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COMMENTARY / World
Mar 26, 2020

The plague: A few changes

COVID-19 is not going to change the world forever, but it is going to change quite a few things, in some cases for a long time.
Japan Times
CULTURE
Mar 25, 2020

When a cartoon crocodile dies, give us time to mourn

While people on social media have largely been preoccupied with the pandemic, the most buzzed-about happening online in Japan involves a crocodile — don’t roll your eyes just yet — which, at some point, transformed into a commentary on the follies of capitalism and its drive for continuous growth....
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Mar 21, 2020

Pro tips on teleworking during a virus outbreak

When the novel coronavirus started spreading across Asia in January, forcing the world’s largest work-from-home experiment, not many knew what to expect, least of all Bloomberg’s 400-plus journalists in the region. Six weeks later (and counting), only now are some starting to return to the office....
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Mar 20, 2020

A silent hero of the coronavirus crisis

Were it not for technology, the battle against COVID-19 would be lost by now.
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC
Mar 15, 2020

Former Chinese property exec who criticized Xi over virus handling is missing, friends say

An influential former Chinese property executive who called President Xi Jinping a "clown" over a speech he made last month about the government's efforts to battle the coronavirus has gone missing, three of his friends said.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music / Sound Off
Mar 6, 2020

ASMR in Japan is burning brightly

Nippon Cultural Broadcasting jumps on the ASMR bandwagon with a weeklong special dedicated to the soothing sounds of bonfires.
Japan Times
EDITORIALS
Mar 5, 2020

Use the coronavirus crisis to promote teleworking

The COVID-19 crisis presents an opportunity to change Japan's archaic corporate culture and promote telework.
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC / Science & Health
Mar 1, 2020

South Korea closes churches as coronavirus tally passes 3,700

Churches were closed in South Korea on Sunday with many holding online services instead as authorities fought to rein in public gatherings, with 586 new coronavirus infections taking the tally to 3,736 cases.
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC / Science & Health
Feb 20, 2020

'Speed science' on new coronavirus carries risks

One scientific post suggests links between the new coronavirus and AIDS. A second says it may have passed to people via snakes. A third claims it is a pathogen from outer space.
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC / Society / FOCUS
Feb 7, 2020

Hong Kong women upend gender roles in democracy fight

During Hong Kong's Occupy Central protests in 2014, Aria listened to Lady Gaga, put on makeup and wore cute outfits, embracing the ubiquitous "Goddess of Democracy" moniker at a time when online polls asked whether the city's few female leaders were wife or girlfriend material.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / MORNING ENGLISH
Jan 28, 2020

Let's discuss curbing food waste

A lot of food in Japan goes to waste so let's learn how to talk about what we should do with it.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Media / Japan Pulse
Jan 25, 2020

Kakeibo: Turning a dull aspect of Japanese life into social media gold

At some point in the past decade, the international notion of “weird Japan” — a view in which the country produces more quirky and wacky trends than many other nations, regardless if said example is actually widespread — took a back seat to “boring but profound Japan.” 
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Companies
Jan 24, 2020

Japan's largest bank offers users ¥1,000 to give up paper passbooks and go digital

To encourage more customers to go digital, Japan's largest bank is offering depositors who give up their paper bankbooks a ¥1,000 reward.
COMMUNITY / How-tos
Jan 16, 2020

Why English translation needs the native touch

Japan is a country that prides itself on focusing on the smallest details, so why do incorrect English translations plague signage across the country?
Japan Times
JAPAN / Media / Japan Pulse
Dec 28, 2019

Evolving debate over cultural differences worldwide leads to greater social media insight

Almost everyone who voluntarily relocates to a country besides the one they grew up in enjoys some kind of honeymoon phase in their new surroundings. Everything about their adopted home feels shiny and praiseworthy, with all of the memories of one’s past suddenly looking far rustier than it ever did...
Japan Times
CULTURE / TV & Streaming / 2019 in Review
Dec 25, 2019

Netflix led the streaming race with original Japanese content in 2019

The battle of the streaming giants saw some first class productions on offer in 2019, from original anime series, Japanese exclusives and fresh takes on established franchises.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Nov 22, 2019

'Smart cities' urged to look beyond rich white men and target those in need

A growing push to put cities on a digital path to a greener future risks excluding groups like the poorest, disabled and elderly, and will fail to benefit those people unless technology is used to help meet their needs, rights advocates have warned.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Nov 18, 2019

Asian airlines slash flights to Hong Kong as unrest escalates

Several Asian airlines have cut flights to Hong Kong for the coming weeks, an industry scheduling publication showed, as anti-government protests in the city grow increasingly violent and disrupt daily life.
JAPAN / Media / Japan Pulse
Nov 16, 2019

Japanese celebrities are using YouTube in new ways to connect with fans

The baseball offseason has arrived and Chicago Cubs pitcher Yu Darvish has taken up a few extracurricular activities. The Osaka-born player has expanded his social media presence, with recent posts on Twitter —  poking fun at teammates and playfully roasting other starters — being picked up by...
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Nov 11, 2019

Alibaba's Singles' Day sales hit $23 billion in first nine hours

Chinese retailer Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. said Monday that sales logged from its annual Singles' Day shopping blitz crossed the $30 billion mark late Monday afternoon, putting the event on track to set a record in its 11th year.
JAPAN
Nov 8, 2019

Japan's rugby, disasters and social change generate buzzwords in 2019

The 2019 Rugby World Cup, natural disasters and cashless payment inspired a large portion of the nominations for the annual buzzword of the year awards.
SUMO / INSIDE SUMO
Nov 7, 2019

Sumo injuries pose ever-present issues for wrestlers, rankings

Online sumo games have a small but loyal following.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Nov 7, 2019

Time for a national volunteer registry

Each community has its own registration process, cutting into time that could be used for doing the actual volunteer work.
Japan Times
LIFE / 2010S: DECADE IN REVIEW,2010s: Decade in review
Nov 7, 2019

Mascots: The secret weapon in Japan's soft power arsenal

What makes a good mascot? It used to be that being cute was enough, but 'yuru-kyara' in the 2010s needed storylines and Instagram followings if they want to make a mark.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Tech
Nov 6, 2019

From cat videos to credit cards, Amazon says customers have to secure own data

Amazon's cloud computing customers have to decide themselves how best to protect sensitive information online, a senior executive said Tuesday, following accusations by U.S. lawmakers that the web giant has not done enough to secure data on its servers.
JAPAN / Media / Japan Pulse
Nov 2, 2019

Halloween festivities in Tokyo appear to embrace a softer side

Domestic news outlets and social media users love a good scare. Ever since a horde of rowdy Saitama-types turned Shibuya into something akin to “The Purge” last year, many Tokyoites have viewed this year’s Halloween festivities with trepidation.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Books
Oct 26, 2019

Tokyo's Jimbocho neighborhood won't close the chapter on books

Thousands of bibliophiles are expected to descend on Tokyo's Jinbocho neighborhood over the next week or so as the city celebrates the 60th anniversary of its largest secondhand book fair.

Longform

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The rise of AI companionship in a lonely Japan