival in Udine, Italy, I have spent the last few months scouting Japanese films for the next edition, which will be held April 26 to May 4. This doesn't mean I've seen all the upcoming releases — sales companies are often not ready to screen their...
Japan Times
MORE SPORTS
Jan 24, 2019

Japan Fencing Federation staging three-day FIE World Cup meet this weekend in Tokyo

With increased popularity and a rise in the competition level of fencing in Japan in recent years, the battle to secure spots for next year's Olympics in Tokyo will not be easy.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Tech
Jan 23, 2019

Latest trick for Sony's Aibo robotic pooch: Acting as watchdog

Sony Corp. on Wednesday showed off the latest tricks of its signature robotic dog, Aibo, including a new security capability of patrolling inside a house.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Stage
Jan 22, 2019

The 'King' returns and theaters look to Russia for 2019

Whether it's regular theater that gets you going these days — or you're skipping along more to musicals — as 2019's curtains rise, variety will be the spice of live stages this coming year.
WORLD / Society
Jan 19, 2019

Feminist strippers win fight to keep club open in England

A strip club in Britain has won a battle to remain open after local authorities were told many of the dancers who work there are feminists.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Entertainment news
Jan 16, 2019

'Baby Shark' driving you crazy? Its creator warns penguins are next

"Baby Shark (Doo Doo Doo Doo Doo Doo)" is the YouTube sensation that's been viewed more than 2 billion times and made the Billboard Hot 100 chart last week as its top new entrant. The jingle has also become such an earworm that late-night-show host Jimmy Kimmel proposed throwing those responsible in...
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Jan 16, 2019

Netflix hikes prices for U.S. subscribers by 13-18% as it expands presence and content

Netflix Inc. is raising monthly fees for its U.S. subscribers by between 13 percent and 18 percent, the video streaming pioneer's first price increase since 2017 as it spends heavily on original content and international expansion.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / The Big Questions
Jan 13, 2019

Publisher aims to bridge fictional fun and reality

For Frank Foley, joining HarperCollins Japan as managing director in 2017 was akin to coming full circle, as it was also the first company he worked for in Japan.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Jan 10, 2019

Perfume goes back to dance basics ahead of Coachella debut

Perfume keeps finding new opportunities more than 15 years into its career. This spring, the electro-pop trio embarks on its latest international tour, with stops in Asia and North America, but the real development comes at the very end of that jaunt when the group plays the Coachella Valley Music and...
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC
Dec 18, 2018

Mobile phones spreading 'decadent and reactionary ideological culture,' North Korean media warns

North Korea's main state newspaper warned on Tuesday of the "negative impact" from mobile phones use around the world, as both legal and illicit communications devices proliferate in the isolated country.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film / Wide Angle
Dec 13, 2018

Mitsuki Kimura and her film award without the film

Year-end awards season is in full swing, which means a lot of looking back on the past 12 months. Part of the fun of best-of lists and 2018-in-a-minute thinkpieces is arguing about placement and positioning: Did X really deserve to get so much love? Was Y not actually bloated and overrated?
Japan Times
JAPAN / History / Defining the Heisei Era
Nov 24, 2018

Defining the Heisei Era: Examining the rise of otaku culture

With the number of children shrinking, popular entertainment naturally began targeting the otaku population that didn't hesitate to open their wallets for material many considered juvenile.
ASIA PACIFIC
Nov 10, 2018

China orders broadcasters and websites to avoid celebrity hype, stop using fake statistics

Chinese broadcasters and online entertainment sites should avoid celebrity hype and crack down on fake audience and click-through rates, state media quoted the National Radio and Television Administration as saying.
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC / Society / FOCUS
Oct 19, 2018

After slew of complaints from sexually harassed women, India looks to tighten abuse laws

India is considering tightening sexual harassment laws, government officials said Thursday, after an avalanche of allegations of abuse lodged by women in recent weeks thrust the issue to the forefront of politics.

Longform

Construction takes place on the Takanawa Gateway Convention Center in Tokyo, slated to open in 2025.
A boom for business tourism in Japan?