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May 03, 2024
 

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Yuko Tamura
For Yuko Tamura's latest contributions to The Japan Times, see below:
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Jun 2, 2023
Sorry to say, apologizing in Japanese isn't always such a big deal
From bumping into a stranger to making amends for a past wrong, it's important to know how to apologize in Japanese.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
May 25, 2023
Get in on the talk of the town when Roppongi Art Night begins
With the all-night art festival taking place this weekend, we look at ways to talk about art in Japanese.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Apr 14, 2023
Long story short, abbreviated Japanese is good value for your time
In English, acronyms are a way to communicate what you want to say quickly. The Japanese tend to shorten their speech by shortening their words.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Feb 10, 2023
Stressing out at work? Make sure you know how to ask for help
Worried about talking to your supervisor about alleviating stress? The key is to tell them you want to be proactive in dealing with any potential problems.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Jan 27, 2023
Are ‘white’ companies proving to be too much of a good thing for Japan's Gen Z?
'Black' companies are places of excess: excess overtime, excess chores — not excess pay! And the best way to express the idea of 'too much' in Japanese is with the verb-suffix 'sugiru.'
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Dec 23, 2022
A few phrases for when you head to dinner at your in-laws' house
Maybe you just want to compliment someone's cooking, or maybe you want to avoid a fight? Either way, brushing up on some Japanese before heading to your in-laws doesn't hurt.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / Vocabulary Boost
Dec 16, 2022
Merriam-Webster’s word of the year is ‘gaslighting,’ and don't try to tell us there isn't a Japanese equivalent
Merriam-Webster saw a huge spike in people looking up the word “gaslighting” in 2022, and Japan is also no stranger to the concept.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Nov 2, 2022
Use 'Book Week' to finally get to those titles piling up on your shelves
Started by publishers and librarians decades ago, Book Week is a way to get people reading. Though, the fact that it's autumn may also provide some encouragement.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / Vocabulary Boost
Oct 28, 2022
A verb you're bound to wear out on Halloween
The verb 'kiru' (to wear) is a necessary bit of a vocabulary to know on a night like Halloween. Its usage is about more than just costumes, though.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Sep 23, 2022
What to say (and what not to say) at a Japanese funeral
With the state funeral of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe taking place in the next few days, we take a look at how the Japanese traditionally mourn the recently departed.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / Vocabulary Boost
Sep 1, 2022
Take some time to refresh your emergency vocabulary on Disaster Prevention Day
It was 99 years ago that a devastating earthquake hit Tokyo. As a result, Japan marks Sept. 1 by conducting disaster-preparedness drills at schools and companies nationwide.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Aug 26, 2022
On Japanese Twitter, don’t LOL when you can wwww
Just as in English, Japanese web-speak has developed a few key terms that are unique to the social media landscape of this country.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language
Jul 1, 2022
Summer's here. It's time to find the perfect fit for your first yukata.
It's the season for festivals and fireworks displays, which is the perfect time to wear yukata, a lighter and more versatile version of kimono. Here's how to shop for your first yukata with confidence.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Jun 10, 2022
Running your work ideas through a nemawashi cycle
Don't go into a meeting with your guns blazing. In Japan, you need to do a lot of preparation in advance so that things will go smoothly.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
May 20, 2022
Use certain Japanese phrases to turn that 'mansplaining' monologue back into a constructive dialogue
Japanese dating sites tend to encourage women to listen to and praise their male partners, but the conversation doesn't have to go in one direction.
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.
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.
'So hot you can't breathe': Extreme heat hits the Philippines
A pedestrian cools himself with a folding hand fan as he waits for a ride along a road in Manila on Wednesday, as extreme heat hit the Philippines.
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

SUSTAINABLE JAPAN

Prize winner Maki Imoto catches light with glass
Prize winner Maki Imoto catches light with glass

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