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BUSINESS / EXPLAINER
Mar 29, 2020

A closer look at Kansai Electric and its gift-giving scandal

Earlier this month, Kansai Electric Power Co. concluded that scores of its employees had received cash and gifts worth hundreds of millions of yen from an influential politician in a Fukui Prefecture town where the utility operates a nuclear power plant. The revelations by Kepco's investigative panel...
BUSINESS
Mar 29, 2020

Japan restaurants embrace takeout and seek regulars’ help in COVID-19 crisis

Restaurants in Japan are navigating rough waters amid the COVID-19 pandemic, inspiring new ideas as they try to come up with ways to remain afloat.
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC
Mar 29, 2020

South Korea to impose coronavirus quarantine on all arrivals

Every person arriving in South Korea from overseas will soon be required to undergo two weeks of quarantine to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus, the country's prime minister said Sunday.
Japan Times
MORE SPORTS
Mar 29, 2020

NFL draft goes from extravaganza to unadorned this year

An NFL draft handled remotely because of the coronavirus pandemic is the latest twist to an event that has become as popular as any pro football happening short of the Super Bowl.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Mar 29, 2020

Snow and store closures keep Tokyo crowds at bay over critical coronavirus weekend

A rare late-March snowfall coupled with numerous store closures helped keep Tokyo residents indoors Sunday, day two of a crucial weekend in the city's attempt to contain the spread of COVID-19.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Politics
Mar 29, 2020

Steps limited for Japan's government even if it declares coronavirus emergency

With a skyrocketing number of new COVID-19 patients over the last few days, Japan appears to be edging closer to declaring a state of emergency, a measure the central government has characterized as a last resort in the battle against the deadly virus.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / FOCUS
Mar 29, 2020

Global wave of consumer default underway, beginning in China

Like millions of people around the world, Zhang Chunzi borrowed money she thought she would be able to repay. Then the new coronavirus changed everything.
Japan Times
WORLD / Science & Health
Mar 29, 2020

U.S. immigration rules bar thousands of foreign nurses

As the coronavirus pandemic threatens to strain nursing staffs at hospitals across the United States, Melanie N. Beckham knows where to find reinforcements. But first, the Trump administration needs to give its approval.
Japan Times
WORLD / Crime & Legal
Mar 29, 2020

Ex-Venezuelan spy chief Hugo Carvajal may surrender to U.S.

The former head of Venezuela's military intelligence unit, Hugo Carvajal, is discussing his possible surrender with U.S. authorities, three people familiar with the matter said on Saturday, after prosecutors charged him earlier in the week with drug trafficking, alongside Venezuelan President Nicolas...
Japan Times
OLYMPICS
Mar 29, 2020

Disappointed Naomi Osaka voices support for postponement of Tokyo Olympics

Tennis star Naomi Osaka, the poster girl of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, took to social media on Saturday to show her support for the decision to postpone the games until next year.
Japan Times
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.
Japan Times
CARTOONS / ZERO GRAVITY
Mar 29, 2020

Sakura Tweet

Japan Times
BUSINESS / Economy
Mar 28, 2020

Fed brings the global financial system back from the abyss

Sitting calmly in front of a bookshelf filled with thick volumes of the "Federal Reserve Bulletin," Jerome Powell this week set out to offer a simple explanation for the complicated steps the U.S. central bank is taking to relieve dire stresses in the global financial system.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Mar 28, 2020

Abe urges vigilance to avoid COVID-19 spike and vows extraordinary steps to aid economy

The prime minister said the virus battle would be a long one, especially if people drop their guard, but pledged economic relief surpassing that for the 2008 financial crisis.
JAPAN
Mar 28, 2020

Flying low: The battle over Tokyo’s airspace

Haneda Airport's new flight paths commence despite concerns from aviation experts and public opposition.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Media / MEDIA MIX
Mar 28, 2020

Winning the media battle against COVID-19

On March 12, the Sankei Shimbun ran an editorial urging the media to refrain from criticizing the government for its handling of the coronavirus emergency. The Sankei Shimbun was elaborating on a complaint made by former TV announcer Yoshiko Sakurai that the press was not properly instilling in the public...
Japan Times
JAPAN / Media / BIG IN JAPAN
Mar 28, 2020

Face masks can foster a false sense of security

What’s happening in Japan is written all over our faces — our blank, expressionless, masked faces. Never before, it seems safe to say, have so many people gone about masked.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / NATURE'S PANTRY
Mar 28, 2020

Japanese mountain vegetables are the epitome of spring

As the snow melts and spring approaches, sansai (mountain vegetables) start to flourish. These greens are the true harbingers of Japanese spring, offering a refreshingly bitter counterpart to the typically mild vegetality of other spring vegetables such as peas and asparagus. Without exception, when...
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / WHY DID YOU LEAVE JAPAN?
Mar 28, 2020

Mitsukuni Baba: Japanese culture blossoms in the Windy City

As executive director of the Japan America Society of Chicago (JASC), Mitsukuni Baba plays an integral role in introducing Japan to the people of Chicago in terms of business, politics, education and culture.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink
Mar 28, 2020

Shiho Sakamoto: Designing wagashi for the 21st century

Wagashi designer Shiho Sakamoto is embracing technology, using Instagram, video and even 3D printing to introduce wagashi sweets to new generations around the world.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / KONBINI WATCH
Mar 28, 2020

Chocolate, chips and coffee: The ideal snack combination?

Chocolate-covered potato chips aren’t a new idea. It’s a tried-and-true combination that has proven to be a delight over the years. How do you improve on that?
Japan Times
JAPAN / Media / Japan Pulse
Mar 28, 2020

Postponement of 2020 Olympics sends social media into a frenzy

It was only a matter of time before the COVID-19 pandemic forced the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics to change tack. After months of speculation, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe announced Tuesday night that the games would be postponed until 2021.
CULTURE / Books
Mar 28, 2020

The seemingly perfect world of author Clarissa Goenawan

Set in Japan, Clarissa Goenawan's eagerly anticipated second novel, 'The Perfect World of Miwako Sumida,' has a winsome tone, harkening to the early works of Banana Yoshimoto.
CULTURE / Books / RECENTLY PUBLISHED BOOKS ABOUT JAPAN
Mar 28, 2020

'Grit, Grace, and Gold' review: The Olympics are postponed, but this book's a winner

On the surface, sports and haiku are an incongruous mix but, as Nagamura notes in the introduction, 'Writing good haiku involves the same attention to grace, balance, strength, bravery, restraint and observation that propels athletes to their peak.'
CULTURE / Books / RECENTLY PUBLISHED BOOKS ABOUT JAPAN
Mar 28, 2020

'The Salaryman' review: Spilling the secrets of Japan's everyman

Alongside its humor, Michael Thuresson's recent memoir, "The Salaryman," provides an insightful look at Japan's corporate workforce. In 2008, Thuresson was a 32-year-old product manager at a small LA software startup who suddenly landed a high-paying job with a Japanese corporation of over 50,000 employees....
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / 20 QUESTIONS
Mar 28, 2020

Joseph Everett: Learn to make your own healthy decisions

Joseph Everett shares what he's learned as a YouTuber

Longform

Growing families are being priced out of Tokyo’s condo market, forced to choose between downtown convenience and suburban space.
Is living in central Tokyo still affordable?