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COMMENTARY / World
Jun 3, 2017

We need an environmental criminal court

There has never been a more dangerous time to be an environmental activist.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Issues / LEARNING CURVE
May 31, 2017

School kitchens in Japan risk being swamped by food allergy claims

Data suggest Japan's schools are seeing a surge in food allergies among students, but are all the claims legitimate?
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC
May 22, 2017

North Korea declares medium-range missile ready 'for action,' shows off apparent photos from space

North Korea said Monday that its test-firing a day earlier of a solid-fuel, medium-range missile capable of striking most of Japan was "perfect" and that the weapon was ready to be deployed "for action."
COMMENTARY / World
Mar 31, 2017

Why the U.S. National Endowment for the Arts should be abolished

It's a government frill that needs to be sheared.
COMMENTARY / World
Mar 24, 2017

Make our cities great again

As cities build taller, they must keep three benchmarks for livability in mind — community, resilience and sustainability.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / BLACK EYE
Mar 19, 2017

Black Women in Japan group gears up for its first big bash

Back in the summer of 2015, I did a series of articles where I profiled black women married to Japanese men, discussing the highs and lows of building and maintaining such relationships, as well as the rewards and challenges of raising biracial children here in Japan.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Society
Mar 11, 2017

Namie: one step forward, a few steps back

Evacuees from the Fukushima town of Namie are struggling to find a good reason to return to their homes.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Issues / THE FOREIGN ELEMENT
Mar 1, 2017

Building a family with a difference: American couple in Japan explain decision to adopt child with disabilities

Confronted with hard questions about why they felt the need to adopt, the O'Briens chose to raise Sam, a child with Down syndrome.
Japan Times
WORLD / Politics
Mar 1, 2017

Trump's first address to joint session of U.S. Congress

Remarks as prepared for delivery and released by the White House.
COMMENTARY / Japan
Feb 26, 2017

Japan has no room to criticize U.S. refugee ban

Donald Trump's America isn't the only country turning its back on refugees. Japan is just as guilty.
Japan Times
LIFE / Travel
Feb 18, 2017

Himakajima: A seafood paradise known for octopus doubles down on a wave of tourism

In a small, open space a few streets from the harbor, rows of octopus flutter in the breeze.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Society
Feb 16, 2017

Japan-born Thai teenager fights to remain at 'home' despite deportation order

In December, the Tokyo High Court upheld the Tokyo Immigration Bureau's decision to deport 17-year-old Utinan Won from Japan, the country he was born and raised in his entire life.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Issues / THE FOREIGN ELEMENT
Feb 15, 2017

Trump shocks Japan's American expats into action

Established political groups see a surge in interest while new organizations form to meet demand.
WORLD / Politics
Feb 2, 2017

Trump to focus counter-extremism program solely on Islam: sources

The Trump administration wants to revamp and rename a U.S. government program designed to counter all violent ideologies so that it focuses solely on Islamist extremism, five people briefed on the matter told Reuters.
COMMENTARY / Japan
Jan 16, 2017

Steadily implement 'comfort women' agreement

North Korea's leader stated in his New Year's address that the country "entered the final stage of preparation for the test launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile," threatening the peace and stability of the international community. Last year, North Korea conducted two nuclear tests and launched...
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Issues / JUST BE CAUSE
Jan 8, 2017

Japan's human rights issues fared better in 2016

Welcome back to JBC's annual countdown of the top issues as they affected Non-Japanese (NJ) residents of Japan. We had some brighter spots this year than in previous years, because Japan's government has been so embarrassed by hate speech toward Japan's minorities that they did something about it. Read...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Dec 28, 2016

'Stonewall': We need to talk about Danny

"Stonewall" is a bit of a head-scratcher. A fictional account of the 1969 Stonewall riots — a series of events that subsequently triggered the gay rights movement in America — it's directed by Hollywood's resident disaster-movie specialist, Roland Emmerich ("Independence Day," "The Day After Tomorrow")....
WORLD / Politics
Dec 3, 2016

U.S. spy agencies fight Congress over 'micromanagement' plan to probe covert Russian influence

The top U.S. intelligence officer has asked Congress to drop a provision in a bill that would create a special committee to combat Russian efforts to exert covert influence abroad, saying such a panel would duplicate current work and hinder cooperation with foreign allies.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Society
Nov 23, 2016

Campaign targets Japan's stray cat problem

Dogs are a man's best friend, and for many, cats are, too.
WORLD / Politics
Nov 7, 2016

Trump says he would not admit refugees without local support

Republican U.S. presidential candidate Donald Trump told crowds in Michigan and Minnesota on Sunday his administration would not admit refugees without local support, using appearances in states with growing Muslim communities to criticize Democrat Hillary Clinton's support for accepting people fleeing...
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Issues / THE FOREIGN ELEMENT
Oct 26, 2016

Japan's Filipinos heed Pope Francis' call to action on refugees and climate

Pontiff's emphasis on mercy for migrants and warnings about climate change resonate with the community in Japan.
COMMENTARY / World
Oct 17, 2016

Secretary-general for the world

Incoming U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres possesses a rare combination of background, skills and experiences highly relevant to leading the United Nations.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / JAPAN LITE
Sep 25, 2016

If you don't feel accepted in Japan, join the far-from-exclusive club

If you feel you've never been accepted in Japan, then welcome to the club: Many Japanese people don't feel accepted here either.
Japan Times
JAPAN / KANSAI PERSPECTIVE
Sep 25, 2016

Kansai uses subsidies to fill empty homes, but persuading aging population to pull up stakes remains a challenge

Some central Japan prefectures and even cities like Kyoto and Nara are increasingly adopting measures to reduce the number of vacant homes, including via subsidies for owners.
COMMENTARY / World
Sep 6, 2016

In getting rich, Myanmar can't forget its poor

Aung San Suu Kyi's handling of a huge special economic project will be a crucial test of her government's commitment to social justice.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Issues / JUST BE CAUSE
Sep 4, 2016

JBC marks 100 columns and a million page views

Column has been shining a critical light on issues affecting Japan's foreign residents since 2008.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Aug 28, 2016

A ski resort success, Niseko defies rural Japan's demographic decline

Japan's shrinking population has weighed on the world's third-biggest economy, alarmed government forecasters and turned some rural communities into veritable ghost towns.

Longform

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