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Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Voices / COMMUNITY CHEST
Jan 19, 2015

Writer's critical take on Jolie's 'Unbroken' raises readers' hackles

Some emails and online comments in response to Nicolas Gattig's recent Foreign Agenda column, 'Japan may shun 'Unbroken' because it's old hat.'
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Jan 16, 2015

Press freedoms threatened

A former British ambassador to Japan hopes that Japanese as well as British cartoonists continue to expose the pomposity, hypocrisy and inadequacies of their politicians, warning that press freedom can never be taken for granted.
Reader Mail
Jan 7, 2015

An 'addiction' worth keeping

I wish to express concern regarding Tomohiro Osaki's Jan. 5 front-page article, "Patriotic few battle addiction to peace." Already the headline is problematic. Using the term "addiction" to describe Japan's pacifism implies that it is somehow a harmful thing that must be eradicated.
EDITORIALS
Dec 24, 2014

Standing up to threats

A Sapporo university's decision to retain an instructor in the face of rightist threats is a victory for freedom of expression and other fundamental democratic rights.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Voices / COMMUNITY CHEST
Dec 17, 2014

Readers' letters: What to do about 'haro'? And where to study, Japan or China?

A selection of emails received in response to recent Community stories.
Japan Times
WORLD
Dec 14, 2014

Pope Francis' reported comments on pets going to heaven weren't his words

It was a heartwarming story for legions of pet owners and animal lovers around the world.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Voices / FOREIGN AGENDA
Dec 8, 2014

Foreign student's account of treatment in rape case points to gaps in Japan's safety myth

Never did I expect that I would get raped in Japan. The story I am about to tell belies the image of the 'world's safest country' that often gets trotted out when people enthuse about Japan.
JAPAN
Nov 12, 2014

Asahi rapped for 'grave errors' in retracted Fukushima No. 1 scoop

A third-party investigation has found that senior editors at the newspaper failed to verify a story about a government interview with the late chief of the crippled Fukushima nuclear plant.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Issues / LABOR PAINS
Oct 29, 2014

'Maternity harassment' verdict benefits women, men — and our humanity

The landmark quality of the Supreme Court ruling cannot be overstated. If women can be demoted for getting pregnant, then women who care about their careers will hesitate to have children at all.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Issues / THE FOREIGN ELEMENT
Oct 27, 2014

St. Mary's school in Tokyo to investigate child sex abuse after teacher's rape confession

St. Mary's International School is setting up a panel to conduct an internal investigation into reported cases of child sexual abuse — including one confirmed case of rape — at the school in Tokyo.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Politics
Oct 17, 2014

Obuchi is grilled over political funds abuse

Trade minister Yuko Obuchi is grilled by the opposition over an allegation that her political and support groups abused campaign funds by treating constituents to theater outings.
EDITORIALS
Oct 15, 2014

Flaws in the family registry system

The government should consider making fundamental changes to the family registration system, including making it based on individuals rather than families.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Oct 14, 2014

Hong Kong a growing thorn in Sino-American relations

Just as China and the U.S. are preparing for another Xi Jinping-Barack Obama summit, this time in Beijing for the annual APEC leaders meeting, China is stepping up charges that Washington is secretly supporting student-led pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong.
Reader Mail
Sep 17, 2014

Apart from right-wing ideology

Regarding the Sept. 9 AP article "Official history of late Emperor Hirohito dodges controversies": I think the key to understand its content lies in the following sentence from the article: "The practice of documenting an emperor's reign follows a Chinese tradition."
Japan Times
BUSINESS / YEN FOR LIVING
Sep 15, 2014

Mail order scofflaws are the exception that proves the rule

Some Internet consumers take advantage of sales agents' honor systems.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Sep 12, 2014

Daily Asahi Shimbun retracts faulty Fukushima story, sacks top editor

The Asahi Shimbun on Friday carried front page articles and an apology concerning an erroneous article that alleged workers fled the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant during the meltdown crisis in March 2011, retracting the scoop story that drew strong criticism from the public, lawmakers and government...
Japan Times
JAPAN / Media / MEDIA MIX
Sep 6, 2014

Push for casinos runs into headwinds

Until a few months ago, it seemed a sure thing that casinos would be open in Tokyo by the time the Olympics rolled around in 2020. For years now, a group of lawmakers have been working to legalize gambling resorts in Japan, and Tokyo was considered the ideal place for them thanks to the capital's ease...
ASIA PACIFIC
Sep 1, 2014

Top Chinese university warns against criticizing Communist Party

One of China's top universities has urged students and teachers to "fight against" criticism of the ruling Communist Party, an influential party journal said, in the latest curbs on free expression.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Politics / ANALYSIS
Aug 22, 2014

Polarizing Abe learns the long game

Shinzo Abe is one of Japan's most polarizing prime ministers in decades. He may also have a good shot at becoming that rarity in Japanese politics — a long-serving leader.
EDITORIALS
Aug 7, 2014

The right path to pursue peace

The city of Hiroshima marks the 69th anniversary of its atomic bombing under completely different circumstances than in previous years, what with the Abe administration's recent decision to change the government's constititutional re-interpretation that paves the way for Japan's possible participation in military conflicts overseas in the name of collective self-defense.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Politics
Jul 14, 2014

Minesweeping in Mideast 'OK under changes'

The Cabinet's recent decision to reinterpret the pacifist Constitution means that Japan would be allowed to engage in a minesweeping operation in the Strait of Hormuz even without a cease-fire in place, as long as three self-imposed legal conditions would be met, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe tells a special Diet session.
COMMENTARY / Japan
Jul 7, 2014

Can Japan's democracy survive Abe's designs?

Many Japanese are so happy to have a leader who's acting boldly that they seem willing to give Shinzo Abe the benefit of the doubt when he does exactly what they and others oppose.
LIFE / Language / COMMUNICATION CUES
Jun 22, 2014

About half opposes collective self-defense

A Kyodo News survey said 48.1 percent of the public opposes allowing the government to legally exercise Japan's right to collective self-defense and 39 percent support it.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Politics
May 22, 2014

Komeito to LDP: Self-defense not same as collective defense

The Liberal Democratic Party and New Komeito remain at odds as the ruling coalition debates the contentious proposal to revamp defense policy by reinterpreting the Constitution.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Apr 22, 2014

Defensive realignment with U.S. a balancing act for Abe

For Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, exercising the right to collective self-defense will help Japan become what he calls a "normal" country on a more equal footing with the United States.
COMMENTARY / Japan
Apr 21, 2014

Is Japan a 'normal' country simply trying to stick out?

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's apparent aspirations for Japan to become a 'normal' country again are undermined by the government's attempts to impose conformity and limit freedoms.

Longform

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