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Society

It’s Time For Japan To Open Up To Foreign Workers

As the Japanese government plans to accept up to about 340,000 new foreign workers over the next five years, coexistence may become an issue.

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Economy Ideas

How Japan Can Help Soften U.S.-China Showdown

-OpEd- TOKYO — The United States has turned to inward-looking politics, while the unifying force of Europe has waned due to rampant populism and confusion in Britain, Germany and France. The pillars that have sustained global stability are seemingly fading away. Given the situation, we cannot but be wary of confusion stemming from the intense […]

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In The News

73 Years On, Hiroshima And Nagasaki Survivors Still Grapple With Guilt

TOKYO — Seventy-three years after atomic bombs laid waste to the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, remaining survivors still bear the physical and psychological scars of the horror they endured. And for many, one of the most troubling aspects of that experience is the lingering guilt they feel, for having survived while so many […]

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In The News

Preserving Japanese Artifacts, One 3D-Printed Replica At A Time

CHIBA — Researchers are collecting 3D data of Buddhist statues and other cultural assets at a university here on the eastern outskirts of Tokyo in order to store the stereoscopic information in case of the objects’ deterioration or theft. The graduate school research laboratory at Chiba University is recording the 3D data, which is also […]

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In The News

As Trump Revs Up Car Industry Rhetoric, Japan Should Ride It Out

-Editorial- TOKYO — It is a situation in which automobile trade issues could develop into new friction between Japan and the United States. Japan must counter the United States appropriately without giving in to baseless criticism. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Toyota President Akio Toyoda held a meeting. Their talks were apparently intended to coordinate […]

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Society

Cats Purr Past Dogs To Become Japan’s Favorite Pet

TOKYO — Cats are all the rage in Japan these days. Bookstores are lined with dozens of photo books featuring cute little felines, and they’re popular online too. They also seem on track to surpass dogs as the pet of choice. So why are they stealing so many hearts? There are about 100 titles on […]

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Future

Marine Life Flourishes In Underwater Fukushima Debris

Five years since the devastating Japan earthquake prompted a tsunami that washed tons of refuse into the Pacific Ocean, ocean creatures in and around that underwater wreckage is burgeoning.

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Geopolitics

Five Years Later, Still Trying To Count Fukushima Deaths

The earthquake and subequent nuclear diaster in Fukushima were no doubt devastating, but Japan still struggles to quantify the number of deaths linked to them.

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Society

Emergency-Stair Climbing, Japan’s Improbable Fitness Craze

TOKYO — A growing number of Japanese are climbing the emergency staircases of high-rise buildings and towers recreationally, both for the views they can enjoy from the lofty structures and for the heart-pumping exercise. Climbing events held at such structures offer access to stairways that are normally closed to the public. On Nov. 14, at […]

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Society

What Arab Teachers Learn From Japanese Education System

TOKYO — Earlier this year, a delegation from the Egyptian government was visiting Nibukata Primary School in Tokyo. “The children are well-disciplined and work in teams,” a member of the delegation noted. But the delegate then went on to express particular surprise that children sweep and mop the classroom floors, for it’s common in Egypt […]

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Society

Even In Techno-Charged Japan, Vinyl Makes Comeback

TOKYO — The large speakers at Quattro Labo, a music bar near Kichijoji Station in western Tokyo, mostly play U.S. rock music from the 1960s and 1970s: Bob Dylan, Ry Cooder, the Allman Brothers Band. Not only that, but the sound has a depth to it — along with the distinct scratch-and-pop effect — that […]

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Society

Ever Beauty-Conscious, Japanese Women Embrace Sports Makeup

TOKYO — At September’s annual RunGirl Night, one 35-year-old exercise enthusiast prepared for the evening group run by applying lipstick, foundation and eye shadow. “I would feel extremely self-conscious if I was around so many other people without makeup on,” she said. “After crossing the finish line, I want to look good in group photos, […]

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Food / Travel

The Landmark Tokyo Station Hotel Marks Its Centennial

One of Tokyo’s cultural treasures celebrates 100 years of hosting renowned writers and other celebrity guests.

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Society

Alcoholism, Post-Quake Japan’s Silent Aftershock

SENDAI — Alcoholism and related problems are becoming serious in the three Tohoku prefectures severely affected by the Great East Japan Earthquake of March 2011. The deaths of loved ones or the stress of a prolonged life as evacuees have led to increased alcohol consumption, and some are newly diagnosed as alcoholics even 4 1/2 […]

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Geopolitics Ideas

In Cozying Up To China, South Korea Could Threaten U.S. Alliance

-Editorial- TOKYO — Both to deter North Korea’s military provocations and to ensure regional stability in Asia, it’s vital that the United States and South Korea maintain their solid alliance. South Korea should be mindful not to get too close to China, or risk weakening its collaboration with the United States. U.S. President Barack Obama […]

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Economy Food / Travel

Sake Gets Sassy, Aims For Global Millennials Market

While Japan’s overall alcohol consumption is in decline due to an aging population and low birthrate, Sake is showing a revival at home and abroad. There’s even a new variety with Champagne-like bubbles.

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Geopolitics Society

The Woman Who May Succeed Shinzo Abe In Japan

Tomomi Inada may be a more fervent Japanese nationalist than current Prime Minister Abe. She was in Washington this week to meet top officials.

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