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July 04, 2025
 

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LANGUAGE

Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC
Jun 15, 2023
A chatbot that won't take bribes for giving advice is a hit in India
While the change that was ushered in by ChatGPT caused alarm about AI’s role in the spread of disinformation and job losses, it’s also a tool that can aid social equality.
Japan Times
WORLD
May 19, 2023
Last known speaker fights to preserve South African indigenous language
N|uu was spoken by one of many hunter-gatherer groups that populated Southern Africa before the arrival of European colonizers.
Japan Times
WORLD / Science & Health
May 2, 2023
Scientists use brain scans and AI to 'decode' thoughts
While the main goal is to help people who have lost the ability to communicate, the research raises concerns about 'mental privacy.'
Japan Times
WORLD
Apr 23, 2023
Zelenskyy signs ban on Russian place names in struggle over national identity
Streets across Ukraine are being renamed, and statues of figures like Catherine the Great are toppling down in what officials call 'de-Russification” projects.
Japan Times
CARTOONS / ZERO GRAVITY
Apr 22, 2023
Roger Dahl on giving a hand
JAPAN
Apr 19, 2023
Junior high pupils take first online English speaking test in nationwide assessment
In the new online speaking test, some 54,000 third graders at roughly 500 junior high schools used their own personal computers to take the test.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Apr 10, 2023
The idiocy that will come with a reliance on AI
The real danger with AI is not that people will mistake a chatbot for a real person, it is that communicating with them will make real persons talk like chatbots.
Japan Times
WORLD
Apr 10, 2023
Indigenous groups fear culture distortion as AI learns their languages
Critics warn Indigenous groups are at risk from bias that can be embedded within algorithms, while generative AI models may also spread incorrect information.
Japan Times
Rugby
Mar 5, 2023
Fijian Drua coach says language barrier an issue in Super Rugby
Mick Byrne said he hoped the language barrier issue would be addressed by tournament organizers.
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC / Society
Feb 16, 2023
Tensions over Mandarin on the rise in Hong Kong after reopening
Debate over discrimination against Mandarin speakers in the city has been reignited following an influx of visitors from mainland China, with a viral video stoking concerns.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Jan 16, 2023
New AI smartphone app will be able to decipher Japanese cursive manuscripts
The app's beta version is set for release later this month, while the full version is scheduled to become available to the public this March.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / How-tos
Jan 5, 2023
Listen up! Podcasts can help with that perennial resolution to learn Japanese
It's New Year's resolution time, did you make yours? If you're looking to improve your Japanese listening skills in 2023 then these podcasts have you covered.
Japan Times
WORLD
Dec 23, 2022
'Armed with English': Ukraine soldiers take language lessons
Lessons are practical — giving soldiers words like 'wounded,' 'semi-automatic' and 'cache' as well as phrases such as 'killed in action.'
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Dec 16, 2022
If you thought 2022 was a battle, this year's top kanji pick shows you weren’t alone
The kanji of the year for 2022 is used for wars and struggles, while this year's buzzwords referenced sports lingo and a Norwegian pop tune.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / Vocabulary Boost
Dec 16, 2022
Merriam-Webster’s word of the year is ‘gaslighting,’ and don't try to tell us there isn't a Japanese equivalent
Merriam-Webster saw a huge spike in people looking up the word “gaslighting” in 2022, and Japan is also no stranger to the concept.
JAPAN
Dec 12, 2022
'War' selected as kanji of the year amid international conflicts
The kanji for 'sen,' meaning war, battle or match, was picked as the single most representative Chinese character corresponding to the social mood in Japan this year.
JAPAN
Dec 4, 2022
From 'HTT' and 'SusHi Tech' to 'NHK,' Koike’s way with words falters
The Tokyo governor is known for her past catchy policy terms such as Cool Biz, but lately her choice of expressions has failed to resonate with the public.
Japan Times
WORLD / Society
Dec 1, 2022
Quebec plans to bar long-term immigrants who don’t speak French
The nationalist Coalition Avenir Quebec party was re-elected with a huge majority in October, partly on a platform of protecting French as the dominant language in the province.
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC
Nov 28, 2022
Wordplay, blank signs and music: How China is protesting 'COVID zero'
Protesters in China are using creative ways to voice dissent against the government and its zero-tolerance approach to COVID-19.
Japan Times
LIFE / Digital
Nov 26, 2022
Leg booty? Panoramic? How TikTok is changing language
A new vocabulary — a little fun, a little dystopian — has emerged on the social video platform, as creators try to get around algorithms and strict content moderation.
Magnitude 5.5 earthquake jars Tokara Islands amid flurry of seismic activity
A strong quake struck off the Tokara Islands on Thursday afternoon, with the island chain having recorded around 1,000 earthquakes since a burst of seismic activity first began on June 21.
Onosato's yokozuna promotion causes rare quirk in new sumo rankings
Newly promoted yokozuna Onosato holds a copy of the latest banzuke ranking in Anjo, Aichi Prefecture, on Monday.
A prophesied disaster (likely) won’t strike Japan this weekend
A viral manga prediction of a July 5 disaster has gripped Japan with anxiety and triggered an economic impact, but experts warn that while such dates are unreliable, the threat of a massive earthquake remains real. 
Over 900 earthquakes strike Tokara islands in space of two weeks
A screenshot shows many quakes occurring in the Tokara islands over the past 30 days, in this image taken from the U.S. Geological Survey website.
Ghibli’s Isao Takahata exhibit shows how beloved anime is made
“The man who planted Japanese animation” exhibition includes a variety of sketches, drawings and animation cels from Isao Takahata films such as color design for characters by Michiyo Yasuda from "Grave of the Fireflies."
Ghibli’s Isao Takahata exhibit shows how beloved anime is made
“The man who planted Japanese animation” exhibition includes a variety of sketches, drawings and animation cels from Isao Takahata films such as color design for characters by Michiyo Yasuda from "Grave of the Fireflies."
Flag football facing challenges and opportunities ahead
Japan’s women’s flag football team at the 2025 International Bowl in Los Angeles in June. The sport is enjoying continued growth in the country.
From Hokusai’s Great Wave, shinkansen to One Piece: a cultural treasure box for Lego Japan
Michael Ebbesen, general manager of Lego Japan, says Lego bricks based on Japanese culture have a rich global appeal and are sellable around the world.
With farmed fish, RelationFish swims against the tide in fine dining
Chef Hideaki Matsuo (middle) and the staff of Oseto Suisan Fisheries prepare to check on their sustainably farmed fish.
As Southeast Asia heats up, a Japanese cooling giant sees a major opportunity
An employee of Daikin Cambodia explains the use of different tools during an air conditioner installation training session in Phnom Penh. Daikin is one of Japan’s oldest air conditioning companies, but as Japan’s population falls, the firm is keying in on overseas growth.

Podcast

One of the many entrances to the Kabukicho neighborhood in Tokyo’s Shinjuku Ward.
Kabukicho: Tokyo’s ‘stadium of desire’

Longform

Mount Fuji is considered one of Japan's most iconic symbols and is a major draw for tourists. It's still a mountain, though, and potential hikers need to properly prepare for any climb.
What it takes to save lives on Mount Fuji
By Alex K.T. Martin

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