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Kathryn Wortley
For Kathryn Wortley's latest contributions to The Japan Times, see below:
2024 marks the Year of the Dragon in the Chinese zodiac, with the year predicted to be a good time for fresh starts.
LIFE / Lifestyle / Longform
Jan 2, 2024
Opportunities await the bold in the Year of the Wood Dragon
From February, you can expect a rush of creativity, passion, courage and confidence with the arrival of the Wood Dragon, say astrologers.
A junior high school team poses for a picture on Oct. 30, 1929, the fourth day of the fifth Meiji Shrine Games.
JAPAN / History / Longform
Sep 16, 2023
Rugby turns 200: A history of the sport in Japan
As the sport of rugby turns 200, Japan hopes to celebrate its own success in a game that first arrived in the 1860s.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Longform
May 8, 2023
Japan's spin on 'workations' proves a hit
The market for the new work initiative that grew in popularity during the pandemic is predicted to be worth in excess of ¥100 billion in fiscal 2023.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink
Apr 23, 2023
Will tourists thirst for trips to a Japanese green tea mecca?
Tourists in Japan can find quality tea anywhere. These rural farmers, however, are hoping some travelers are willing to go far afield for excellent sips.
Japan Times
LIFE / Travel
Apr 17, 2023
Dark skies, bright future: Japan looks to the heavens for tourism appeal
With a number of dark sky locations offering unparalleled stargazing opportunities, communities are hoping to capitalize on the draw of the cosmos.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Longform
Mar 27, 2023
Can the return of international cruises bolster Japan’s beleaguered tourism industry?
The industry is struggling to deal with pandemic-induced challenges such as staff shortages and concerned residents near ports.
Japan Times
LIFE / Lifestyle / Longform
Jan 1, 2023
What to expect in the Year of the Rabbit
If 2022 felt a little hectic, the next 12 months could offer opportunities for relaxation, quietness and contemplation.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / Longform
Oct 3, 2022
What Japan’s iconic beef can teach us about ‘soft power’
The upcoming u2018Wagyu Olympicsu2019 in Kagoshima Prefecture is expected to create much-needed buzz about the industry among consumers at home and abroad.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / Longform
Aug 8, 2022
What will it take for Japan to embrace plant-based meat?
With consumers nationwide becoming more health-conscious, soy-based alternatives to animal-based sources of protein appear to be growing on Japan.
Japan Times
LIFE / Travel / Longform
Jul 25, 2022
Back in business? The key sector missing out on Japan's tourism reboot
Organizers of international conferences and exhibitions will need to wait a little longer before business travelers return to Japan in droves.
Japan Times
ENVIRONMENT
Jul 16, 2022
Drowning in plastic? Biodegradable materials could be a lifesaver.
It’s official: In March, the United Nations Environmental Assembly endorsed a global pact on the life cycle of plastic. It has been declared a seismic shift in the battle against marine pollution, but what will happen to the oceans before those potential positive effects come?
Japan Times
LIFE / Travel / Longform
Jul 9, 2022
How rice can revive Japan’s tourism industry
The culinary staple has potential to give the countryu2019s travel sector a shot in the arm if it can take advantage of rising demand for sustainable tourism.
Japan Times
ENVIRONMENT / Longform
Mar 14, 2022
Plastic love: Proliferation of PET bottles in Japan complicates a sustainable future
Japan recycles and reuses its ubiquitous plastic container more than almost any other country u2014 but some say itu2019s still not enough.
Japan Times
OLYMPICS / Longform
Jan 31, 2022
The legacy of the 1972 Sapporo Winter Olympics
As we count down to the opening of the 2022 Games in Beijing next month, we examine the impact of the first Winter Olympics held in Asia on Hokkaidou2019s largest city.
Japan Times
LIFE / Lifestyle / Longform
Jan 1, 2022
What to expect in the Year of the Tiger
Astrologers say the tiger denotes strength, vitality and growth u2014 qualities that will hopefully stand us in good stead as we look to move past the uncertainty that COVID-19 has wrought.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Issues / THE FOREIGN ELEMENT
Nov 8, 2021
Forty years of empowering women in Japan
In the 40 years since its inception, FEW Japan has gone from serving a specific subset of non-Japanese women in the country to broadening its scope to help all women living here.
Japan Times
LIFE / Lifestyle
Jun 13, 2021
Mental health during the pandemic: ‘A lot of us feel like we’re in a dark tunnel’
More than one year on, Japan is still subject to pandemic-related stresses and government-imposed measures. How is this impacting long-term mental health?
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Longform
Jun 7, 2021
Change of direction: Opting for a midlife career change
The pandemicu2019s impact on peopleu2019s lives has caused many to rethink not only work goals and priorities, but also how work affects their quality of life.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Tech / Longform
May 10, 2021
As the world grays, Japan’s aging market showcases high-tech senior care
Home to the oldest population anywhere on Earth, Japan offers an opportunity to startups operating on medtechu2019s frontier.
Japan Times
LIFE / Lifestyle
Mar 20, 2021
The pandemic left Japanese students studying abroad scrambling. A year later, what’s happened to their academic dreams?
Students who had their programs disrupted are grappling with tough choices: study online, wait until borders reopen or abandon their study abroad.

Longform

A statue of "Dragon Ball" character Goku stands outside the offices of Bandai Namco in Tokyo. The figure is now as recognizable as such characters as Mickey Mouse and Spider-Man.
Akira Toriyama's gift to the world