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Eric Johnston

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Eric Johnston
JAPAN
Jun 18, 2018
At least four killed, more than 300 injured after strong earthquake rattles Osaka
One of the most powerful earthquakes to rock the Kansai region in decades struck Osaka and neighboring prefectures Monday morning, leaving at least four people dead and more than 300 injured.
JAPAN / View from Osaka
Jun 16, 2018
Osaka floats out-of-box thinking for ties with North
Though it remains to be seen how history will judge the June 12 summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, present Japanese and Western views across the political spectrum are generally either skeptical of North Korea's sincerity in honoring any agreement or of America's...
JAPAN
Jun 14, 2018
Osaka makes final pitch to host 2025 World Expo
Osaka made its final pitch Wednesday in Paris to host the 2025 World Expo, emphasizing the Kansai region's history as a center of Nobel-prize winning scientific research and telling expo delegates that the central government is willing to spend ¥24 billion to ensure 100 countries are able to participate...
JAPAN / Politics / ANALYSIS
Jun 11, 2018
If Niigata gubernatorial race was a litmus test, Abe and Nikai passed
In a tight contest with implications for Abe's political fortunes and nuclear power policy, Hideyo Hanazumi beat Chikako Ikeda, who had the support of five major opposition parties.
JAPAN / Politics
Jun 10, 2018
Victory of LDP-backed candidate in Niigata gubernatorial race likely to give boost to Abe and key ally
A ruling-party supported candidate wins the Niigata gubernatorial election, providing Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and one of his key Liberal Democratic Party allies with a big morale boost in the midst of ongoing Diet scandals.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Jun 6, 2018
Airbnb drops nearly 80 percent of its private home listings ahead of new peer-to-peer rental law
Just over a week before a new law for minpaku goes into effect, rental website Airbnb has dropped nearly 80 percent of its listings for the services in three months.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Jun 1, 2018
Issue of abandoned land slowing rural development in Japan
Nestled in the mountains on the border of Hiroshima and Okayama prefectures is Takahashi, a city of about 31,000 people which lies 30 minutes by train from the popular international tourist destination of Kurashiki.
JAPAN / KANSAI PERSPECTIVE
May 27, 2018
Osaka frets over illegal minpaku ahead of G-20 summit
Imagine a headline splashing out news of tourists being killed by a fire at an illegal short-term lodging facility during the Group of 20 leaders' summit in Japan.
JAPAN / KANSAI PERSPECTIVE
May 27, 2018
Wakayama's governor all-in on casino resort bet
After the Diet finally approves legislation setting the rules on integrated casino resort complexes, the race to win one of the first three casinos will quickly heat up. And nowhere is the competition becoming more intense than in Kansai.
JAPAN / Politics
May 24, 2018
Nuclear policy in focus as campaign begins in Niigata governor race
The Niigata governor's race kicked off Thursday with the future of the prefecture's nuclear power plants taking center stage ahead of the June 10 election. The vote is also seen as a test for how voters view the various scandals surrounding Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.
Japan Times
JAPAN / View from Osaka
May 19, 2018
Osaka putting the 'cart before the horse' with 2025 expo bid
In early May, Osaka Mayor Hirofumi Yoshimura traveled to South Africa to attend a Japan-Africa economic meeting and chat up Osaka's efforts to host the 2025 World Expo. At the gathering were representatives from dozens of African countries, though it is not clear how many actually had earnest talks with...
Japan Times
JAPAN / Politics
May 16, 2018
Bill tackling problem gamblers submitted to Lower House to clear way for casinos
The ruling LDP-led coalition along with the nominal opposition party Nippon Ishin no Kai submitted a bill to the Lower House on Wednesday to establish new policies for dealing with problem gamblers.
CULTURE / Books / RECENTLY PUBLISHED BOOKS ABOUT JAPAN
May 12, 2018
'Ask A North Korean' gets its answers from the source
Daniel Tudor's 'Ask A North Korean' is testimony that ordinary North Koreans have more in common with the rest of us than many would have you believe.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
May 6, 2018
Place your bets: Local governments in Japan weigh the benefits of applying for a casino license
As North Korean leader Kim Jong Un stepped over the border of the demilitarized zone in Panmunjom for a historic summit with South Korean President Moon Jae-in on April 27, a group of local politicians and international business leaders meeting in Osaka hailed another milestone moment reached that same...
JAPAN
Apr 27, 2018
Cabinet approval of casino bill welcomed in Osaka by politicians and international casino operators
The Cabinet's approval of a casino bill draws praise from Osaka politicians and casino moguls eager to open Japan's first legal gambling dens.
JAPAN
Apr 26, 2018
Osaka governor says casino resort could open by fiscal 2023
Despite a tight construction schedule, political problems in Tokyo and local concerns over funding, Osaka Gov. Ichiro Matsui said the prefecture could have one of Japan's first casino resorts up and running on an island in Osaka Bay nearly two years before it hopes to host the 2025 World Expo at the...
JAPAN / EXPLAINER
Apr 23, 2018
Tourists, take note: As drones multiply in Japan, so do rules governing where they can be flown
Make a trip to any major electronics store today and you're bound to find a section selling drones. Once little more than toys for enthusiasts, today's commercially available drones come in all shapes and sizes and are used for all sorts of purposes, with prices ranging from thousands to hundreds of...
Japan Times
JAPAN / KANSAI PERSPECTIVE
Apr 22, 2018
For foreign nationals over 150 years ago, Kyoto’s Fushimi was end of the line
Just before reaching Chushojima Station on the Keihan Line heading into Kyoto from Osaka, or just after crossing the Uji River on the almost parallel Kintetsu train that runs between Kyoto and Nara, two towers that look old and of European design flash briefly into view before disappearing among the...
JAPAN / KANSAI PERSPECTIVE
Apr 22, 2018
Security issues worry Osaka residents ahead of 2019 G-20 summit
Beginning this month, both the city of Osaka and the prefecture began preparations to host next year's Group of Twenty leaders' summit, with political and business leaders forming task forces to help with local assistance and promotional efforts prior to the event.
JAPAN / Politics
Apr 14, 2018
Scandal-hit Abe moves to shore up base in Osaka ahead of LDP presidential election
Abe told members of the LDP's Osaka chapter Friday evening that he is opposed to a plan to merge the city's 24 wards.
If the 'Big One' hits, this city could face a 31-meter-high tsunami
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.
Shohei Ohtani's example could change Japan's views on paternity leave
Shohei Ohtani and Mamiko Tanaka announced the birth of their first child on April 19.
Nearly half of workers in Japan engage in ‘quiet quitting’
"Quiet quitting" is most common among the younger generation, with 46.7% of respondents to a survey in their 20s identifying with the practice, reflecting a less-motivated workforce more focused on work-life balance.
Delta routes new Airbus plane to Tokyo to sidestep Trump tariffs
Delta Air Lines signage on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange in New York on April 9. The airline is flying a new Airbus SE plane through Japan to skirt U.S. import tariffs.
Single, or not? Japanese dating app launches relationship verification system
Tapple, one of Japan's most popular dating apps, has launched the nation's first feature to verify a user's single status via their My Number card.
CDP submits bill proposal on separate surnames, but challenges remain
Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan lawmakers speak to reporters in parliament on Wednesday after submitting a bill in the Lower House to allow married couples to retain different surnames.
Puzzling decisions and opaque rankings are all part of sumo's charm
Chiyoshoma (right) battles Churanoumi during the New Year Basho in Tokyo in January. The Mongolian's drop down the sumo rankings ahead of the May tournament was one of the biggest surprises of the latest banzuke.
North Korea's Kim sets sights on nuclear-armed navy
An unidentified weapons system is fired from the deck of North Korea's latest destroyer, the Choe Hyon, during two days of tests on Monday and Tuesday in this undated photo released Wednesday.
Single, or not? Japanese dating app launches relationship verification system
Tapple, one of Japan's most popular dating apps, has launched the nation's first feature to verify a user's single status via their My Number card.
Counting the reasons why there are so few American cars in Japan
Tesla's store in Tokyo's Shibuya district. While sales of American cars in Japan appear to be shrinking, Tesla's presence in the country is growing.

Podcast

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

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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
By Alex K.T. Martin

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