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April 29, 2024
 

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Jun Hongo

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Jun Hongo
Jun Hongo graduated from Boston University and joined The Japan Times in 2006. He covers a wide range of domestic news, including politics and business. He is an avid Red Sox fan.
For Jun Hongo's latest contributions to The Japan Times, see below:
Japan Times
CULTURE / Art
Jan 23, 2014
The oyster can be your world in Ishikawa
Fresh, plump oysters are the tempting offerings at this weekend's Secchu Jumbo Kaki Matsuri 2014 (Jumbo Oyster Festival in the Snow 2014) in Ishikawa Prefecture's city of Anamizu.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
Jan 18, 2014
Hirata and Saito: love on the run
The trial of Makoto Hirata, which commenced Thursday, is expected to reveal a number of new facts about the former Aum Shinrikyo fugitive, but of most interest to investigators will be how he managed to stay hidden for so long.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
Jan 18, 2014
The New Year's prank that was anything but
Aum Shinrikyo fugitive Makoto Hirata's final day of freedom was nothing short of embarrassing for the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
Jan 18, 2014
How a yoga school became a doomsday cult
Aum Shinrikyo's criminal activities began in the late 1980s and culminated in the 1995 nerve-gas attacks on Tokyo's subway system. The group was founded in 1984 by Shoko Asahara, the babbling, half-blind guru whose real name is Chizuo Matsumoto.
Japan Times
Events / Events Outside Tokyo
Jan 16, 2014
Nothing half-baked about this festival
Introduced as a military exercise rather than a staple, bread in Japan has an unusual history.
Japan Times
Events / Events In Tokyo
Jan 16, 2014
Tokyo's public transport bureau celebrates 90 years of bus services
Public transport buffs — get ready for Tokyo Metropolitan Government's transport bureau 90th anniversary of city buses.
Japan Times
LIFE
Jan 11, 2014
The return of Godzilla, the king of kaiju
'Godzilla' first appeared in cinemas across the country in November 1954 but its story line was heavily influenced by an incident eight months earlier at Bikini Atoll in the Marshall Islands.
LIFE
Jan 11, 2014
Everything you ever wanted to know about Godzilla but were afraid to ask
LIFE
Jan 11, 2014
King of the monsters has universal appeal
Kouhei Nomura published a glossary titled 'The Godzilla Encyclopedia' in 2004 after six months of dedicated research. He delivers his verdict on why the king of the monsters is so popular worldwide.
Japan Times
CULTURE
Jan 9, 2014
Tao makes the cut in new drama
At age 28, actress and model Tao Okamoto is already one of the few women in history — along with actress Farrah Fawcett and Jennifer Aniston's Rachel character from "Friends" to name a couple — to have a haircut named after her.
Japan Times
Events / Events Outside Tokyo
Jan 9, 2014
Enjoy Japan's countryside, from Okayama to Hiroshima, for just ¥100
The Ibara Line starts at Soja Station and runs westbound across Okayama Prefecture to terminate at Kannabe Station in Hiroshima Prefecture. The line opened in 1999, and along its roughly 40-km route, it offers vast views of typical Japanese inaka (countryside) during the hour-long journeys.
Japan Times
Events / Events In Tokyo
Jan 9, 2014
Winter could be the best season to visit the zoo
Winter is not the season most people would think of as a good time to visit the zoo, but it is actually one of the most eventful times of the year for many animals as they adapt to the colder temperatures. See for yourself this month as the Tokyo Zoological Park Society kicks off its Visit Hot Zoo 2014 campaign, where participants can win special souvenirs in addition to experiencing the wonders of wildlife.
Japan Times
Events / Events Outside Tokyo
Jan 2, 2014
Kemari: a whole old ball game
The year of FIFA World Cup is upon us, with Brazil getting ready to host, and Japan scheduled to go head-to-head against Cote d'Ivoire, Greece and Colombia in June for a spot in the final 16. If six months is too long to wait, though, check out the ancient sport of kemari, to be held in Kyoto's Shimogamo Shrine on Jan. 4.
Japan Times
Events / Events In Tokyo
Jan 2, 2014
Don't burn out on New Year's, go see the fire brigade
Feasting on countless mochi (rice cakes) and watching mind-numbing television is one "traditional" way to spend the New Year's holidays. But if you happen to be bored of that routine, check out the Tokyo Fire Department's (TDF) annual Dezome-shiki event for a glimpse of fire engines in action.
Japan Times
LIFE / Lifestyle
Dec 28, 2013
In memoriam: Those we lost in 2013
2013 saw the loss of a number of personalities who stood at the top of their respective fields. As the year quietly draws to a close, we reflect on those we lost, their contribution to the world and their ongoing legacy.
Japan Times
Events / Events Outside Tokyo
Dec 26, 2013
Have a superhero New Year's
Here's an opportunity to have an ultra-special time this holiday season. The popular Ultraman superheroes, including the superhero himself and new hero Ultraman Ginga, will be in Kitakyushu, Fukuoka Prefecture, from Dec. 27 until Jan. 5 for the Oshogatsu Dayo! Ultraman Zenin Shugo (It's the New Year! with All of the Ultraman Heroes) event.
Japan Times
Events / Events Outside Tokyo
Dec 26, 2013
'Ice monsters' are set to give you the chills
Witness the "ice monsters" — one of Yamagata Prefecture's natural wonders — in a special illuminated event this winter beginning on Dec. 28 at the Zao ropeway in Zao.
Japan Times
LIFE / Lifestyle
Dec 21, 2013
Making their wishes come true
If you were granted one wish this Christmas, what would you wish for? For 17-year-old Mostafa Horie, the choice was simple: to see a Ferrari race car in action.
Japan Times
LIFE / Lifestyle
Dec 21, 2013
Upbeat in the face of adversity
Twenty-four-year-old Yura Tsutsumi was first attracted to Yuta Suzuki after seeing how positive he was in everyday life.
Japan Times
CULTURE
Dec 19, 2013
Comiket, where otaku come to share the love
The Tokyo International Exhibition Center, better known as Tokyo Big Sight, boasts an area of more than 80,000 sq. meters of exhibition space. It's the country's largest convention center and will host wrestling, fencing and taekwondo during the 2020 Olympics.
Number of homeless in Japan hits record low
Homeless people sleep on the street in Tokyo's Shinjuku Ward in August 2021.
In Japan, regional revitalization fails to halt population decline
Sakiyama elementary school in Tamba, Hyogo Prefecture, in March .Over the past decade, the government has directed efforts toward policies designed to give young people incentives to base themselves in rural areas.
Town to block view of Mount Fuji in response to overtourism
The town government of Fujikawaguchiko, Yamanashi Prefecture, decided to set up a 2.5-meter-high screen to prevent tourists from taking pictures of Mount Fuji looming behind a convenience store.
Ukraine is far from doomed
When comparing Ukraine’s military situation in 2024 to Europe’s in 1941, Russia’s defeat seems entirely possible.
When will Japan intervene to support the yen?
Finance Minister Shunichi Suzuki has reiterated the government's readiness to take an appropriate action as the yen continues to slide against the U.S. dollar.
Japan wants you to spend more with ‘luxury tourism’
Performers play a traditional drum unique to Wajima, Ishikawa Prefecture, in the prefectural capital of Kanazawa on March 16 to mark the extension of the Hokuriku Shinkansen line to Tsuruga Station in Fukui Prefecture.
Theaster Gates’ ambitious ‘Afro-Mingei’ brings Black Chicago to Tokyo
Theaster Gates' “A Heavenly Chord” lines up church pews before seven speakers and a Hammond B3 organ, a type of electric organ prevalent in Black American churches.
Casa del Cibo: A thriving jewel born from Tohoku’s harsh past
When chef Ryohei Ikemi moved to Hachinohe, Aomori Prefecture, and opened Casa del Cibo in 2011, it was the first proper Italian restaurant in the city.
Town to block view of Mount Fuji in response to overtourism
The town government of Fujikawaguchiko, Yamanashi Prefecture, decided to set up a 2.5-meter-high screen to prevent tourists from taking pictures of Mount Fuji looming behind a convenience store.
Kyotographie's strong 12th edition shines light into the margins
Yassine Alaoui Ismaili, who goes by Yoriyas, turned to photography, shooting motion while in motion himself, after an injury forced him to give up his career as a professional breakdancer.

Podcast

From easily navigable train stations to the helpfulness of its municipal staff, Tokyo has earned high praise for its commitment to accessibility for disabled travelers.
[Rebroadcast] Japan is doing better on accessibility than you may think

Longform

Later this month, author Shogo Imamura will open Honmaru, a bookstore that allows other businesses to rent its shelves. It's part of a wave of ideas Japanese booksellers are trying to compete with online spaces.
The story isn't over for Japan's bookstores
By Alex K.T. Martin

SUSTAINABLE JAPAN

Prize winner Maki Imoto catches light with glass
Prize winner Maki Imoto catches light with glass

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