In seas near Japan in March 2013, methane gas was successfully extracted from seafloor hydrates—a world first. However, there are remaining technical hurdles to overcome before this becomes a viable domestic energy source.
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They may have been the lost decades for Japan’s economy, but the last 20 years have brought remarkable progress for the J. League. Chūbachi Shin’ichi, a senior writer for the Asahi Shimbun, discusses the key factors behind the soccer league’s success and what it must do to advance in the future.
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Revelations of physical and verbal abuse by a Japanese jūdō coach have damaged the reputation of an athletic community already smarting from a string of disappointing international showings. Social economist Matsubara Ryūichirō, himself a third-degree black belt, explores the roots of the crisis and prospects for the sport’s rehabilitation.
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In October 2012, SoftBank’s President Son Masayoshi announced the company’s plan to acquire Sprint Nextel, the number-three wireless carrier in the United States. The deal is an integral piece of Son’s strategy to turn SoftBank into the world’s leading telecommunications corporation. Ishikawa Tsutsumu analyzes this strategy and the challenges ahead.
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A recent government survey revealed an increase in support for the traditional family model of a breadwinner husband and homemaker wife, particularly among those in their twenties. Honda Yuki considers the possible explanations for this development.
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Prime Minister Abe Shinzō has moved to hike the defense budget for the first time in 11 years and has called for a revision of Japan’s basic defense guidelines. How should we evaluate the new administration’s approach to defense and security policy?
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