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Sakura Murakami
Reuters
Japan Times
JAPAN
Mar 11, 2022
As Fukushima memory fades, Japan's nuclear power proponents hope for reset
The growing calls from business leaders and lawmakers come amid persistent public opposition to nuclear power, muddying the outlook for energy policy.
Japan Times
OLYMPICS
Feb 7, 2022
Miho Takagi takes silver in 1,500-meter speedskating
Speed skating great Ireen Wust swept around the Beijing oval in a time of 1 minute and 53.28 seconds to claim her sixth Olympic gold medal.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Nov 5, 2021
Decade on from nuclear disaster, Fukushima farmers fear contaminated water could hurt business
Japan plans to release more than 1 million tons of contaminated water from the Fukushima No. 1 plant into the sea from 2023 as part of an effort to clean up the site.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Politics
Oct 27, 2021
Kishida's nuclear push faces resistance ahead of election
Debate over whether to restart more reactors in Japan is highly charged, with 40% of the population opposing the move.
JAPAN / Politics
Sep 28, 2021
LGBTQ groups hope LDP's leadership race may lead to same-sex marriage in Japan
Of the four candidates for the Liberal Democratic Party leadership, Taro Kono and Seiko Noda have supported gay marriage. Within Asia, same-sex marriage is currently only legal in Taiwan.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Sep 26, 2021
Renewable energy firms pin hopes on Taro Kono winning race for Japan PM
Kono has long championed renewables for Japan and has promised an economic stimulus package focused on them if he wins.
Japan Times
OLYMPICS
Aug 6, 2021
Germany's Florian Wellbrock wins men's swimming marathon
Kristof Rasovszky of Hungary took silver and Gregorio Paltrinieri of Italy claimed bronze.
Japan Times
OLYMPICS
Jul 30, 2021
Record haul: Japan wins men's epee team event for 17th gold medal of the Tokyo Games
Japan took just under a week to earn a national record 17 golds at the Tokyo Olympics, topping the total won at the 1964 Tokyo Games and 2004 Athens Games.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Jun 27, 2021
Decades apart, father and son design Olympic aquatics venues in Tokyo
Paul Noritaka Tange has paid tribute to Kenzo Tange's 1964 venue with his design for the 2020 Tokyo Aquatics Center.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Jun 22, 2021
Olympic pin collectors lament loss of trading chances in Tokyo
Mostly produced by media and sponsors and given to their staff, the rarest badges can fetch hundreds of dollars on auction websites.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Mar 25, 2021
Japan prods U.S. to fix 'East Sea' reference over North Korea launches
Japan and South Korea have long been at odds over the name of the body of water between Japan and the Korean Peninsula.
JAPAN
Nov 25, 2020
Suga faces fire as controversy over Abe parties returns to spotlight
The prime minister was grilled by opposition lawmakers Wednesday over whether he made inaccurate claims at the Diet last year about a potential breach of laws on gift-giving.
Japan Times
PODCAST / deep dive
Aug 28, 2020
[Rebroadcast] What's the secret to Shinzo Abe's longevity?
This episode was originally recorded in December 2019, in a world that had not yet gone through the trials of the coronavirus, and when Japan was looking ahead to hosting the Olympics this summer.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY
Jul 16, 2020
A Tokyo temple offers pandemic-hit Vietnamese workers a safe haven
Lured by higher wages but often burdened by debt to recruiters, Vietnamese are the fastest-growing group of foreign nationals in Japan.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Jul 8, 2020
Masks, disinfectant, social distancing: Japan faces disasters amid pandemic
Authorities have been warning local officials for months to include virus measures in disaster preparations.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Mar 29, 2020
Japanese hotels lose out on Olympic bet as coronavirus spreads
The Osaka Corona Hotel has been eerily quiet and empty the past few weeks.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Feb 24, 2020
Japan's next restroom revolution? Phasing out squat toilets for Tokyo 2020
On southwestern Miyajima island, Hiroshima Prefecture, a short walk from one of the country's most famous ancient temple sites, there's a brand new attraction for tourists — a state-of-the art public toilet block nearly as big as a tennis court.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Politics / Outlook 2020
Jan 2, 2020
What will Abe do to cement his legacy?
If you look at Japan's 2020 political calendar now, it will look like it is going to be a relatively quiet one.
Japan Times
PODCAST / deep dive
Dec 12, 2019
Episode 32: What's the secret to Prime Minister Abe's longevity?
What has allowed Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to stay in office for such a long time?
JAPAN / Politics
Dec 9, 2019
Abe granted brief respite as scandal-hit extraordinary Diet session draws to a close
During the course of the session two ministers resigned, a plan for reforming college English-language tests was withdrawn and Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was accused of breaching election campaign laws.

Longform

Visitors walk past Sou Fujimoto's Grand Ring, which has been recognized as the largest wooden structure in the world.
Can a World Expo still matter? Japan is about to find out.