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Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC
May 14, 2017

Ex-North Korean propaganda artist turns his skills to satire

For seven years North Korean artist Song Byeok painted propaganda posters glorifying the world's most secretive regime. Today, having defected to South Korea, he uses his talents to satirize his repressive homeland.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / KANPAI CULTURE
May 13, 2017

Brut Wine Bar pop-up brings taste of Israel to Tokyo

On a cool afternoon in mid-April, Israeli chefs Yair Yosefi and Omer Ben-Gal, co-founders of Brut Wine Bar in Tel Aviv, examine a shipment of fresh silver-skinned sawara (Spanish mackerel) from Tottori Prefecture in a tiny kitchen on Cat Street — in the middle of Tokyo's bustling Harajuku neighborhood....
Japan Times
CULTURE / Books
May 13, 2017

'The Ryukyu Kingdom: Cornerstone of East Asia': A look at Okinawa's distant past

On May 15, Japan will mark the 45th anniversary of the return of Okinawa. For 27 years prior, the U.S. administered the islands, a continuous period of occupation that began after the Battle of Okinawa in June 1945. This makes the new translation of Mamoru Akamine's 'The Ryukyu Kingdom: Cornerstone of East Asia' both welcome and timely.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
May 11, 2017

The road to revising the pacifist Constitution

Amending the pacifist Constitution might be in Japan's national interest, but Abe will require plenty of skill if he is to extract himself and the country from the political quagmire of constitutional revision.
Japan Times
Rugby
May 10, 2017

Japan drawn with Ireland, Scotland for 2019 Rugby World Cup

Host nation Japan was drawn to face Ireland, Scotland and two teams yet to qualify in the group stage of the 2019 Rugby World Cup at a lavish ceremony at Kyoto State Guest House on Wednesday.
Japan Times
WORLD / Politics / ANALYSIS
May 10, 2017

The firing line: Ouster of FBI's Comey tests new Justice appointee

The newly appointed second-in-command at the U.S. Justice Department faced a weighty task just two weeks after taking office — writing the rationale for firing FBI Director James Comey.
COMMENTARY / World
May 9, 2017

The personality cult lives on

Despite the horrific legacies of the 20th century's ruthless and criminal despots, the cult of personality shows no signs of decline.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Tech
May 9, 2017

Step aside, Siri: A new AI-powered assistant is in town, and she's kawaii

When Siri is asked whether she has a boyfriend, the iPhone's digital assistant is usually quick to deflect the question with a quip about drones always trying to pick her up.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink
May 6, 2017

'Mouthfeel: How Texture Makes Taste': Exploring the science behind how food feels

Few people are likely to forget the first time they try shirako. The thought of eating cod sperm sacs may sound downright nauseating to the average Western diner, but those who pluck up the courage to try some are rewarded with an explosion of silkiness, more typical of a dessert than a savory dish....
Japan Times
CULTURE / Books
May 6, 2017

'Press Freedom in Contemporary Japan': Persuasive and important but incomplete

May 3 marks the United Nations' World Press Freedom Day, an annual reminder of the necessity of unfettered media in the maintenance of healthy societies.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music / Sound Off
May 4, 2017

Politics and pop: a perfect pairing

It's official: You can't escape politics in America. On a recent trip to Seattle, everyone I spoke to wanted to talk about President Donald Trump. Fittingly, the 2017 edition of the Museum of Pop Culture's Pop Conference, which I was invited to speak at, took on a political theme with "Sign O' The Times:...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
May 4, 2017

As it approaches 50, Iwanami Hall remains vital to cinema lovers

The Tokyo neighborhood of Jinbocho is a favorite of mine. Mostly known for bookshops, it is a bastion of quaintness amid a metropolis that can be downright oppressive at times.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
May 4, 2017

China's all-girl pop band crushes hopes of besotted female fans

Just a little under a year ago, Min Junqian was an unknown art student in China's eastern province of Shandong, dreaming of becoming a star and hitting the big time.
Japan Times
JAPAN / 50TH ADB ANNUAL MEETING
May 4, 2017

Fusion of traditional spirit and modern convenience

Yokohama, the host city of the Asian Development Bank's 50th annual meeting, has successfully held a number of large international conferences, including the fifth Tokyo International Conference on African Development in 2013 and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in 2010.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
May 3, 2017

Tech lessons from a still-recovering Nepal

Technology has a critical role to play in helping Nepal to overcome past tragedy and to leapfrog from its current state of development.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
May 1, 2017

Why are Japanese teens so glum?

Young people in Japan score distressingly low in OECD measurements of well-being.
Japan Times
LIFE / Style & Design
Apr 30, 2017

Sao Paulo, the Japanese cultural hub of Latin America

Marcello Dantas, a renowned Brazilian curator celebrated not only for producing exhibitions, but also involved in filmmaking and opera production, talks about Japan House Sao Paulo and his plans as its director of programming and chief curator.
Japan Times
JAPAN / History
Apr 29, 2017

Power politics: Japan's most popular political platforms

Looking back at some of the political platforms that have been heavily endorsed by voters over the past century in a bid to predict where the country might be headed under the 'third generation' of postwar Japanese.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / NATURE'S PANTRY
Apr 29, 2017

Diving into the myriad ways to enjoy Japan's sea greens

The seasonality of fruits, vegetables, nuts and fungi growing in the fields and mountains of Japan is fairly obvious to many of us who we are familiar with such places and foods.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Society
Apr 28, 2017

Bullying in schools keeps youth suicide rate high

Schoolyard bullying has long bedeviled Japan where some students have taken their own lives after being harassed in person or online through emails, text messages and blogs.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Apr 26, 2017

Abe's dreams and nightmares

The issue of North Korea is instructive for Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Japan because the room for maneuver is limited and Japan is trapped.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Apr 26, 2017

Automated factories can't solve Japan's productivity paradox

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries has cut the number of workers on its turbocharger production lines west of Tokyo by more than 80 percent, as manufacturers from carmakers to electronics producers push further into automation.

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