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July 05, 2025
 

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Alex K.T. Martin

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Alex K.T. Martin
Alex K.T. Martin is a Tokyo-based journalist and senior writer at The Japan Times, primarily focusing on feature stories. Previously he was a Tokyo correspondent for The Wall Street Journal.
JAPAN
Feb 11, 2010
LDP struggling in vain to rebuild
Taking the podium last month at the Liberal Democratic Party's first convention since its fall from power at the hands of voters last summer, Katsuya Nomura, former manager of the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles baseball team, had a few words of advice for the LDP.
JAPAN
Feb 9, 2010
Hatoyama says Ozawa can stay
Democratic Party of Japan kingpin Ichiro Ozawa on Monday was given the go sign to remain as the party's secretary general by Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama despite mounting public calls that he step down over his fund management body's involvement in a shady Tokyo land purchase.
JAPAN
Feb 2, 2010
Opposition rides Ozawa, Hatoyama over scandals
The opposition camp took the podium Monday to grill Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama over the money scandals involving him and Democratic Party of Japan kingpin Ichiro Ozawa.
JAPAN
Feb 2, 2010
Ozawa undergoes second round of questioning
Democratic Party of Japan kingpin Ichiro Ozawa said Monday he has undergone a second round of questioning by prosecutors over accounting irregularities involving his fund management body.
BUSINESS
Jan 29, 2010
Diet passes stimulus worth ¥7.2 trillion
A ¥7.2 trillion supplementary budget aimed at avoiding a double-dip recession cleared the Diet on Thursday, giving Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama some relief in the face of a series of money scandals and a declining approval rate.
JAPAN
Jan 26, 2010
Ozawa again denies direct role in fund scandal, vows to stay on
Repeating his previous claim, Democratic Party of Japan Secretary General Ichiro Ozawa on Monday denied receiving any illicit corporate donations and vowed to continue working as the DPJ's No. 2.
JAPAN
Jan 25, 2010
LDP tries to build steam before poll
The opposition-leading Liberal Democratic Party held its annual convention Sunday, promising party reform and victory in the July Upper House election while assailing the ruling Democratic Party of Japan over recent money scandals dogging Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama and Secretary General Ichiro Ozawa....
JAPAN
Jan 23, 2010
'Crossing' bares North defector fate
Every year, poverty-stricken North Koreans risk their lives crossing the border into China to escape the repression and starvation plaguing their hermit homeland.
JAPAN
Jan 21, 2010
Hatoyama assailed in Diet
Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama was put on the defensive Wednesday over recent remarks appearing to encourage Democratic Party of Japan Secretary General Ichiro Ozawa to fight prosecutors over allegations of his involvement in a money scandal.
JAPAN
Jan 19, 2010
Ozawa scandal dogs start of Diet session
The 150-day regular Diet session convened Monday with the money scandals embroiling Democratic Party of Japan Secretary General Ichiro Ozawa and Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama expected to snarl efforts by the ruling bloc to pass budget and other bills.
JAPAN
Jan 16, 2010
Funds scandals risk DPJ Diet plans
The Democratic Party of Japan-led government kicks off its first ordinary Diet session Monday focusing primarily on fighting the recession, but Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama will also be forced to deal with DPJ money scandals.
JAPAN
Jan 7, 2010
Ozawa girds for major Diet reform
Is Ichiro Ozawa hungry for dictatorial power, or is he a political hero seeking to strengthen the Diet by cutting the bureaucracy down to size?
JAPAN / LOOMING CHALLENGES
Jan 6, 2010
Japan urged to exploit its tech, pop culture
Last of five parts
JAPAN
Dec 5, 2009
Coalition freezes Japan Post share sale
The first extraordinary Diet session held under the Cabinet of Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama adjourned Friday after the ruling bloc used its majority to ram through the Upper House a law to freeze the state's planned sale of shares in Japan Post Holdings Co. and its banking and insurance units.
JAPAN
Dec 1, 2009
Ruling bloc extends Diet session to Friday
The coalition government on Monday extended the extraordinary Diet session by four days to accommodate pending legislation.
JAPAN / EXPLAINER
Dec 1, 2009
Local vote for foreign residents: time ripe?
Permanent foreign residents of Japan may finally face a realistic chance of being granted local-level suffrage under the administration led by the Democratic Party of Japan, which has signaled a willingness to pursue such rights.
JAPAN
Nov 21, 2009
Ozawa looming as 'shadow shogun'
bills," he said. But Koichi Nakano, political science professor at Sophia University, said that while it was unlikely Ozawa will loosen his grip on power, he also believed the media might be going overboard with his image as a backroom fixer.
JAPAN
Nov 20, 2009
DPJ rams debt relief bill through committee
A bill aimed at encouraging lenders to freeze debt repayments for small and midsize companies was set to clear the Lower House late Thursday night after the ruling bloc rammed it through a Diet committee in the first such power play since the Hatoyama administration assumed office two months ago.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Nov 14, 2009
LDP loss media's fault: Mori
The long-ruling Liberal Democratic Party's historic defeat in the August general election can in part be blamed on the media and its manipulation of public opinion, LDP heavyweight Yoshiro Mori told The Japan Times in a recent interview.
JAPAN
Nov 7, 2009
DPJ exec eyes suffrage bill this term
The Democratic Party of Japan may submit a bill during the current extraordinary Diet session that would grant permanent foreign residents the right to vote in local-level elections, DPJ Diet affairs chief Kenji Yamaoka told reporters Friday, noting the session may also have to be extended.
A prophesied disaster (likely) won’t strike Japan this weekend
A viral manga prediction of a July 5 disaster has gripped Japan with anxiety and triggered an economic impact, but experts warn that while such dates are unreliable, the threat of a massive earthquake remains real. 
Magnitude 5.5 earthquake jars Tokara Islands amid flurry of seismic activity
A strong quake struck off the Tokara Islands on Thursday afternoon, with the island chain having recorded around 1,000 earthquakes since a burst of seismic activity first began on June 21.
Japan to require flight passengers to keep power banks within sight
The transport ministry has announced new regulations requiring flight passengers to keep power banks within sight to mitigate fire risks while on board planes.
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."
Residents of Tokara Islands begin evacuation as seismic swarm continues
Details about evacuations from Akuseki Island, located in the Tokara island chain in Kagoshima Prefecture, is seen written on a whiteboard in the city of Kagoshima on Thursday.
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

SUSTAINABLE JAPAN

Muji has been sustainable from the beginning
Muji has been sustainable from the beginning

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