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Japan Times
LIFE / Travel
Aug 16, 2014

Chasing the ghost of Musashi in Kyushu

In the spring of 1645 a man lay dying in Kumamoto, on the southern Japanese island of Kyushu. He sensed that his time was near, asked for someone to help him into a seated position and tucked his short sword into his belt. This way he could greet death with dignity. The dying man was the celebrated swordsman...
JAPAN / History / THE LIVING PAST
Aug 16, 2014

The awakening of a nation permanently at peace

There's something to be said for national isolation. Peace, for example. The very few foreigners allowed into Japan during its 250-odd years of almost total seclusion, from the early 17th century to the mid-19th, were awed by the spectacle of a nation permanently at peace.
COMMENTARY / World
Aug 15, 2014

Race- and religion-based politics slows Asia's progress

How fitting it would be if, on his next return visit to Asia, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry — on behalf of America's first African-American president — helped to push the region, including China, to move beyond the racial and ethnic stereotypes that are constraining economic growth.
ASIA PACIFIC
Aug 15, 2014

Chinese police open fire on Tibetan protesters, rights group says

Chinese police have opened fire on Tibetan demonstrators in southwestern China, wounding 10 people, after the Tibetans protested against the detention of a respected village leader, a Tibetan rights group said.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Stage
Aug 13, 2014

Clowning gets serious in Slava's show

"Slava's Snowshow" feels like a dream — and occasionally a nightmare. Its surreal scenarios play out one after another on a stage set with seemingly oversized, fluffy blankets that give the audience a sense of being tucked inside a child's bed. There's no real narrative — but as in dreams, there...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Stage
Aug 13, 2014

SPAC's teen 'Dream' comes true

Mount Fuji towers nearby, and the hills around are covered with beautiful tea fields, while occupying a huge, 21-hectare plot of greenery dotted with theaters and rehearsal spaces is the home base of Shizuoka Performing Arts Center.
COMMENTARY / World
Aug 12, 2014

Who will give refuge to the last pagans of Iraq?

Already the Islamic State has practically eliminated the Shiite Muslim and Christian populations from the lands it controls. The worst of the persecution has been aimed at the Yezidi, a religious group whose pagan roots go back at least to the late Bronze Age.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Companies / EXECUTIVE DECISIONS
Aug 11, 2014

Takeda Pharmaceutical to stay Japan-based while growing on global basis, new French leader vows

The inauguration in June of Christophe Weber as president of Takeda Pharmaceutical Co. invited opposition from a group of its former executives and members of its founding family, but the Frenchman says Takeda will remain "Japanese-based" under his leadership.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Media / MEDIA MIX
Aug 9, 2014

Critics get frank when it comes to Godzilla

Because Japanese media are incestuous in their inter-corporate dealings, those writers referred to as hyōronka (critics) tend to be less critical about popular culture than their counterparts in North America and Europe. They are more likely to engage in punditry or public relations, because complaining...
EDITORIALS
Aug 8, 2014

STAP scandal turns fatal

Not only has the reported STAP cell discovery come to naught, it has also resulted in a leader in the research of regenerative medicine deciding to end his life.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Art
Aug 7, 2014

'Tanoshimu Ajiwau: Lyricism of Modern Japanese Paintings'

The Uemura family's contribution to Japanese-style painting spans three generations of talented and important artists — Uemura Shoen (1875-1949), her son Shoko (1902-2001) and her grandson Atsushi (1933-). Known for its collection of Japanese-style paintings by all three, the Shouhaku Art Museum's...
Japan Times
LIFE / Travel / HOTELS & RESTAURANTS
Aug 7, 2014

Contest seeks your best shot of Tokyo; Hard Rock brings global burgers; art and pleasing the palate

Contest seeks your best shot of Tokyo
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Aug 6, 2014

India's political, economic potential

The general election in India in May was groundbreaking in many aspects.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Voices / FOREIGN AGENDA
Aug 6, 2014

After the romance of expat life fades, the dream lives on

Some foreign residents in Japan might be living a dream on paper, but many are plagued by the question of if and when to return home.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Stage
Aug 6, 2014

Hyper Japan hails digital-age 'Genji' opera

Modern technology and age-old tradition combined last week for the premiere run of an ambitious Japanese opera with a difference — one with no live singers, musicians or actors.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Stage
Aug 6, 2014

Europe's rich tapestry unites two contrasting theater fests

As I often go to theater festivals in Europe, I was delighted to hear about the Schweizer Theatertreffen (Swiss Theater Encounter), a brand-new event being held in May. And since I'd already planned a trip that month to the Berlin Theater Festival, it was a no-brainer to check out this new Swiss kid...
COMMENTARY / World
Aug 5, 2014

The legacy of World War I

The 'storm of steel' of World War I, which for Britain began 100 years ago this week, began the process of people questioning how useful the whole institution of war was.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Aug 5, 2014

Dragon Ash, Chara impress at Rock in Japan's first weekend

The first thing you're greeted with when walking into the gates of Rock In Japan Festival is a large sign with a list of rules titled, "7 Things Rock In Japan Wants to Tell You."
WORLD
Aug 5, 2014

Video shows 'unspeakable acts' carried out by Nigerian soldiers: Amnesty

Footage obtained by human rights group Amnesty International and released on Tuesday appears to show Nigerian soldiers slitting the throats of Boko Haram suspects and dumping their bodies in a mass grave.
COMMENTARY / World
Aug 4, 2014

Christian heritage of Japan

The government's announcement of its intention to make Christian sites in Nagasaki its official candidate for UNESCO World Heritage status in 2016 spotlights a side of Japanese history that many around the world have little awareness of.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Voices / FOREIGN AGENDA
Aug 4, 2014

The dark side of the Koshien dream

The majority of high-school baseball players end up neglected due to a dearth of coaching education and a win-at-all-costs mentality that favors the very talented few.
EDITORIALS
Aug 3, 2014

Ebola stalks West Africa

The current outbreak of the highly lethal Ebola virus in western Africa has defied the usual trajectory of its spread and has many officials worried as a result.
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics
Aug 3, 2014

China's Xi likely to promote PLA general who exposed graft

President Xi Jinping is likely to promote a corruption whistle-blower to China's top military decision-making body to underscore his determination to tackle graft inside the country's rapidly modernizing armed forces, two sources said.
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC / Crime & Legal
Aug 3, 2014

Imam's killing in China may be aimed at making Muslim Uighurs choose sides

The murder of a state-backed imam in China's Xinjiang region underscores an escalation in 18 months of violence and could be part of a bid by extremists to persuade moderate Muslim Uighurs to turn against Beijing's controlled current of Islam.

Longform

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