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April 02, 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
May 31, 2021
Pfizer approves COVID-19 shots for 12- to 15-year-olds in Japan
The U.S. drugmaker also enabled undiluted, thawed vials of its vaccine to be stored at refrigerator temperature for a longer period of time.
JAPAN
May 30, 2021
Flexible approach: Japan municipalities get OK to vaccinate more than just older people
Although older residents will still be prioritized for now, municipalities have the freedom to decide how to set aside shots for other demographics and professions.
Japan Times
JAPAN
May 25, 2021
Japan to let emergency medics and lab staff administer COVID-19 vaccines
“We have been hearing from municipalities that there are not enough people who can administer the vaccine shots,” the government's top spokesman said Tuesday.
JAPAN
May 21, 2021
Can Japan administer 1 million vaccine doses a day? Local governments are the key.
The goal, and the extent to which the central government has cracked the whip on municipalities, are the latest manifestations of Suga's apparent frustration with the nation's campaign.
JAPAN
May 20, 2021
Japanese companies introducing vaccine leave for workers
The idea is to ensure that employees can avoid getting shots on the weekend, when demand for vaccinations is likely to soar.
JAPAN
May 16, 2021
Rainy season in western Japan arrives earlier than ever
The Kinki region likely entered the rainy season Sunday, 25 days earlier than last year and 21 days earlier than average.
JAPAN / FOCUS
May 12, 2021
How domestic clinical trials slow Japan's vaccine approval process
To achieve greater efficiency and flexibility, some have argued that Japan should institute its own version of the emergency use authorization framework seen in the U.S.
JAPAN
May 9, 2021
Deluge of calls to Tokyo fever hotline have some fearing virus explosion
The situation is eerily reminiscent of early January, when the capital was hit by the biggest wave of cases yet, driving its medical system to the breaking point.
JAPAN
Apr 27, 2021
Tokyo to get SDF-staffed, large-scale vaccination site amid slow rollout
Medically licensed SDF personnel are expected to administer Moderna and AstraZeneca vaccines to about 900,000 people age 65 or older living in the capital and neighboring prefectures.
JAPAN
Apr 26, 2021
They know the drill: Dentists tapped to speed up Japan's slow vaccine rollout
Their involvement will be contingent upon municipalities not being able to secure enough doctors and nurses to go ahead with mass vaccinations at public facilities.
JAPAN
Apr 20, 2021
Japan's local governments get creative to incentivize vaccinations
From free bath salt giveaways to discounted taxi rides, municipalities are coming up with an array of programs, but the central government remains wary.
CULTURE / Film
Apr 18, 2021
R rating for 'Demon Slayer' in U.S. highlights difference in attitudes
While Japan's highest-grossing film is accessible to all in its home country, younger viewers in the United States must be accompanied by their parents.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Apr 18, 2021
With 'Demon Slayer' rated R in the U.S., what do film ratings mean in Japan?
Eirin, Japan's film classification board, has to consider eight factors when rating a film: violence, nudity, sex, crime, drugs, terror, language and theme.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
Apr 7, 2021
Japan steps up marijuana warnings following legalization in New York
The Consulate General of Japan in New York warned last week that Japanese residents and tourists can still be penalized for possessing marijuana under Japan's anti-cannabis law.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Apr 5, 2021
School's out in much of the world, but Japanese teachers are happy to return
Japan's situation contrasts sharply with that in other countries, where the question of whether to reopen schools has become a hot-button political issue.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Apr 4, 2021
'No singing, eat in silence': How Japanese schools have stayed open despite the pandemic
Japanese schools — which unlike many parts of the world have mostly remained open — are experimenting with various ways to co-exist with the coronavirus while keeping children safe.
JAPAN / Explainer
Mar 16, 2021
Will Japan’s first same-sex marriage ruling be a beacon of hope?
With the country lagging behind the rest of the developed world on LGBTQ rights, hopes are high for a set of upcoming court rulings.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Mar 4, 2021
Cities and towns face language barriers as they prepare to vaccinate Japan's foreign residents
With their hands already full, some municipalities are less prepared than others and many have been forced to put the issue on the back burner.
JAPAN
Feb 26, 2021
Japan on high alert for COVID-19 vaccination scams
Vaccine-linked scams emerged in January, according to an official, when the approach of the vaccine program quickly captured national attention.
JAPAN / ANALYSIS
Feb 25, 2021
Japan's ties with Myanmar put to the test after military coup
Tokyo has been cautious about implementing sanctions on the Myanmar regime to avoid jeopardizing the relationship it has built with military leaders over decades.
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.
Japan, South Korea and China vow to strengthen trade ties amid looming U.S. tariffs
Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Yoji Muto (left), South Korean Trade Industry and Energy Minister Ahn Duk-geun (center) and Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao during a trilateral meeting in Seoul on Sunday
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.
Nankai Trough earthquake could kill 298,000 people, government says
Residents participate in an evacuation drill held with West Japan Railway in Shirahama, Wakayama Prefecture, in January 2024 to prepare for a Nankai Trough earthquake and a possible tsunami following the quake.
The U.S. says Japan has a 700% tariff on American rice. Is that the case?
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt holds up a piece of paper with information about tariff rates at the White House on Tuesday.
On defense, Japan may avoid Trump's worst impulses — for now
Defense Minister Gen Nakatani and U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth chat after reviewing an honor guard during a welcome ceremony at the Defense Ministry in Tokyo on Sunday.
Nankai Trough earthquake could kill 298,000 people, government says
Residents participate in an evacuation drill held with West Japan Railway in Shirahama, Wakayama Prefecture, in January 2024 to prepare for a Nankai Trough earthquake and a possible tsunami following the quake.
NFL comeback star Damar Hamlin shares life-saving message in Tokyo
Damar Hamlin poses with students at The American School in Japan in Chofu, western Tokyo, on Thursday.
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.
Tokyo tech failures lean into misfortune, mistakes and missteps
Tsuyoshi Domoto in Tokyo's Shinjuku Ward on March 28. As an entrepreneur, Domoto experienced plenty of setbacks but maintains a positive attitude and continues to pursue his dreams.

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
By Johan Brooks

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