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April 29, 2024
 

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EXPLAINER

A Houthi military helicopter flies over the Galaxy Leader cargo ship in the Red Sea in this photo released Monday.
WORLD / Politics / EXPLAINER
Nov 22, 2023
Houthi ship hijacking stokes fears of escalating Israel-Hamas war
The group warned they would continue to target vessels linked to Israelis until the end of the military campaign against Hamas militants in Gaza.
The role of cryptocurrencies in terrorist financing has once again come into focus after the start of the Israel-Hamas war.
BUSINESS / Tech / EXPLAINER
Oct 25, 2023
Crypto's role in terrorist financing comes under renewed scrutiny
Cryptocurrency's role in terrorist financing has come under renewed scrutiny following a deadly attack in Israel by Palestinian militant group Hamas.
A Philippine-flagged boat is blocked by a China Coast Guard vessel during an incident that resulted in a collision between the two ships in the disputed waters of the South China Sea in this screen shot taken from video on Sunday.
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics / EXPLAINER
Oct 23, 2023
After collisions at sea, could Sino-Philippine tensions boil over?
Tensions are rapidly surging between Manila and Beijing in the South China Sea, where the two countries have overlapping claims.
A Palestinian with dual citizenship waits outside the Rafah border crossing with Egypt in the hope of getting permission to leave Gaza, on Tuesday.
WORLD / Politics / EXPLAINER
Oct 18, 2023
What is the Rafah border crossing and why is Egypt keeping it shut?
The crossing is the sole route for aid to enter Gaza directly from outside Israel and the only exit that does not lead to Israeli territory.
The Japan headquarters of the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification, known as the Unification Church, in Tokyo on Friday
JAPAN / Explainer
Oct 13, 2023
What’s next in the Unification Church saga?
The government sought a court order on Friday to strip the Unification Church of its religious corporation status. The process is just beginning.
Noriyuki Higashiyama (right) and Yoshihiko Inohara attend a news conference in Tokyo on Monday.
JAPAN / Explainer
Oct 3, 2023
Unpacking the latest Johnny & Associates news conference
The flood of information released during the agency's latest news conference may have been difficult to grasp. Here's what you need to know.
Japan bought yen in September 2022, its first foray in the market to boost its currency since 1998, after a Bank of Japan decision to maintain an ultraloose monetary policy drove the yen as low as ¥145 per dollar.
BUSINESS / Markets / EXPLAINER
Oct 2, 2023
What intervention by Japan to stem yen weakness could look like
Aside from verbal intervention, the government has several options to stem what it considers excessive yen falls.
Group of Seven leaders, including Prime Minister Fumio Kishida (center), lay floral wreaths at the Cenotaph for Atomic Bomb Victims in the Peace Memorial Park in Hiroshima on May 19.
JAPAN / Politics / EXPLAINER
Sep 20, 2023
Kishida eyes return to stalled fissile treaty. That may be a nonstarter.
Speaking at the U.N. General Assembly in New York, Kishida said Japan will work to facilitate discussions between nuclear and nonnuclear weapon states.
A Toyota factory in Toyota, Aichi Prefecture, in 2015. A computer system processing orders for vehicle parts for the company broke down Tuesday, forcing the closure of 14 assembly plants in Japan.
BUSINESS / EXPLAINER
Aug 30, 2023
What happened to shut down Toyota's production in Japan?
Disruption shut down a system at the core of Toyota's lean manufacturing process.
The release of treated water from the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant into the sea in the town of Okuma, in Fukushima prefecture, began Thursday.
JAPAN / Explainer
Aug 24, 2023
A closer look at the Fukushima water discharge plan
The IAEA, the Japanese government and many nuclear experts say this process is safe and consistent with what other countries are doing.
With temperatures around the world reaching record highs this summer, you may want to reconsider which sunscreen you are using, experts say, as not all sunscreens are the same.
WORLD / Science & Health / EXPLAINER
Aug 21, 2023
Extreme heat may mean using a different sunscreen
The two major types — mineral and chemical — handle the sun's ultraviolet rays differently and during extremely hot weather, those differences can matter.
It is still unclear whether BA.2.86 will be able to out-compete other strains of the virus that causes COVID-19, or have any advantage in escaping immune responses from prior infection or vaccination.
WORLD / Science & Health / EXPLAINER
Aug 21, 2023
What you need to know about BA.2.86, the new COVID variant
Scientists are keeping an eye on the new lineage because it has 36 mutations that distinguish it from the currently dominant XBB.1.5 variant.
A women-only passenger train in Tokyo
JAPAN / Explainer
Aug 18, 2023
DJ Soda incident spotlights prevalence of groping in Japan
The groping of the South Korean DJ at a festival spurred online conversations about the issue, with a term translating as "groping country" trending on X.
If you have a specific birth plan in mind, like giving birth at home, it's important to make sure the clinic you use offers that option.
JAPAN / EXPLAINER
Aug 14, 2023
Giving birth in Japan? Here’s what you need to know.
Giving birth can be overwhelming — even more so if you don’t understand the local language or know the steps you need to take.
Even as some countries have moved to legalize or decriminalize marijuana, Japan has maintained a zero tolerance policy on the drug, prohibiting its possession or sale.
JAPAN / Crime & Legal / EXPLAINER
Aug 7, 2023
Navigating Japan's maze of cannabis-related laws
Japan has maintained a zero tolerance policy on cannabis, but the legality of other products on the market, including ones sold as CBD, is murkier.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Explainer
Jul 16, 2023
Why China is opposed to the release of treated water in Fukushima
Japan's plan is facing a strong backlash from China, South Korea and other locations in the Pacific. But where are the concerns coming from?
Japan Times
JAPAN / Crime & Legal / EXPLAINER
Jul 6, 2023
One year on, where do things stand with the man accused of killing Abe?
The former prime ministers death shook the nation to its core, and the man suspected of killing him is currently in detention awaiting trial.
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics / EXPLAINER
Jul 5, 2023
The wide-ranging foreign policy law China wants to counter the West with
Analysts believe the law is intended to ensure consistency between the Chinese leadership’s diplomatic thinking and actions on the global stage.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Explainer
Jul 4, 2023
How to tell if an international school in Japan is reputable
The recent closure of an international preschool in Tokyo has put the spotlight on whether international schools deliver what they promise.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / EXPLAINER
Jun 27, 2023
Why the wind power industry has hit turbulence
While industry has grown quickly over the past two decades, it still faces various hurdles that must be overcome.
Town to block view of Mount Fuji in response to overtourism
The town government of Fujikawaguchiko, Yamanashi Prefecture, decided to set up a 2.5-meter-high screen to prevent tourists from taking pictures of Mount Fuji looming behind a convenience store.
In Japan, regional revitalization fails to halt population decline
Sakiyama elementary school in Tamba, Hyogo Prefecture, in March .Over the past decade, the government has directed efforts toward policies designed to give young people incentives to base themselves in rural areas.
Number of homeless in Japan hits record low
Homeless people sleep on the street in Tokyo's Shinjuku Ward in August 2021.
Ukraine is far from doomed
When comparing Ukraine’s military situation in 2024 to Europe’s in 1941, Russia’s defeat seems entirely possible.
Japan wants you to spend more with ‘luxury tourism’
Performers play a traditional drum unique to Wajima, Ishikawa Prefecture, in the prefectural capital of Kanazawa on March 16 to mark the extension of the Hokuriku Shinkansen line to Tsuruga Station in Fukui Prefecture.
Japan wants you to spend more with ‘luxury tourism’
Performers play a traditional drum unique to Wajima, Ishikawa Prefecture, in the prefectural capital of Kanazawa on March 16 to mark the extension of the Hokuriku Shinkansen line to Tsuruga Station in Fukui Prefecture.
Theaster Gates’ ambitious ‘Afro-Mingei’ brings Black Chicago to Tokyo
Theaster Gates' “A Heavenly Chord” lines up church pews before seven speakers and a Hammond B3 organ, a type of electric organ prevalent in Black American churches.
Casa del Cibo: A thriving jewel born from Tohoku’s harsh past
When chef Ryohei Ikemi moved to Hachinohe, Aomori Prefecture, and opened Casa del Cibo in 2011, it was the first proper Italian restaurant in the city.
Town to block view of Mount Fuji in response to overtourism
The town government of Fujikawaguchiko, Yamanashi Prefecture, decided to set up a 2.5-meter-high screen to prevent tourists from taking pictures of Mount Fuji looming behind a convenience store.
Kyotographie's strong 12th edition shines light into the margins
Yassine Alaoui Ismaili, who goes by Yoriyas, turned to photography, shooting motion while in motion himself, after an injury forced him to give up his career as a professional breakdancer.

Podcast

From easily navigable train stations to the helpfulness of its municipal staff, Tokyo has earned high praise for its commitment to accessibility for disabled travelers.
[Rebroadcast] Japan is doing better on accessibility than you may think

Longform

Later this month, author Shogo Imamura will open Honmaru, a bookstore that allows other businesses to rent its shelves. It's part of a wave of ideas Japanese booksellers are trying to compete with online spaces.
The story isn't over for Japan's bookstores
By Alex K.T. Martin

SUSTAINABLE JAPAN

Vol. 34: Tokyo, a vanguard city for sustainability
Vol. 34: Tokyo, a vanguard city for sustainability

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