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December 31, 2024
 

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Masumi Koizumi
JAPAN
May 4, 2020
Japan school closures reignite debate on shifting academic year to September start
The pandemic has created an opening to put Japan's students back in sync with their global counterparts, but resistance remains.
BUSINESS
Apr 24, 2020
Foreign students in Japan fear pandemic narrows job opportunities
As the outbreak continues to take a serious toll on Japan's economy, those hoping to find work here now fear they will be first to miss out.
BUSINESS
Apr 17, 2020
Japan internet providers say they can handle coronavirus-driven surge
Internet traffic in Japan has spiked as more homebound workers and students rely on video meetings and streaming content amid the COVID-19 outbreak, raising the question of how much this will affect access to networks that may until now have been taken for granted.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Apr 12, 2020
Japan's nightlife entertainers head to cyberspace to dodge virus, host clients online
Hosts and hostesses in Japan's famous nightlife industry are turning to remote entertainment sessions as the COVID-19 pandemic forces them to create a safer environment to survive the public safety crisis.
BUSINESS / Companies
Apr 8, 2020
Coronavirus forces Japanese firms to weigh hybrid online-offline shareholders meetings
Corporate law requires firms to set a physical venue for the meeting, but the government has confirmed online options are legal — with a caveat.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Society
Apr 1, 2020
Stranded tourists flock to Tokyo immigration bureau already overwhelmed by seasonal rush
Scores of foreign nationals queued up at the Tokyo Regional Immigration Services Bureau on Wednesday, as tourists unable to return home — after international flights from Japan were suspended due to COVID-19 — added to the typical numbers attending the bureau.
BUSINESS
Mar 29, 2020
Japan restaurants embrace takeout and seek regulars’ help in COVID-19 crisis
Restaurants in Japan are navigating rough waters amid the COVID-19 pandemic, inspiring new ideas as they try to come up with ways to remain afloat.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Mar 29, 2020
Snow and store closures keep Tokyo crowds at bay over critical coronavirus weekend
A rare late-March snowfall coupled with numerous store closures helped keep Tokyo residents indoors Sunday, day two of a crucial weekend in the city's attempt to contain the spread of COVID-19.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Economy
Mar 26, 2020
Tokyo shoppers rush out after governor’s call to stay in to curb virus
Shelves were cleared of bottled water, meat, cup ramen and spaghetti.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Science & Health
Mar 15, 2020
'Social distancing' in a pandemic: What does it mean in practice and for society?
As fears over COVID-19 grow and health authorities worldwide urge or even force people to isolate themselves, "social distancing," or shakai kyori senryaku in Japanese, has become a buzz phrase online.
BUSINESS
Mar 13, 2020
COVID-19 school closures open door for housekeepers and babysitters in Japan
Surveys have shown that most know about the services, but many are reluctant to try them.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Mar 10, 2020
In Fukushima, a 'village' aims to lure young people back to disaster-hit town
In a deserted part of Fukushima Prefecture dotted with vacant lots, a sleek modern building stands out. In a workshop inside, a woman with a ponytail wearing purple protective eyeglasses carefully melts a tiny glass tube into the shape of a plum blossom.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Companies
Feb 20, 2020
Mercari plans Tokyo store to tempt more into its online marketplace
Online flea market operator Mercari Inc. said Thursday that it would try its hand at brick and mortar operations in hope of reaching tens of millions of untapped users in the Japanese market, allowing them to sell their used goods on the spot and handling everything from photography to shipment.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Feb 14, 2020
On heels of quarterly loss, Nissan again slashes full-year outlook amid economic uncertainties
After posting only its first third quarterly loss in 11 years, Nissan Motor Co. on Thursday again cut its annual profit forecast due to weak demand and economic uncertainties.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Companies / FOCUS
Feb 7, 2020
Japan carmakers brace for supply and demand nightmares due to coronavirus
As many of them know, 'it's impossible to manufacture cars without China.”
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Companies
Feb 4, 2020
Hilton chases post-Olympic gold by bringing new luxury hotel brand to Kyoto in 2021
The Hilton group said Tuesday it will open a hotel under its newest luxury brand in Kyoto in autumn 2021, counting on a further upswell in lodging demand from tourists even after the Tokyo Olympics this summer.
JAPAN
Jan 25, 2020
Japan braces for Chinese New Year tourist influx as concerns over coronavirus grow
Authorities bolster health screenings at airports and urge companies to clamp down on business travel as throngs of Chinese tourists land in Japan wearing masks.
JAPAN
Jan 15, 2020
Environment Minister Shinjiro Koizumi challenges Japan's workplace norms with decision to take paternity leave
Environment Minister Shinjiro Koizumi said he will take paternity leave later this month, a rare move in a country where most men do not take the time off.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Jan 9, 2020
Japan firms pull staff out of Iran and limit Iraq travel amid high tensions
As of Oct. 1, 2018, Japanese companies have 30 operational bases in Iran, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Companies
Dec 30, 2019
Old habits die hard: Japan still struggling with push toward working style reform
Older managers are failing to recognize changing expectations among a younger workforce.
Ukraine risks losing all Russian land it seized within months, U.S. says
Ukrainian soldiers carry the coffins of three comrades killed in recent fighting in eastern Ukraine during their funeral in the western city of Lviv on Dec. 20.
Japanese Princess Kako turns 30
As an adult member of the Imperial Family, Princess Kako has performed various official duties at home and abroad this year.
South Korea's worst plane crash in decades leaves 179 dead
Rescue personnel are seen near the tail section of a Jeju Air Boeing 737-800 series aircraft after the plane crashed and burst into flames at Muan International Airport in Muan, South Korea, on Sunday.
U.S. military coordination unit eyed in central Tokyo
A Self-Defense Forces soldier from a Patriot Advanced Capability-3 missile unit takes part in a drill at Yokota Air Base in Fussa, western Tokyo, in August 2017.
Shohei Ohtani ends blockbuster year with baby announcement
Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani and his wife, Mamiko Tanaka, attend a Lakers game in Los Angeles on Dec. 8.
Japan’s weather in 2024: Record temperatures hurt people’s health and wallets
People cover themselves with umbrellas during a hot summer day in Tokyo's Ginza district in August. Temperatures shot up in early July, even before the official end of the rainy season, and the high temperatures persisted well into the fall.
How Hokkaido quietly became a culinary treasure trove in 2024
The central Hokkaido city of Asahikawa made headlines this year when one of its suburbs was named as the best place to live in Japan — a ranking earned in part due to the community's many outstanding restaurants and cafes.
Bling-Bang, baby: The J-pop soundtrack of 2024
Hip-hop duo Creepy Nuts' uptempo “Bling-Bang-Bang-Born” quickly became a TikTok favorite after its release days into 2024, which helped turn the song into a Billboard Japan Hot 100 topper for 19 weeks before rising up viral streaming charts around the world.
Shohei Ohtani ends blockbuster year with baby announcement
Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani and his wife, Mamiko Tanaka, attend a Lakers game in Los Angeles on Dec. 8.
Flu cases surge above ‘warning’ levels in much of Japan
Authorities are calling for utmost vigilance as Japan heads into the New Year holiday season, when many people plan getaways.

Podcast

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

Longform

Members of the Wajima City Morning Market Association pose for a group photograph on the site where the market once stood.
In the wake of disaster, the revival of Wajima's market brings hope
By Alex K.T. Martin

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