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May 08, 2024
 

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Ryusei Takahashi
For Ryusei Takahashi's latest contributions to The Japan Times, see below:
Japan Times
JAPAN
May 14, 2021
Japan expands and extends emergency measures as cases rise across the nation
Japan officially adds Hokkaido, Okayama and Hiroshima prefectures to the state of emergency now covering Tokyo, Osaka and four other prefectures.
Japan Times
JAPAN / FOCUS
May 10, 2021
Pandemic response highlights fractures in Japan's political system
Since the onset of the pandemic, the balance of power has oscillated between the central government and prefectural governors — undermining trust in the former.
Japan Times
OLYMPICS
Apr 28, 2021
Tokyo Games organizers lay out updated athlete virus countermeasures
Athletes will need to be tested before and after arrival, but they will not be asked to isolate themselves after landing in the country, and nor will vaccinations be mandatory.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Apr 23, 2021
Suga declares emergency in Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto and Hyogo
Effective Sunday, department stores, shopping centers, movie theaters and other large commercial facilities will be asked to close in four prefectures until May 11.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Apr 21, 2021
Osaka governor faces backlash over expansive virus closure requests
The push and pull in Osaka provides a taste of what happens when a public official tries to take proactive measures in Japan, where virus measures remain largely voluntary.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Apr 21, 2021
Tokyo, Osaka and Hyogo set for third coronavirus state of emergency
There are fears that the latest wave — fueled by deadlier, more contagious variants — will be impervious to whatever measures a third emergency might entail.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Apr 16, 2021
Stricter virus countermeasures expanded to more Japan regions
As a fourth wave fueled by elusive, deadlier variants picks up speed, countermeasures meant to target localized outbreaks have quickly expanded.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Apr 15, 2021
In break from official line, LDP No. 2 floats Tokyo Games cancellation
'What is the point of the Olympics if it helps spread the virus further?' said LDP Secretary-General Toshihiro Nikai on a television program.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Apr 14, 2021
Organizers celebrate 100 days until problem-plagued Tokyo Games
Countless controversial elements regarding restrictions on spectator attendance and the priority vaccination of competing athletes, among others, remain undecided.
Japan Times
JAPAN / ANALYSIS
Apr 12, 2021
Virus variants could propel fourth wave to new heights as Japan's cities clamp down
A significant increase in testing and genomic screening would better reveal the spread of virus variants, but experts question the country's ability and willingness to do so.
Japan Times
JAPAN / ANALYSIS
Mar 31, 2021
Fourth wave takes shape as COVID-19 cases increase across Japan
Regional outbreaks, compounded by fatigue over anti-virus measures and more contagious variants, are contributing to an altogether different kind of surge.
Japan Times
JAPAN / ANALYSIS
Mar 25, 2021
How money and politics dictate the Tokyo Games
From state-of-the-art venues and unprecedented ticket sales to coveted broadcast rights, years of commercialization have raised the stakes for the global sporting event to new heights.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Mar 19, 2021
Tokyo business closure orders spur confusion days before capital reopens
The decision was likely meant to send a message to noncompliant establishments and test how effective the measure would be.
Japan Times
JAPAN / FOCUS
Mar 18, 2021
Impact of virus measures wane as Tokyo looks to cautiously reopen
The emergency declaration's effectiveness seems to have reached its limit as the number of new cases in the capital region stubbornly refuses to decline.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Mar 18, 2021
Tokyo 2020 creative chief quits over Naomi Watanabe 'Olympig' pitch
Hiroshi Sasaki floated the idea of comedian Naomi Watanabe descending from the sky in porcine form during the opening ceremony, a magazine reports.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Remembering 3/11
Mar 10, 2021
'News by and for disaster victims': Fukushima reporters look back on 3/11
As reporters from across the world flocked to Japan, it was local journalists who were the first to arrive at the scene of the disaster and the last to leave.
Japan Times
JAPAN / ANALYSIS
Mar 2, 2021
Tokyo area nears end of emergency, but virus data has gaps
An unknown number of cases may have gone unreported due to strained resources, bureaucratic missteps and temporary policy changes.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Feb 25, 2021
Virus concerns loom for Japan with Olympic torch relay a month away
The relay begins March 25 in Fukushima Prefecture and what's normally a time of excitement and hope ahead of an Olympics will instead be held under the shadow of a pandemic.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Feb 18, 2021
Olympics minister Seiko Hashimoto appointed Tokyo Games chief
Never has the position changed hands so close to the start of the Olympic Torch Relay, and nor have the games ever been held during an ongoing global pandemic.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Feb 16, 2021
Vaccination of health care workers to begin in Japan, with older people slated for April
Municipal governments are being encouraged to spend no longer than two months and three weeks to complete the phase of giving shots to older people.
Tokuryū, a new crime menace in Japan, emerges from the shadows
The National Police Agency coined the term "tokuryū" to classify individuals involved in dark part time jobs and quasi-gangsters, using the words "tokumei" (anonymous) and "ryūdo" (fluid) to reflect their characteristics.
Is Modi’s party heading for a stunning election loss?
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's campaign tactics have escalated, including anti-Muslim rhetoric and fearmongering, reflecting his ruling party's desperation.
Japan's labor crunch persists despite slight improvement
Over 300 companies went out of business in fiscal 2023 due to labor shortages, according to Teikoku Databank.
Excitement returns to tourist spots in Japan one year on
On May 2, the streets of Arashiyama, a well-known tourist destination in Kyoto, were filled with tourists, including many from abroad, ahead of the four-day weekend.
Many banks in Japan raise deposit rates after BOJ action
Major banks as well as regional banks have raised their ordinary deposit rates to 0.02% per annum from 0.001%.
How a Japanese scientist is turning the climate crisis into music
A screencap of a performance of Hiroto Nagai's “String Quartet No. 1 ‘Polar Energy Budget’” by the PRT Quartet
Japan’s tween skateboarders get head start on preparations for 2028 Olympics
Ibuki Matsumoto competes at an event in Osaka on April 21.
Pentagon reveals drone types for Replicator program to counter China
A U.S. Naval Special Warfare Operator fires a Switchblade 300 loitering munition during training exercises in Fallon, Nevada, last July. The U.S. Defense Department plans to use small drones — known in the Pentagon as “all-domain attritable autonomous systems” — to help counter Chinese military systems and tactics.
As visitors surge, Japan seeks ways to make tourism eco-friendly
Much like other hot spots across Okinawa, Onna has diligently strived to captivate both domestic and international tourists, while at the same time grappling with the environmental strain induced by the influx of visitors.
Kishida talks up bolstered Latin American ties as China cements position
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida holds a news conference in Sao Paulo on Saturday.

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

Rows of irises resemble a rice field at the Peter Walker-designed Toyota Municipal Museum of Art.
The 'outsiders' creating some of Japan's greenest spaces
By Stephen Mansfield

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