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COMMENTARY
Jul 4, 2012

Reforming Japan's universities

Media reports say Japan's education bureaucrats are considering allowing students with "stellar" academic records to graduate from high school before they turn 18. In other words, the required three-year stint at high school might be cut to two.
Jun 21, 2012

What can be done about Syria?

The indiscriminate killing of civilians including women and children in Syria continues. All we seem able to do is wring our hands and denounce the perpetrators.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Issues / THE ZEIT GIST
Mar 13, 2012

New Zealander loses legal fight over crippling med addiction

When Wayne Douglas arrived home in New Zealand from Japan in early 2001, his own mother didn't recognize him at the airport.
COMMENTARY
Mar 12, 2012

Foreign aid: sop to conscience and bad policy

When India selected 126 French Rafale fighter aircraft (£13 billion) over the U.K.-manufactured Typhoon involving a consortium of European countries, some British politicians and commentators demanded that aid to "ungrateful" India, a fast-rising economic power, be stopped.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Issues / JUST BE CAUSE
Jan 3, 2012

Kim to 'flyjin,' a top 10 for 2011

Here's JBC's fourth annual roundup of the top 10 human rights events that affected Japan's non-Japanese (NJ) residents last year. Ranked in ascending order of impact:
COMMENTARY
Jul 22, 2011

China takes credit for human rights progress

Two years ago, China issued a human rights action plan for 2009 and 2010. Last week, it announced that all targets have been met.
EDITORIALS
Apr 6, 2011

End game in Ivory Coast

In most elections, the person who collects the most votes is declared winner and takes the office that was contested. Not in the Ivory Coast. There, incumbent President Laurent Gbagbo has refused to leave office after losing to former Prime Minister Alessane Ouattara.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Issues / THE ZEIT GIST
Mar 1, 2011

Solving parental child abduction problem no piece of cake

The Way of Cake is mysterious and paradoxical. A master of the Way can make his neighbors feel they have filled themselves with tasty cake without ever cutting off a piece. The Way allows its disciple to step outside the boundaries of rational thought by partaking of cake while continuing to possess...
Japan Times
ENVIRONMENT / OUR PLANET EARTH
Feb 27, 2011

Don't give up on Japan's kids

Last March, the president of Harvard University, Drew Gilpin Faust, visited Japan to find out for herself what has become of Japan's once-vibrant contribution to American academia. The numbers of Japanese students enrolling in Harvard have declined steadily over the past decade, and in September 2009...
Japan Times
JAPAN
Feb 15, 2011

Russia-held isles past point of return

Japan has failed for more than half a century to secure the return of four islands seized by Soviet forces off Hokkaido near the end of World War II, and Moscow's recent moves to bolster its hold on the territories dims the likelihood of any concessions from Russia.
COMMUNITY / LIFELINES
Feb 8, 2011

Mental health advice, cash card blues

Empty nest syndrome K'ko is suffering from what she calls "empty nest blues" — that is, being without husband or children.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Feb 5, 2011

Recent tension, pro-North schools' history spin hurt tuition waiver bid

Flipping through a copy of a recently obtained Korean history textbook used in pro-Pyongyang junior high schools in Japan, journalist Ryo Hagiwara points his finger to a section describing how North Korea's founding father, Kim Il Sung, and his Korean People's Revolutionary Army defeated the Japanese...
Japan Times
JAPAN / AT JAPAN'S EXPENSE
Jan 5, 2011

Trade pacts one thing, immigrant labor another

Fourth in a series
COMMENTARY / World
Nov 2, 2010

Currency war refugees

BUENOS AIRES — Today's global currency war resembles real war in two important respects: A faceoff over structural imbalances between two large opponents — China and the United States — has forced uncomfortable smaller allies to take one side or the other, and third parties that may not be directly...
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Sep 23, 2010

APEC tourism ministers meet amid Senkakus row

NARA — Amid growing tensions between Japan and China, the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation kicked off its tourism conference Wednesday in the ancient capital of Nara, where delegates discussed regional tourism trends since the economic crisis of 2008, when they last met, and ways to improve Asia's...
COMMENTARY / World
May 5, 2010

Economic meet can't hide world's growing divisions

WASHINGTON — What a difference a year makes. Spring was in the air in Washington — both physically and in the economic metaphors — at the meetings of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank late last month. The fog of crisis that pervaded a year ago has largely been blown away. IMF predictions...
EDITORIALS
Mar 4, 2010

Decision time looms for Iran

Despite years of scrutiny, Iran's nuclear program is still surrounded by uncertainty. Tehran says it is merely seeking to diversify its energy supplies and apply nuclear technology to benign purposes such as the use of isotopes in medicine.
BUSINESS
Jan 21, 2010

Asia routes real plum as rivals circle JAL

ATLANTA — Japan Airlines isn't the real prize in the fight between Delta Air Lines and American Airlines over who gets to partner with the troubled carrier.
COMMENTARY
Dec 30, 2009

Iran the challenge in 2010

Of all the pressure points on the international scene in 2010 the Iran problem looks the most dangerous. Iran could come to an explosive boiling point in the coming months, sending shock waves through the global system.
EDITORIALS
Dec 25, 2009

Children's rights treaty turns 20

Acknowledging that children often require special care and protection, and pushing for the world to recognize that children have human rights, in 1989 world leaders moved to draw up a special convention for people under the age of 18. The resulting Convention of the Rights of the Child spelled out the...
JAPAN
Dec 19, 2009

China, India snag emissions deal

COPENHAGEN — China, India and other developing countries were accused of trying to block last-minute efforts Friday morning by world leaders to end a nearly two-week climate change conference with a political agreement on greenhouse gas emission cuts.
Japan Times
JAPAN / EXPLAINER
Dec 15, 2009

Protecting biodiversity to be key '10 goal

The United Nations has declared 2010 the International Year of Biodiversity to promote conservation and sustainable biodiversity. In October, Japan will host the 10th U.N. Convention on Biological Diversity, an event held every two years.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY
Dec 12, 2009

Doctor who treats body and soul

Beauty is not only skin deep, according to Dr. Andrew Wong. With more than 30 years of experience in the medical world, Wong observes firsthand how the stresses and preoccupations of modern society adversely affect our aging processes and overall health. To Wong, mind and body can be united to achieve...
JAPAN / EXPLAINER
Dec 8, 2009

In Osaka, a place the homeless call home

It was no surprise to many who know the area that Tatsuya Ichihashi, facing charges of murdering British teacher Lindsay Ann Hawker, has a connection with Osaka's Nishinari Ward.
JAPAN
Sep 17, 2009

Festival to screen Taiji dolphin-slaughter film

Bowing to international pressure, the Tokyo International Film Festival announced Wednesday it will screen the controversial award-winning American documentary about the annual dolphin hunt in Taiji, Wakayama Prefecture, at the nine-day event in October.
JAPAN
Apr 28, 2009

Mexico flights to Narita face flu scrutiny

The government issued orders Monday for doctors and nurses to board aircraft from Mexico at Narita airport starting Wednesday to check passengers and crew for infection of a deadly new virus that combines swine, avian and human influenza.
JAPAN / History / JAPAN TIMES GONE BY
Jan 18, 2009

Mail to Siberia, acension in Manchoukuo, conserving whales and freeing Toyotas

100 YEARS 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?