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Japan Times
BUSINESS / Regional Voices: Tohoku
Dec 11, 2020

Far north of Fukushima, a village that bet big on nuclear feels the fallout

Higashidori has been facing an economic crisis due to the uncertain future of nuclear power plants in its vicinity.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Society / Regional voices: Chubu
Dec 11, 2020

Murder victim’s mother calls for better family support in Japan

While some help is offered on a prefectural basis, Fumiko Isogai, whose daughter was killed 13 years ago, wants a centralized safety net.
JAPAN / Regional Voices: Fukushima
Dec 4, 2020

Mission possible? The long road ahead for Fukushima cleanup.

Tepco aims to undertake the crucial removal of fuel debris from Fukushima No. 1 in 2021 ahead of decommissioning the plant.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Nov 30, 2020

Schools lauded for COVID-19 response and support

The number of international students enrolled in Japanese universities and vocational schools is on the rise. In May 2019, this number stood at 312,214, up from 164,000 in 2011, and the number of students who chose to work in Japan after graduating has more than doubled since 2013.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Regional Voices: Kyushu
Nov 27, 2020

Muslim residents in Kyushu struggle to establish cemetery amid local anxiety

In Japan, where the vast majority of people are cremated, only a limited number of cemeteries offer proper burial grounds for the growing Muslim population.
JAPAN / Regional Voices: Okinawa
Nov 27, 2020

Hurdles remain for government plan to rebuild Shuri Castle by 2026

Since the blaze, a large number of problems have surfaced, such as securing the wood to rebuild, ownership of the castle and an insurance shortfall.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Regional Voices: Hokkaido
Nov 27, 2020

Warmer waters bring new types of fish to Hokkaido

Dolphinfish, sunfish and bluefin tuna have all been caught in waters around the north of Japan in recent years.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Crime & Legal / Regional Voices: Hiroshima
Nov 27, 2020

Shoplifting becomes unforeseen side effect of ban on free plastic bags

More and more customers are now taking advantage of their own personal, reusable bags to conceal unpaid items, making theft harder to spot.
JAPAN / Politics
Nov 25, 2020

Blunt claim on Senkakus overshadows progress in China-Japan meeting

During an at times uneasy news conference in Tokyo, Beijing's foreign minister seemed determined to send a clear message over territorial disputes: China won't back down.
Japan Times
WORLD / Society
Nov 21, 2020

Kids see many ads but few educational videos on YouTube, study shows

A report found that adverts were present on 95% of videos analyzed, with a fifth of the ads being categorized as age inappropriate.
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics
Nov 21, 2020

U.S. and Taiwan hold talks on strengthening economic ties

The United States and Taiwan held talks on Friday on strengthening their economic relationship in the face of increasing pressure on the island from mainland China, which the Taiwanese side hailed as a successful step forward.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Regional Voices: Tohoku
Nov 20, 2020

March 2011 victims identified thanks to forensic officer's lifelike portraits

Shuichi Abe has been hailed for his realistic drawings, which have reunited a number of bodies with their families in Miyagi Prefecture.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Society / Regional voices: Chubu
Nov 20, 2020

Vulnerable foreign workers in Mie suffer as firms face downturn

“My daughter and son lost their jobs at the same time, and we are at loss as to what to do next,” said Raquel Garcia, 45, who worked at the Mie factory for nine years.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Economy
Nov 19, 2020

China’s Xi vows no decoupling in call to reject protectionism

President Xi Jinping pledged that China wouldn’t engage in decoupling, in an address to Asia-Pacific leaders in Kuala Lumpur just days after the region inaugurated the world’s largest free-trade agreement.
COMMUNITY / Issues / THE FOREIGN ELEMENT
Nov 16, 2020

An outsider's look at the problems plaguing rural Japan

When new people come to town they bring a flurry of new ideas with them. In the small town of Nakatsugawa, this has meant an exciting cultural exchange.
BUSINESS / Companies / Regional voices: Chubu
Nov 13, 2020

Pride before a fall: Why Mitsubishi Aircraft's SpaceJet project is grounded

The SpaceJet was launched in 2008 as the Mitsubishi Regional Jet (MRJ). Its first delivery, initially planned for 2013, has been delayed six times and cost u00a51 trillion so far.
JAPAN / Politics / EXPLAINER
Nov 12, 2020

What the Council on Economic and Fiscal Policy brings to Suga's table

Powerful advisory group is now the administration's 'command center' for economic and strategy debates.
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics / FOCUS
Nov 10, 2020

Buffeted by Trump, China has little hope for warmer relations with Biden

While many will welcome an expected change in tone, few expect Biden to quickly reverse the confrontational policies his predecessor has put in place.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Companies / Regional Voices: Hokkaido
Nov 6, 2020

Smaller firms without heirs see more support as Japan grays

The problem has recently become more visible in Okhotsk, Hokkaido, where the number of companies seeking support from one bank doubled in five years.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Regional Voices: Kyushu
Nov 6, 2020

Pandemic keeps salarymen away from Fukuoka adult nightlife district

Though circumstances of infections and anti-prevention measures have differed from shop to shop, all have been treated as if they present the worst risks.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Regional Voices: Tohoku
Oct 30, 2020

Akita Prefecture taps bear expert to stop damage to farms

Due to depopulation and changing lifestyles, residents no longer take proper care of mountains, which some believe is causing bears to roam further.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Regional voices: Chubu
Oct 30, 2020

Medical students in Aichi struggle to get on-site training amid pandemic

Medical departments in universities are having difficulty conducting anatomy classes, clinical rotations and other training for students.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Regional Voices: Fukushima
Oct 30, 2020

Fishers and farmers fear impact of Fukushima water release

Nearly 10 years after the Fukushima nuclear disaster in March 2011, prices for food products from the prefecture haven't fully recovered.
Japan Times
WORLD
Oct 30, 2020

Latest terror attacks leave France embattled at home and abroad

A terror attack that killed three people in Nice on Thursday left France increasingly embattled at home and abroad, as the government called for toughening measures against Islamist extremism, amid rising tensions with Muslim nations.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Oct 28, 2020

Zero hour is coming for emissions. Believe it.

Any targets laid out by politicians will find themselves up against institutional inertia, unintended consequences and political pushback.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Politics
Oct 26, 2020

Bolder domestic vision in Suga’s Diet speech, but diplomacy unchanged

The prime minister recited a laundry list of projects on which he is eager to deliver, while relying on strategies he inherited to set out foreign policy.
Japan Times
Special Supplements / United Nations Day Special 2020
Oct 24, 2020

Peace, human rights, sustainable development crucial

The United Nations, which consists of 193 Member States, celebrates its 75th anniversary on Oct. 24. The world has changed since the world body’s establishment in 1945, and the U.N. is now confronting challenges such as climate change, increasing inequalities and most recently, the coronavirus pandemic....

Longform

Figure skater Akiko Suzuki was once told her ideal weight should be 47 kilograms, a number she now admits she “naively believed.” This led to her have a relationship with food that resulted in her suffering from anorexia.
The silent battle Japanese athletes fight with weight