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Japan Times
JAPAN
Apr 14, 2016

Shibuya's scramble crossing fascinates tourists, judging by Twitter and Weibo

Mount Fuji and popular theme parks Universal Studios Japan in Osaka and Tokyo Disneyland topped what foreign tourists posted on social media during their stay in Japan, a recent survey found.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Apr 13, 2016

Toyomu reimagines Kanye West's 'Life of Pablo' in a creatively fun way

Toyomu — "Imagining 'The Life Of Pablo'" (Self-released)
Japan Times
CULTURE / Art
Apr 12, 2016

An exhibition of things that make you go 'hmm'

The subtitle of the Mori Art Museum's triennial "Roppongi Crossing" exhibition three years ago was "Out of Doubt." This year it's "My Body, Your Voice." In 2013, the group show was inflected by the destruction caused by the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami, and scepticism about the handling...
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Apr 4, 2016

Luckily for English speakers, machine translation still can't match a native's touch

The consensus is that translation will one day inevitably be taken over by computers — but we're not there yet.
Japan Times
WORLD
Mar 31, 2016

Hollande scraps plan to strip terror convicts of French nationality

French President Francois Hollande on Wednesday scrapped contested constitutional reforms he proposed after the Paris attacks, in an embarrassing U-turn for his already beleaguered government.
CULTURE / TV & Streaming / CHANNEL SURF
Mar 24, 2016

'Stranger'; 'The World's Most Astonishing News'; CM of the week: Rohto

The TV Asahi drama special "Stranger" (Sun., 9 p.m.) is based loosely on "The Poe Family," the award-winning 1970s girl's comic by Moto Hagio, which is about vampires.
COMMENTARY / Japan
Mar 17, 2016

No excuse for Japan's increasing truancy rate

In so many other countries around the world schooling is denied those who genuinely want an education. Yet in Japan and the U.S., where education is a right, truancy persists.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Art
Mar 15, 2016

Looking forward through photography

The spectacular landscapes left by the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami have been used as source material by photographers to an extraordinary degree. Yes, using the words "spectacular" and "landscape" here may seem indecent, but this is one of many difficult issues that arise when photography...
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Issues / LAW OF THE LAND
Mar 13, 2016

Making an impression in Japan: a hanko primer

Everything you wanted to know about chops, from cheapo ¥100-shop seals to the Privy Seal of Japan, which is wielded by the Emperor and hewn from pure gold.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / How-tos / LIFELINES
Mar 13, 2016

Saga of lost Rikuzentakata tsunami boat forges pan-Pacific friendship

A new children's book recounts events following the 3/11 disasters that have led to a forging of bonds and cross-cultural exchange between young people in Tohoku and the U.S. West Coast.
BUSINESS / Economy
Mar 12, 2016

Lagarde urges Asia to take bigger role guiding global economy

Asia needs to take a leadership role in the global economy that reflects the continent's growing clout, International Monetary Fund Managing Director Christine Lagarde said Saturday in New Delhi.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Mar 11, 2016

Hillary: The best PR can't sell a terrible product

Despite a multitude of hurdles, Bernie Sanders is doing surprisingly well in the U.S. Democratic Party presidential primaries.
JAPAN
Mar 11, 2016

In 3/11 memorial speech, Emperor lauds unity five years after disasters

The following is the full text of a speech given by Emperor Akihito given at a memorial ceremony at the National Theater in Tokyo's Chiyoda Ward to commemorate the fifth anniversary of the Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami.
JAPAN
Mar 11, 2016

Abe says revitalization 'gathering pace' in speech marking disaster anniversary

The following is the full text of a speech given by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe at a memorial ceremony at the National Theater in Tokyo's Chiyoda Ward to commemorate the fifth anniversary of the Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami.
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC
Mar 11, 2016

China able to project 'substantial offensive power' from Spratlys in months, U.S. says

China will be able to project "substantial offensive military power" from artificial islands it has built in the South China Sea's disputed Spratly Islands within months, the director of U.S. national intelligence said.
COMMENTARY / World
Mar 2, 2016

The West has always been keen to divide the Arabs

It has been almost 100 years since colonial powers divided up the Arab world, and they have invested much time, energy, resources and all-out wars to ensure that the arbitrary divisions never truly end.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Mar 1, 2016

What the FBI versus Apple flap is really about

The Apple-FBI encryption flap is really all about Edward Snowden and the NSA.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Feb 28, 2016

City pop revival helps Suchmos at just the right time

Walk into a Tower Records store in Shibuya or Shinjuku and you'll eventually come across the apparel section. The current fashion aesthetic here leans retro: Hoodies and T-shirts come emblazoned with text highlighting throwback music signifiers, from equipment ("cassette tape," "analog") to genres ("surf...
Japan Times
LIFE / Digital / ON: TECH
Feb 20, 2016

Time to watch out for those kids

Get ready to answer the cat phone
Japan Times
WORLD
Feb 9, 2016

Turkey's Erdogan threatened to flood EU with migrants, meeting minutes appear to show

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan threatened in November to flood Europe with migrants if European Union leaders did not offer him a better deal to help manage the Middle East refugee crisis, a Greek news website said Monday.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Issues / LAW OF THE LAND
Feb 7, 2016

What's in a surname? A court divorced from reality

Here at Law of the Land, I try to share "the Japanese law experience" with general readers. Today's experience is called "The Frustration of Reading Supreme Court Decisions" and takes as examples two of the most significant decisions of 2015: one on a law requiring spouses to have the same surname, the...
Japan Times
JAPAN / EXPLAINER
Feb 1, 2016

U.S. presidential contenders vow status quo in Japan ties

With the Iowa caucus Monday, the primary voting process that will select Democratic and Republican candidates to run in the Nov. 8 U.S. presidential election has begun. Over the next four months, American, and international, attention will be focused on the primary races, and who emerges as their party's...
BUSINESS / Tech
Jan 28, 2016

Artificial intelligence predicts BOJ policy on hold this week

The list of areas in which the machines are beating humans can now be expanded to include predicting the Bank of Japan's next moves.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Stage
Jan 26, 2016

Theater academy pulls no punches

In a rehearsal studio at the Za-Koenji theater in west-central Tokyo's Koenji district, trainee actress Yuuhi Suenobu was striving to act the role of a frightened young woman wandering aimlessly in a chaotic wasteland with her injured mother.
Japan Times
JAPAN / EXPLAINER
Jan 25, 2016

Changes in store for TOEIC, but test still not total gauge of fluency: experts

In Japan, having high English proficiency can be a strong advantage for students wishing to get into prestigious universities and companies and for businesspeople seeking a promotion.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Jan 24, 2016

Kyu Won Han's advice to new opera fans: immerse yourself

Baritone Kyu Won Han says the best piece of advice he can give to opera newcomers is: read up.

Longform

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