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Japan Times
BUSINESS
Mar 15, 2019

At B20 in Tokyo, world business leaders urge stronger cooperation on looming challenges

As confidence in free trade appears to be waning mainly due to U.S. foreign policy and Brexit, international business leaders said Friday that stronger cross-border cooperation is needed more than ever to prevent further damage to the principles of globalization.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Regional Voices: Fukushima
Mar 15, 2019

As population declines, Fukushima Prefecture to lose 15 of its 96 high schools

The Fukushima Prefectural Board of Education will reduce its number of prefecture-run high schools by 15 by the end of fiscal 2023 as the region continues to struggle with a dwindling number of students due to a declining birthrate.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Mar 13, 2019

14% of medical students in Japan asked personal questions, including on marriage and childbirth, during entrance interviews

A total of 14 percent of medical students said they were asked personal questions on topics including marriage and childbirth during their entrance examination interviews, a survey showed Tuesday.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Regional Voices: Hiroshima
Mar 13, 2019

Is flashing the peace sign in front of the Hiroshima A-bomb memorial appropriate?

The newsroom of the Chugoku Shimbun recently received a letter of complaint from a 76-year-old whose daily ritual is to take a stroll around the Hiroshima Peace Memorial every morning.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Mar 12, 2019

Heisei Era: Slow decline or hope for new collaboration?

How Japanese view the Hesei Era varies by generation, with young people having a more positive image of it than older generations.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Regional Voices: Okinawa
Mar 12, 2019

Lose your wallet or cash in Okinawa? It's more than likely you'll get them back, police data shows

Lost wallets or hard cash reported to the Okinawa Prefectural Police last year had a higher chance of being returned than in the preceding four years, earning praise from foreign tourists who got their money back.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Regional voices: Chubu
Mar 11, 2019

Have Japan's yuru-kyara reached critical mass? Minds behind the mascots discuss

Over the past few decades, towns, cities and prefectures throughout Japan have been churning out mascots to represent and promote themselves, resulting in an annual contest, the Yuru-kyara Grand Prix, that has come to symbolize their popularity.
Japan Times
WORLD / Crime & Legal
Mar 11, 2019

To get to the truth, Robert Mueller must put Trump under oath, says U.S. House intel panel chief

It would be a mistake for special counsel Robert Mueller not to subpoena President Donald Trump to appear before a grand jury in the investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 election, said House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / WHY DID YOU LEAVE JAPAN?
Mar 9, 2019

Ryoichi Kurokawa: The electronic artist's code

A self-taught multi-disciplinary artist merging art and electronic music, Ryoichi Kurokawa reconstructs the nature he grew up with software code.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Books
Mar 9, 2019

'My Brother's Husband': Young adult literature from Japan attracts a new global audience

In January this year, 'My Brother's Husband,' a two-volume manga written by Gengoroh Tagame and translated by Anne Ishii, won the inaugural Global Literature in Libraries Initiative (GLLI) Translated YA Book Prize.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Mar 5, 2019

The future is now: AI aids foreign residents

What do I have to do as a member of the chōkai (neighborhood association)? I'm expecting a baby. What do I need to do at city hall? Where can I use Wi-Fi services? I want to know how to use a fire extinguisher!
Japan Times
LIFE / Travel / G20 host cities special
Mar 5, 2019

Timeless hospitality welcomes international guests

Japan is gearing up to host its first-ever G20 Summit on June 28 and 29, as well as eight other ministerial meetings across several months.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Society / Regional voices: Chubu
Mar 4, 2019

Few foreign residents aware of public nursing care plan but more expected to tap it as Japan grays

The number of foreign people living and retiring in Japan is expected to increase following the overhaul of the nation's immigration control law in April, which will introduce new types of working visas.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / TELLING LIVES
Feb 27, 2019

Dogen: Humor that's not lost in translation

Living in Japan can, from time to time, present a fair amount of frustration for non-Japanese, especially if they can't speak the language well. Long-term resident Kevin O'Donnell, who creates YouTube videos about Japan under the name "Dogen," isn't afraid to vent but avoids any vitriol.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Regional voices: Chubu
Feb 25, 2019

Nagoya student tracks classical and jazz gigs for music fans across Japan

A student at Nagoya University's Graduate School of Information Science has developed an online platform for music fans that keeps them update on classical and jazz concerts by musician and venue.
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics
Feb 21, 2019

Former New Zealand PM Jenny Shipley denies writing pro-China article in Communist Party paper

A former New Zealand prime minister has denied writing an article attributed to her by the official newspaper of China's ruling Communist Party that praised the Asian giant's economic development at a time of strained ties.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Regional voices: Chubu
Feb 18, 2019

World's masterpieces cast in Shigaraki ceramic at museum in Shikoku

The Otsuka Museum of Art in Naruto, Tokushima Prefecture, drew a lot of attention last year when popular singer-songwriter Kenshi Yonezu held his first live TV performance there on Dec. 31 for NHK's year-end "Kohaku Uta Gassen" ("Red and White Song Battle") music contest.
Japan Times
WORLD / Politics
Feb 18, 2019

Trump policies unite allies against him at European security forum

In 2009, then U.S. Vice President Joe Biden came to Munich to "press the reset button" with Russia. A decade later he came again to offer the world better relations, this time with his own country.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Regional Voices: Fukushima
Feb 17, 2019

Fukushima town works to revive herb vital to its frozen rice cake delicacy

A breeze rustles through leaves of oyamabokuchi plants on a farm in Katsurao, a village in Fukushima Prefecture.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Regional Voices: Okinawa
Feb 17, 2019

Okinawan fishermen reel in two live oarfish, eat portion of one

Two rare deep-sea oarfish caught in fixed nets off Toya port on the southwest side of Okinawa stunned the local fishing community last month for simply being alive.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / WHY DID YOU LEAVE JAPAN?
Feb 16, 2019

Yoko Wylegala: The best lesson in life is to never stop learning

Albert Einstein once said that the "important thing is not to stop questioning." A similar aphorism applies to composer and classical musician Yoko Hamabe Wylegala, whose life has been defined since the age of 7 by studying and questioning one subject or another.
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC
Feb 13, 2019

Top U.S. military brass cautiously optimistic on North Korean diplomacy despite claim Kim won't relinquish his nukes

The top U.S. military commander for Asia and the head of American forces in South Korea have both expressed rare cautious optimism on diplomatic progress with North Korea while also reiterating earlier intelligence assessments that the country was unlikely to relinquish its nuclear arsenal.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Regional Voices: Chugoku
Feb 12, 2019

Japan's temples turn to social media, video streaming and apps to lure visitors

Temples across the country, including in the Chugoku region, are increasingly turning to mobile apps, videos and social media to entice visitors.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Regional voices: Chubu
Feb 12, 2019

Nagoya firm Jtekt develops gnarly skateboard bearings ahead of sport's Tokyo Olympic debut

Jtekt Corp., a Nagoya-based parts manufacturer affiliated with Toyota Motor Corp., has developed an upgraded version of Ninja, the brand name for its bearings used for skateboards, ahead of skateboarding making its Olympic debut at the 2020 Tokyo Games.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Media / Japan Pulse
Feb 9, 2019

Loft under fire for its outdated portrayal of women in advertising campaign

Retailers typically strive to promote their products by creating ad campaigns that attract consumers’ attention.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Feb 8, 2019

Setsubun: Killing two birds with one bean

Changing food consumption patterns takes time, and weighing the significance of Setsubun can trigger the first step forward.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Economy
Feb 8, 2019

Kansai execs have big dreams of transport projects ahead of G20, Osaka Expo and possible casino

With the 2025 World Expo secured for Yumeshima district in Osaka Bay and growing confidence the man-made island will also host one of Japan's first casino resorts, Kansai's business leaders are stepping up efforts to win local approval and central government funding for major transportation infrastructure...
Japan Times
JAPAN / View from Osaka
Feb 7, 2019

University in Osaka aims to hone hotel staff with omotenashi to serve Japan's foreign guests

One of the key factors driving Japan's unprecedented tourism boom is its culture of hospitality — epitomized by the concept of omotenashi, which can be roughly translated as "wholeheartedly looking after guests."
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Economy
Feb 6, 2019

With the G20 facing numerous challenges, do the summit's engagement groups have the answers?

In the run-up to the Group of Twenty Leaders’ Summit in Osaka in late June, several related meetings of what are known as engagement groups are scheduled to take place in Tokyo and around the country. One of the more influential engagement groups is T20, or Think 20, whose members include influential...
Japan Times
CULTURE
Feb 5, 2019

Game for a laugh: Learning to become a manzai comedian

As I stand in the cramped wooden gangway at the side of the stage, going over my lines in a frantic whisper, I am reminded of something that American comedian Patrick Harlan had told me when we first met four months ago.

Longform

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