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BUSINESS / Companies
Apr 4, 2016

Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi eyes U.S. regional banks, new CEO says

Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group Inc.'s main lending unit is eyeing further acquisitions in the U.S. and Asia as part of its long-standing aspirations to become one of the world's leading commercial banks, the unit's new president said.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Apr 3, 2016

Ryoma Suzuki bet on a musically diverse line-up for Unborde — and it paid off

Media attention has become a mixed blessing for Ryoma Suzuki. Unborde, the label he founded in 2010, is currently celebrating five years in the game and will hold a special show at Makuhari Messe on April 10.
Japan Times
WORLD
Apr 2, 2016

Obama describes nightmare scenario of terrorists' nuclear drones at Washington summit

Terrorists flying drones to spread highly radioactive material over a civilian area: That's part of the nightmare scenario President Barack Obama urged world leaders to consider as they debated better ways of controlling nuclear material.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Apr 1, 2016

JR rail pass to be available in Japan, ending frustration for tardy tourists

Cries of "dang" have long rung out from the nation's major railway stations as foreign visitors find Japan Rail Pass vouchers are unavailable after arrival.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Mar 31, 2016

Ryuichi Sakamoto offers his thoughts on politics, Japan and how his music will change 'post-cancer'

"The Professor" is back in town. Last weekend, Ryuichi Sakamoto took the stage at Tokyo Opera City for the debut concert of the Tohoku Youth Orchestra, a 105-strong ensemble of young musicians from Iwate, Miyagi and Fukushima prefectures, which counts him as its musical director.
EDITORIALS
Mar 31, 2016

Half-hearted decentralization effort

The poor results of the Abe administration's attempt to move national government functions out of Tokyo cast doubts as to how serious the administration is about pursuing its much-hyped policy of revitalizing regional economies by creating more jobs outside the capital.
Japan Times
Reference / Q&A
Mar 31, 2016

Japan's electricity shake-up gives power to the people

Japan's electricity market receives a fundamental shake-up on Friday, with the introduction of greater competition for households and small businesses. Until now, regional utilities have monopolized supply.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Tech
Mar 30, 2016

Missile-maker adapts guidance systems for self-driving cars

Mitsubishi Electric Corp., a supplier of air-to-air missiles to Japan's armed forces, is looking to adapt the technologies it originally developed for military use to help autonomous driving cars detect obstacles and avoid collisions.
Japan Times
SUMO / SUMO SCRIBBLINGS
Mar 29, 2016

Hakuho's best days are behind him

The time has come for yokozuna Hakuho to look in the mirror, recognize the person looking back at him as head and shoulders above all others the greatest sumo wrestler that has ever lived, but to then accept that it is now time to retire, to call it a day.
COMMENTARY / World
Mar 29, 2016

Those 'free rider' allies are finally paying up

There are signs that U.S. allies in Asia, Europe and the Middle East are starting to understand that the bill for the Pax Americana has come due.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Mar 28, 2016

'Womenomics' has to wait in line as tenure obstructs Abe's goal

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has sought to have women hold 30 percent of supervisory positions in all fields by the time Tokyo hosts the Olympics in 2020. But as of now, his own government is at least 15 years behind schedule.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Mar 28, 2016

Research park offers high-tech surrounded by nature

Birds chirp under blue skies as luscious greenery stretches beyond. Researchers in white lab coats walk to and from the uncluttered chic and modern buildings. This is the natural and clean environment the Yokosuka Research Park (YRP) offers its tenants conducting business there.
Japan Times
LIFE / Style & Design
Mar 26, 2016

Designer Jotaro Saito seeks to free the kimono from the confines of tradition

Jotaro Saito has been showcasing his kimono brand at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Tokyo since 2006, almost a decade before the eyebrow-raising appearance of X Japan frontman Yoshiki Hayashi's Yoshikimono brand at the event last October.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Mar 24, 2016

New emergency icon system denotes disaster shelters

The government has urged prefectures and municipalities to put five redesigned emergency icons into use to guard against tsunami, floods, landslides and other disasters.
WORLD / Science & Health
Mar 24, 2016

U.N. expects record first-day signatures for Paris climate deal

The United Nations expects the number of countries that will sign the Paris climate change agreement at an April 22 ceremony in New York to exceed the record for the number signing up to an international accord on the day it opens, a U.N. official said on Wednesday.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Issues / THE FOREIGN ELEMENT
Mar 23, 2016

Sincerely, Little Nigeria: A reporter signs off

After five years of covering Japan's African community, a writer reflects on progress since 3/11 and speculates about the future.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Mar 23, 2016

Rooftop solar booms in Japan as market moves beyond utilities

Japan's home rooftops are emerging as the next hot spot in what for years has been one of the biggest solar markets in the world, marking a move beyond the utility-scale projects in rich industrial nations that have fueled most of the industry's growth.
BUSINESS / Companies
Mar 23, 2016

NTT board to discuss Perot bid this week

The board of Nippon Telegraph & Telephone Corp. is planning this week to discuss a proposed takeover of Dell Inc.'s Perot Systems division, according to two people with knowledge of the matter.
BUSINESS
Mar 23, 2016

Japan's Obayashi considers major offshore wind project

Obayashi Corp. is considering building a wind power project with as much as 455 megawatts of capacity off the coast of Akita Prefecture, amid a push by the local government to expand the use of clean energy.
EDITORIALS
Mar 22, 2016

The Minamata Convention

Having experienced the dreadful results of mercury poisoning, Japan has a responsibility to help other countries in their efforts to prevent such pollution.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Stage
Mar 22, 2016

Strindberg's surrealistic 'Dream' heralds a pivotal era for KAAT

He doesn't officially become Kanagawa Arts Theatre's artistic director until April 1, but Akira Shirai wasn't fooling when he declared, "I aim to make KAAT (the official acronym of his Yokohama base) a place where we take a whole fresh look at theater's role in today's Japan."
Japan Times
JAPAN
Mar 21, 2016

Five years after Fukushima disasters, region encourages rise of robotics

Japan is spending more than $1 billion to resurrect the area around the wrecked Fukushima No. 1 nuclear plant as the country's "Innovation Coast."
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / How-tos / LIFELINES
Mar 20, 2016

Patent and copyright laws can help you win redress when wronged

A reader writes: I have a problem regarding misleading information on a home page, confusing labels and the use of my intellectual property rights on some products.

Longform

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