Search - 2014

 
 
COMMENTARY / COUNTERPOINT
May 23, 2015

The 'Abe Doctrine' transforms security policy

The ink was barely dry on the new Guidelines for Japan-U.S. Defense Cooperation, which were unveiled during Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's visit to Washington last month, when Sen. John McCain, chairman of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee, issued a wake-up call to the Japanese people. He said he...
EDITORIALS
May 23, 2015

Freedom of press declines worldwide

Freedom of the press is under attack in many countries around the world, including in Japan.
WORLD / Crime & Legal
May 23, 2015

Eiffel Tower closes as staff strike over pickpockets

A strike closed the Eiffel Tower for most of Friday as staff demanded more help to deal with pickpockets operating around the Paris landmark, tower officials and unions said.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
May 22, 2015

Mono guitarist Goto revisits past compositions on 'Classical Punk and Echoes Under the Beauty'

In 2014, instrumental rock band Mono released two LPs simultaneously: "The Last Dawn" and "Rays of Darkness." The albums stripped the band's sound down to its bare essentials, eschewing the orchestral sounds it had become known for and instead going for the sound of a raw rock band with two emotional...
COMMENTARY / World
May 22, 2015

From romancing to deromanticizing the dragon

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is taking a hands-on approach to improving bilateral ties with China.
Japan Times
JAPAN
May 22, 2015

Head of Todai is an advocate for collaboration and diversity

Collaboration from East and West is key to spurring innovation, and the University of Tokyo should become an academic hub for that purpose, its president says.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
May 22, 2015

SoftBank exec says don't expect 'Galapagos phones' to be around forever

While conventional but feature-rich cellphones are still in demand in Japan, one SoftBank executive says don't expect them to stick around forever.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
May 21, 2015

Short Shorts Film Festival & Asia searches for that 1-in-5,000 movie

Short Shorts Film Festival & Asia director Seigo Tono has been with the event since its second edition in 2000, when it was called the American Short Shorts Film Festival and showed only U.S. films. Since then it has evolved into what Tono describes as "a global event, featuring cutting-edge shorts from...
Japan Times
WORLD
May 21, 2015

To Russia's annoyance, U.S. hones Ukrainian fighting skills

Tense Ukrainian soldiers with assault rifles creep stealthily around mock houses before bursting in to clear out gunmen, while others practice setting ambushes or infantry assaults — all under the watchful eyes of U.S. Army trainers.
COMMENTARY / World
May 20, 2015

Modi's refreshingly novel outreach to Beijing

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is refashioning India's policy toward China, and the new stance comes none too soon.
COMMENTARY / Japan
May 20, 2015

The AIIB has little to offer Japan and the U.S.

Japan is wise not to join China's Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, which could end up merely as a policy instrument for Beijing.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Issues / THE FOREIGN ELEMENT
May 20, 2015

Know the way of the sword, know thyself: a kendo primer

With Tokyo poised to host the world championships for the first time since the inaugural competition in 1970, here's all you need to know to get the most out of the bouts.
BUSINESS / Economy
May 20, 2015

BOJ bond-buying faces challenge as Japan Post slows debt sales

The day when the Bank of Japan can't find enough bonds to buy is drawing closer.
WORLD
May 20, 2015

U.S. charges six Chinese nationals with economic espionage

The U.S government charged six Chinese nationals with economic espionage, saying they stole secrets from two companies that develop technology often used in military systems, the Department of Justice said on Tuesday.
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC
May 20, 2015

U.S., China ships in unplanned encounter

A U.S. combat ship used agreed codes for unplanned encounters when it met a Chinese vessel during a recent patrol of the contested South China Sea, according to the vice chief of naval operations.
COMMENTARY / Japan
May 19, 2015

Bring Japan's talents to bear

The Japanese government should strive to stem the growth of irregular jobs, which deprive people of the opportunity to grow and prosper.
COMMENTARY / World
May 19, 2015

Effort to revive Soviet glory backfire on Putin

Failed attempts by Vladimir Putin to reclaim glory for Russia in areas where the Soviet Union once excelled may present a bigger threat to his regime than falling living standards.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
May 19, 2015

Canada, Mexico ready trade sanctions after WTO nixes U.S. meat labeling appeal

Canada and Mexico are readying trade sanctions against the United States after they won a meat labeling dispute on Monday, increasing pressure on the U.S. Congress to scrap the laws.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Tech
May 19, 2015

Mixed ruling partially favors Apple in Samsung patent case

Apple Inc was handed a mixed ruling by a U.S. appeals court in the latest twist in a blockbuster intellectual property battle with Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., as a prior patent infringement verdict was upheld but a trademark finding that the iPhone's appearance could be protected was thrown out.
Japan Times
WORLD
May 19, 2015

Battle of Anbar looms as 3,000 Shiite fighters prepare to help retake Ramadi from Islamic State

A column of 3,000 Shiite militia fighters arrived at a military base near Ramadi on Monday as Baghdad moved to retake the western Iraqi city that fell to Islamic State militants over the weekend in the biggest defeat for the government since mid-2014.
Japan Times
BASEBALL / Japanese Baseball / HIT AND RUN
May 18, 2015

BayStars defy sorry reputation with strong start to season

The surprising Yokohama BayStars are 26-16 after 42 games and owners of both the best record in Japan and a three-game cushion over the Yomiuri Giants atop the Central League. The BayStars have also won seven consecutive series, which they haven't done since 1964, and each victory makes more fans wonder...
JAPAN / Politics
May 18, 2015

Security council OKs disclosing sensitive submarine info to potential customer Australia

The National Security Council of Japan approves disclosing some technical data on the nation's submarine technology to Australia, which is looking to replace its aging fleet.
COMMENTARY / World
May 18, 2015

Uber will spell the end of London's black cabs

While there are sentimental reasons to lament the demise of black cabs, Londoners should treat it as a sign of progress.

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