Search - 2017

 
 
EDITORIALS
May 18, 2016

Economic growth remains fragile

The nation's economy has escaped a back-to-back quarterly decline, as shown by the preliminary data for the January-March period — which has been closely watched as a possible clue to whether Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will go ahead with the consumption tax hike in April 2017 as planned. Abe's assessment...
Japan Times
MORE SPORTS
Apr 20, 2016

Bolt eyes three-peat, world record at Rio Olympics

Sprint king Usain Bolt aims to crown his legacy with an unprecedented Olympic three-peat at the Rio Games, and to top that off by running the first ever sub-19-seconds 200 meters.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Politics
Mar 29, 2016

Budget clears Upper House as focus shifts to possible tax hike delay, double election

The Upper House easily passes the hefty fiscal 2016 budget as the opposition focuses on whether Prime Minister Abe will again delay the consumption tax hike.
EDITORIALS
Mar 25, 2016

Keep politics out of tax hike decision

The decision on whether to raise the consumption tax next year should not be driven by partisan political interests.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Mar 23, 2016

What would Donald, Hillary or Bernie do?

What would Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders do in their first 100 days as U.S. president?
BASEBALL / BASEBALL BULLET-IN
Feb 27, 2016

Exploring quirky history of season schedules

Is a 162-game professional baseball season too long?
Japan Times
BASEBALL / Japanese Baseball / HIT AND RUN
Feb 17, 2016

Upcoming games give Kokubo chance to fine-tune Samurai Japan approach

In October 2013, Japanese baseball officials, stung by the country's failure to win the World Baseball Classic earlier that year, decided to make some changes and hired Hiroki Kokubo as the manager of the national team.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Economy
Jan 20, 2016

BOJ officials 'disappointed' with unambitious salary talks

Bank of Japan officials are increasingly expressing disappointment at subdued annual wage talks, according to people familiar with the discussions, making next week's monetary-policy decision a closer call.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / How-tos / LIFELINES
Dec 20, 2015

More on pensions: what to expect and when you can get it

Following up on the Lifelines special on the Japan pension system, here are some more questions from readers.
Japan Times
WORLD / Politics / FOCUS
Dec 12, 2015

What would happen in a region ruled by France's far right?

Marion Marechal-Le Pen, the niece of National Front leader Marine Le Pen and the French far right's rising star, might well walk up the steps of the Cannes Film Festival next spring as leader of the region if she wins elections on Sunday.
Japan Times
WORLD / Politics / ANALYSIS
Dec 8, 2015

French unity against far-right crumbles as National Front rises

When far-right National Front leader Jean-Marie Le Pen made it to the second round of the 2002 presidential election, shocked voters and mainstream parties united to keep him out of power.
BUSINESS
Sep 15, 2015

Proposed food-and-drink partial tax refunds may bring little benefit, economists say

Proposed tax refunds on food and drink following a hike in consumption tax next year will have only limited benefit for the economy, some analysts have warned. By one estimate, the refunds will boost gross domestic product growth by a mere 0.03 percentage point.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Aug 1, 2015

U.S. Marines declare Lockheed's F-35B ready for limited combat operations

The U.S. Marine Corps declared its version of Lockheed Martin Corp.'s F-35 fighter ready for limited combat operations, a milestone for the Pentagon's costliest weapons program.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Economy
Jul 8, 2015

Abe aide says ¥2.5 trillion may be needed to offset next tax hike

It could be difficult for the Bank of Japan to taper its record monetary stimulus before a planned sales-tax hike in 2017, and the government may need to compile a ¥2.5 trillion economic package to cushion the blow to households, an adviser to the prime minister said Tuesday.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Science & Health
Jun 2, 2015

Some experts doubt shift to generic drugs is best prescription for health care system

In a desperate bid to stem the rise in health care costs, the government is reining in one of its biggest medical outlays: prescription drugs.
EDITORIALS
Mar 3, 2015

The government's fiscal road map

The Abe administration's forthcoming fiscal rehabilitation plan may give clues as to whether it is serious about getting the government's fiscal house in order.
COMMENTARY / World
Jan 9, 2015

It's time for Hong Kong's government to talk

For Hong Kong's pro-democracy protesters, 2015 is off to a dismal start. Now that Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying has cleared the streets, he seems to have lost interest in talking.
Japan Times
BASEBALL / Japanese Baseball / HIT AND RUN
Nov 22, 2014

Dueling goals drove Samurai Japan

One way of looking at Samurai Japan's victory in the MLB-Japan All-Star Series is from the point of view that the Japanese team proved once again it could hold its own against the major leaguers.
WORLD
Sep 8, 2014

GM to debut hands-free highway driving in Cadillac model in 2016

General Motors Co., the largest U.S. automaker, will introduce a Cadillac model in two years that can be driven on the highway without the driver holding the steering wheel or putting a foot on a pedal.
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics
Sep 1, 2014

Hong Kong braces for protests as China rules out full democracy

Prodemocracy activists vowed on Sunday to bring Hong Kong's financial hub to a standstill after China's parliament rejected their demands for the right to freely choose the former British colony's next leader in 2017.
Japan Times
WORLD / Society / FOCUS
Jul 1, 2014

Beijing quietly tightening grip on Hong Kong

Since Britain handed back colonial Hong Kong in 1997, retired primary school teacher and Falun Gong devotee Lau Wai-hing has fully exercised the freedoms China promised this city of 7.2 million.
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics
Nov 29, 2013

Pro-democracy protest plan splits Hong Kong

After a decade of negotiations, sociology professor Chan Kin-man realized the Chinese government was not going to grant Hong Kong genuine democracy — not without a struggle, anyway.
Japan Times
BASEBALL / Japanese Baseball
Oct 9, 2013

Kokubo introduced as new manager of Samurai Japan

The Japanese baseball national team has a new outlook and a new man in charge.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Jul 29, 2011

Toyota said opposing U.S. fuel-economy plan

Toyota Motor Corp. is objecting to a fuel-economy target of 54.5 miles per gallon (23.17 km per liter) by 2025, which competitors support, as the Obama administration seeks to reach a consensus among carmakers selling in the U.S., according to three sources.
Japan Times
LIFE / Digital / Reviews
May 18, 2023

Tears of the Kingdom soars thanks to its journey, not its destination

The latest Zelda release emulates 2017’s Breath of the Wild in many ways, but that doesn’t mean it lives entirely in its shadow.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Entertainment news
May 6, 2023

How the Legend of Zelda changed the game

More than 6 million people watched the preview for hints about the next video game in Nintendo’s beloved Legend of Zelda franchise. Millions more are expected to play it.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Apr 22, 2023

How the U.S. Clean Air Act lets closed coal plants keep polluting for years

A Pennsylvania coal-fired power plant, stopped producing electricity in 2013. But the facility’s legacy of smog pollution continued long after it closed.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Apr 7, 2023

Search for crew from missing SDF helicopter continues as debris is recovered

The coast guard retrieved 10 pieces of debris, including a lifeboat, but there has been no sign so far of the 10 personnel who were were on board.

Longform

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