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Japan Times
JAPAN / Regional Voices: Hokkaido
Jan 16, 2023

Manga and anime helping Tomakomai to boost tourism sector

In an effort to attract visitors, people in charge of community development in Tomakomai have begun to pay attention to the city's manga and anime resources.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Jan 16, 2023

Nagoya uses auto industry ties to position itself as a startup hub

This transition period comes at a time when the national government has made the creation of startups a priority as it seeks to bolster the economy.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Jan 14, 2023

Superorganism’s Orono Noguchi: 'I've chilled out on my stubbornness about hating Japan'

The Japanese vocalist has strong opinions about her home country. Meanwhile, she and her pop band get intergalactic on their second album, 'World Wide Pop.'
Japan Times
LIFE
Jan 7, 2023

Across Japan, baby names are getting more creative

Despite a government-managed list of acceptable kanji, parents are choosing more unique readings for their children than ever before.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / How-tos
Jan 5, 2023

Listen up! Podcasts can help with that perennial resolution to learn Japanese

It's New Year's resolution time, did you make yours? If you're looking to improve your Japanese listening skills in 2023 then these podcasts have you covered.
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 / Style & Design
Dec 30, 2022

Arata Isozaki, prolific Japanese architect, dies at 91

In major structures in a dozen countries, including the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles, Isozaki absorbed and reinterpreted Eastern and Western traditions.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music / 2022 in Review
Dec 23, 2022

The big J-pop hits of 2022? They came from TikTok and anime.

Acts such as Kaze Fujii and Sekai No Owari found success via viral trends, while artists like Ado and Aimer topped the charts thanks to anime collaborations.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film / 2022 in Review
Dec 22, 2022

Anime continued its dominance in 2022

Anime proved to be bankable content in chaotic times, with 'One Piece' and 'Dragon Ball' scoring big at the box office, while major streaming services expanded their anime offerings.
Japan Times
OLYMPICS
Dec 20, 2022

IOC chief Thomas Bach faces 'dilemma' over Russian athletes

The International Olympic Committee has agreed to 'explore' a proposal allowing athletes from Russia and Belarus to compete in international events in Asia.
Japan Times
ESG CONSORTIUM
Dec 19, 2022

Tsukuba’s outlying R8 districts realize and promote their charms

“There is nothing in this town” — this is a phrase you too often hear when asking a resident of a rural area in Japan about places to go and things to see. And it was exactly what many participants said in 2018 at the first residents’ workshop for the promotion of the area surrounding the central...
Japan Times
PODCAST / deep dive
Dec 14, 2022

25 years on from the protocol’s signing, did we ever 'Kyoto'?

Dec. 11 marked the 25th anniversary of the Kyoto Protocol, a landmark treaty that put the idea of global effort to save the planet on many national radars. To mark the event, The Japan Times has launched a new section, Our Planet, that will look at the climate crisis, earth science and disaster management...
Unlike Silicon Valley, many Asian societies, due to their penchant for risk aversion, need more government support to boost early-stage deep-tech innovation.
COMMENTARY / World
May 18, 2025

Government capital is not just 'silly money'

Unlike Silicon Valley's predominantly private-sector-driven ecosystem, many Asian societies exhibit greater risk aversion, necessitating proactive government involvement.
Construction equipment sits idle in a park near Shiba Toshogu shrine in Tokyo's Minato Ward. While Japan has a history of treating its trees with reverence, green coverage is said to be lacking in most of the major cities.
ENVIRONMENT / Earth science / Longform
May 26, 2025

Do Japan's trees no longer occupy the sacred space they used to?

Trees have long occupied a sacred place in Japanese culture. In the fast pace of the 21st century, however, they're increasingly losing out to progress.
Silversea Cruises' culinary program takes guests on a rich gourmet experience at wellness retreat Zenbo Seinei, where the local produce is presented in an eight-course meal.
LIFE / Food & Drink
Jun 1, 2025

Waves of umami: Awaji Island's culinary trove

Silver Nova, one of Silversea Cruises’ newest vessels, takes guests on a food excursion on the largest island of the Seto Inland Sea with an immersive gourmet program.
Urawa's supporters cheer before the J. League football match against Fagiano Okayama at Saitama Stadium 2002 on March 8, 2025.
SOCCER / J. League
Jun 10, 2025

With shades of Man Utd, Urawa vows to bring the noise at Club World Cup

While the fallen English giants won't be at the Club World Cup, Urawa Reds will and are set to be roared on in the United States by more than 5,000 followers.
People lay flowers and candles at a makeshift memorial site in front of a school in Graz, southeastern Austria, on Thursday, a day after 11 people died in a school shooting.
WORLD / Crime & Legal / ANALYSIS
Jun 16, 2025

Killings at European schools fan concern U.S. problem is spreading

The spate of school shootings is increasing momentum for tougher gun and security laws as well as more policing of social media.
Mexican designer Italia Segovia, 26, known as "Kumiko," poses for a picture wearing clothes from her brand Chicanjuku.
LIFE / Style & Design
Jun 26, 2025

Mexican designer blends Chicano and Harajuku styles

Designer Italia "Kumiko" Segovia says experimentation is great as long as it's from a place of knowledge and respect.
An illustration of a scene from the fourth act of "Aoto Zōshi Hana no Nishiki-e" by Toyokuni Utagawa III (1862).
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Jun 26, 2025

Take your first steps into the world of kabuki with these basic terms

The language of Japanese theater is full of double — even triple — meanings. Knowing the terminology is the first step in understanding it.
In an effort to move past its troubled legacy, Kobayashi Pharmaceutical has replaced its president twice and appointed an external chairman.
BUSINESS / Companies / FOCUS
Jul 8, 2025

Despite leadership changes, Kobayashi Pharma still struggling with reform

The Osaka-based company has replaced its president twice and appointed an external chairman, seeking to reduce the influence of the founding family seen as a cause of the scandal.
Milpa's inventive food combines Mexican cooking techniques with Japanese ingredients
LIFE / Food & Drink
Jul 11, 2025

With fine dining, Milpa frees Mexican food from the grips of the taco

The Michelin-starred restaurant in Osaka wants to show Japanese diners that its cuisine has a creative breadth beyond tortillas.
Emperor Naruhito plays the viola at a banquet hosted by the Mongolian first couple on July 8 in Ulaanbaatar.
JAPAN / Politics / FOCUS
Jul 13, 2025

Japan's emperor and empress deepen ties with Mongolia

At the 80th anniversary of the end of WWII, the Emperor and Empress paid tribute to Japanese who died in Mongolia during the aftermath of the war.
Mahatma Gandhi led the Indian independence movement with an unshakable faith in nonviolence that arguably dovetailed with Zen philosophy in some respects.
JAPAN / History / The Living Past
Jul 19, 2025

Gandhi’s philosophy of nonviolence — and Zen?

The Indian nationalist’s beliefs hewed close to certain aspects of Zen thought, particularly his fearlessness in the face of death.
One of the entrances to Pao Compound, a nine-story Silk Road-inspired complex in Tokyo's Higashinakano neighborhood
LIFE / Lifestyle
Jul 19, 2025

Touring the Silk Road — without leaving Tokyo

Located near Higashinakano Station, Pao Compound is an eclectic mix of restaurants, event spaces and an affinity for cultural exploration.
The Microsoft logo is seen at the Hannover Messe, one of the world's largest industrial trade fairs in Hanover, Germany, on March 31.
BUSINESS / Tech
Jul 22, 2025

Microsoft rushes to stop hackers from wreaking global havoc

Unidentified hackers are exploiting a flaw in the SharePoint document management software to break into the systems of governments, businesses and other organizations.
Wakana, a Japanese fan of Thai BL, visits a temple in Thon Buri, Bangkok featured in the Thai adaptation of the Japanese series “Cherry Magic.” Her media consumption kindled an interest in Thai culture and language, and ultimately led her to relocate to Thailand. “I fell in love with the whole country,” she says.
COMMUNITY / Issues / The Foreign Element
Jul 28, 2025

Boys’ love dramas from Thailand make waves in Japan

Thailand has become a top producer of BL (boys’ love) dramas — and audiences in Japan are among the most ardent consumers.
The dashboard screen of a Toyota RAV4 compact crossover vehicle at an event in May
BUSINESS / Companies / FOCUS
Jul 28, 2025

Toyota’s internal inertia stifles digital transformation effort

Inside Toyota, a group of employees are worried about the company’s future in an era when a car’s software matters just as much as its sheet metal.
Fuji TV headquarters in Tokyo's Minato Ward.  Fuji TV came under fire over the manner in which it handled a case of “sexual trouble” involving former boy band member Masahiro Nakai and a female announcer.
JAPAN / Media / FOCUS
Jul 30, 2025

How the Japanese TV industry is changing

After a series of major scandals in recent years, Japan’s TV industry appears to be growing more sensitive to issues of harassment and misconduct.
Incredibly popular in summer, Japanese wind chimes are said to cool the mind by giving the wind a voice.
LIFE / Bilingual
Jul 31, 2025

A language built on the wind, from mountain gusts to wind chimes

A breeze is always appreciated in summer, and Japan’s rich wind vocabulary reflects a deep cultural connection to nature, poetry and everyday life.
Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba meets with Hungarian President Tamas Sulyok in Tokyo on May 22.
COMMENTARY / Japan
Jul 31, 2025

Japan’s strategic blind spot in the heart of Europe

Central Europe may hold the key to increased strategic autonomy without the geopolitical baggage of the superpowers.

Longform

Ichiro Suzuki, one of the most iconic players in NPB and MLB history, was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame with 99.7% of the vote.
With Hall of Fame induction, Ichiro makes himself heard loud and clear