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Junko Horiuchi
For Junko Horiuchi's latest contributions to The Japan Times, see below:
Sakie Yokota, whose daughter, Megumi, was abducted by North Korea at age 13 in 1977, speaks in an interview in Kawasaki, Kanagawa Prefecture, on Feb. 20 with photos of Megumi and Kim Eun Gyong, Megumi's daughter, by her side.
JAPAN
Mar 19, 2024
Abductee's mom pins hopes on fresh Japan-North Korea talks
Sakie Yokota, 88, the mother of abductee Megumi Yokota, is pushing for the two countries' leaders to sit down for talks soon.
Sakie Yokota speaks in an interview on Oct. 27 in Kawasaki. Yokota's daughter Megumi was abducted in Japan and taken to North Korea at the age of 13 some 45 years ago.
JAPAN
Jan 11, 2024
Mother of North Korea abductee awaits reunion as health woes mount
Sakie Yokota says her firm resolve to rescue her daughter Megumi seems to keep pushing her forward.
Tetsu Nakamura was a Japanese doctor who spent decades addressing some of the root causes of Afghanistan’s health crisis. He was killed, along with five others by still-unidentified armed men in Jalalabad, Afghanistan, on Dec. 4, 2019.
CULTURE / Film
Jan 5, 2024
New film ensures slain Japanese doctor's Afghan legacy lives on
An English-language documentary is set to introduce the humanitarian feats of Tetsu Nakamura, who spent decades tackling Afghanistan’s health crisis, to a new audience.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
May 2, 2023
The startup tackling waste disposal with microorganisms
Komham supplies bacteria that can process 98% of organic waste into water and carbon dioxide in just 24 hours.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Apr 14, 2023
U.S. may seek to export hydrogen to Japan in decarbonization push
The United States is expected to select nationwide hydrogen hubs by this fall, and exporting it to Japan is 'possible,' the U.S. energy secretary said.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Feb 24, 2023
Japan core consumer prices up 4.2% in January, the fastest in over 41 years
Excluding volatile fresh food items, the core consumer price index was above the Bank of Japan's 2% inflation target for the 10th straight month.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Feb 7, 2023
Vending machines make duty-free shopping easier for travelers in Japan
Travelers can pre-order items online and pick them up at automated retail machines at airports or other transport hubs in major cities including Tokyo.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Jan 3, 2023
Femtech taking off in Japan, but room for further growth remains
Analysts say consumers, businesses and the government must cooperate to help develop the industry.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Nov 17, 2022
Anniversary brings more torment to mother of girl abducted by North Korea
Sakie Yokota says her yearning for any information about her daughter Megumi's whereabouts remains unrelenting.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
Oct 21, 2022
ICC head keen to set up court's first regional office in Japan
'I personally would be keen for the ICC to have a permanent presence in the region, especially in Japan,' ICC President Piotr Hofmanski said in an interview in Tokyo.
Japan Times
JAPAN / FOCUS
Aug 8, 2021
A 'parallel world': the Tokyo Olympics and the public disconnect
For now, people may bask in the heroic performances of the Olympic athletes, but some experts say the government may soon face a backlash for going ahead with the Games amid the pandemic.
Japan Times
JAPAN / FOCUS
Jul 31, 2021
As Olympic fever hits Japan, virus threat looms ominously
Although the surge in COVID-19 cases has not been directly linked to the Games, the celebratory atmosphere that followed their kickoff may play a role in the virus's spread, one expert said.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink
Jul 27, 2021
Olympic hosts ensure athletes get taste of Japan despite restrictions
Japanese food items, both traditional and popular, including ramen and udon noodles, rice balls, tempura and okonomiyaki pancakes are on the menu at the athletes village.
Japan Times
OLYMPICS
Jun 28, 2021
IOC weighs addition of pandemic-boosted virtual sports to Olympics
The inaugural virtual sports series marked the global sports body's first foray into an online gaming world that has boomed during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Jun 21, 2021
Tokyo Games athletes' village, with anti-virus measures, unveiled to media
Around 18,000 athletes and officials are set to live together in 21 residential buildings inside the 44-hectare village in the Harumi waterfront district of Tokyo.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Politics
May 4, 2021
Myanmar's economic woes may help Japan persuade junta to end crisis
Experts suggest Japan, in partnership with ASEAN, broker talks between the junta and the National Unity Government as the country has ties with both sides.
Japan Times
JAPAN / FOCUS
Apr 17, 2021
Japanese government under pressure to target deep emissions cut by 2030
To address the matter, Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga's government is set to release a new carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions target for fiscal 2030.
Japan Times
JAPAN / FOCUS
Apr 13, 2021
Fukushima water release to prolong seafood safety woes
Concerns among fishermen and consumers are rooted in persistent distrust among the Japanese public toward the government and Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings Inc.
Japan Times
JAPAN / FOCUS
Mar 21, 2021
No foreign spectators at Tokyo Olympics mirrors Suga's weak standing
As Suga scrambles to contain the coronavirus, he has been treading carefully not to invite more criticism over the government's handling of the pandemic ahead of a fall election.
Japan Times
Special Supplements / Bosai Special
Mar 11, 2021
Fukushima No. 1 cleanup plan only getting tougher
The decades-long challenge to scrap the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear plant, crippled by the massive earthquake and tsunami that struck northeastern Japan in 2011, is becoming more complex as new probes highlight just how damaged the reactors are.

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