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May 03, 2024
 

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Andrew MCKIRDY

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Andrew MCKIRDY
Andrew McKirdy is a sports writer for The Japan Times. His main beat is soccer, but he has also covered rugby, tennis, volleyball, golf and even tug-of-war. A native of the Scottish Borders, he has written for The Scotsman newspaper and organized filming for a program on Japanese soccer for ITV television.
For Andrew MCKIRDY's latest contributions to The Japan Times, see below:
Japan Times
Rugby
Sep 14, 2020
Brave Blossoms won't play at all in 2020 because of pandemic
Brave Blossoms have not played a match since their World Cup quarterfinal defeat to South Africa on Oct. 20 last year.
Japan Times
LIFE / Style & Design
Sep 8, 2020
Japanese beat the summer heat with fan-fitted clothes
As Japan swelters through record temperatures, fan-fitted clothing moves beyond workwear and into new markets.
Japan Times
Rugby
Sep 5, 2020
Can Japan make the most of its Rugby World Cup legacy?
One year after the global tournament kicked off, the impact of COVID-19 is hampering efforts to build on the hugely successful event.
Japan Times
LIFE
Aug 11, 2020
Beetlemania: Japanese collectors pay high prices for big bugs
The nation's love of stag and rhinoceros beetles has flourished during the pandemic, with families driving demand.
Japan Times
LIFE / Style & Design
Jul 25, 2020
Redefining the kimono in modern times
While many associate the kimono with Japanese tradition, renewed interest in the garment at home and abroad is giving it a new lease on life.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Society
Jul 22, 2020
Sign of the times: Helping deaf people get by in Japan
Attempts are being made to enhance the visibility and availability of sign language across the nation.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink
Jul 4, 2020
Steak House Ribera: Wrestling’s spiritual home in Japan
What do The Rock, Hulk Hogan and John Cena have in common? A shared love of Tokyo's Steak House Ribera.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Society
Jun 27, 2020
Fighting for the right to recognize same-sex marriage in Japan
The notion of legal partnerships is gaining acceptance and yet entrenched political obstacles remain.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Stage
Jun 26, 2020
Comic Saku Yanagawa was on his way to cracking the U.S. — then COVID-19 happened
Comic Saku Yanagawa is making a name for himself in the U.S., but with racist hecklers and awkward Zoom gigs, he's facing his toughest crowds yet.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Society
Jun 13, 2020
Suicide in Japan: Seeking to part the dark clouds as pandemic threatens recent progress
The death of u2018Terrace House' star Hana Kimura in May has thrust the issue of suicide back into the national spotlight.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
May 30, 2020
Not just another day at the office: Rethinking Japan’s business culture amid the COVID-19 pandemic
The workplaces that employees nationwide are slowly returning to are unlikely to be the same as the ones they left when the COVID-19 pandemic emerged.
Japan Times
LIFE / Lifestyle
May 16, 2020
Romancing the phone: Japan navigates love in the time of coronavirus
With social distancing measures likely to stay in place in Japan for some time, what impact will they have on the way we interact with each other?
Japan Times
OLYMPICS
May 2, 2020
Left in limbo: Olympic and Paralympic hopefuls struggle with postponement
Tokyo's Olympic dream is still alive — for now — but many athletes have been left wondering if their hard work will all be for nothing.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Society
Apr 18, 2020
Pandemic prevention measures turn Japanese families' worlds upside down
With many schools closed until early May, families are struggling to juggle the needs of young children with remote work responsibilities.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Society
Apr 5, 2020
Japan’s homeless at risk from coronavirus pandemic
Many of Tokyo's homeless also have underlying health problems, making them particularly vulnerable as cases of COVID-19 continue to climb in the capital.
Japan Times
CULTURE
Apr 4, 2020
Kamishibai: Rediscovering the fine art of storytelling in Japan
Artists are taking a traditional art form to a new audience but a battle rages over its true essence.
Japan Times
PODCAST / deep dive
Mar 18, 2020
Episode 43: The no-plastic challenge isn't easy in Japan
Japan uses more single-use plastic per capita than any other nation besides the U.S. To see how difficult it is to live a life without it, JT staff writer Andrew McKirdy spent a week trying to avoid single-use plastic. Also on this episode, Mona Neuhauss of No Plastic Japan. Hosted by Oscar Boyd.
Japan Times
LIFE / Style & Design
Feb 29, 2020
Classic kicks: Japan’s sneaker obsession rebounds
The 1990s sneaker craze eventually cooled off, but over the past four or five years a new wave has risen, towering over anything that came before.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Society
Feb 27, 2020
Japanese dad tackles train etiquette with a badge to show he's willing to give up his seat
Scenario: You are congratulating yourself on having snagged a seat on a crowded, early morning Tokyo train, when out of the corner of your eye you spot a woman standing nearby who appears to be pregnant.
Japan Times
CULTURE
Feb 21, 2020
Six-time world champion Shu Takada has got the world on a (yo-yo) string
Six-time world champion yo-yo performer Shu Takada wants to take the yo-yo mainstream and show his tricks to the world
Weak yen fattens tourist wallets in Japan
People visit the Ameya Yokocho market in Tokyo's Ueno district during the Golden Week holiday on Tuesday.
Biden calls ally Japan ‘xenophobic’ along with rivals China and Russia
U.S. President Joe Biden speaks in Syracuse, New York, on April 25.
Number of vacant homes in Japan hits record high of 9 million
A vacant house in Tokyo is seen demolished in January 2020.
Harajuku strives to reclaim its former glory — and surpass it
Laforet Harajuku, which celebrated its 45th anniversary last year, has been a witness to the district's evolution over the years.
Saudi Arabia steps up Gaza-related arrests as Israel ties edge closer
The arrests for Gaza-related posts indicate Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s regime will take a hard line against citizens not toeing the line when it comes to normalizing ties with Israel.
Kishida sets sights on energy and climate in South America trip
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida will use a policy speech in Sao Paulo to set out his vision for ties between Japan and South America, almost 10 years after former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe advocated for stronger ties between the two in the same city.
Yellow sand allergy: A health issue made worse by climate change
A screenshot of the Meteorological Agency's satellite image of clouds and yellow sand (in pink) on Sunday.
Climate change, chalky grains and the risks for Japan’s rice farmers
A farmer plants seedlings in Satsumasendai, Kagoshima Prefecture. Japan’s self sufficiency rate for rice is nearly 100%, compared with 38% for food overall, on a calorie basis.
Japan wants you to spend more with ‘luxury tourism’
Performers play a traditional drum unique to Wajima, Ishikawa Prefecture, in the prefectural capital of Kanazawa on March 16 to mark the extension of the Hokuriku Shinkansen line to Tsuruga Station in Fukui Prefecture.
Theaster Gates’ ambitious ‘Afro-Mingei’ brings Black Chicago to Tokyo
Theaster Gates' “A Heavenly Chord” lines up church pews before seven speakers and a Hammond B3 organ, a type of electric organ prevalent in Black American churches.

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

When trying to trace your lineage in Japan, the "koseki" is the most important form of document you'll encounter.
Climbing the branches of a Japanese family tree
By Alex K.T. Martin

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