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Japan Times
PODCAST / deep dive
Feb 24, 2022

Japan relaxes its border restrictions

Japan's strict border policies are finally relaxing — at least a little bit — and from March, new entrants will be allowed to come to the country once again.
Japan Times
WORLD / Science & Health
Feb 24, 2022

U.N. warns of 57% increase in risk of cataclysmic wildfires by 2100

'Wildfires need to be placed in the same category of global humanitarian response as major earthquakes and floods,” the U.N. wrote in a new report.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Markets
Feb 23, 2022

Under pressure at home, Japan's agricultural lender pulls back from global investing

Norinchukin Bank was at one point the biggest buyer of a structured product known as collateralized loan obligations, drawing the ire of politicians and regulators.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Feb 22, 2022

The rise of the rest makes for anxiety in the West

“The real issue might not so much be about u2018Westlessness' (the losing of Western societal attributes) but about a particular configuration of the West that we were used to.”
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Feb 22, 2022

EU proposes rules to make companies undertake human rights and ethics checks

Firms will have to make sure that their suppliers are not using forced labor or child labor, and are not guilty of inadequate workplace health and safety, among other things.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Explainer
Feb 21, 2022

What you need to know about Japan's upcoming eased border restrictions

March will bring sweeping changes to the country's border rules — covering quarantines to those eligible for entry — but navigating government websites for answers can be tricky.
Japan Times
WORLD
Feb 11, 2022

‘Contactless’ humanitarian aid has its perks, and pitfalls

COVID-era travel restrictions have mostly prevented expatriate aid workers from flying into Pacific island nations after natural disasters. The results have been mixed.
JAPAN
Feb 7, 2022

Japan's booster rollout is relying on Pfizer and Moderna. How do the shots compare?

Despite an apparent preference among some in the general public for Pfizer, experts have emphasized that getting a booster jab as soon as one is eligible, no matter which type, is key.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Companies
Feb 7, 2022

Tesla escapes niche position as Japan starts to embrace EVs

In 2021, new registrations of imported EVs nearly tripled to 8,610, a small but remarkable shift in a country where overall automobile sales have stalled.
LIFE / Language / Vocabulary Boost
Feb 4, 2022

'Minashi yōsei' and other recent pandemic-related terms

It seems like every week Japanese-language learners are introduced to new terms that are connected in some way with the pandemic.
Japan Times
WORLD / Society
Feb 3, 2022

Passport to acceptance? LGBTQ travelers wary about gender-neutral IDs.

While more than a dozen countries have introduced gender-neutral travel documents, some nonbinary and transgender people are reluctant to use them because they fear facing discrimination.
JAPAN / Science & Health / EXPLAINER
Feb 2, 2022

What you need to know about recovering from COVID-19 at home

To lower the burden on health care systems, the rules for self-isolation are changing — here's a rundown of the latest from the health ministry.
JAPAN / FOCUS
Jan 28, 2022

Omicron has fueled a rapid COVID surge in Japan. Still, the endgame may be in sight.

Some experts are optimistic that more treatment options, a high vaccination rate and a so-far lower mortality rate could herald a transition from pandemic to endemic.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Jan 28, 2022

Fire up a chat about Japanese pottery by increasing your vocabulary

From Arita ware to wave patterns and the technique of crazing, get to know the different types of Japanese pottery through the language.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / ANALYSIS
Jan 26, 2022

Microsoft’s Activision purchase could leave Japanese video game-makers out in the cold

Japanese gaming firms, which are generally less agile and outward-looking than their U.S. peers, may struggle as companies invest in the metaverse.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Jan 26, 2022

China’s espionage plans for the 2022 Winter Olympics

Saving face is a particular paranoia for the Chinese Communist Party; it is what maintains China's dictatorship — thus the spying.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Jan 23, 2022

Who is winning the U.S.-China trade war?

The Sino-American trade war does not spell the end of globalization. Rather, it may mark the beginning of a new world trading system that no longer has the U.S. or China at its center.
Japan Times
LIFE / Travel
Jan 23, 2022

Exploring the poetry of an exiled emperor on the Oki Islands

Go-Toba, Japan's 82nd emperor, used his time in exile to advance the ancient poetic form known as waka.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Jan 21, 2022

The power and poison of Modern Monetary Theory

The rigid stances of MMT's devotees and detractors have not led to productive discussions over its viability.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Jan 21, 2022

Translator trip-ups: What do they mean for learning Japanese?

Have you ever had trouble precisely translating a word? While it may prove difficult in the moment, you're likely getting a free lesson in Japanese culture.
Japan Times
WORLD
Jan 20, 2022

In Tonga, a volcano-triggered tsunami underscores islands' acute climate risk

By increasing temperatures and driving up sea levels, climate change will likely worsen disasters wrought by tsunamis, storm surges, and heat waves, experts say.
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC
Jan 17, 2022

Shrouded by ash, Tonga's fate remains unclear after powerful volcano erupts

As reports of the volcano's effect trickled in from far-flung countries Sunday there was little word from Tonga, the island nation just 40 miles from the site of the extraordinary explosion.
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC
Jan 15, 2022

Artists put brush to ink at calligraphy show

The Dokuritsu Shojindan Foundation is holding its annual sho (Japanese calligraphy) exhibition, the 70th Dokuritsu Sho Exhibition, in the National Art Center, Tokyo in Minato Ward this month to celebrate the new year. The spacious venue is filled with thousands of expressive works consisting of stark...
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Jan 12, 2022

America’s hunger pandemic is getting worse

When COVID-19 and its economic disruptions hit, already vulnerable demographics found themselves in particular need.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Jan 11, 2022

Investing titans can no longer ignore Malaysia’s labor abuses

Concerns over labor abuse in Malaysia, long present in the Southeast Asian country, have escalated in the past three months.
Japan Times
WORLD
Jan 8, 2022

U.S. hospitals struggle to match higher pay for nurses and doctors amid pandemic

U.S. hospitals are struggling to get the workers they need to treat patients through the winter's COVID-19 surge as the virus collides with a historically tight labor market.

Longform

Mount Fuji is considered one of Japan's most iconic symbols and is a major draw for tourists. It's still a mountain, though, and potential hikers need to properly prepare for any climb.
What it takes to save lives on Mount Fuji