National / History | JAPAN TIMES GONE BY Mar 5, 2023
Japan Times 1998: Sumida most vulnerable if big temblor hits Tokyo
When there hasn't been a big earthquake for a while, people start to worry and prepare. That seemed to be the case in 1998.
National / Reference | EXPLAINER Aug 30, 2020
75 years on, legacy of the U.S.-led Occupation of Japan still resonates
by Eric Johnston
While Japan blossomed as an economic powerhouse in the second half of the century, some argue the Occupation created problems that lingered long after it ended.
National Dec 25, 2019
Top U.S. official ruled out deploying nuclear weapons in Okinawa after its return to Japan in 1972
A former senior U.S. official ruled out deploying nuclear weapons in Okinawa after the territory's return to Japanese administration in 1972, saying there was no strategic value in doing so, according to diplomatic records declassified Wednesday. As part of the arrangements for Okinawa's return, Prime ...
National / History Jul 12, 2018
Ogasawara Islands: Remote witnesses on the front lines of Japanese history
by Reiji Yoshida
The Ogasawara Islands, also known as the Bonin Islands, have faced a number of unique — if not bizarre — developments over the course of history. Clustered in three groups, the volcanic, tropical chain of more than 30 islets about 1,000 km south of Tokyo ...
National / Politics Jan 5, 2018
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Friday urged members of his Liberal Democratic Party intensify their efforts in the new year to bring amendments to Japan's pacifist Constitution, calling the country's supreme law a product of its postwar occupation. Touching on the history of his party, ...
Issues | LAW OF THE LAND May 14, 2017
Testing time for the Constitution at 70
by Colin P.A. Jones
So you fancy yourself as a scholar on Japan's supreme law? Try testing your knowledge of the Constitution's birth with this quiz.
Voices | FOREIGN AGENDA Apr 5, 2017
Brando's turn as an Okinawan 'host in a shell' haunts debate over 'yellowface'
by Nicolas Gattig
Why Marlon Brando's notorious performance in "The Teahouse of the August Moon," as an interpreter for the U.S. Occupation forces in Okinawa, deserves a second look.
Issues | LAW OF THE LAND Aug 28, 2016
Japan fumbles for the legal path to an 'Emprexit'
by Colin P.A. Jones
The obvious route to allowing Emperor Akihito's abdication would involve amending the Imperial Household Law, not constitutional change.
Issues | LAW OF THE LAND Jul 10, 2016
Japan's discriminatory koseki registry system looks ever more outdated
by Colin P.A. Jones
Once part of a panopticon-like system in which everyone would feel that they were being monitored but could also participate in the monitoring process, the kosei is now showing its age.
National May 13, 2016
Henoko protesters begin three days of marches in Okinawa to mark anniversary
Protesters in Okinawa marched on Friday, calling for a halt to the controversial construction of a new U.S. military facility. Sunday marks the 44th anniversary of the prefecture's reversion from American control. Around 700 people, including representatives of civil groups and labor unions, gathered on ...
World / Crime & Legal Jan 5, 2016
FBI hopes to peacefully end protesters' armed occupation of Oregon wildlife facility
Federal law enforcement officials on Monday sought a peaceful end to the occupation of the headquarters of a U.S. wildlife refuge in Oregon launched over the weekend by a group of self-styled militiamen angry over the imminent imprisonment of two ranchers. The occupation, which began ...
Film Jun 23, 2015
American director reflects critically on U.S. bases in Okinawa
by Melynie Yoneda
The Battle of Okinawa ended 70 years ago on June 23, yet for some Okinawans the struggle continues as they resist the ongoing presence of the U.S. military. Although Okinawa was legally “returned” to Japan in 1972, U.S. bases still occupy nearly 18 percent ...