National Mar 25, 2021

Japan prods U.S. to fix 'East Sea' reference over North Korea launches

Japan and South Korea have long been at odds over the name of the body of water between Japan and the Korean Peninsula.

National Nov 25, 2020

Suga faces fire as controversy over Abe parties returns to spotlight

The prime minister was grilled by opposition lawmakers Wednesday over whether he made inaccurate claims at the Diet last year about a potential breach of laws on gift-giving.

DEEP DIVE Aug 28, 2020

[Rebroadcast] What's the secret to Shinzo Abe's longevity?

This episode was originally recorded in December 2019, in a world that had not yet gone through the trials of the coronavirus, and when Japan was looking ahead to hosting the Olympics this summer.

Community Jul 16, 2020

A Tokyo temple offers pandemic-hit Vietnamese workers a safe haven

Lured by higher wages but often burdened by debt to recruiters, Vietnamese are the fastest-growing group of foreign nationals in Japan.

National Jul 8, 2020

Masks, disinfectant, social distancing: Japan faces disasters amid pandemic

Authorities have been warning local officials for months to include virus measures in disaster preparations.

Business Mar 29, 2020

Japanese hotels lose out on Olympic bet as coronavirus spreads

The Osaka Corona Hotel has been eerily quiet and empty the past few weeks. “Our name is extremely regrettable,” Kohei Fujii, the hotel’s sales director, said with a sigh as he sat in an empty cafe in the lobby. A sign advertising discounted bottles of ...

National Feb 24, 2020

Japan's next restroom revolution? Phasing out squat toilets for Tokyo 2020

On southwestern Miyajima island, Hiroshima Prefecture, a short walk from one of the country's most famous ancient temple sites, there's a brand new attraction for tourists — a state-of-the art public toilet block nearly as big as a tennis court. The 183-square-meter facility — created ...

National / Politics | Outlook 2020 Jan 2, 2020

What will Abe do to cement his legacy?

If you look at Japan's 2020 political calendar now, it will look like it is going to be a relatively quiet one. The one event looming large on the horizon is the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics. With the global spectacle taking center stage, it's ...

DEEP DIVE Dec 12, 2019

Episode 32: What's the secret to Prime Minister Abe's longevity?

What has allowed Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to stay in office for such a long time?

National / Politics Dec 9, 2019

Abe granted brief respite as scandal-hit extraordinary Diet session draws to a close

During the course of the session two ministers resigned, a plan for reforming college English-language tests was withdrawn and Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was accused of breaching election campaign laws.