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April 04, 2025
 

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Tomohiro Osaki

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Tomohiro Osaki
Tomohiro Osaki is a staff writer in the Domestic News Division. A graduate of Sophia University in Tokyo, he likes to explore under-reported realities of Japanese youth, with a tendency toward the taboo.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Politics
Mar 13, 2018
As Moritomo scandal reverberates, protesters gather for second day to call on Abe and Taro Aso to resign
As the news of the Finance Ministry's document-tampering continued to send shock waves throughout the nation, a throng of irate protesters gathered near the Diet building Tuesday evening for the second day in a row, calling on Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Finance Minister Taro Aso to immediately resign....
Japan Times
JAPAN / Politics
Mar 13, 2018
From 'falsified' to 'rewritten,' headlines on Moritomo scandal shine light on political leanings
All major Japanese newspapers ran big headlines Tuesday about the Finance Ministry's alterations to documents related to a shady 2016 sale of state-owned land, threatening to sink public support for Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's government. The way in which they described the latest developments, however,...
JAPAN / Politics
Mar 9, 2018
Abe to visit U.S. in April to discuss North Korea with Trump
U.S. President Donald Trump's plans to meet with the North Korean leader might give Prime Minister Shinzo Abe a chance to resolve the abduction issue.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Politics
Mar 7, 2018
Prospect of U.S.-North Korea summit prompts jitters in Tokyo about being left vulnerable
The possibility of a summit between Washington and Pyongyang has left Tokyo jittery the U.S. may settle for a policy compromise that prioritizes U.S. homeland security, leaving Japan vulnerable.
JAPAN / Society
Mar 6, 2018
Lawmakers weigh compensation for victims of forced sterilization under Japan's defunct eugenics law
The long-delayed step heralds a move toward redressing victims of the 1948 law, which wasn't scrapped until 1996.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Mar 2, 2018
Government looking to recognize two-time gold medalist Yuzuru Hanyu with People's Honor Award
The government is looking to present the prestigious People's Honor Award to figure skating superstar Yuzuru Hanyu, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said Friday.
JAPAN / Politics / ANALYSIS
Mar 1, 2018
Abe administration to remove contentious proposal from draft labor reform bill
The drastic policy compromise appears to be intended to minimize damage ahead of a critical leadership election in September.
JAPAN / Politics
Feb 27, 2018
LDP refuses calls to redo flawed labor survey as debate delays budget talks
Political wrangling over an error-laden survey compiled by the labor ministry on what is known as the discretionary labor system shows no sign of subsiding, with the government persistently rejecting opposition calls for a redo of the probe said to underline Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's campaign to reshape...
JAPAN / EXPLAINER
Feb 26, 2018
In Japan's Diet, is there such a thing as too much time for questions?
It may be hard to find a workplace more rife with inefficiency and inertia than the national Diet.
JAPAN
Feb 23, 2018
WTO backs Japan complaint against South Korea's Fukushima import ban
Tokyo welcomes a World Trade Organization ruling against South Korea's ban on seafood from Fukushima Prefecture but Seoul plans to appeal.
JAPAN / Politics
Feb 22, 2018
Opposition lawmakers find at least 117 errors in botched labor survey, as scandal over Abe's key work style reforms deepens
In another revelation, labor minister Katsunobu Kato confirmed original response papers used in the survey — which he previously claimed had been discarded — were found in a basement at the ministry.
JAPAN
Feb 21, 2018
Government task force proposes ¥2,000 fee for Japanese and foreign nationals entering casinos at planned 'integrated resorts'
While the proposed admission fee is aimed at preventing gambling addiction among residents in Japan, tourists from overseas will be admitted to casinos free of charge.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Politics
Feb 13, 2018
Japan says it won't fall for North Korean 'charm offensive' amid detente with U.S. and South
The stance risks making Tokyo appear at odds with Washington and Seoul — its two top allies in dealing with the North.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Politics
Feb 8, 2018
Amid Olympic detente, Pence talks tough
U.S. Vice President Mike Pence talks up the Japan-U.S. alliance and Washington's resolve to dismantle North Korea's arsenal, during a visit to Yokota Air Base in western Tokyo.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Politics
Feb 7, 2018
Abe and Pence say no divide on North Korea during Tokyo meeting, warn against Pyongyang’s ‘smile diplomacy’
Amid signs of a gradual thaw in inter-Korean relations, Prime Minister Abe and visiting U.S. Vice President Pence reaffirm the policy of maintaining “maximum pressure” on North Korea.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Politics
Feb 5, 2018
Abe explains uncompromising stance on inserting 'explicit SDF mention' in Article 9
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is reluctant to compromise on the substance of constitutional amendments, emphasizing his commitment to the ambitious goal of altering the war-renouncing Article 9.
JAPAN / Society
Jan 31, 2018
'Country of cowards': Comedy duo's political satire stands out in gun-shy Japan
In what was perhaps a make-or-break moment for their careers, comedy duo Woman Rush Hour did something on prime-time television in December that most of their fellow comedians try their best to eschew: They talked about politics.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Politics
Jan 24, 2018
Abe confirms plan to attend Winter Olympics despite tension with South Korea over 'comfort women' pact
The announcement puts an end to speculation he may forgo the trip to protest Seoul's recent move to revisit the 2015 deal on the comfort women issue.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Politics
Jan 22, 2018
Abe pledges more robust defense strategy for Japan in annual policy speech to lawmakers
Abe talked tough on defense while easing off from his usual praise for South Korea following the recent flap over the 2015 “comfort women” agreement.
JAPAN / Politics
Jan 21, 2018
Constitutional revision, casinos and labor reform top Japan's agenda as Diet prepares to open
After months of turmoil over a snap election, opposition realignment and stalled legislative progress, this year's regular Diet session was scheduled to kick off Monday.
As ‘Buy Canadian’ grows, more U.S. firms say retailers turning away products
Empty shelves with "Buy Canadian Instead" signs are seen in the American Whiskey section of the BC Liquor in Vancouver, British Columbia, on March 10.
U.S. tourist arrested after bringing a handgun into Japan
Hyogo police believe the handgun a U.S. tourist inadvertently brought into Japan slipped through security procedures at Kansai International Airport in Osaka Prefecture.
Trump unveils 10% global tariff, with Japan levy set at 24%
Trump tosses a MAGA hat to the crowd during an event in which he unveiled new tariffs in the White House on Wednesday.
Meiji says sayonara to bottled milk, a staple of Japan's bathhouses
Meiji bottled milk lined up in a fridge at Kosugiyu, a bathhouse in Tokyo. The sticker urges patrons to enjoy the milk one last time before it’s gone.
Japan’s leader didn’t read the job description
Prime Minister and ruling Liberal Democratic Party leader Shigeru Ishiba is facing a political funding scandal that has damaged his reputation and sparked speculation that internal efforts to remove him are underway.
Haruki Murakami TV adaptation revisits 30 years of watershed moments
Though Haruki Murakami's trademark whiff of offbeat existentialism is threaded throughout NHK's "After the Quake," the final episode — conceived as a sequel to the story "Super-Frog Saves Tokyo" — is the most stylized, featuring an anthropomorphic talking frog (voiced by Non) and his erstwhile associate Katagiri (Koichi Sato).
Nintendo to launch the Switch 2 on June 5
The controllers for the Switch 2 will attach to the console magnetically rather than sliding on rails as with the original device.
A new human trafficking trend emerges from Myanmar scam centers
Victims of scam centers who were tricked or trafficked into working in Myanmar gather at a compound inside KK Park, a fraud center on the country's border with Thailand, after a multinational crackdown in February.
Meiji says sayonara to bottled milk, a staple of Japan's bathhouses
Meiji bottled milk lined up in a fridge at Kosugiyu, a bathhouse in Tokyo. The sticker urges patrons to enjoy the milk one last time before it’s gone.
A Canadian made a weekend trip to Costco a Japanese pastime
Under the watchful eye of Ken Theriault, Costco representative director and Japan country manager, the American membership-model wholesaler has flourished in Japan.

Podcast

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

Longform

Professional cleaner Hirofumi Sakurai takes a moment to appreciate some photographs in a Gotanda apartment whose occupant died alone.
The last cleanup: Life and death in a lonely Japan
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