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CULTURE / Film
Apr 9, 2020

Japan’s film and TV industries soldier on despite coronavirus

The death of comedian Ken Shimura on March 29 due to pneumonia caused by COVID-19 sent a shock wave throughout the country. A star on Japanese TV for decades, he was the first major celebrity here to pass away after contracting the virus.
Japan Times
WORLD / Science & Health
Apr 9, 2020

Unchecked spread of coronavirus prompts about-face on masks around the world

Wearing face masks, which health officials in many countries previously discouraged outside hospitals, is gaining converts as the coronavirus spreads across the globe.
Japan Times
BASKETBALL / B. League
Apr 8, 2020

Osaka Evessa announce three more infected players

The Osaka Evessa announced Tuesday that three more of their players have tested positive for COVID-19, bringing the total number of infected players and team officials to eight.
Japan Times
WORLD
Apr 7, 2020

Trump eases U.S. coronavirus export ban after global backlash

U.S President Donald Trump eased restrictions on exports of masks and other protective equipment needed to fight the COVID-19 pandemic just days after their introduction as he confronted a backlash from allies around the world. Faced with domestic criticism of his administration’s handling of the COVID-19...
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Apr 6, 2020

On the eve of possible COVID-19 overshoot in Tokyo

Whatever decision that Abe makes will never be welcomed and will be considered as either “too little, too late,” out of touch with the reality, or probably both.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / JAPAN LITE
Apr 6, 2020

My life on the run from COVID-19

Right now I am in voluntary self-quarantine after returning from overseas. When I flew into Kansai International Airport from the island of Bali on March 23, Indonesia wasn’t on the list of countries with known coronavirus infections, and local authorities had not yet asked returnees from abroad to...
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Apr 6, 2020

Cancellations, postponements, suspensions — words that define the times

March was a month of cancelled classes, postponed planes and sudden suspensions. Let's take a deeper look at the ways we express delays.
Japan Times
EDITORIALS
Apr 2, 2020

Is the nation ready for a long battle against COVID-19?

Many major cities around the globe have implemented lockdowns, but Japan’s big cities such as Tokyo and Osaka have not yet followed suit. Because of that, a sense of crisis about the coronavirus pandemic among the public seems relatively low. In New York, a ban on eating in restaurants and cafes was...
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC
Apr 1, 2020

U.S. and South Korea near tentative troop-funding deal, report says

The U.S. and South Korea have tentatively reached a military cost-sharing agreement, the Yonhap news agency reported, potentially ending months of bickering over demands from the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump for a massive increase.
LIFE / Language / NEWS IN NIHONGO
Mar 31, 2020

Local governments short on volunteer interpreters in emergencies

A Kyodo story looks at the lack of multilingual volunteers that would be able to help Southeast Asian communities in Japan in an emergency.
Japan Times
ENVIRONMENT / OLD NIC'S NOTEBOOK
Mar 30, 2020

We live in neither East nor West

With COVID-19 pulling the world apart, it's the people, from healthworkers to thoughtful neighbors that can bring it back together.
Japan Times
WORLD
Mar 30, 2020

Passengers on ‘death ship’ plead for rescue as coronavirus strikes

For passengers on a Holland America Line cruise ship, a fun-filled voyage on the luxury liner is quickly turning into a nightmare with deteriorating conditions on board and fears of a full-blown coronavirus outbreak after four travelers died and two others were infected.
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.
Rugby / ADDING THE EXTRAS
Mar 28, 2020

Odd decisions, big questions amidst crises in Japanese rugby

With rugby seemingly done for the season, it is time to look back on a crazy few months that have seen Japanese rugby go from the highs of the 2019 Rugby World Cup to a state of confusion in which even a former Brave Blossoms captain is questioning what is going on.
Japan Times
WORLD / Politics
Mar 28, 2020

U.K. has no clear plan if 'Team Johnson' is incapacitated by coronavirus

What would happen if British Prime Minister Boris Johnson's case of coronavirus — so far he has "mild symptoms" — were to become more serious or even incapacitate him and his team? Under Britain's uncodified constitution, the answer is unclear.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Issues / THE FOREIGN ELEMENT
Mar 28, 2020

Dealing with anxiety during a global pandemic

As coronavirus news floods our social feeds, it's important to take care of our mental well-being as well as our physical conditions.
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC / FOCUS
Mar 26, 2020

North Korea shows confidence in face of coronavirus outbreak

With international focus on the coronavirus, North Korea has doubled down on its missile development and military exercises in recent weeks while signaling new confidence that it has dodged an outbreak of its own.
OLYMPICS
Mar 25, 2020

Japanese athletes react to Olympic postponement

Some of Japan’s top athletes have expressed mixed feelings following Tuesday’s announcement that Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and the International Olympic Committee had agreed to postpone the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics for “about a year” amid the COVID-19 outbreak.
COMMENTARY / World
Mar 23, 2020

Coronavirus uncertainty plagues the experts, too

There's a lot that scientists still don't know about COVID-19.
JAPAN
Mar 23, 2020

2020 Tokyo Olympics in doubt as Abe hints at delay for first time

The prime minister says it may be the only way to avoid exacerbating the coronavirus pandemic.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Voices / FOREIGN AGENDA
Mar 22, 2020

The bright side of a potential quarantine

These days, I find myself singing “Happy Birthday” several times between daybreak and bedtime. As the next birthday in our family is weeks away, I feel a bit silly about it, even though I mostly confine the singing to my head. Since I am running out of people to silently and undeservedly congratulate,...
Japan Times
WORLD
Mar 21, 2020

How a Russian plan to restore Gadhafi's regime in Libya backfired

One day in April last year, as war raged around Tripoli, two Russian operatives set out from the Libyan capital to meet the man they hoped to install as leader.
Japan Times
WORLD / Politics
Mar 21, 2020

U.S. senators defend selling shares before coronavirus crash

Two Republican senators defended themselves on Friday against heavy criticism, including calls that they resign, for selling substantial amounts of stocks before the coronavirus-induced market meltdown and after closed-door briefings on the outbreak.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Mar 19, 2020

Niigata opens drive-thru coronavirus test clinic amid growing demand

A public health center in the city of Niigata has launched one of Japan's first drive-thru clinics to test for COVID-19 amid growing demand for tests of the deadly virus.

Longform

After pandemic-era border regulations eased, Indian migrants began returning to Japan. Their population now stands at more than 50,000 across the country.
How remote work is rewriting the migrant experience in Japan