National Dec 19, 2021

Two Japanese LGBTQ rights activists of different faiths find common ground

Homophobia in a country that has yet to legalize gay marriage has not stopped two Tokyo-based religious leaders from doing what they are called to do.

Issues | THE FOREIGN ELEMENT Feb 13, 2021

Why a Japanese man proudly took his wife's last name

Shu Matsuo Post calls himself a feminist, but he wasn't born one. For the first 28 years of his life, he says he never tried to understand what it was like to be a girl or woman in a patriarchal society. He eventually met his ...

National / Social Issues Nov 17, 2020

Retired Olympian reshaping conversation around athletes' periods

Swimmer Hanae Ito is setting out to debunk myths and ensure both boys and girls receive proper education about menstruation.

Travel Sep 30, 2020

Meet the Japanese omotenashi consultant selling what money can't buy

Travel has become about priceless experiences, and Luxurique goes the extra mile to fulfill requests, often involving hidden gems not on local radars.

Issues | THE FOREIGN ELEMENT Aug 19, 2020

Digital nomads opt to ride out the pandemic in Japan

When Viet Nguyen and Liezl Van Riper decided to worldschool their kids they had no idea a global pandemic would come into play.

J. League Jul 5, 2020

Pandemic helps soccer star strike new balance at home

While soccer has been on hiatus, Yoshito Okubo has embraced the domestic life.

Culture May 8, 2020

Follow the leader: How COVID-19 could unlock Japan's giving potential

As celebrities reveal details about their charitable giving during the COVID-19 pandemic, some feel it could be the start of a new attitude to donating money in Japan.

National Apr 19, 2020

Japan's funeral industry scrambles to adapt in anticipation of rise in COVID-19 deaths

While health care providers are bearing the brunt of the coronavirus pandemic fight, the funeral industry is bracing for action behind the front lines.

More Sports Mar 30, 2020

Wrestler So Sakabe shares tale of struggle to get doping ban overturned

If anyone knows about the complexities of anti-doping rule violations, it's Greco-Roman wrestler So Sakabe. After overturning a positive drug test and avoiding a two-year ban from the sport, Sakabe has filed a lawsuit against two generic pharmaceutical manufacturers that he claims gave him contaminated ...

National / Science & Health Jan 15, 2020

Japanese 'lactivist' seeks to help young moms overcome breastfeeding hurdles

Midori Ogino champions breastfeeding as a biological gift that helps newborns survive and thrive. Making it a cultural norm and erasing societal taboos over breastfeeding in public is an investment that pays back many times over. Ogino is a so-called lactivist not because she pushes ...