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May 03, 2024
 

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Faye Flam
For Faye Flam's latest contributions to The Japan Times, see below:
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Sep 8, 2021
Vaccines versus COVID-19: The great immunity debate
People who don’t want to get vaccinated will grasp at any new piece of information to justify their reluctance — the latest being some pretty good data suggesting that the natural immunity left after recovering from COVID-19 is stronger over the long run than immunity generated by the Pfizer vaccine.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Aug 11, 2021
Not vaccinated? Here’s how you could kill someone’s father
Misinformation, or even mere scientific confusion, can cause a lot of trouble when it appears to come out of the Centers for Disease Control.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Jul 30, 2021
Legitimate pain research is more crucial than ever
Researchers today say opioids are not only dangerous; they are not a good long-term solution for chronic pain sufferers. The relief tends to wane with time.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Jun 10, 2021
Facebook, YouTube erred in censoring COVID-19 ‘misinformation’
Social media fact-checkers don't have any special knowledge or ability to sort fact from misinformation. What they have is extraordinary power to shape what people believe.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Feb 17, 2021
The shapeshifting coronavirus may not be able to mutate forever
It’s been about a year since the early coronavirus alarms were raised, and despite a decline in infections, new fears are rising up. New COVID-19 variants are making pessimists worry that an even bigger next wave may be coming.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Feb 17, 2021
COVID-19 vaccine distribution has a fairness problem
Perfection is impossible. But there's a way to do justice to both science and ethics: Focus vaccines on geographic hot spots and the elderly.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Jan 3, 2021
Pandemic regrets … experts have a few
Two big trends emerged: lockdowns (too blunt) and testing (too slow). With months left to go before vaccination can curtail the pandemic, 2020's regrets should be 2021's lessons.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Nov 19, 2020
COVID-19 mutated. Can vaccines keep up?
So far, scientists have found only one mutation that improves the survival ability of the virus. The more transmissible strain is referred to as G614.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Nov 13, 2020
What happens to the other COVID-19 vaccines now?
If the vaccine created by Pfizer and partner BioNTech fails to live up to its promise, will any slower but better competitors have a chance?
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Aug 23, 2020
Wearing face masks outdoors isn’t always necessary
Joe Biden's call for a universal mask mandate is part of a confused public health message.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Jul 25, 2020
Don’t get depressed over those COVID-19 antibody studies
A real solution to the pandemic won't be found overnight, so be prepared for good news and bad along the way.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Jul 22, 2020
Asymptomatic spread has become bizarrely controversial
Political spinmeisters are making it hard to draw the fine distinctions needed to keep COVID-19 in check.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Jun 27, 2020
When to wear a mask and when you can skip it
With the guidance on masks during the pandemic having been conflicting, it's no wonder some people are confused.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Jun 16, 2020
We have the technology to stop a second wave
Scientists have devised cheap methods of tracking COVID-19, now we need a plan to deploy them.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Jun 6, 2020
The more COVID-19 vaccines, the merrier
With companies and universities around the world working flat out, it's likely we'll end up with a few coronavirus vaccines, not just one.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
May 30, 2020
How safe are pets from COVID-19?
Back in mid-April, I took my 13-year-old cat to the vet for some tests. They told me his chronic heart disease had worsened, but it was nothing alarming. His condition started to deteriorate a few days later, ultimately leading to a 3 a.m. trip to the emergency room on April 27. The emergency veterinarians told me his blood readings were baffling; X-rays showed blood clots in his lungs. He died later that day.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
May 18, 2020
Where to worry about catching COVID-19, and where not to
How the coronavirus spreads in the real world.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
May 17, 2020
A skirmish won in the war on cancer
Scientists have made a breakthrough in early testing.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
May 9, 2020
Why I just volunteered for a COVID-19 vaccine trial
The notion of testing COVID-19 vaccines by deliberately infecting volunteers with the novel coronavirus — something that’s now on the table — isn’t necessarily crazy or unethical. It’s smart, and has benefits that far outweigh the risks.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Apr 15, 2020
Reopening is more about ethics than science
But scientists can give us the information we need to make an informed decision.
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

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