Search - 2013

 
 
EDITORIALS
Feb 18, 2012

BOJ takes aim at deflation

The Bank of Japan on Feb. 14 announced that it would adopt a "price stability goal" of 1 percent for the time being — a virtual introduction of an explicit inflation target of 1 percent. The central bank also decided to increase its financial asset purchase program by ¥10 trillion, raising its total...
JAPAN
Feb 16, 2012

'Long-period' quake warning urged

Experts reviewing the impact of "long-period ground motion" on tall structures such as high-rises following the March 11 earthquake are calling for creating a new system that would enhance warnings in the event of a major temblor and subsequent aftershocks.
BUSINESS
Feb 15, 2012

Tepco bailout to follow Resona model

The government's bailout of Tokyo Electric Power Co. will be similar to the 2003 rescue of struggling Resona Holdings Inc., trade and industry minister Yukio Edano said Tuesday.
EDITORIALS
Feb 11, 2012

Bolstering Japan's public commons

More than three years have passed since a new system for public service incorporated bodies (PSIBs) went into force. Under the new system, traditional incorporated bodies and foundations are called on to finish procedures to become new incorporated bodies for public services by Nov. 30, 2013. It is hoped...
EDITORIALS
Feb 10, 2012

Selecting a 'platinum' carrier

The Internal Affairs and Communications Ministry is expected to select by the end of this month a telecom carrier that can use a 900-megahertz (MHz) frequency spectrum for high-speed mobile phone communications. By Jan. 27, four telecom carriers — NTT DoCoMo, KDDI, SoftBank and eAccess — submitted...
EDITORIALS
Feb 3, 2012

Return of Kitanoumi

Kitanoumi came back as head of the Japan Sumo Association in a once-every-two-years selection of a new head on Jan. 30. His selection as a new JSA head shows that the former yokozuna, who won 24 titles in career, is popular with stablemasters. He became JSA head in 2002 but resigned in September 2008...
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Feb 3, 2012

Like Stringer, Hirai's priority: Revive Sony TVs

Incoming Sony Corp. Chief Executive Officer Kazuo Hirai's biggest challenge will be to solve a puzzle that bedeviled Howard Stringer for eight years: how to make money selling televisions.
COMMENTARY / World
Feb 2, 2012

What does Egypt's military leadership want?

"Whatever the majority in the People's Assembly, they are very welcome, because they won't have the ability to impose anything that the people don't want."
EDITORIALS
Jan 31, 2012

Japan's pension problem

In its manifesto for the 2009 Lower House election, the Democratic Party of Japan proposed introducing a minimum monthly pension of ¥70,000 or more. In their recent outline for tax and social welfare reforms, the government and the party only stated that they will submit a proposal for a minimum pension...
EDITORIALS
Jan 29, 2012

Smoking deaths

The health ministry is drawing up a plan to halve the smoking rate in Japan from 23.4 percent in 2009 to 10 percent. Unfortunately, the plan is tucked into a long-range health promotion plan from 2013 to 2022.
JAPAN
Jan 27, 2012

Opposition digs in against Noda

Opposition lawmakers grilled Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda on Thursday over planned social security and tax reforms and his "inability" to keep his party's campaign pledges, and pressed again for him to call a Lower House election.
EDITORIALS
Jan 26, 2012

Tax plan ill-timed and ill-thought

Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda made a policy speech before the Diet on Tuesday as it started a regular session for 2012. His main theme was a raise of the consumption tax and he called on opposition parties to take part in consultations on the matter with his ruling Democratic Party of Japan.

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.