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Kathryn Wortley
Construction takes place on the Takanawa Gateway Convention Center in Tokyo, slated to open in 2025.
BUSINESS / Longform
Nov 11, 2024
A boom for business tourism in Japan?
Japan’s MICE sector is expanding rapidly, adapting with tech upgrades, flexible venues and sustainable initiatives as the Osaka Expo approaches.
Several support networks have launched to help startup founders in Japan whose native language isn't Japanese.
BUSINESS / Companies / Longform
Jul 8, 2024
As Japan's startup ecosystem grows, so does a supportive community of entrepreneurs
Interest in startups is outpacing ecosystem capabilities, which has led more founders to turn to each other for guidance and support.
High-end tourism is becoming more about the kinds of experiences that Japan's lesser-known places can provide.
LIFE / Travel / Longform
Mar 25, 2024
Can Japan lure the jet-set class off the beaten path?
High-end travelers are looking for sustainability, wellness and adventure when they head abroad. Japan hopes to deliver in places other than Tokyo.
2024 marks the Year of the Dragon in the Chinese zodiac, with the year predicted to be a good time for fresh starts.
LIFE / Lifestyle / Longform
Jan 2, 2024
Opportunities await the bold in the Year of the Wood Dragon
From February, you can expect a rush of creativity, passion, courage and confidence with the arrival of the Wood Dragon, say astrologers.
JAPAN / History / Longform
Sep 16, 2023
Rugby turns 200: A history of the sport in Japan
As the sport of rugby turns 200, Japan hopes to celebrate its own success in a game that first arrived in the 1860s.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Longform
May 8, 2023
Japan's spin on 'workations' proves a hit
The market for the new work initiative that grew in popularity during the pandemic is predicted to be worth in excess of ¥100 billion in fiscal 2023.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink
Apr 23, 2023
Will tourists thirst for trips to a Japanese green tea mecca?
Tourists in Japan can find quality tea anywhere. These rural farmers, however, are hoping some travelers are willing to go far afield for excellent sips.
LIFE / Travel
Apr 17, 2023
Dark skies, bright future: Japan looks to the heavens for tourism appeal
With a number of dark sky locations offering unparalleled stargazing opportunities, communities are hoping to capitalize on the draw of the cosmos.
BUSINESS / Longform
Mar 27, 2023
Can the return of international cruises bolster Japan’s beleaguered tourism industry?
The industry is struggling to deal with pandemic-induced challenges such as staff shortages and concerned residents near ports.
LIFE / Lifestyle / Longform
Jan 1, 2023
What to expect in the Year of the Rabbit
If 2022 felt a little hectic, the next 12 months could offer opportunities for relaxation, quietness and contemplation.
LIFE / Food & Drink / Longform
Oct 3, 2022
What Japan’s iconic beef can teach us about ‘soft power’
The upcoming u2018Wagyu Olympics' in Kagoshima Prefecture is expected to create much-needed buzz about the industry among consumers at home and abroad.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / Longform
Aug 8, 2022
What will it take for Japan to embrace plant-based meat?
With consumers nationwide becoming more health-conscious, soy-based alternatives to animal-based sources of protein appear to be growing on Japan.
Japan Times
LIFE / Travel / Longform
Jul 25, 2022
Back in business? The key sector missing out on Japan's tourism reboot
Organizers of international conferences and exhibitions will need to wait a little longer before business travelers return to Japan in droves.
Japan Times
ENVIRONMENT
Jul 16, 2022
Drowning in plastic? Biodegradable materials could be a lifesaver.
It’s official: In March, the United Nations Environmental Assembly endorsed a global pact on the life cycle of plastic. It has been declared a seismic shift in the battle against marine pollution, but what will happen to the oceans before those potential positive effects come?
LIFE / Travel / Longform
Jul 9, 2022
How rice can revive Japan’s tourism industry
The culinary staple has potential to give the country's travel sector a shot in the arm if it can take advantage of rising demand for sustainable tourism.
Japan Times
ENVIRONMENT / Longform
Mar 14, 2022
Plastic love: Proliferation of PET bottles in Japan complicates a sustainable future
Japan recycles and reuses its ubiquitous plastic container more than almost any other country — but some say it's still not enough.
OLYMPICS / Longform
Jan 31, 2022
The legacy of the 1972 Sapporo Winter Olympics
As we count down to the opening of the 2022 Games in Beijing next month, we examine the impact of the first Winter Olympics held in Asia on Hokkaido's largest city.
Japan Times
LIFE / Lifestyle / Longform
Jan 1, 2022
What to expect in the Year of the Tiger
Astrologers say the tiger denotes strength, vitality and growth — qualities that will hopefully stand us in good stead as we look to move past the uncertainty that COVID-19 has wrought.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Issues / THE FOREIGN ELEMENT
Nov 8, 2021
Forty years of empowering women in Japan
In the 40 years since its inception, FEW Japan has gone from serving a specific subset of non-Japanese women in the country to broadening its scope to help all women living here.
Japan Times
LIFE / Lifestyle
Jun 13, 2021
Mental health during the pandemic: ‘A lot of us feel like we’re in a dark tunnel’
More than one year on, Japan is still subject to pandemic-related stresses and government-imposed measures. How is this impacting long-term mental health?

Longform

People in cities across Japan will pop into their local convenience store for any number of products they believe will help them with a night of drinking.
Hangover cures are everywhere in Japan — but do they work?