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April 25, 2024
 

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Michael Taylor
For Michael Taylor's latest contributions to The Japan Times, see below:
A worker stands on a pile of rice sacks as the other worker carries a sack of rice at the warehouse in Jakarta on Feb.13. Dry weather fueled by El Nino has led to a rice shortage and sent prices to record highs.
ASIA PACIFIC
Apr 1, 2024
As El Nino bites, Indonesians struggle with record-high rice prices
Rice has been an integral part of Indonesian history and culture since ancient times, and is one of the country's most important agricultural commodities.
Activists hold placards during a rally ahead of environment day in Jakarta on June 4, 2023.
ENVIRONMENT / Climate change
Feb 1, 2024
Green pledges lack ambition, say Indonesian youth ahead of vote
While candidates have spoken during campaigns about the urgent risks posed by climate change, in a new development, detail is missing from policies.
Smoke and steam billow from a coal-fired power plant in Suralaya, Banten province, Indonesia.
ENVIRONMENT / Energy
Nov 13, 2023
Can Indonesia deliver a green power plan for the people?
Communities impacted by a major climate deal are at risk of losing out because they have had limited involvement in planning the transition so far.
Tourists enjoy the sunset at Bali's Canggu beach in 2021.
ENVIRONMENT / Sustainability
Oct 19, 2023
In Bali, 'sea-sun-sand' tourists threaten ancient rainforest
The island seeks to limit visitors without scaring off too many job-creating visitors with exorbitant taxes.
A municipality worker collects garbage, most of which is plastic and domestic waste, along the shore of Jakarta.
ENVIRONMENT / Sustainability
Sep 4, 2023
Trash to treasure: Indonesian firm turns plastic into bricks
The company mixes volcanic ash, mountain stones, plastic waste and cement to make its bricks, which do not contain sand like regular ones.
A man catches a fish along the bank overlooking the Singapore skyline shrouded by haze in 2015.
ENVIRONMENT / Climate change
Jul 27, 2023
As El Nino fuels fire risk, Southeast Asia faces haze crisis
Officials met in Singapore last month, where they vowed to work together to monitor fires and curb pollution.
Japan Times
WORLD
Apr 11, 2023
Could an EU law to save the rainforest destroy palm oil farmers?
The long list of requirements will be hard for small-scale farmers to meet, and could push risk-averse palm oil buyers in Europe to switch to larger plantations with deeper pockets.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Feb 24, 2023
Southeast Asia lags in electric vehicles. Can it catch up?
About 80% of the vehicles in Southeast Asia are two- and three-wheelers — meaning EV transition will differ greatly from countries motivated to the electrify cars.
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC
Feb 3, 2023
Malaysia faces 'inconvenient truth' on clean energy goals
With renewables today accounting only for about 9% of Malaysia's electricity generation capacity, the government targets seem 'highly unrealistic.'
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC
Jan 22, 2023
Under Anwar Ibrahim, Malaysia can use global funds to 'do better' on climate
So far, Anwar has focused on corruption and the rising cost of living but has said little on how he will bolster Malaysia's green credentials.
Japan Times
WORLD / ANALYSIS
Jan 13, 2023
China and Canada pressed on biodiversity leadership after delivering COP15 pact
The two countries, which worked together to broker a landmark global deal to protect nature, now need to help countries meet biodiversity goals at the national level, green groups say.
Japan Times
WORLD / ANALYSIS
Oct 20, 2022
Indonesia to strike green energy deal with rich nations at G20 summit
The multibillion-dollar agreement is expected to help Indonesia retire coal-fired plants early and ramp up investment in renewables.
Japan Times
WORLD / ANALYSIS
Sep 29, 2022
With forestry pledges stuttering, could an indigenous funding boost offer hope?
The forthcoming COP27 in Egypt could offer a 'breakthrough' if parties convincingly demonstrate how to fund and work with indigenous peoples on forest conservation.
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC
Aug 21, 2022
Can Indonesia's Muslim leaders help combat climate change?
From packed mosques to Islamic boarding schools, Indonesia's imams have been urged to boost conservation efforts.
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC / ANALYSIS
May 26, 2022
Australia urged to quickly ditch coal to meet new climate goals
New Prime Minister Anthony Albanese of center-left Labor has promised to end the 'climate wars' that have dogged politics in Australia for years.
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC
Apr 27, 2022
Australia's 'climate wars' truce leaves flood victims in election no-man's land
Climate change is struggling to get much traction as an issue ahead of Australia's general election on May 21.
Japan Times
WORLD
Mar 21, 2022
'Invisible' solution to water shortages lies beneath our feet
Groundwater — which accounts for 99% of the planet's freshwater supplies — is poorly understood and consequently undervalued, mismanaged and even abused.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Jan 27, 2022
Malaysia's Sabah aims to be world's first 'green' palm oil state
Palm oil is the world's most widely used edible oil, found in everything from margarine to soap, but it has faced heavy scrutiny from green activists.
Japan Times
WORLD
Dec 29, 2021
How world leaders can make their COP26 deforestation pledge a reality
More than 100 leaders agreed to halt and reverse harm to forests and land by 2030, but similar zero-deforestation pledges had repeatedly been made and not met.
Japan Times
WORLD
Dec 10, 2021
Omicron variant threatens U.N. talks to seal global nature deal
The rapid spread of the omicron variant around the world could throw a spanner in the works of the COP15 nature talks scheduled for April 25 in Beijing.
'Sugar Baby Riri' gets nine-year prison term over romance scam
Mai Watanabe, who went by the moniker “Sugar Baby Riri,” dated older men and swindled them out of money by telling them fictitious heartbreaking stories about herself to gain their sympathy.
Tokyo issues strong warning on yen intervention as currency dips further
Finance Minister Shunichi Suzuki speaks during a meeting with U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and South Korean Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok on the sidelines of IMF and G20 meetings in Washington last week.
Japan’s cannabis market growing rapidly amid regulatory shift
The legality of products that contain cannabinoids, a group of substances derived from the cannabis plant, has been somewhat murky in Japan.
North Korean animators may be involved in Japan anime production, report says
North Korean animators may be involved in the production of some Japanese and U.S. animated shows, according to a report by a website providing analysis on North Korea.
New workers name Shohei Ohtani as 'dream boss' for two years running
Shohei Ohtani has been overwhelmingly voted as the “dream boss” for people who started working in April, according to a survey.
A craft beer crawl through Tokyo’s top bars, brewpubs and dives
If all you drink is Asahi, Sapporo and Kirin, you're depriving yourself of some of the best craft beer Tokyo has to offer — and there sure is a lot of it out there.
'Sugar Baby Riri' gets nine-year prison term over romance scam
Mai Watanabe, who went by the moniker “Sugar Baby Riri,” dated older men and swindled them out of money by telling them fictitious heartbreaking stories about herself to gain their sympathy.
Tsukiji 2030s: A stadium, culinary center and transportation hub
A computer-generated image shows redevelopment plans for the former site of the Tsukiji fish market in Tokyo.
Hearing the impact of climate change in Okinawa, one bird call at a time
Toshihiro Kinjo (center), a research support technician at the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology, inspects an audio recording device in Ginowan, Okinawa Prefecture, on April 3 as Masako Ogasawara, a research support specialist at OIST, looks on.

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

Later this month, author Shogo Imamura will open Honmaru, a bookstore that allows other businesses to rent its shelves. It's part of a wave of ideas Japanese booksellers are trying to compete with online spaces.
The story isn't over for Japan's bookstores
By Alex K.T. Martin

SUSTAINABLE JAPAN

Prize winner Maki Imoto catches light with glass
Prize winner Maki Imoto catches light with glass

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