Search - environment

 
 
COMMUNITY
Jan 6, 2002

A.I. shows new signs life

The so-called handicapped are only a special case of human imperfection -- all humans are handicapped by nature, without being aware of it.
EDITORIALS
Apr 2, 2001

Allies need to clear the air

It is one thing -- but no less a bad thing -- for U.S. President George W. Bush to turn his back on pledges to protect the environment that he made during last year's campaign. It is quite another for him to do so in a manner that upsets U.S. allies and undermines his credibility. His abrupt decision...
ENVIRONMENT
Feb 14, 2001

Sakhalin oil sparks hopes and fears

YUZHNO-SAKHALINSK, Russia -- Sakhalin Island is a remote former penal colony where the sea freezes for up to six months a year and villagers have been known to sleep in tents pitched in their bedrooms when the central heating fails.
COMMENTARY / World
Sep 3, 2000

Striving for a healthier, wealthier Asia

Institutions and concepts cause poverty and environmental degradation.
COMMENTARY / World
Jul 23, 2000

Japan as a global environmental model

Japan's miraculous postwar recovery and spectacular economic growth earned it worldwide admiration and led many to view it as a growth model. Subsequently, however, it became clear that Japan's economic growth came at a huge cost in terms of environmental degradation and human health.
JAPAN
Jun 19, 2000

Energy policy left to stagnate by 'ritual democracy': expert

The cure for a decade of economic stagnation may be the focal point of Sunday's general election, but Tetsunari Iida wants politicians to put energy and environment high on the political agenda as well.
JAPAN
May 19, 1999

Ramsar signatories aim to extend treaty's scope

Staff writer
JAPAN
May 3, 1999

Dioxin: Flawed report stirred policymakers' interest

First in a series
JAPAN
Mar 30, 1999

Panel seeks dioxin cut of 90% over four years

A panel of ministers tasked with tackling dioxin pollution formally adopted basic guidelines Tuesday for measures aimed at cutting such emissions by 90 percent within the next four years.
JAPAN
Mar 15, 1999

MITI readies pollutant tracking bill

Staff writer
JAPAN
Feb 2, 1999

Agency adds three pollutants to water-quality test

The Environment Agency will add three substances to a list of water quality standards, expanding the number of pollutants monitored to protect human health and the environment, the agency said Tuesday.
JAPAN
Sep 8, 1997

Experts make appeal over greenhouse issue

KOBE -- A two-day environmental conference for the Asia-Pacific region ended late Sept. 8 after an appeal was made to advanced countries to take initiatives in substantially reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Women at Work
Jun 13, 2023

From Japan to the U.S. and back: Thriving as a woman in international finance

Chikako Matsumoto achieved her dream of joining the World Bank, and later returned to her home country and executive roles there.
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC
Apr 15, 2023

Beautiful nature provides respite, outdoor activities

Nagano Prefecture is known for its mountains, hosting part of “the Japan Alps,” a term coined by a British man during the Meiji Era (1868 to 1912). Mountain ranges above 3,000 meters stretch north to south through central Japan over six different prefectures, drawing climbers, mountain lovers, skiers...
Japan Times
JAPAN
Apr 9, 2023

Could Hokkaido be the key to Japan's renewable ambitions?

As Japan looks to shift its energy mix toward cleaner sources, vast Hokkaido is drawing attention for its enormous potential for wind power.
Japan Times
GLOBAL INSIGHT / Malta report 2023
Mar 20, 2023

Mediterranean nation turns investment hotspot for leading tech sectors

Less than three years after Malta opened its inaugural diplomatic mission in Japan, bilateral relations are at an all-time high as the world’s third-largest economy and the ambitious Mediterranean country bolster trade, political and cultural bonds for many mutual benefits.
Japan Times
PODCAST / deep dive
Jul 12, 2023

Japan is about to release 1.3 million tons of Fukushima wastewater. Should we be concerned?

Environmental journalist Mara Budgen joins the podcast to discuss Japan’s plan to discharge millions of tons of wastewater from the Fukushima No. 1 power plant into the ocean.
Japan Times
ESG CONSORTIUM
Nov 24, 2022

Tender wagyu, other delicacies hail from clean lands of Tottori

Among many delicacies in Japan, Tottori Wagyu beef and its history is worth learning to make one’s gastronomic life rich. Tottori Gov. Shinji Hirai and Shinsuke Nakajima, Executive Managing Director and Executive Chef of New Otani Co., Ltd. talked about the charms of the wagyu as well as other produce...
Japan Times
JAPAN / Society / Longform
Sep 5, 2022

Japan’s foreign workers face a new post-COVID landscape

Tighter border controls amid the pandemic have kept technical interns and specified skilled workers from entering Japan. With restrictions now easing, can the government lure them back?
Japan Times
JAPAN / Regional Voices: Okinawa
Jul 18, 2022

As pandemic compounds summer heat, Okinawa students call for better cooling

A male student, who serves as the head of the student body association at a prefecture-run high school, had received 961 responses to questions on the issue between mid- and late-June.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink
May 8, 2022

A wooden knife sharper than steel? Scientists say so.

Made from the same wood as musical instruments, this experimental, all-natural knife represents a whole new kind of cutting edge.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / Food Sustainability in Japan
Nov 20, 2021

Miyazaki distiller sees the potential in hyper-local, sustainable shōchū

The Watanabe Distillery is a small, family-run business that was founded in 1914 and now produces about 50,000 liters of shu014dchu016b per year.
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC
Oct 18, 2021

A soul-nourishing workspace in the Northern Alps

When offices closed down due to the pandemic in early 2020, workers had to figure out their minimum needs — the basic equipment, space and environment for them to continue to be productive. Yet it did not take long for some to realize the goal should not be to reproduce the traditional office environment...
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan / Geoeconomic Briefing
Aug 3, 2021

Can Japan break away from its 'digital defeat'?

The country's difficulty in dealing with the coronavirus pandemic has highlighted the need for careful planning from the government's new digital agency.
Japan Times
Special Supplements / 5G Special
Feb 24, 2021

Racing full speed ahead toward a digitalized Japan

About a year has passed since Japan’s first commercial 5G mobile communications service was launched. The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications has announced a target of increasing the number of base stations to 280,000 by the end of March 2024 and is promoting further development of the...
Japan Times
Special Supplements
Dec 16, 2020

Technology aims to fix labor shortages

DRONE FUND, established by Kotaro Chiba in 2017, has provided capital to help develop the drone business. It launched the third round of funding to accelerate social implementation of drones and air mobility in May, aiming to raise ¥10 billion. NTT DOCOMO INC. is one of the first companies to invest...
Japan Times
JAPAN
Nov 30, 2020

Schools lauded for COVID-19 response and support

The number of international students enrolled in Japanese universities and vocational schools is on the rise. In May 2019, this number stood at 312,214, up from 164,000 in 2011, and the number of students who chose to work in Japan after graduating has more than doubled since 2013.
Big Japanese banks are now training a generation of professional front-line staff who have little experience with rising interest rates.
BUSINESS
Dec 5, 2023

Staff at Japan's banks scramble to adjust to rising interest rates

Many younger employees have no expertise in dealing with the vagaries of a traditional inflationary environment.
Cadets at the Maritime Self-Defense Force’s Kure Recruit Training Center row in unison during a cutter boat drill in Kure Bay, Hiroshima Prefecture, in June.
JAPAN / Society / Regional Voices: Hiroshima
Jul 29, 2024

MSDF’s Kure base faces recruitment challenges as youngsters shy away

The stressful nature of service and an increasing likelihood of actual combat are causing many to opt for other careers.
New Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba (front center) and other Cabinet ministers pose for a commemorative photo after an appointment and certification ceremony at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on Tuesday.
JAPAN / Politics
Oct 1, 2024

New Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba unveils Cabinet as LDP divide emerges

His Cabinet, made up of lawmakers largely untainted by an LDP political funds scandal, has appeared to open up a rift in the ruling party.

Longform

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