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July 27, 2024
 

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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 Times
CULTURE
Dec 1, 2020
Amabie: Folklore apparition generated a big buzz in 2020
The long-haired, beak-faced amabie, which forecasts bountiful harvests and killer epidemics, has found itself in Japan's spotlight in recent months.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Companies
Oct 31, 2020
How Japan’s subscription economy could redefine the way consumers and firms interact
Japan has lagged behind other nations in terms of subscription-based activities, but the model is finally catching on as consumers explore new ways of doing business.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Sep 19, 2020
As COVID-19 persists, Japan looks to send in the robots
A new wave of service machines has emerged amid the coronavirus pandemic to help maintain safety and social distancing.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink
Aug 15, 2020
How COVID-19 has reshaped Japan's drinking culture
Suit-clad office workers are no longer flocking to Japanese-style pubs en masse to unwind after a long day at the office. Where are they drinking instead?
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Aug 13, 2020
Tabletop games on a roll as families in Japan stay home in pandemic
Sales of board, card, dice and other traditional games have skyrocketed as people spend more time indoors.
Japan Times
PODCAST / deep dive
Jul 22, 2020
Episode 58: A brief history of mask wearing in Japan
The Japan Times' Alex Martin discusses the history of mask wearing and how it's changed from the Edo Period to the Spanish Flu to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Science & Health / Longform
Jul 4, 2020
The history behind Japan’s love of face masks
In Japan, it's sometimes said that the eyes speak as much as the mouth.
Japan Times
CULTURE
Jun 20, 2020
Rethinking summer in Japan amid a pandemic
Japan struggles to deal with the cancellation of annual seasonal events that serve as a lifeblood for local communities.
Japan Times
LIFE / Travel
Jun 6, 2020
Getting the wheels back on Japan's travel industry
Unprecedented travel restrictions have crippled tourism, forcing businesses in the sector to rethink strategies and explore new opportunities.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
May 23, 2020
Remote possibilities: Can every home in Japan become an office?
The COVID-19 pandemic is prompting companies to adopt remote work to reduce contagion risks, accelerating the digital shift of the workspace.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Economy
May 9, 2020
Hard sell: Japan’s retail sector may need to reinvent itself in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic
A sea change in shopping habits amid the new coronavirus outbreak could impact marketing and distribution across the country for years to come.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Apr 25, 2020
Japan’s economic backbone creaks under the weight of COVID-19
Domestic small and medium-size businesses are bearing the brunt of business closures amid a nationwide state of emergency.
Japan Times
JAPAN / History
Apr 11, 2020
Looking for solace in Japanese mythology during a pandemic
Amid growing anxiety over an invisible pathogen that has so far claimed tens of thousands of lives worldwide, some Japanese are turning to faith and mythology for solace.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Companies
Apr 5, 2020
In graying Japan, the market for home shopping is still maturing
The suit-clad television presenter makes breathless promises about the qualities of the Hitachi rice cooker he is pitching, describing how the induction heating steam pressure system allows the aluminum pot to produce the perfect batch of Japan’s staple food with a fluffy yet firm texture and a sweet...
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Mar 30, 2020
Coronavirus pandemic fuels trend toward smaller funerals in Japan
...
Japan Times
LIFE / Lifestyle
Mar 21, 2020
In bloom? Celebrating Japan’s iconic cherry trees in a time of pandemic
Blossoms are beginning to open in Tokyo, but will this year's celebrations wither due to concern over the new coronavirus?
Japan Times
LIFE / Travel
Mar 14, 2020
In the footsteps of Okinawa's forgotten priestesses
Utaki (sacred sites) are scattered throughout the islands of Okinawa. Historically the purview of priestesses and kings, these sites have recently seen an uptick in visitors interested in exploring their own history.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Feb 22, 2020
Michi no eki: Japan's rest areas are kings of the road
This isn't your modest highway truck stop with parking, public toilets, a few vending machines and a kiosk.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink
Feb 8, 2020
What's Japan's next food trend? It might finally be pulled pork
Barbecue pulled pork might not have taken off in Japan just yet, but thanks to restaurants like Fatz's The San Franciscan, which aserve up the real slow-smoked deal, that might be about to change.
Japan Times
ENVIRONMENT / The Climate Crisis
Jan 18, 2020
Balance of power: Redefining Japan's energy needs
Sitting silently among the rolling pastures, rice paddies and lush forests of the idyllic village of Otama are rows upon rows of photovoltaic solar panels — vast swaths of dark gray injecting dissonance into the postcard-like landscape local residents pride themselves on.
Japan's population continues to fall even as foreign resident count rises
The number of residents in Tokyo as of Jan. 1 rose by 0.03% from a year before, data shows, marking a year-on-year increase for the first time in three years, while the country's other 46 prefectures saw their populations continue to decline.
Japan’s minimum wage set for record ¥50 hike in major boost
Demonstrators rally to demand a big hike in minimum wages in Tokyo last week.
One dead, three missing as heavy rain batters Tohoku
Camera footage shows the Mogami River bursting its banks in Tozawa, Yamagata Prefecture, on Friday morning.
Yen melt-up nudges Japanese stocks into correction territory
Japanese stocks are down 10% from their July peak as the yen strengthens.
Yen rally could help end crushing wage decay in Japan
Some economists say a sticky weak yen trend would have a negative impact on Japan's real wage growth.
Japan’s minimum wage set for record ¥50 hike in major boost
Demonstrators rally to demand a big hike in minimum wages in Tokyo last week.
Japan loses top spot on strongest passport list to Singapore
Japan had the strongest passport for six years running from 2018, before being dethroned by Singapore on the 2024 list.
Why Japan's mysterious stash of classified funds escapes scrutiny
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi (right) during a meeting in Tokyo on Tuesday.
Terunofuji, as he tends to do, returns to stamp his authority on sumo pretenders
Terunofuji (left) throws down Kirishima on Tuesday to build on his perfect record at the Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament.
Japanese startups advised to internationalize to get some global mojo
Entrepreneurs who participated in the Beyond Japan Zero to X program last year share their experiences in the United States during a meeting in May in Tokyo.

Podcast

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

Longform

Traditional folk rituals like Mizudome-no-mai (dance to stop the rain) provide a sense of agency to a population that feels largely powerless in the face of the climate crisis.
As climate extremes intensify, Japan embraces ancient weather rituals
By Alex K.T. Martin

SUSTAINABLE JAPAN

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mission sustainability vol.8: Omron Corp.Omron helping firms achieve carbon neutrality

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