Search - cabinet

 
 
COMMENTARY / Japan
Oct 2, 2014

Ray of hope for democrats

For those Japanese who grumble about low voter turnouts in local and national elections, or who complain about the secretive character of political procedures, the open, democratic process of the recent Scottish referendum on independence was an object of envy.
JAPAN
Oct 1, 2014

Osaka mayor prepares to tackle anti-Korean group Zaitokukai

Osaka Mayor Toru Hashimoto is finalizing plans for a public debate with the right-wing, anti-Korean group Zaitokukai over the definition of hate speech and the need to balance freedom of expression with others' human rights.
JAPAN / Politics
Sep 30, 2014

Amid Hong Kong street protests, Japan calls for 'democratic prosperity' to prevail

A high-ranking official said Tuesday that Tokyo hopes Hong Kong's "free and open regime will be maintained," indirectly urging authorities there to seek a peaceful solution to the ongoing street protests calling for universal suffrage for local residents.
JAPAN
Sep 30, 2014

Volcanoes may be next obstacle for Japan's atomic power industry

The deadly volcanic eruption of Mount Ontake over the weekend may strengthen the argument of activists campaigning to keep the country's 48 reactors shut.
COMMENTARY / World
Sep 29, 2014

Criminalizing policy rifts

Criticism of policy decisions should not be allowed to curdle into the hateful vitriol that demeans so much public discourse today. Words have consequences and can inflame thuggery or worse.
Japan Times
WORLD / Politics
Sep 27, 2014

Catalan leader orders referendum on independence from Spain, buoyed by close vote in Scotland

The president of Spain's Catalonia region signed a decree on Saturday calling for a referendum on independence to be held on Nov. 9, putting the local government on a collision course with Madrid, which says such a vote is illegal.
MULTIMEDIA
Sep 26, 2014

Okinawa set to invite Universal Studios Japan to build theme park near Nago

Okinawa is planning to formally invite Universal Studios Japan to open a theme park in the Nago area, a prefectural official said Thursday.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Sep 25, 2014

McCarthyism, Japan-style

The inordinate attacks by right-wing media and politicians on the Asahi Shimbun after the newspaper retracted and apologized for past reporting errors on two controversial topics does not bode well for the spirit of future press inquiry in Japan.
JAPAN / Politics
Sep 24, 2014

Japan passes fresh round of sanctions against Russia over Ukraine

Japan unveiled new economic sanctions against Russia on Wednesday, its third round of penalties aimed at pressing the Kremlin to change course in Ukraine.
EDITORIALS
Sep 24, 2014

Checkered land-price spread

Reports of continued declines in land prices suggest that the benefits of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's fight against deflation have yet to reach many of Japan's rural economies.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Sep 24, 2014

Firms revamp menus to tap fruit of Abe's 'womenomics' pledge

While pundits ponder whether women will answer Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's call to join the workforce, businesses are betting on an increase in demand for pizza and wine.
ASIA PACIFIC
Sep 24, 2014

Former Hong Kong chief secretary says he accepted secret payoff from Beijing

A former top Hong Kong civil servant told a court on Tuesday that he had received a secret payment of 11 million Hong Kong dollars ($1.4 million) "from Beijing" in 2007 through a businessman intermediary, local media reported.
Japan Times
WORLD
Sep 23, 2014

Turkey bars Kurds from entering Syria to fight Islamic State as refugees top 130,000

Turkish troops used tear gas to disperse a crowd of Kurds seeking to enter Syria to defend their ethnic kin there against Islamic State, whose advance in the past week has driven tens of thousands to flee.

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