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COMMENTARY / World
Sep 29, 2014

Criminalizing policy rifts

Criticism of policy decisions should not be allowed to curdle into the hateful vitriol that demeans so much public discourse today. Words have consequences and can inflame thuggery or worse.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Media / BIG IN JAPAN
Sep 27, 2014

Tales from the city show cracks in the system

Why are people unhappy? Think back to just about any historical period you like, from the remote past to times within living memory; imagine people then looking at us now and saying, "How dare you be unhappy? You haven't earned the right!"
Japan Times
JAPAN / Politics / KANSAI PERSPECTIVE
Sep 21, 2014

Politicians discuss plan B in nuclear power push: underground reactors

With Japan's nuclear power plants nearing the end of their 40-year life cycle, a group of politicians is entertaining the idea of replacing them with underground reactors.
COMMENTARY / Japan
Sep 21, 2014

Is China going down the same road as Japan?

What are the geopolitical implications of China entering a long-term period of Japan-like stagnation but without Japan-like wealth?
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / BLACK EYE
Sep 17, 2014

Ex-NYC graffitist scratches the surface in Osaka and declares it 'dope'

Father of three Roler Miles, who grew up defacing walls and subways in New York, now runs a thriving spray-paint business, teaches Japanese students art and leads a team of artists at Universal Studios Japan in Osaka.
COMMENTARY / Japan
Sep 16, 2014

The ghost of Emperor Hirohito

The recently completed 61-volume record of the life of Emperor Hirohito shows him hopelessly ambivalent about how to end Word War II as he sought 'another brilliant military gain' for Japan so that it would have diplomatic clout in negotiating a settlement.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World / SENTAKU MAGAZINE
Sep 14, 2014

Next consumption tax raise painting Abe into a corner

Ever since the Cabinet Office released preliminary figures last month that showed an annualized 6.8 percent decline in first-quarter GDP, a war of nerves has flared up between the prime minister's office and the Finance Ministry. The next consumption tax hike could be delayed.
COMMENTARY / World
Sep 14, 2014

Signpost says more eurozone deficit financing

The only question about European Central Bank President Mario Draghi's recent speech to central bankers in which he implied that avoiding a eurozone breakup will require increased fiscal deficits is how openly that reality will be admitted.
Japan Times
WORLD / Politics
Sep 14, 2014

Silent Europe aghast at possible breakup of U.K.

Britain's international partners are aghast, mostly in silence, at the possibility that one of the leading Western powers could break up and turn in on itself if Scotland votes this week for independence from London.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Sep 12, 2014

Daily Asahi Shimbun retracts faulty Fukushima story, sacks top editor

The Asahi Shimbun on Friday carried front page articles and an apology concerning an erroneous article that alleged workers fled the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant during the meltdown crisis in March 2011, retracting the scoop story that drew strong criticism from the public, lawmakers and government...
COMMENTARY / World
Sep 12, 2014

Scotland can expect a huge hangover after vote

There will be a lot of hurt heads, a lot of tears and, without a doubt, an immense amount of anger that will last who knows how long if Alex Salmond's dream of an independent Scotland comes true. The referendum campaign has been thrilling but utterly divisive.
Japan Times
BASEBALL / BASEBALL BULLET-IN
Sep 6, 2014

O'Malley, Ramirez are worth a look as skippers

Now in the final month of the 2014 Japanese baseball regular season, the "A-Class" teams in the Central and Pacific leagues look forward to October's Climax Series of playoffs, while the three also-rans in both divisions begin thinking about next year.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Sep 5, 2014

Why extremism loves company

Most violent extremists are not poor and do not lack education. But psychological experiments suggest that it's a matter of extremism loving company, and that participation in group decision-making tends to strengthen and polarize people's views.
EDITORIALS
Sep 4, 2014

Novartis drug probe falls short

The Tokyo criminal probe into the manipulation of clinical data pertaining to the efficacy of a Novartis Pharma-marketed drug for blood pressure has failed to unravel the whole picture of the scandal.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Aug 26, 2014

The spawning of Islamic State

It took just two years for Syria to descend into a Somalia-style failed state under the weight of the international jihad against Bashar Assad. This helped the Islamic State not only to flourish but also to use its control over northeastern Syria to stage a surprise blitzkrieg deep into Iraq this summer.
COMMENTARY / World
Aug 26, 2014

Strong leaders in an increasingly fragile Asia

Stronger leaders are finally in place in fragile Asia — leaders who can deliver domestic reform and economic growth. But if these leaders assert their strength against each other or vis-a-vis the U.S. over security matters, regional stability could be upended.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / OSAKA RESTAURANTS
Aug 26, 2014

EO: Top Kansai chef presents French cuisine with a twist

What makes a good restaurant? It's a pretty basic question, and one that I imagine is on most people's minds, even if you aren't actively aware of it. With a new restaurant, such as EO, this question and the search for answers are more to the forefront. What it boils down to, if you'll forgive the cooking...
Japan Times
WORLD
Aug 25, 2014

Final TV showdown in Scotland's independence debate looms before September vote

Scotland's future will be debated in a final TV showdown on Monday just weeks before a historic independence referendum with the pro-breakaway camp, behind in the polls, looking for a game-changing performance from its leader Alex Salmond.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Aug 20, 2014

No leader of the pack, but still a heartthrob

What is it with women and bad boys on motorcycles — including college boys with pretensions to being bad? A conundrum of my youth. Yes, I understood the appeal of a Marlon Brando or James Dean with a big thrumming machine between his legs, but why did the women I knew prefer riding on a Honda with...
COMMENTARY / Japan
Aug 18, 2014

A rational conversation on whaling

On both sides of the Japanese whaling debate, there is a pressing need for critical reflection on the logic used and the realities presumed.
Japan Times
WORLD / FOCUS
Aug 8, 2014

Greeks have little reason to cheer a decade after Athens Games drained national coffers

It was billed as a chance to transform Greece's image abroad and boost growth but 10 years after the country hosted the world's greatest sporting extravaganza there is little to celebrate at the birthplace of the modern Olympic Games.
COMMENTARY / World
Aug 8, 2014

Gaza war may be a taste of the future

The latest war between Israel and Hamas is further testament to the historical fact that Israel's forefathers had to conquer the land that today's Israelis dwell in and ferociously defend. Is there hope of finding a lasting settlement with the Arabs?
COMMENTARY / World
Aug 6, 2014

Hunting tigers won't ensure reform in China

To effect change in China, Xi Jinping must built a coalition capable of advancing his declared goal of reviving pro-market reforms.
COMMENTARY / Japan
Aug 1, 2014

U.S.-Russia standoff has global repercussions

China has no interest in Russia succumbing to U.S. pressure, breaking apart or becoming a global power. Its interests are in keeping Russia as its stable strategic hinterland and a natural-resource base.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Art
Jul 31, 2014

No words can describe Tan's 'Terminology'

'As a visual artist it's very important to reach a point where I'm going beyond words. In interviews I find myself struggling, because we're always talking around (the work), circumscribing it. A question that I hate is 'what does this work mean?'' Fiona Tan
WORLD
Jul 24, 2014

Ukraine rebel commander acknowledges fighters had BUK missile

A powerful Ukrainian rebel leader has confirmed that pro-Russian separatists had an anti-aircraft missile of the type Washington says was used to shoot down Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 and it could have originated in Russia.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Jul 23, 2014

Love beyond the realms of erotic cinema

The varieties of love are many: From the chaste and platonic, to the sexually uninhibited and emotionally obsessed. In a long career as a pinku eiga (pink film) director Yuji Tajiri has concentrated on the latter end of the scale, but in his latest film, "Koppamijin (Broken Pieces)," he makes a successful,...
COMMENTARY / World
Jul 15, 2014

Does Hamas want to get Palestinians killed?

Is Hamas trying to get Israel to kill as many Palestinians as possible? Dead Palestinians represent a crucial propaganda victory for the nihilists of Hamas.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Media
Jul 11, 2014

Polling shows voters unclear about Article 9 reinterpretation: expert

Media polls' perplexing results on the public reaction to Japan's collective defense drive raise questions about media practices and residents' knowledge of the issue.

Longform

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