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Japan Times
WORLD / Science & Health
Mar 31, 2020

Five coronavirus hunters on the front lines of the pandemic

Developing a vaccine or a treatment for a newly discovered virus is a painstakingly slow and detailed endeavor. Finding a compound that works, testing it in animals, and then rolling it out to clinical trials in humans can take years. And even the top experts in virology and epidemiology typically toil...
Japan Times
JAPAN / Media / MEDIA MIX
Mar 28, 2020

Winning the media battle against COVID-19

On March 12, the Sankei Shimbun ran an editorial urging the media to refrain from criticizing the government for its handling of the coronavirus emergency. The Sankei Shimbun was elaborating on a complaint made by former TV announcer Yoshiko Sakurai that the press was not properly instilling in the public...
Japan Times
JAPAN / Media / Japan Pulse
Mar 28, 2020

Postponement of 2020 Olympics sends social media into a frenzy

It was only a matter of time before the COVID-19 pandemic forced the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics to change tack. After months of speculation, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe announced Tuesday night that the games would be postponed until 2021.
Japan Times
WORLD
Mar 14, 2020

Canada ratifies trade pact with U.S. and Mexico, then suspends Parliament over coronavirus

The Canadian Parliament rushed through ratification of the new U.S.-Mexico-Canada trade pact on Friday before taking a three-week break to help stop the spread of the coronavirus, a top government official said.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / NEWS IN NIHONGO
Mar 10, 2020

School closures begin as Japan steps up coronavirus fight

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe made a 'request' to close schools, not an 'order.' Let's look at the language of a Kyodo News piece on the subject.
Japan Times
SPORTS
Mar 9, 2020

NPB to delay start of regular season due to ongoing COVID-19 outbreak

Nippon Professional Baseball has made the decision to postpone the start of its regular season as a result of the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak, the league announced on Monday afternoon.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Media / DARK SIDE OF THE RISING SUN
Mar 2, 2020

Criminals are taking advantage of fear over COVID-19

Where some people see calamity, criminals see opportunity. As concern grows over the outbreak of COVID-19 in Japan, the denizens of the underworld haven't lost any time trying to find a way to profit from the situation. Crime, like the virus, never sleeps.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Mar 2, 2020

Abe has crossed the coronavirus Rubicon

Leaders need deft political skills to survive the COVID-19 crisis.
Japan Times
WORLD
Feb 24, 2020

Global spread of coronavirus raises pandemic fears

Fears of a coronavirus pandemic grew on Monday after sharp rises in new cases reported in Iran, Italy and South Korea, but China relaxed restrictions on movements in several places including Beijing as its rates of new infections eased.
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC / Science & Health
Feb 23, 2020

Chinese coronavirus cases fall outside Wuhan, but South Korean cases surge again

China reported another fall in the new coronavirus infections outside of its epicenter on Sunday, but world health officials warned it was too early to make predictions about the outbreak as new infections and fears of contagion increased elsewhere.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Companies
Feb 19, 2020

Moody's downgrades Renault to 'junk' status, capping disastrous year without Ghosn

Renault SA had its credit rating cut to junk by Moody's Investors Service after the French carmaker posted its first annual loss in a decade and indicated operating margins are set to shrink.
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC
Feb 13, 2020

Virus shuts North Korea's best route around Trump and sanctions

North Korea's decision to shut the border with China to avoid the coronavirus will set back its nascent economic recovery, renewing pressure on Kim Jong Un to return to nuclear negotiations with Donald Trump.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Feb 7, 2020

Forget the Iowa fiasco — Trump is the Democrats' real problem

The U.S. president's triple threat: high approval rating, stable economy and a united party.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Science & Health
Feb 3, 2020

Abe pressed to do more as coronavirus fatalities in China surpass SARS toll

Both opposition and ruling party lawmakers have chided the government, saying that its initial response has been slow.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Media / Japan Pulse
Feb 1, 2020

Social media in Japan fumes over Studio Ghibli's Netflix omission

Anime fans will now be able to enjoy a night in with Studio Ghibli after Netflix began streaming 21 films from the animation firm’s catalogue on Feb. 1. However, there’s a catch.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Jan 29, 2020

In the next war, soldiers will leave their smartphones at home

The U.S. and its allies have become used to being able to use whatever devices and communications they wished since the Berlin Wall fell. Those days are ending fast.
Japan Times
ENVIRONMENT
Jan 25, 2020

Japan 2030: Tackling climate issues is key to the next decade

The new decade kicked off with images of Australia in flames.
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC
Jan 22, 2020

North Korea confirms new defense chief amid leadership shake-up

North Korea confirmed Wednesday that an official who has overseen leader Kim Jong Un's pet construction projects has been named the nuclear-armed country's new defense minister.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Jan 21, 2020

Time for Japan to take on a new role

Japan must successfully hedge itself between a less engaged America and a more aggressive China.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Politics / FOCUS
Jan 17, 2020

Japan opposition parties' failing merger bid offers glimpse into divisions

The Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan and the Democratic Party for the People missed a golden chance ahead of the Diet's opening Monday, and time is running out.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Jan 17, 2020

It’s a boy! Christel Takigawa, wife of minister Shinjiro Koizumi, gives birth

Christel Takigawa, a freelance TV newscaster and wife of Environment Minister Shinjiro Koizumi, gave birth to a boy early Friday morning.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Jan 15, 2020

What's next for Ghosn following his flight to Lebanon?

The incident leaves lingering questions and contending perceptions that have yet to be addressed.
Japan Times
WORLD
Jan 12, 2020

Condemnation, protests spread after Iran admits to shooting down airliner

Iran's admission that it shot down a Ukrainian airliner, killing all 176 aboard, has provoked international outrage and triggered protests against Iranian authorities in Tehran and other cities, including one in which Britain's ambassador was detained.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Jan 9, 2020

Carlos Ghosn strikes back, and Nissan had better beware

The fugitive ex-CEO goes on the offensive and it's only going to get worse for the company.

Longform

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