The great (and not-so-great) escapes of 2020
Whether it's Carlos Ghosn escaping the country, Prince Harry and Meghan escaping the royal family or someone trying to escape a bad party, there are a lot of ways to describe getting out of a situation in Japanese.
At least 'semete' can help you describe the bare minimum in Japanese
The adverb "semete" can mean "at least" in English, but there's a nuance that goes with it that further specifies how it can be used.
The Times picks Shinjiro Koizumi as someone to watch in 2020
A Kyodo article looks at the attention Environment Minister Shinjiro Koizumi is receiving overseas.
Life begins at 60 (or at least it starts anew)
Japan Times writer Daniel Morales celebrates his 60th column with a lesson on turning 60, a special birthday in Japan.
A Kyodo article looks at number of babies born in Japan last year while comparing it to the country's mortality rate.
If you study just one thing this week, make it 'bakari'
The word "bakari" can be used in many situations in Japanese and can be seen in some of these cases as a replacement for the two different meanings of the English word "just."
Divining fortunes and reading blood types in the Year of the Rat
It's the Year of the Rat and writer Haruka Murayama dips into the language of the zodiac.
Despite the fact 'noni' is difficult for some, it's still a particle you should learn early
Whether it's used to connect sentences or simply to add emphasis, "noni" is important to convey the idea of "even though."
Of the issues non-Japanese had to deal with in the past year (and even the past decade), some were major news stories and some fell quietly into the cracks.
Cleaning house (and head) at the end of the year
In the tradition of year-end cleaning, writer Daniel Morales takes a look at his Japanese study notes and tidies up some loose ends.
Uh, if you want to speak Japanese like a local, you'll, er, need to master 'eeto' and 'anō'
Words expressing hesitation and thoughtfulness can differ depending on the formality of a situation.
A Kyodo article on Hagoita paddles comes filled with the kanji of this year's newsmakers.
