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Osamu Tsukimori
For Osamu Tsukimori's latest contributions to The Japan Times, see below:
Japan Times
JAPAN
Jan 8, 2021
Osaka stands by COVID-19 tracing app that sent six alerts in seven months
With alerts limited to infectious contact, and no obligation to flag positive status, high volumes of messages were never expected, though the prefecture is working on enhancements.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Tech
Jan 7, 2021
Japan's Fugaku supercomputer is tackling some of the world's biggest problems
The world's fastest supercomputer, Fugaku is tasked with challenges such as modeling climate change and helping to manage carbon emissions.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Jan 3, 2021
Hanko culture set to survive Taro Kono's purge of cheaper stamps
Hanko have been used in Japan for over a millennium, but the practice came under scrutiny this year as workers were forced to visit offices to use the seals amid a state of emergency.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Science & Health
Dec 30, 2020
What do the new coronavirus strains mean for a return to normality?
Although experts say vaccines should still work despite the mutations, there are still big obstacles to stamping out the virus.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Science & Health
Dec 18, 2020
Pfizer first drugmaker to seek COVID-19 vaccine approval in Japan
Officials said the approval would be made 'a top priority in the screening process' once the firm submits data from an ongoing clinical trial specific to Japan, expected in February.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Dec 11, 2020
Why Japan is largely a spectator in the coronavirus vaccine race
A total of 52 vaccine candidates were in clinical evaluation worldwide as of Tuesday, of which only one was Japanese.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Nov 30, 2020
TSE president to step down after trading outage in October
The glitch was the worst since 1999, depriving investors of trades worth around u00a53 trillion as government sought to boost the nation as an Asian trading hub.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Science & Health
Nov 27, 2020
Ratio of medical staff gives Japan edge against COVID-19, OECD says
The nation is also helped by its better infrastructure, higher numbers of intensive care beds and higher government spending as a proportion of GDP.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Science & Health
Nov 25, 2020
Not so fast, Japan experts say, as COVID-19 vaccines raise hopes
Medical experts say long-term safety and efficacy concerns remain as the vaccines are developed in record-setting time.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / FOCUS
Nov 9, 2020
Japan faces high costs in achieving Suga's 2050 carbon neutrality target
The country lacks suitable geography for building many solar and wind farms, and the power sector is just one area in which carbon emissions need to be slashed.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Oct 22, 2020
Eased work rules are lifeline for foreign ex-students stuck in Japan
While a decision this week by immigration authorities didn't make big headlines, it was a ray of hope for thousands of students keen to work and unable to return home.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Science & Health
Oct 14, 2020
Supercomputer-developed face shields may offer lifeline for Japan's restaurant industry
Using the Fugaku supercomputer, the world's fastest, a consortium of Japanese researchers has developed a wrap-around face shield that can more effectively block airborne droplets and reduce exposure to the coronavirus for diners at pubs and restaurants.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Society
Oct 9, 2020
Japan has eased entry rules, but travelers still face many hurdles
Restrictions on using public transport, finding a place to self-quarantine and getting a test before departure all make entering the country a troublesome process.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Markets
Oct 1, 2020
Tokyo trading halted due to hardware failure
Trading was suspended from the start of the morning session at 9 a.m., and the exchange is preparing to resume trading Friday by restarting the overall system.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Explainer
Sep 30, 2020
Japan looks to My Number cards to unlock country's digital transformation
Increased uptake of the controversial cards and an expansion of their associated services are seen by the government as key to achieving digitalization.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / EXPLAINER
Sep 25, 2020
How to steal ¥28 million: Lessons learned from the Docomo swindle
Japan's largest mobile phone carrier made headlines after its e-money service was used to defraud people who weren't NTT Docomo customers.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Sep 18, 2020
As cyberattacks rise globally, Japan's digital security found lacking
Ministerial sectionalism and the lack of a central cybersecurity body are stopping the government from getting a clear-eyed view of cyberthreats, an expert says.
Japan Times
JAPAN / EXPLAINER
Sep 4, 2020
How is the novel coronavirus affecting real estate prices in Japan?
The latest figures show land prices in urban areas have fallen due to stalled transactions, in a pattern expected to lead to the first average decline in six years.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Sep 3, 2020
Telework forces a rethink of working and living in Tokyo
A drastic shift to telework is putting a brake on the capital's ever-growing population, which may ease overconcentration in the metropolitan area.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Aug 21, 2020
Mizuho becomes first Japan megabank to set fee for new passbooks
The bank's move could have an impact on rivals MUFG Bank and Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corp., and regional lenders.

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