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SUMO / INSIDE SUMO
Jun 15, 2022

Philosophical living legend Konishiki reflects on launch of career

The Hawaiian-born former ozeki, a driving force in gaining sumo recognition overseas, is celebrating the 40th anniversary of his entry into the sport.
Japan Times
WORLD
May 6, 2022

Love letter and ID card point to Russian units that terrorized Bucha

Journalists interviewed more than 90 residents, reviewing photographic and video evidence these locals shared and examining documents left behind by the Russians.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Media / BIG IN JAPAN
Jun 26, 2021

Road signs that point to a 'post-corona' Japan

What does Japan look like after the COVID-19 pandemic? An economic recovery? A downturn for all-night industries? The tabloids are getting into predictions.
JAPAN / Media / BIG IN JAPAN
Jun 12, 2021

Magazines shed some light on the successes and failures of the vaccination rollout in Japan

With the rollout in vaccinations for those age 65 and over finally underway, magazines in Japan have taken up the topic from a variety of perspectives.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Art
Mar 25, 2021

Tokyo's art scene looks back at recent history

Asian artists and curators examine the present through the lens of the past.
JAPAN / Media / BIG IN JAPAN
Dec 31, 2020

Crime prevention tips for seniors among highlights of new year publications

From looking at the contents, you'd never have guessed what a crazy year 2020 has been.
Reader Mail
Aug 14, 2020

Japan can’t shake sexism, subtle or otherwise

Regarding the Aug. 8 Japan Pulse column “Telework gives Japan's dads time to help kids with homework over summer break,” I have been lucky enough to rarely experience overt misogyny in my life. However, living in Japan recently, I witnessed a level of sexism so blatant that I was shocked. I had no...
Japan Times
JAPAN / Media / BIG IN JAPAN
Aug 8, 2020

COVID-19 pandemic tests our resolve to be self-disciplined

Exercising self-control in an environment that allows more freedom is more difficult than you think.
JAPAN / History / BIG IN JAPAN
May 2, 2020

Redefining normality in a world turned upside down by COVID-19

In normal times, we seek happiness. In times of crisis, we seek normality.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Media / BIG IN JAPAN
Mar 7, 2020

Paradise lost: Japan longs for simpler times in trying days

The Japanese weren't always workaholics. Once upon a time, work had its place and knew its place. It didn't swallow life whole. Other pursuits were given their due. People worked without being consumed by work.
JAPAN / Media / MEDIA MIX
Jul 20, 2019

Citizen campaigns seek to increase voter turnout in Upper House election

Thanks to Japan's fairness guidelines, NHK offers free air time to all political parties participating in national and regional elections, a service that earlier this month resulted in the leader of the Party to Protect Citizens From NHK, which advocates the elimination of NHK's mandatory viewing fees,...
JAPAN / Media / BIG IN JAPAN
Jul 20, 2019

New era aside, Showa nostalgia continues to keep rolling along

The new Reiwa Era is now into its third month and histories are starting to appear about the Heisei Era that preceded it. In late June, the publishing arm of the Mainichi Shimbun released a 384-page softcover book titled "Heisei-shi Zenkiroku" ("Chronicle 1989-2019"). The same week, the Nikkei Shimbun...
JAPAN / Media / BIG IN JAPAN
May 11, 2019

Tabloids press pause as nation celebrates dawn of the Reiwa Era

Welcome one and all to Big in Japan, the Reiwa version. During the just-ended 10-day Golden Week holiday, only one general weekly magazine — Aera (May 13) — went to press, giving it the distinction of being the first publication out of the starting gates in the new era. Aera's coverage of imperial...
Japan Times
JAPAN / Media / BIG IN JAPAN
Mar 16, 2019

Does NHK drama credit instant noodles to the right inventor?

Each morning at 8 o'clock, millions of homemakers across the country tune into a 15-minute-long segment of a serialized morning drama on NHK. The current story, titled "Manpuku," relates the saga of the man who invented instant noodles and his devoted wife, played by Hiroki Hasegawa and Sakura Ando,...
JAPAN / Media / BIG IN JAPAN
Oct 20, 2018

Conservative magazines set sights on Ikegami

"I don't watch much TV on my own," writes university lecturer Atsushi Iwata in WiLL magazine (November), "but sometimes I watch together with my wife. I don't particularly care about what she watches, but there are times when I ask her to change the channel — particularly when it's a program with Akira...
SUMO / INSIDE SUMO
Oct 10, 2018

Departed yokozuna Wajima brought charisma to ring

Last week's column featured links between sumo and American football, including a mention of how yokozuna Wakanohana took up the latter sport after retiring from the raised ring.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Media / MEDIA MIX
Sep 15, 2018

Japanese athletes under fire after Asian Games scandal

When four members of Japan's national basketball team were sent home from the Asian Games last month for patronizing prostitutes, the resulting scandal capped almost a year's worth of bad publicity for sports in Japan. Over this time we've had allegations of "power harassment" raised against the Japan...
Japan Times
JAPAN / Media / MEDIA MIX
Aug 4, 2018

Japan's rigid koseki system keeps it all in the family

Liberal Democratic Party lawmaker Mio Sugita is being criticized for comments she made about how LGBT individuals should not receive government “support” because, biologically speaking, they can’t have children and are thus “unproductive” as members of society. Although the media have covered...
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / WHY DID YOU LEAVE JAPAN?
Jul 14, 2018

From 'big in Japan' to far better in America

Megumi Ijiri Haskin felt so different to other children when growing up in Japan, that she aspired to live in the U.S. at the age of 17.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Entertainment news
Jun 22, 2018

Conservative U.S. commentator Charles Krauthammer, a Fox fixture, dies at 68

Pulitzer Prize winner Charles Krauthammer, who gave up a psychiatric career to become one of the leading conservative political commentators in the U.S. media, died on Thursday at the age of 68, the Washington Post and Fox News said.
LIFE / Lifestyle
Apr 28, 2018

LGBTQ voices: Dealing with reality

Despite the advances in awareness surrounding LGBTQ issues, sexual minorities continue to face challenges in disclosing their sexual orientation or gender identity.
Japan Times
BASKETBALL / HOOP SCOOP
Sep 29, 2017

Love of poetry, books made Meschery unique in NBA

Second in a three-part series
Japan Times
JAPAN / Media / BIG IN JAPAN
May 27, 2017

Magazine snares rival 'scoop thief' red-handed

In its May 25 issue, Shukan Shincho set pens a-pushing and tongues a-wagging throughout the nation by accusing rival weekly magazine Shukan Bunshun of engaging in sneaky schemes to steal its thunder.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Issues / JUST BE CAUSE
Aug 2, 2015

Claiming the right to be Japanese — and more

If Japan cannot get over the conceit of having to 'look Japanese' to be treated as one, then it cannot make 'new Japanese,' and the country will continue to sink into an insolvent economic abyss.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Jun 24, 2015

Hard questions for candidate Hillary Clinton

Hillary Clinton's reticence is drowning out her message, which is that she is the cure for the many ailments that afflict America during a second Democratic presidential term.
Japan Times
WORLD / Science & Health
Mar 25, 2015

Cancer experts laud Angelina Jolie's decision to remove ovaries

Two years after a double mastectomy, actress Angelina Jolie has had her ovaries and fallopian tubes removed to avoid the risk of ovarian cancer, a move cancer experts described as courageous and influential.
Japan Times
MORE SPORTS / MAN ABOUT SPORTS
Feb 12, 2015

Tyson-Douglas anniversary brings back mixed emotions

For MAS, it was the best — and worst — of times.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Voices / COMMUNITY CHEST
Jan 19, 2015

Writer's critical take on Jolie's 'Unbroken' raises readers' hackles

Some emails and online comments in response to Nicolas Gattig's recent Foreign Agenda column, 'Japan may shun 'Unbroken' because it's old hat.'
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Voices / COMMUNITY CHEST
Dec 21, 2014

Bubble, bubble, toil and trouble: a gaijin's lot in Japan?

A selection of readers' responses to Debito Arudou's last column, 'Time to burst your bubble and face reality.'

Longform

Japan's growing ranks of centenarians are redefining what it means to live in a super-aging society.
What comes after 100?