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July 07, 2025
 

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Kanako Takahara

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Kanako Takahara
Kanako Takahara is a staff writer who has covered national politics, diplomacy, business and the economy at The Japan Times. A graduate of Sophia University, she is currently a national news editor.
JAPAN
Sep 27, 2022
Japan bids farewell to former PM Shinzo Abe with controversial state funeral
Scores of foreign dignitaries, including U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris, attended the ceremony, while rallies protesting the controversial funeral were also held.
JAPAN
Sep 23, 2022
Japan to reopen to independent travelers and lift daily arrival cap, Kishida says
The move marks a major policy shift after nearly 2u00bd years of strict COVID-19 restrictions.
JAPAN / FOCUS
Sep 22, 2022
Why Japan has been taking incremental steps to reopen its borders
The Group of Seven's strictest border rules have been eased in slow, incremental steps, much to the chagrin of foreign nationals waiting to enter.
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC / Society
Sep 21, 2022
Even as Japan’s border creaks open, unmarried couples still struggle to reunite
The categories of people allowed entry has been slowly expanded, but those in uncertified relationships have been left out, prompting some to tie the knot.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Sep 12, 2022
Japan plans to reopen to independent travelers in major shift, report says
Tourists, who will need to have been vaccinated three times or submit a negative test result under the new policy, may be able to enter without a visa.
JAPAN
Sep 8, 2022
LDP survey shows 121 lawmakers had substantial ties with the Unification Church
The degree of ties varied, with some lawmakers having been interviewed in a publication linked to the religious group, while two were found to have received organizational election support.
JAPAN
Sep 7, 2022
Japan opens borders to foreign travelers on ‘self-guided tours’
The country also raised the daily arrival cap to 50,000 and dropped a requirement that visitors test negative for COVID-19 within 72 hours of departing for Japan.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Sep 6, 2022
Japan to shorten COVID-19 isolation period to seven days
For asymptomatic people with the virus, the self-quarantine period will be shortened from seven days to five, so long as they get a negative result from an antigen test.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Sep 1, 2022
Japan clarifies new border rules as it moves to allow most individual tourists to enter
Under the eased restrictions, only tourists who wish to book their travel independently, rather than through agencies, will be denied entry.
JAPAN
Aug 31, 2022
Japan to ease tourism restrictions and raise daily arrival cap to 50,000
Starting Sept. 7, entry will be allowed for nonescorted visitors on package tours and the daily arrival cap will be raised to 50,000.
JAPAN
Aug 30, 2022
Border restrictions causing shift away from Japan studies, survey finds
According to the survey of about 300 foreign academics and students of Japanese studies, 186 respondents said there was less scholarly interest in Japan.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
Aug 29, 2022
4chan owner under fire for sexual violence remarks in wake of scandal
2channel founder Hiroyuki Nishimura said that hostesses who entertain men at bars receive high pay in exchange for tolerating sexual violence, triggering harsh criticism.
JAPAN
Aug 26, 2022
Actor Teruyuki Kagawa apologizes after report alleges he groped hostess
The report also said the kabuki performer took off the hostess' bra and passed it around to colleagues in an incident in 2019.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Aug 24, 2022
Japan to drop pre-arrival testing for vaccinated travelers next month
To ease the burden on medical institutions, paperwork will also be simplified for doctors in areas with large COVID-19 numbers.
JAPAN
Aug 23, 2022
Japan weighing end to pre-departure COVID testing, report says
An exemption for those who have been vaccinated is among options the government is considering.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Aug 18, 2022
Japan to launch campaign to support victims of Unification Church
At present, victims have various consultation services they can turn to, but Japan's ministries hope to share information on what kind of problems they are facing to offer better advice.
JAPAN / Science & Health
Aug 17, 2022
Japan set to permit online sales of COVID-19 test kits
The move is aimed at reducing the number of people visiting so-called fever clinics in order to be tested and comes amid the nation's largest wave of infections.
JAPAN / Science & Health / EXPLAINER
Aug 12, 2022
What we know about the new omicron vaccines
New vaccines developed for the COVID-19 omicron variant are scheduled to be available from mid-October in Japan, raising hopes that the population will soon be better protected.
JAPAN / Explainer
Aug 8, 2022
What it would mean for Japan to downgrade its COVID classification
Changing the classification could reduce the burden on sections of the medical system, but at the cost of limiting authorities' understanding of the pandemic.
JAPAN / Explainer
Aug 5, 2022
How to self-test for COVID in Japan, and which antigen kits to use
Two kinds of antigen test kits are available, but most municipalities only accept those identified as being for medical use. Here's a guide on where and how to get them.
Japan braces for more quakes as authorities dismiss doomsday hype
Evacuees from Akuseki Island, located in the Tokara island chain in Kagoshima Prefecuture, arrive at Kagoshima Port on Friday.
Heatstroke alert issued for 19 prefectures as Japan enters 'once-in-a-decade' heat wave
Japan will experience a heat wave through mid-July on a “level only seen once in a decade,” the Meteorological Agency said on June 30.
Hidden AI prompts in academic papers spark concern about research integrity
Waseda University is one of 14 institutions in eight countries found to have used hidden prompts in research papers.
Tokyo and Kyoto feature among top ‘noctourism’ destinations
Tokyo ranked second after New York and ahead of Dubai and Singapore in a ranking of the top global cities for nighttime tourism.
Elon Musk says he has created a new U.S. political party
Elon Musk looks on during a news conference with U.S. President Donald Trump in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington on May 30.
Ghibli’s Isao Takahata exhibit shows how beloved anime is made
“The man who planted Japanese animation” exhibition includes a variety of sketches, drawings and animation cels from Isao Takahata films such as color design for characters by Michiyo Yasuda from "Grave of the Fireflies."
Flag football facing challenges and opportunities ahead
Japan’s women’s flag football team at the 2025 International Bowl in Los Angeles in June. The sport is enjoying continued growth in the country.
From Hokusai’s Great Wave, shinkansen to One Piece: a cultural treasure box for Lego Japan
Michael Ebbesen, general manager of Lego Japan, says Lego bricks based on Japanese culture have a rich global appeal and are sellable around the world.
With farmed fish, RelationFish swims against the tide in fine dining
Chef Hideaki Matsuo (middle) and the staff of Oseto Suisan Fisheries prepare to check on their sustainably farmed fish.
As Southeast Asia heats up, a Japanese cooling giant sees a major opportunity
An employee of Daikin Cambodia explains the use of different tools during an air conditioner installation training session in Phnom Penh. Daikin is one of Japan’s oldest air conditioning companies, but as Japan’s population falls, the firm is keying in on overseas growth.

Podcast

One of the many entrances to the Kabukicho neighborhood in Tokyo’s Shinjuku Ward.
Kabukicho: Tokyo’s ‘stadium of desire’

Longform

Mount Fuji is considered one of Japan's most iconic symbols and is a major draw for tourists. It's still a mountain, though, and potential hikers need to properly prepare for any climb.
What it takes to save lives on Mount Fuji
By Alex K.T. Martin

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