Search - 2015

 
 
COMMENTARY / Japan
May 14, 2015

Calling for a Northeast Asia free of all nuclear weapons

Japan can solve its 'nuclear dilemma' by working toward a framework guaranteeing a nuclear-free Northeast Asia.
Japan Times
WORLD / Politics
May 14, 2015

The new office politics of funding the boss's causes

It wasn't long ago that politics, like religious orientation or sexual preference, was a taboo topic in the American workplace. Political beliefs were considered a private affair — off limits to the boss.
Japan Times
MORE SPORTS
May 9, 2015

Athletes gearing up for Golden Grand Prix Kawasaki

The Golden Grand Prix Kawasaki meet will be a rare opportunity for Japanese track and field fans to get to see some of the world's elite athletes from outside of the country in person, as well as top Japanese ones.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Companies
May 1, 2015

Japan Tobacco to buy U.S. e-cigarette brand as operating profit falls

Japan Tobacco Inc.'s first-quarter operating profit declined 8.4 percent as domestic cigarette sales fell and the weakness of the Russian ruble hurt earnings from its biggest overseas market.
COMMENTARY / World
Apr 7, 2015

Relearning to love nuclear weapons

The shocking thing about nuclear weapons is that they seem to have lost their power to shock.
BUSINESS
Mar 30, 2015

Flush with cash from would-be pilgrims, Indonesia's Islamic banks expect lending to rise

Flush with cash transfers from the state-controlled Hajj fund, Indonesia's Islamic banks expect loan growth to triple in 2015.
BASEBALL / Japanese Baseball / 2015 JAPANESE BASEBALL PREVIEW
Mar 25, 2015

Carp hoping Kuroda can be final piece in title puzzle

Part of the Carp's slogan for 2015 is 'Red Rising,' and that's exactly what the club has been doing the past few years. Hiroshima has increased its win total in each of the past four seasons.
COMMENTARY / World
Mar 24, 2015

Russia treading water in sea of red ink

Russia's troubled domestic front is now catching up to President Vladimir Putin and limiting his regional and global aspirations.
CULTURE / Music
Mar 24, 2015

SXSW's Japan Nite celebrates 20 lively years

For the past two decades, the Japan Nite showcase has been one of the most celebrated events at the South By Southwest (SXSW) music conference and festival, a gathering where industry types, everyday music fans and performers from all over the world descend on Texas' capital. The music component of this...
LIFE / Language / COMMUNICATION CUES
Mar 23, 2015

USJ hits record-high visits

The number of visitors to Universal Studios Japan in Osaka has hit an all-time high in fiscal 2014, the park operator said Feb. 20, thanks to the popularity of a new attraction based on the 'Harry Potter' film series.
EDITORIALS
Mar 11, 2015

China's daunting challenges

Beijing has yet to realize that China will not achieve long-term stability if its economic reforms are not accompanied by political reforms.
COMMENTARY / Japan
Mar 10, 2015

Tackle disaster risk through a coalition of the willing

While we cannot prevent another tsunami, we can build better safeguards that will offer greater protection for future generations.
SOCCER / J. League / 2015 J. LEAGUE PREVIEW
Mar 6, 2015

Gamba aiming to stay clear of chasing pack

The following is the second of a two-part preview for the upcoming J. League season. Team-by-team previews of the nine highest-ranking teams competing in the first division are listed.
Japan Times
PRESS / Events
Feb 18, 2015

The 6th Japan Times Spelling Bee to be held March 14

COMMENTARY / World
Feb 17, 2015

Why Germany's growth beat expectations

Germany's unexpectly strong economic growth suggests that it was right to focus on economic competitiveness rather than fiscal stimulus.
COMMENTARY / World
Feb 2, 2015

China fights deflation on its own

During the past two years, China has tightened fiscal and monetary policy in the hope of offsetting the adverse effects of the large stimulus package implemented in response to the 2008 global financial crisis.
EDITORIALS
Jan 29, 2015

Unreasonable welfare cuts

The health and welfare ministry's decision to lower the upper limits of housing allowances alloocated to most of those people receiving livelihood protection assistance reflects the Abe administration's unreasonable attitude toward the weakest members of society.
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Jan 26, 2015

From laundry detergent to foreign tourism: The heavyweights of consumption in 2014

Toward the end of every year, the media, advertising agencies, think tanks and other organizations look back on the "hit products" whose successes helped define consumer preferences over the previous 12 months.
EDITORIALS
Jan 13, 2015

Strong-arming Okinawa's governor

A reported Abe administration plan to sharply trim spending on measures to spur Okinawa's economy in fiscal 2015 smacks of an attempt to coerce Okinawa's new governor into ending his resistance to construction of a new U.S. military facility in the prefecture.
JAPAN / Politics
Jan 7, 2015

Okinawa development budget may be smaller than requested, Tokyo warns

The central government, irked by the election of a new Okinawa governor opposed to its plan to build a new military base in the Henoko district of Nago, has indicated that the prefecture's development budget for fiscal 2015 could be less than it originally requested.
Japan Times
BASEBALL / BASEBALL BULLET-IN
Jan 3, 2015

Hillman embraces new opportunity with Astros

Happy New Year to all readers of the Baseball Bullet-In, and we will start 2015 with an update on the new job of former Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters manager Trey Hillman.
CULTURE / Stage
Jan 1, 2015

Kansai region on course to enhance its blossoming arts renaissance

In its 2013 policy report, the Agency for Cultural Affairs vowed to build "a nation based on culture and the arts" through the promotion of regional festivals, artist-in-residence programs and other events.
JAPAN / Politics / ANALYSIS
Dec 31, 2014

Abe's goal of constitutional reform faces many challenges

This will be a tough year for the Abe administration as the calendar is full of policy goals that are unpopular with voters, observers say, particularly on defense policy.
BUSINESS / Markets / FOCUS
Dec 30, 2014

Yen's slump seen longest since gold standard ended

If your New Year's wish is for more yen weakness, get ready to celebrate.
BUSINESS / TRAVEL INSIDER
Dec 30, 2014

Haute cuisine on Air France; five stars for Garuda Indonesia; Cathay Pacific's bonus mile compaign

Throughout January, Air France is offering new dishes in the La Premiere cabin created by Anne-Sophie Pic, a French chef with three Michelin stars.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Stage
Dec 24, 2014

Ballet meets noh in unique 'Feast of Beauty'

No matter what the weather early next year, a really special show being staged once only in Osaka and Tokyo is sure to set ablaze the hearts of noh and ballet fans alike.
WORLD
Dec 23, 2014

Russia in grips of 'full-fledged economic crisis,' ex-minister says

Russia's government has pushed the country into an economic crisis by not tackling its financial problems fast enough, former finance minister Alexei Kudrin said on Monday, as evidence mounted of trouble spreading through the economy.

Longform

Visitors walk past Sou Fujimoto's Grand Ring, which has been recognized as the largest wooden structure in the world.
Can a World Expo still matter? Japan is about to find out.