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Japan Times
JAPAN / History / THE LIVING PAST
Nov 20, 2022

The challenging journey that led to Nara's crown jewel

Image and temple were each the largest structure of its kind, dwarfing all work previously done in a country whose culture had never before, and rarely since, valued size for its own sake.
Japan Times
PODCAST / deep dive
Nov 16, 2022

Samurai Blues: The J. League, the World Cup and Japan’s place in global soccer

Sports writer Dan Orlowitz joins the show to catch us up on where Japan stands in the global soccer landscape and the controversies swirling around the host nation of Qatar.
Japan Times
JAPAN / History / Regional Voices: Hiroshima
Nov 14, 2022

Newly found papers show lives of German prisoners of war in Hiroshima

Researchers say the records — rediscovered a century after the facility closed — are first-class materials that depict the character of the POWs and how they interacted with Japanese people.
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC
Nov 7, 2022

Taiwan’s bomb shelters: ‘A space for life. And a space for death.’

Preparing for war over hundreds of years has left a mark on the island, with its hundreds of bomb shelters. Some are being turned into cultural oases.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Oct 31, 2022

From Cuban missiles to Putin’s Ukraine nuclear crisis

Unlike Russian President Vladimir Putin, former Soviet Leader Nikita Khrushchev during the Cuban missile crisis had the wisdom not to start an apocalyptic war simply to save face.
Japan Times
PODCAST / deep dive
Oct 26, 2022

Japanese pop culture in China: It’s complicated.

Japan and China recently celebrated 50 years of relations and, since then, Japanese art, film and music has had a major impact on Chinese society. Recently, however, the Chinese market has become increasingly difficult to navigate.
Japan Times
WORLD / Science & Health
Oct 25, 2022

How the ‘Black Death’ left its genetic mark on future generations

Scientists have discovered several genetic variants that protect Europeans from the bubonic plague — but also increase the risk of immune disorders.
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics / ANALYSIS
Oct 23, 2022

Xi cements control over China, but huge challenges await in third term

Experts warn Xi Jinping's unchecked power is a huge risk, with a debt-ridden economy and a growing U.S. rivalry presenting major challenges.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Oct 23, 2022

Who gets the last word on Steve Jobs? He might.

Some historians are wondering if Steve Jobs' widow is trying to frame the legacy of her late husband, a complicated and transformational figure who was shadowed by his flaws.
BASEBALL / Japanese Baseball / Sac Bunts
Oct 17, 2022

Buffaloes and Swallows prove last season's success was no fluke

The Swallows and Buffaloes will meet in the Japan Series for the second straight season.
Japan Times
PODCAST / deep dive
Oct 12, 2022

It's Shotime!: Shohei Ohtani and the future of baseball

Sports writer Jason Coskrey and editor Dave Cortez join new Deep Dive host Jason Jenkins to discuss baseball superstar Shohei Ohtani and the future of the sport he has committed his life to mastering.
Japan Times
BASEBALL / MLB
Oct 9, 2022

Mariners advance with record comeback; joined by Guardians, Phillies

The victory gave the Mariners a 2-0 triumph over Toronto in their American League wildcard series and sent Seattle into a best-of-five divisional series matchup against the Astros.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Oct 7, 2022

The Saudi-Russian oil axis snubs the West with production cuts

Coming weeks before the U.S. midterm elections, many also see the move to cut oil production as a personal attack on President Joe Biden.
Japan Times
MORE SPORTS
Oct 5, 2022

Tributes paid to Jim Redmond, who helped son hobble to Olympic finish line

The footage of Jim Redmond helping his son Derek across the finish line in Barcelona is one of the most-watched moments of Olympic history on social media.
SUMO / INSIDE SUMO
Sep 28, 2022

'Ironman' Tamawashi gets his due with second Emperor's Cup

The 37-year-old's victory was the feel-good story of the the Autumn Basho, but the sport's immediate future remains in flux as young wrestlers struggle to perform consistently.
Japan Times
WORLD
Sep 26, 2022

Why some climate activists are calling for reparations

Pakistan's floods have led to renewed calls for rich polluting nations, which grew their economies through heavy use of fossil fuels, to compensate developing countries.
Japan Times
WORLD
Sep 25, 2022

Ukraine is 'not Nazi,' Holocaust survivors tell Putin

With the discovery of mass graves in Bucha and Irpin, some in Ukraine's Jewish community are instead drawing parallels between Russian atrocities and the Holocaust.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Women at Work
Sep 20, 2022

Working with a belief that art has the power to change the world

First as curator and now as director of the Mori Art Museum in Tokyo, Mami Kataoka has aimed to shape a society that respects individuals by using contemporary art as her medium.
Japan Times
WORLD
Sep 16, 2022

Egyptians push back against 'whitewashing' of Egyptology

Egyptology is flush with tales of brilliant foreign explorers uncovering the secrets of the Pharaohs, but Egyptians are relegated to the background.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Sep 16, 2022

Xi Jinping and China’s endgame for America

Xi Jinping speeches make clear that he is committed to spreading China's model of communism around the world.
Japan Times
TENNIS
Sep 11, 2022

Iga Swiatek swats aside Ons Jabeur to claim maiden U.S. Open title

The demonstrative Jabeur was able to harness the energy of her fans at times, but it was not enough to overcome the focused and determined Swiatek.
Japan Times
LIFE / Style & Design
Sep 10, 2022

Is the age-old tea ceremony ready for a cardboard future?

Tradition in sadu014d (Japanese tea ceremony) is a fluid concept, but that doesn't necessarily mean an open-door policy for every innovation like the Chashitsu Zero.
Japan Times
WORLD / Politics
Sep 9, 2022

Queen Elizabeth's reign: Golden age, or last embers of a bygone era?

Some commentators describe her reign as a 'golden age' reminiscent of that of her namesake Elizabeth I, who ruled England during a period of growing power and cultural flourishing.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Sep 1, 2022

The greatest democrat Russia ever had

After the Soviet Union's collapse, Gorbachev's belief in peace and democracy remained unwavering. He wanted the USSR to continue, but only as a reformed and democratized federation.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Aug 24, 2022

The death of Shinzo Abe must not be in vain

At the onset of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's second administration, the expectations were low. However, the perception of him changed over time as a result of his accomplishments.
Japan Times
MORE SPORTS
Aug 9, 2022

Commonwealth Games reach triumphant close as Birmingham parties

Australia easily topped the event's medal table above host England, while organizers touted strong ticket sales and growing interest among participants in hosting future editions.
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC
Aug 8, 2022

COVID stigma in China can cost recovered patients jobs and homes

One former worker at a government-run isolation facility in Shanghai slept on the streets during parts of June since he couldn't find work or housing after getting infected.
SUMO / INSIDE SUMO
Aug 3, 2022

Former yokozuna Hakuho faces new challenges as Miyagino stablemaster

Sumo's greatest-ever grand champion is now in charge of his own beya, but whether he will be able to rise through the complicated hierarchy of the Japan Sumo Association is an open question.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Aug 3, 2022

Giant sequoias are built to withstand fire, but not these fires

Infernos rampaging through the American West are so hot, they're killing trees that have thrived on fire for thousands of years.
Japan Times
BASEBALL / MLB
Aug 3, 2022

Legendary Dodgers broadcaster Vin Scully dies at 94

Known for his 'golden voice,' articulate phrasing and rich knowledge of the game, the New York City native is indelibly linked to one of Major League Baseball's most storied franchises.

Longform

After the asset-price bubble crash of the early 1990s, employment at a Japanese company was no longer necessarily for life. As a result, a new generation is less willing to endure a toxic work culture —life’s too short, after all.
How Japan's youth are slowly changing the country's work ethic