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COMMENTARY / World
Jan 14, 2016

Don't believe all the myths about North Korea

Before figuring out what can be done about North Korea and its seemingly crazy dictatorship, we mustn't fall prey to four common myths about the hermit kingdom.
COMMUNITY / Issues / THE FOREIGN ELEMENT
Jan 13, 2016

Mothers want a word with the LDP's old guard over paternity leave slap-down

After LDP bigwigs took a young politician to task over his intention to take paternity leave, mothers vent their anger.
COMMENTARY / World
Jan 12, 2016

How using Facebook makes people dumber

Facebook reinforces people's tendency to seek out information that confirms their beliefs, and to ignore contrary information.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Jan 12, 2016

The business of being Bowie

David Bowie could see the future more clearly than most people.
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics
Jan 12, 2016

Hong Kong's 'Umbrella Soldiers' visiting Taiwan to see democracy at work

Hundreds of residents of Hong Kong, the Chinese-ruled territory rocked by street protests demanding free elections in 2014, have flown to Taiwan for Saturday's elections to see free-wheeling democracy in action.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Jan 10, 2016

Jayda B leaves a dent on Tokyo's electronic scene

Radio host Jayda B is wrapping up an interview with Japanese electronic artist starRo as I enter JBS, a cozy Shibuya bar where the walls are lined with records. Later, she'll edit the recording down for her self-produced program DENTradio, which airs weekly on a radio station in her hometown of Atlanta....
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Jan 10, 2016

Germany catches the North African disease

News that scores of women were sexually assaulted by young men of Middle Eastern appearance in Cologne, Germany, on New Year's Eve will come as no surprise to women in North Africa.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Jan 9, 2016

Nagisa Oshima: 'You have to tell the truth about your country, whatever it is'

Jan. 15 marks the third anniversary of the renowned film director's death. Roger Pulvers, who knew him for more than 30 years and was his assistant on “Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence,” discusses the man and his work
Japan Times
LIFE / Travel
Jan 9, 2016

The heights and falls of Miyajima Island

My alarm sounded at 6:45 a.m., but I quickly silenced it and rolled over in my futon. I enjoyed a fleeting moment of quietude before the thrumming of rubber soles on pavement and accompanying excited voices crescendoed, a brief multilingual hubbub that then faded away for a minute or two before rising...
Japan Times
JAPAN / Media / MEDIA MIX
Jan 9, 2016

Different-names ruling leaves door open to possibility of same-sex marriages

While the Supreme Court ruling said there is nothing unconstitutional about compelling married couples to register under one name, they didn't expressly limit marriage to a man and a woman.
Japan Times
LIFE / Lifestyle / CHILD'S PLAY
Jan 9, 2016

Workshops to keep the children sweet

You and I can talk all day about differences between this country and that, and we can detail any number of parenting strategies and discuss how they differ from one culture to the next, but there are more similarities than differences, and one of the biggest common denominators is this: Kids want sweets....
Japan Times
LIFE / Style & Design / ON: FASHION
Jan 9, 2016

Avatar models, Sanrio menswear and disheveled clothing — fashion at its oddest

Louis Vuitton is being struck by Lightning
Japan Times
CULTURE / Books / ESSENTIAL READING FOR JAPANOPHILES
Jan 9, 2016

Rediscovering Rikyu and the Beginnings of the Japanese Tea Ceremony

It is said that one of the best ways to become a person of culture is to study the Japanese tea ceremony, where nothing is permitted to be rushed and there are no short cuts to accomplishment.
ASIA PACIFIC
Jan 9, 2016

Indonesia works with China as ethnic Uighurs travel to join jihadis

Indonesia is working with China to stem a flow of ethnic Uighur militants seeking to join Islamist jihadis in the world's most populous Muslim-majority country, according to Indonesia's counterterrorism chief.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Jan 7, 2016

Music director Nott prepares for Tokyo Symphony Orchestra's 70th

It's not rare for a conductor from overseas to collaborate with a Japanese orchestra, but the case of Jonathan Nott stands out because of the speed at which he and the Tokyo Symphony Orchestra cultivated their relationship.
BUSINESS / Companies
Jan 7, 2016

Tepco unveils loyalty tie-ups in bid to retain household customers

With the retail electricity market set to be deregulated in April, Tokyo Electric Power Co. on Thursday unveiled a range of new price plans that offer discounts to customers who sign up with specific partners.
BUSINESS / Companies
Jan 6, 2016

Mitsubishi UFJ plans division to pursue fintech endeavors

Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group Inc. has set up a unit to research and develop new financial technologies, the first of its kind for a major Japanese bank, people with knowledge of the matter said.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Society / DEMOGRAPHIC CHALLENGES
Jan 5, 2016

For many young Japanese, marriage — and sex — are low priorities

This is the fourth in a five-part series on Japan's population woes caused by its graying society and low birthrate.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Companies
Jan 5, 2016

Detroit-Silicon Valley crossover: GM antes up $500 million to forge self-driving car partnership with Lyft

General Motors Inc. and Lyft Inc. on Monday set out plans to develop an on-demand network of self-driving cars as the U.S. No. 1 automaker announced it would put $500 million into the ride-sharing service's latest $1 billion fundraising round.
LIFE / Language / MORNING ENGLISH
Jan 4, 2016

Let's discuss healthy eating in Japan

In a country where food culture permeates all aspects of life and society, it is perhaps unsurprising that Japan leads the 'World Health Olympics.'
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Jan 3, 2016

The shape-shifting landscape of Japan's electronic underground

Detroit techno pioneer Derrick May joined Tokyo's DJ Emma on New Year's Eve to say goodbye to one of the capital's most respected electronic music venues, Air.
Japan Times
BASKETBALL / BJ-LEAGUE NOTEBOOK
Jan 2, 2016

Golden Kings continue winning tradition

The Ryukyu Golden Kings have been so good for so long that they've maintained a winning formula for nearly a decade.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Dec 31, 2015

Obama and the limits of executive power

The failure of U.S. President Barack Obama to achieve three major goals in 2015 highlights the limits of presidential power.
COMMENTARY / Japan
Dec 31, 2015

Why Abe's 'womenomics' program isn't working

There is a contradiction between the demands of 'womenomics' and Abe's call for women to have more babies.
ASIA PACIFIC
Dec 31, 2015

Microsoft failed to warn victims of Chinese email hack: former employees

Microsoft experts concluded several years ago that Chinese authorities had hacked into more than a thousand Hotmail email accounts, targeting international leaders of China's Tibetan and Uighur minorities in particular — but it decided not to tell the victims, allowing the hackers to continue their...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Art
Dec 29, 2015

'Power of Characters, Power of Calligraphy III: Styles of Calligraphy'

Jan. 9-Feb. 14
COMMENTARY / Japan
Dec 28, 2015

Pumping more money into schools is no panacea

Government preoccupation with spending on education is a distraction from more fundamental issue.

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