Search - life

 
 
Japan Times
JAPAN / History / THE LIVING PAST
May 23, 2023

Hell is a crab cannery ship in industrial Japan. The way out? Russia.

Stories of brutality from the era of industrialization are testament to the sacrifice of former generations, sacrifices that resulted in what we take for granted today.
Japan Times
Special Supplements / Hiroshima G7 Summit Special
May 19, 2023

Japan offers comprehensive assistance for Ukraine

The simmering conflict between Russia and Ukraine that actually began in 2014 exploded into a full-on invasion in late February 2022. Japan responded immediately, condemning Russia’s incursion and sending an array of financial, humanitarian and nonlethal aid to Ukraine. The exodus of refugees from...
Japan Times
Special Supplements / Hiroshima G7 Summit Special
May 19, 2023

Temple stays offer peace and opportunities for reflection

Busy, sprawling and noisy cities are often the first things that greet visitors upon arrival in Japan. Landing in Osaka, a new arrival might wade through the throngs of people in Dotonbori, mesmerized by the acres of neon lights. Eager to try the local food, the battered octopus balls called takoyaki...
Japan Times
JAPAN / FOCUS
May 16, 2023

Exploring Black identity in Japan isn't easy, especially when it comes to hair

The case of a Hyogo student told not to wear cornrows has prompted Black people in Japan to reflect on expression and identity in a homogeneous society.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
May 3, 2023

‘Father of the Milky Way Railroad’: Writer biopic plays to domestic audience's love of a good cry

Koji Yakusho and Masaki Suda give strong performances as father and son in a film about Kenji Miyazawa, one of Japan’s beloved authors of children’s literature.
Japan Times
WORLD
May 3, 2023

Syrians in Sudan flee war for second time

More than 66,000 Syrians have ended up in Sudan due to conflict in their homeland, according to U.N. figures, drawn by easy entry requirements.
Japan Times
WORLD / Society / FOCUS
Apr 25, 2023

The U.S. Supreme Court isn’t done with abortion. Not by a long shot.

The recent showdown over the abortion pill mifepristone offers a glimpse of the legal fights likely to land at the court in the coming years.
CULTURE / Longform
Apr 24, 2023

Showa seduction: The unending attraction of retro Japan

Yet another generation is smitten with mid-20th century Showa Era style, designs and products. Is there more to it than nostalgia?
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Voices / BLACK EYE
Apr 24, 2023

Black people of Japan, we need to talk.

A mental health and wellness event aims to support Black residents of Japan and it's looking to expand in the coming months.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Society
Apr 1, 2023

'Don't blame women': Japan's birth drive sparks online debate

Japan's government has made tackling its falling birthrate a top priority, but with few women involved in official debate on the issue, some are making themselves heard on social media.
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC
Mar 31, 2023

Exhibition celebrates contributions to art

Also known as Haruhisa Handa, Toshu Fukami, who is an artist, entrepreneur and philanthropist, held an opening ceremony for Toshu Fukami Exhibition 2023, a solo showing of his paintings at Tokyo Big Sight in Tokyo’s Koto Ward, on March 18.
Japan Times
WORLD
Mar 30, 2023

Younger people abandon smartphones for less anxiety, brain fog and mental strain

Though the trend may be small, companies are catering to fans of so-called dumbphones who seek to disconnect by breaking the hold smartphones have on their lives.
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC
Mar 28, 2023

North Korean defectors are dying lonely deaths in wealthy South Korea

Nearly 90% of defectors in Seoul said they’ve had trouble settling into their new homes after a decade, with many experiencing mental health problems and other adjustment issues.
Japan Times
LIFE / Lifestyle
Mar 25, 2023

TikTok's newest trend is squeaky clean

Could this clean up TikTok's tarnish imaged?
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Mar 24, 2023

Le Makeup gives himself a sonic glow up on 'Odorata'

The Kansai-based artist digs deep on his latest album, using sensory details as the backdrop for his self-reflection and exploring new sounds through rap collaborations.
Japan Times
WORLD
Mar 20, 2023

Gray area: The chilling past of the world's biggest brain collection

There are 9,479 of the organs, all removed from the corpses of mental health patients over the course of four decades until the 1980s.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Tech
Mar 19, 2023

What happens when your AI chatbot stops loving you back?

Some companies that found an audience seeking romantic and sexual relationships with chatbots are now pulling back.
BUSINESS
Mar 18, 2023

BOJ’s path in focus after Japan labor unions win big pay raises

The results were above economist expectations and follow the BOJ governor's comments that suggested sustained pay hikes of 3% are needed for the bank to normalize its massive easing policy.
Japan Times
WORLD
Mar 13, 2023

A (literal) passport out of Russia: Give birth in Argentina

Since the Ukraine war, pregnant Russians have been flocking to the South American country, where obtaining citizenship is relatively easy if your child is born there.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Books
Mar 13, 2023

Osamu Dazai gets silly while facing fears in 'The Flowers of Buffoonery'

Translator Sam Bett brings out the fragile personalities in the author's early novella, a predecessor to his modern classic novel “No Longer Human.'
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Mar 7, 2023

'Terrace House' alum Chikako Fukuyama tackles cyberpunk samurai in '47 Ronin' sequel

Though she's best known for her time as a housemate on 'Terrace House: Aloha State,' the actor joins an all-Asian cast in a follow-up to the 2013 Keanu Reeves-led fantasy action flick.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Mar 5, 2023

In the shadow of the Fukushima disaster, an unusual experiment in rewilding

Wild animals have been thriving and expanding their habitat around the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear plant since 2011, giving researchers a glimpse of nature’s resilience to radiation.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / 20 QUESTIONS
Feb 26, 2023

Nobuhiro Tamura: 'Those who need spirituality will find it themselves'

A fan of 1990s hip-hop and electronic music, former Buddhist monk Nobuhiro Tamura has opened a bar on Mount Koya to talk to people about good tunes, spirituality and whatever else they like.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Feb 23, 2023

‘Tocka’: An existential end-of-the-road trip

Yoshitaka Kamada’s drama about a man looking to end his life is bleak, sometimes beautiful and shot through with dark humor.
Japan Times
WORLD
Feb 21, 2023

Why the world needs a deal to protect its oceans

The ocean supports a huge range of biodiversity, including potentially millions of species that humans have not discovered yet.
Japan Times
WORLD / Politics
Feb 21, 2023

In Biden’s unannounced visit to Kyiv, a preview of an increasingly direct contest with Putin

The vastly different world views of U.S. President Biden and President Vladimir Putin of Russia will become vividly apparent in a rare split-screen moment on Tuesday.

Longform

A sinkhole in Yashio, which emerged in January, was triggered by a ruptured, aging sewer pipe. Authorities worry that similar sections of infrastructure across the country are also at risk of corrosion.
That sinking feeling: Japan’s aging sewers are an infrastructure time bomb