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Japan Times
JAPAN
May 20, 2016

Japan to take in 150 Syrians as exchange students after criticism of harsh refugee policy

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe announces Japan will accept 150 Syrians over five years as exchange students to help conflict-stricken Syria.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
May 17, 2016

How to tame North Korea

Pyongyang's belligerence is a complex geopolitical issue affecting regional security. It's time for new strategies to deal with the rogue state.
Japan Times
JAPAN / CHUBU CONNECTION
May 16, 2016

Mie temple dog consoles bereaved families with novel trick

A chief priest of Chodenji, an ancient temple in Matsusaka, Mie Prefecture, has found a novel way to cheer up bereaved family members after a funeral using his pet dog.
Japan Times
JAPAN / FUKUSHIMA FILE
May 15, 2016

Fukushima river fish business plots revival after spotless tests

River fish distributor Yoshida Suisan in the town of Miyakoji, Fukushima Prefecture, is back in business shipping char, trout and rainbow trout for the first time in five years since the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake kicked off the core meltdowns at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant.
COMMENTARY / World
May 14, 2016

Germany's middle class is endangered, too

The middle class is shrinking in both the U.S. and Germany, but the reasons for the contraction tell a lot about the different priorities of the two societies.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Stage
May 13, 2016

World was a stage for acclaimed theater director Yukio Ninagawa

Acclaimed stage director Yukio Ninagawa was a titan of global theater but his hand felt astonishingly fragile when I shook it in delight in 2012 after the world premiere of "Trojan Women," which brought together a remarkable ensemble of Japanese, Arab-Israeli and Jewish-Israeli actors.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Politics
May 13, 2016

Tokyo governor Yoichi Masuzoe apologizes but remains defiant in face of funds scandal

Yoichi Masuzoe insists his use of political money was legal even as he admits feeling embarrassed and vows to do better for his city.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
May 12, 2016

Hillary to Bernie supporters: don't vote for me

Confident that she has the Democratic nomination locked down, Hillary Clinton's surrogates are targeting Bernie Sanders devotees with a low-key sales pitch.
JAPAN
May 10, 2016

Tokyo warms to idea of reducing immigration hurdles for foreign housekeepers

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government considers asking the central government for special deregulated zone status so it can import foreign housekeepers.
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC
May 9, 2016

'I am not your minder,' and other mistakes made in North Korea

At least 130 foreign journalists traveled to Pyongyang to cover the first full congress of North Korea's ruling party in 36 years.
Japan Times
JAPAN / CHUBU CONNECTION
May 9, 2016

Aichi town residents setting up mini libraries to get locals reading, chatting

Higashiura Town Central Library in Aichi Prefecture is working with local residents to build mini libraries in the town so that residents have more opportunities to read books. Through it, the effort aims to nurture a stronger community.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Politics
May 2, 2016

Systemic avoidance of political issues by schools keeps youth vote in the dark

Although 2.4 million teens will have a chance to vote in one of Japan's most pivotal elections ever, most are indifferent because politics is widely ignored in class.
JAPAN / CHUBU CONNECTION
May 2, 2016

Over 80% of non-Japanese residents aware of 'Big One' threat, but not all prepared: survey

A recent survey by the Nagoya Municipal Government revealed that more than 80 percent of foreign residents in the city are aware of the risks of a Nankai mega-thrust earthquake and the devastation it would bring to the area.
Japan Times
JAPAN / CHUBU CONNECTION
Apr 25, 2016

Fujita — and his works — come to life at Nagoya museum

At Nagoya City Art Museum, Seizo Tsukamoto has changed his appearance to look like the late Japanese-French painter Tsuguharu Fujita (1886-1968) — a mushroom hairstyle, short mustache and round-rimmed glasses — to promote the museum's Fujita exhibition, which kicks off on Friday.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / COUNTERPOINT
Apr 23, 2016

Ebb tide for press freedoms in Shinzo Abe's Japan

A perfect storm is descending on freedom of the press in Japan: The country just sank to No. 72 in the global press freedom ranking issued Wednesday by Reporters Without Borders, down from No. 11 in 2010. And David Kaye, the U.N. special rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom...
Japan Times
JAPAN / CHUBU CONNECTION
Apr 18, 2016

Shima pet sector jumps on summit bandwagon with pet-related services

The pet industry is the latest sector to take advantage of growing interest in the city of Shima, Mie Prefecture, ahead of next month's Group of Seven summit.
JAPAN / FUKUSHIMA FILE
Apr 17, 2016

Tohoku prefectures huddle to find ways to woo, cater to foreign tourists

To attract more foreign visitors to Tohoku, governors from the six prefectures in the region have agreed to establish a comprehensive sightseeing route and develop other promotional measures.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Books
Apr 16, 2016

Donald Richie: The legacy of an entrenched view

The late Donald Richie lived at apartment number 804 in a block directly facing Shinobazu Pond in Tokyo's Ueno Park. The writer would lead visitors through his home's dimly lit entrance area — crammed with bookshelves — and his minuscule living room to the balcony, beneath which a vast lotus pond...
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Apr 15, 2016

Japan and the South China Sea

China is miffed that despite its best efforts, Japan managed to get South China Sea issues on the Group of Seven's agenda.
COMMENTARY / Japan
Apr 12, 2016

English skills gap between jurisdictions not new

What is lost in the debate on English skills in both Japan and the U.S. are the reasons why scores progress, decline or remain flat.
Japan Times
JAPAN / CHUBU CONNECTION
Apr 11, 2016

Collaboration aims to resolve senior transportation challenges

Toyota Motor Corp. has started a three-year collaboration with Nagoya University, providing ¥360 million through its Toyota Mobility Foundation to facilitate transport for elderly residents.
JAPAN / Politics
Apr 9, 2016

G-7 foreign chiefs to take up South China Sea issues: U.S. spokesman

The foreign ministers of the Group of Seven major countries are expected to take up issues in the South China Sea at their meeting in Hiroshima from Sunday, despite China's opposition to such talks, a U.S. Department of State spokesman said Friday.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Politics
Apr 9, 2016

G-7 foreign ministers to weigh nuclear future at Hiroshima meeting

The G-7 foreign ministers' summit taking place in Hiroshima carries a symbolic meaning as it offers an opportunity for world leaders to be reminded of the horrors of nuclear arms.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / TELLING LIVES
Apr 6, 2016

Tokyo violin maker's apprentice fulfills lifetime dream at 81

Japan Times Community article rekindled Tokyo academic's thwarted 70-year ambition to craft a thing of beauty.
Japan Times
JAPAN / CHUBU CONNECTION
Apr 4, 2016

Friendly employees have visitors flocking to Takeshima Aquarium in Aichi

Visitors to Takeshima Aquarium in Gamagori, Aichi Prefecture, have increased sharply thanks to a number of innovative ideas and strategies implemented by its staff.
Japan Times
JAPAN / EXPLAINER
Apr 4, 2016

Wild-card topics may trump main agenda in coming Mie G-7 summit

On May 26 and 27, the leaders of Japan, the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy and Canada, along with the presidents of the European Council and European Commission, will attend the annual Group of Seven leaders' summit in the Ise-Shima district of Mie Prefecture.
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC / Science & Health
Apr 3, 2016

Yen for animation inspired Hong Kong designer's robot

Like innumerable children with imaginations fired by animated films, Hong Kong product and graphic designer Ricky Ma grew up watching cartoons featuring the adventures of robots, and dreamed of building his own one day.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Politics
Mar 30, 2016

Nuclear issues involving North Korea, Japan on table at Washington summit

The North's nuclear weapons program is thought to top a list of topics that world leaders, including Japan's prime minister, will discuss in Washington.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Art
Mar 29, 2016

'Utagawa Kunisada: Japanese Lifestyle and Fashion'

April 1-24

Longform

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