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Reader Mail
Nov 5, 2009

Wonders of carbon science

Regarding Gwynne Dyer's Nov. 1 article, "Avalanche of evidence on vanishing ice caps": As the Copenhagen conference on global warming approaches, Dyer gives an excellent introduction to the sophisticated science applied to this issue. It seems to be well established that high temperatures are associated...
Japan Times
JAPAN / EXPLAINER
Nov 3, 2009

Marriage ever-changing institution

Marriage may be an institution, but it's permutations have run the gamut from polygamy, a practice that dates to ancient times but is still allowed in certain areas, to the recent legalization in some places of same-sex partnerships, with everything in between.
Reader Mail
Nov 1, 2009

Respect the wishes of Okinawans

The Oct. 19 article "Opposition to Futenma move won't go away" mentioned that a group of local residents opposed to relocating Futenma Air Station's facilities within Okinawa had set up a tent and maintained a protest vigil that had surpassed 2,000 days. What I am wondering is, for what purpose does...
Reader Mail
Nov 1, 2009

Spaniard among gifted Portuguese

Regarding Stephen Mansfield's Oct. 18 article "The popular consensus: What is not to like?" (a book review of "Foreigners Who Loved Japan," by Naito Makamoto and Naito Ken): The Jesuit missionary later known as Saint Francis Xavier was not Portuguese. Of noble lineage, he was born in 1506 in the castle...
Reader Mail
Nov 1, 2009

God-loving Christians with guns

In her Oct. 18 letter, "Security checkers accountable?," Cecilia Bustos' description of the American man who was arrested at Narita Airport for smuggling a loaded weapon into the country — who she knows personally to be "a God-loving Christian who would not cause harm to anyone" — seems out of sync...
COMMENTARY / COUNTERPOINT
Nov 1, 2009

Japan's sea change should signal a new course for the media, too

The relationship between the government and the press in Japan has, during the past 50 years, been a volatile one of give and take: The government gives the press what it wants it to know, and the press gladly takes it. But this has not always been the case.
Reader Mail
Oct 29, 2009

Root causes of education problems

Kiyoshi Kurokawa, in his Oct. 18 article, "How Japan can regain its vitality," recommends changes in the Japanese education system in the years to come. Dr. Kurokawa played a significant role in "Innovation 25," which included recommendations for an increase in the number of Japanese students studying...
COMMENTARY / World
Oct 29, 2009

Reports of the dollar's death are exaggerated

BERKELEY, Calif. — The blogosphere is abuzz with reports of the dollar's looming demise. The greenback has fallen against the euro by nearly 15 percent since the beginning of the summer. Central banks have reportedly slowed their accumulation of dollars in favor of other currencies. One sensational...
Reader Mail
Oct 25, 2009

Biggest threat in East Asia

Regarding the Oct. 16 article "Clarifying the idea of community": Allow me to disabuse The Japan Times of its illusions and misconceptions. The East Asia community is to be located in East Asia; the European Union is located in Europe. If the East Asia community must have the United States as a member,...
Reader Mail
Oct 25, 2009

Forgoing the new flu vaccination

Regarding the Oct. 20 article "Medical staff given H1N1 vaccinations": I will not be getting the H1N1 vaccine. I do not particularly want to be injected with a vaccine containing a toxic agent in order to possibly prevent getting the flu.
Reader Mail
Oct 25, 2009

Kudos for the 'educational' page

I recently began reading The Japan Times online and find it fascinating, especially the educational section. The Oct. 14 (bilingual page) article "Plant-eating guys just waiting to get chomped on" is quite humorous. It shows how the common civilian feels in today's society with gender roles in flux...
Reader Mail
Oct 22, 2009

Haneda adds value to Tokyo

Regarding the Oct. 16 article "Can Narita, Haneda (airports) live in harmony?": Clearly, Tokyo needs a 24-hour, international hub airport; it does not have one now. Japanese and foreign nationals alike in Japan must pay heavy fees to use Narita Airport, which is far from Tokyo and has many problems....
Reader Mail
Oct 22, 2009

Trashing a sacred relationship

Regarding the Oct. 16 article "Fukuoka cops free American who tried to get kids back": I am glad to see coverage of this and at least the mention of Japan's refusal to sign the Hague Convention. Japan refuses to recognize the family law of other foreign countries and allows the abduction of children...
COMMENTARY
Oct 20, 2009

Western media stoking conflict

A little more than a year ago, Russia and Georgia were at war over Georgia's small autonomous republic of South Ossetia. We now have two authoritative reports — one from late 2008 by the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE ) and the other just released by the European Union —...
Reader Mail
Oct 18, 2009

Dark side plus more distraction

The Oct. 14 article "Sekai Camera's new reality" describes what seems to be an interesting technology, but I can only visualize a darker side: drug deals, threats, obscenities, libelous statements, etc. We live in a world that is already overwhelming us with audio/visual information. Already there are...
Reader Mail
Oct 18, 2009

Cut out the agricultural burnoffs

Regarding Takamitsu Sawa's Oct. 12 article, "CO2 emission cuts doable": I have an idea to help reduce Japan's carbon dioxide emissions by at least 10 percent and it could be done in less than a year. Place a ban on the burning of waste leaves and rice plants before, during and after the rice season....
Reader Mail
Oct 18, 2009

Security checkers accountable?

Regarding the Oct. 8 article "U.S. man carrying loaded gun arrested at Narita airport": This is really unfortunate for the American, whom I know personally. As to whether he "smuggled" the weapon, there is no due process in Japan as in the good old USA, where we believe in "innocence until one is proven...
COMMENTARY / World
Oct 18, 2009

How Japan can regain its vitality

Last November, two months after the inauguration of the Cabinet of Prime Minister Taro Aso, I predicted, in an opinion piece for the American magazine Science, that a sweeping change in Japanese government was imminent.
Reader Mail
Oct 18, 2009

Balancing a foreign mom's roles

I was instantly drawn to Tomoko Otake's Oct. 6 article, " 'Outsider' shares unique take on life, prejudices in the 'real' Japan" — about Suzanne Kamada. I, too, am the blond-haired, blue-eyed wife of a Japanese man. We live in Michigan with our three kids, but visit family in Japan each summer. I lived...
COMMENTARY / COUNTERPOINT
Oct 18, 2009

Obama exclusive: Soda-pop war looms in Americans' best interests

A couple of days ago I decided to bite the bullet and get in touch with U.S. President Barack Obama. It wasn't him being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize that gave me the audacity of hope to speak with him. It was an article in the Oct. 8 edition of the International Herald Tribune.
EDITORIALS
Oct 17, 2009

The man with no name

Article 61 of the Juvenile Law prohibits the dissemination of information that identifies a minor in a family court decision. The aim is to spare the minor publicity that might hinder his or her rehabilitation.
COMMENTARY / World / SENTAKU MAGAZINE
Oct 16, 2009

Government's gatekeeper

A month in office, Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama appears to face difficulty in effecting his key slogan of reducing, if not eliminating, the government's heavy reliance on the bureaucracy, due mainly to confusion as to who will take the lead andwith how much power.
Reader Mail
Oct 15, 2009

Autonomy for higher education

Mariko Kato's Oct. 9 article, "Education chief takes liberal path," was encouraging. The Democratic Party of Japan has pledged to have the people's wishes reflected in government policy. In higher education, ministry control of budgets and policies has spurred academic productivity, but there may be...
Reader Mail
Oct 15, 2009

Exam system must be changed

An open letter to education minister Tatsuo Kawabata with regard to the Oct. 9 article "Education chief takes liberal path": Dear Sir, I heartily support your intention to make public high school in Japan free.
Reader Mail
Oct 11, 2009

Don't expect a united Asia soon

In his Oct. 4 article, "Solution to North Korean problem," professor Thomas J. Schoenbaum writes of a united Asia with complete freedom of movement among member countries. He says this will be possible in about 20 years.
Reader Mail
Oct 11, 2009

Garbage destroying national assets

Regarding Philip Brasor's Sept. 27 Media Mix article "Denied bear necessities of life": I want to thank Brasor for writing the truth about nature and Japan. It is not bears but people who are the problem, invading nature and leaving leftover food that animals naturally sniff out and go for.
Reader Mail
Oct 11, 2009

Hatoyama inspires hope in young

Regarding Jochen Legewie's Oct. 5 column "New Japan in sight as mind-sets, economy approach crossroads": Basically I welcome these comments, and I expect Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama to behave as a leader on international affairs, not only on domestic matters. A person who studied science at a foreign...
Reader Mail
Oct 8, 2009

She was right to return to Japan

Regarding the Oct. 3 article Savoie's lawyer says he deserves leniency": I hope readers of The Japan Times don't make the mistake of thinking that all Americans support Christopher Savoie. He chose to leave his family, and his wife was left to pick up the pieces in a foreign country.
Reader Mail
Oct 8, 2009

Children's interests came second

In his Oct. 6 article, "Savoie case shines spotlight on Japan's 'disappeared dads,' " Debito Arudou makes several valid points about the need to revise the way that child custody and visitation rights are treated under Japanese law, and about Japan's koseki (family registration) system being an obstacle...
Reader Mail
Oct 8, 2009

Pension and health insurance

Here is a quote from the Sept. 29 article "Brace for a possible spring shock": "There isn't much ambiguity about shakai hoken: If a company employs more than five people, and an employee is working more than 20 hours a week for a period longer than two months, the company is obligated to submit paperwork...

Longform

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