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May 09, 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
BUSINESS
Apr 30, 2021
Hit by restaurant closures, Japan's beer-makers double down on canned beer
With the state of emergency dealing a further blow to on-site sales, tapping into the growing market of home drinkers and health-conscious consumers has become essential.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Apr 13, 2021
Fishing and boating lure more enthusiasts in pandemic-hit Japan
Sales of fishing gear and used boats are up, and 2020 saw an increase in the number of Japanese people obtaining boating licenses.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Society / Longform
Apr 10, 2021
The changing face of medical care for Japan's older residents amid COVID-19
The prolonged state of social isolation amid the ongoing pandemic is deteriorating the mental and physical health of Japan's seniors.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Society / Longform
Mar 20, 2021
Leap of faith: Japan’s religious institutions get innovative in pandemic
Temples and shrines nationwide are experimenting with new ways of meeting the spiritual and emotional needs of parishioners.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Remembering 3/11
Mar 11, 2021
Olympic torchbearer aiming to remind the world of 2011 disaster
Kenichi Kurosawa survived the earthquake and tsunami, and has been constantly encouraging his neighbors to stay strong ever since.
Japan Times
PODCAST / deep dive
Mar 10, 2021
Episode 85: Ishinomaki — A tsunami-ravaged city, 10 years on
Alex Martin and Mari Saito bring us two stories from Tohoku, a decade after the Great East Japan Earthquake.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Remembering 3/11
Mar 6, 2021
A decade on, real challenges lie ahead for communities devastated by March 2011 disaster
With the government poised to significantly reduce the subsidies handed out to areas recovering from the catastrophe, will the city of Ishinomaki be able to stand on its own?
Japan Times
JAPAN / Society
Feb 7, 2021
Suicides in Japan dropped for a decade. Then the pandemic hit.
Economic insecurity, social isolation and the lingering dread that those you love can suddenly fall victim to the pathogen have stirred a toxic mix of stress and anxiety.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Economy / Longform
Jan 30, 2021
Japan’s hospitality sector creaks under the weight of a second state of emergency
Restaurants, bars and karaoke parlors are bearing the brunt of restrictions placed on their operations, a move that could have a long-lasting impact on the nation's culinary landscape.
Japan Times
LIFE / Lifestyle / Longform
Jan 9, 2021
Insects: The future of food?
A thriving industry looks promising if consumer aversion can be overcome.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Dec 28, 2020
Shut that window! Open that window! Coronavirus in winter presents new challenge
The dry and often freezing climate is proving to be challenging as restaurants, shops and other facilities scramble to keep their facilities safe.
Japan Times
LIFE / Lifestyle
Dec 12, 2020
Escaping COVID-19: When you can’t see the virus for the trees
Individuals are replacing forestry companies and large corporations in efforts to buy plots of affordable forestland — but for a very different reason.
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.
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.
Thanks, tourists. Views of Mount Fuji are now blocked.
Tourists pose in front of a convenience store with Mount Fuji on Friday in the town of Fujikawaguchiko, Yamanashi Prefecture. Local residents are upset over littering, overcrowding and the inconvenience caused by the visitors.
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.
Two more arrested over brutal murder of couple in Tochigi
A vehicle carrying Seiha Sekine, the 32-year-old common-law husband of the deceased Tokyo couple's first daughter, leaves a police station in Tokyo's Shinagawa Ward on Tuesday.
After blockbuster boxing victory, what next for ‘Monster’ Inoue?
Naoya Inoue celebrates his victory over Luis Nery in their IBF-WBA-WBC-WBO super bantamweight title boxing match at Tokyo Dome on Monday.
Stormy seas ahead as Beijing and Manila trade barbs over secret deal
Philippine Marines wave to Philippine Navy personnel and the media during a resupply mission at their military outpost, the BRP Sierra Madre, a warship run aground in the disputed Second Thomas Shoal in 1999, in the South China Sea, in March 2014.
Unlike 10 years ago, Japan's new security bill sparks little debate
The Lower House starts discussing a security clearance bill on April 19 in Tokyo.
After blockbuster boxing victory, what next for ‘Monster’ Inoue?
Naoya Inoue celebrates his victory over Luis Nery in their IBF-WBA-WBC-WBO super bantamweight title boxing match at Tokyo Dome on Monday.
Xi bristles as Macron and von der Leyen urge China to do more on Ukraine
French President Emmanuel Macron, Chinese leader Xi Jinping and European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen walk after their meeting in Paris on Monday.
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

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
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