For Ayano Shimizu's latest contributions to The Japan Times, see below:
While some are keen to show off the progress the Tohoku region has made in the past 10 years, others feel the government has used the 2011 disasters to promote the Olympics.
The relay will be a crucial opportunity for organizers to convince people that it is capable of safely staging the games amid the pandemic.
As well as being a momentum building exercise for the Olympics, the relay also serves as a much-needed PR opportunity for traditional sports in Japan.
The "Omusubi Unites the World" program lets participants combine local rice with fillings inspired by popular international dishes.
'We have, at this moment, no reason whatsoever to believe that the Olympic Games in Tokyo will not open on the 23rd of July,' the IOC chief says.
Municipalities set to welcome athletes are now scrambling to come up with effective measures to protect their health, despite not knowing what to expect next summer.
With fears over the coronavirus continuing, students are taking part in remote excursions from the safety of their classrooms.
Michio Hakariya had begun to feel that his inability to speak directly to foreign audiences was blunting his message.
Hiroshima Mayor Kazumi Matsui said countries should put aside their differences and come together to overcome both man-made and natural challenges.
The work of Iri and Toshi Maruki depicts the aftermath of the August 1945 bombings along with other aspects of World War II.
