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 Eric Johnston

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Eric Johnston
JAPAN
Apr 1, 2022
The Dubai Expo is over. Next stop: Osaka
Due to the Dubai event's one-year postponement, Japanese organizers have just three years, instead of the usual four, to finalize preparations.
BUSINESS
Mar 31, 2022
Highest wheat price rise in 14 years has Japan consumers bracing for more expensive bread
The price hike for wheat the government sells to private milling companies comes amid growing concerns about poor harvests in supply countries and the effect of Russia's war in Ukraine.
JAPAN
Mar 30, 2022
Opposition CDP submits bill granting more rights to refugees in Japan
The proposal would allow those from Ukraine and other countries to obtain a special residence status that gives them permission to work for one year from the date they arrive.
JAPAN / FOCUS
Mar 22, 2022
Ukraine invasion and climate change drive concerns over Japan’s food security
Long-term issues such as global warming and an aging population could harm the nation's self-sufficiency and its ability to secure adequate food imports.
JAPAN
Mar 14, 2022
Japan to discuss creating new police unit to guard nuclear plants
The issue of defending the nation's nuclear plants has come into the spotlight following Russia's attack on the Zaporizhzhia facility in Ukraine.
JAPAN / FOCUS
Mar 9, 2022
How Russia quietly built up its military presence in Asia
Japan and its neighbors are pondering what further cooperation between Russia and China could mean for the region.
BUSINESS / EXPLAINER
Mar 3, 2022
Japan’s oil stockpiles come into spotlight following Russia's invasion of Ukraine
The IAE, of which Japan is a member, decided to release 60 million barrels of oil reserves as a step toward stabilizing global oil markets, which have been rattled by the war in Ukraine.
JAPAN / Explainer
Mar 1, 2022
As tensions in East Asia mount, Japan looks to beef up Okinawa defense
Due to China's growing regional assertiveness, momentum behind the deployment of SDF forces to the Nansei Islands, and Ishigaki in particular, has grown.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Feb 28, 2022
Following Ukraine invasion, Japan takes much tougher line on Russia
Sanctions announced by Kishida contrast with Tokyo's approach after Moscow annexed Crimea in 2014, when negotiations over contested islands off Hokkaido were a top priority.
JAPAN / Politics / ANALYSIS
Feb 24, 2022
Kishida at odds with other LDP members over COVID-19 and foreign policy
With media polls showing Kishida's support rate is declining, questions about who is in charge — the prime minister or his party — are growing.
JAPAN
Feb 14, 2022
Osaka holds off on emergency request amid signs cases are peaking
The central government is expected to extend the prefecture's quasi-emergency, but a state of emergency request will only be issued if cases go up in the future.
JAPAN
Feb 10, 2022
Calls for Japan to relax COVID-19 entry restrictions intensify
Foreign business groups and students have weighed in on the issue, warning of international damage to the country's reputation.
BUSINESS
Feb 9, 2022
Japan to send LNG to Europe amid Ukraine tensions
Following a request from the U.S., the government has said that it will offer surplus supplies to Europe.
JAPAN
Feb 8, 2022
Cabinet gives OK to allowing SDF to evacuate foreign nationals abroad
The revised bill, which is expected to pass during the current parliamentary session, comes six months after the SDF was involved in evacuations from Afghanistan.
JAPAN / Politics
Feb 7, 2022
Tension between opposition parties mounts over Upper House electoral cooperation
Tensions are running high between the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan and the Japanese Communist Party after a tie-up last year failed to yield results.
JAPAN / Explainer
Feb 6, 2022
Volatile international oil situation takes toll on Japan’s gas prices and policy
The price at the pump reached u00a5170 per liter on Jan. 24 — the highest it's been in over 13 years.
JAPAN / Explainer
Feb 2, 2022
Dispute over northern islands shapes Tokyo’s stance on Ukraine crisis
Russia-Japan relations are centered on the decadeslong dispute over four islands northeast of Hokkaido that Russia occupies and Japan claims.
JAPAN
Jan 28, 2022
Japan to recommend Sado mine for UNESCO World Heritage listing
The move could inflame tensions with South Korea, which opposes the registration due to the use of Korean wartime labor at the site.
JAPAN / FOCUS
Jan 24, 2022
Nago election result a boost for ruling coalition and a blow to anti-base movement
The loss of the Nago mayoral candidate opposed to the relocation of U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma to the city spells trouble for Okinawa Gov. Denny Tamaki.
JAPAN / Explainer
Jan 21, 2022
Decades on, text governing U.S. forces in Japan is yet to be revised
Scrutiny of the Status of Forces Agreement has been renewed after U.S. military personnel were exempted from Japanese COVID-19 measures and areas around U.S. bases saw rises in cases.

Longform

A small shrine perched atop rocks braves the waves hitting the shoreline during a storm in Shimoda, Shizuoka Prefecture. The area is under threat of a possible 31-meter-high tsunami if an earthquake strikes the nearby Nankai Trough.
If the 'Big One' hits, this city could face a 31-meter-high tsunami