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November 22, 2024
 

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Alex K.T. Martin

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Alex K.T. Martin
Alex K.T. Martin is a Tokyo-based journalist and senior writer at The Japan Times, primarily focusing on feature stories. Previously he was a Tokyo correspondent for The Wall Street Journal.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Society
Feb 7, 2021
Suicides in Japan dropped for a decade. Then the pandemic hit.
Economic insecurity, social isolation and the lingering dread that those you love can suddenly fall victim to the pathogen have stirred a toxic mix of stress and anxiety.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Economy / Longform
Jan 30, 2021
Japan’s hospitality sector creaks under the weight of a second state of emergency
Restaurants, bars and karaoke parlors are bearing the brunt of restrictions placed on their operations, a move that could have a long-lasting impact on the nation's culinary landscape.
Japan Times
LIFE / Lifestyle / Longform
Jan 9, 2021
Insects: The future of food?
A thriving industry looks promising if consumer aversion can be overcome.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Dec 28, 2020
Shut that window! Open that window! Coronavirus in winter presents new challenge
The dry and often freezing climate is proving to be challenging as restaurants, shops and other facilities scramble to keep their facilities safe.
Japan Times
LIFE / Lifestyle
Dec 12, 2020
Escaping COVID-19: When you can’t see the virus for the trees
Individuals are replacing forestry companies and large corporations in efforts to buy plots of affordable forestland — but for a very different reason.
Japan Times
CULTURE
Dec 1, 2020
Amabie: Folklore apparition generated a big buzz in 2020
The long-haired, beak-faced amabie, which forecasts bountiful harvests and killer epidemics, has found itself in Japan's spotlight in recent months.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Companies
Oct 31, 2020
How Japan’s subscription economy could redefine the way consumers and firms interact
Japan has lagged behind other nations in terms of subscription-based activities, but the model is finally catching on as consumers explore new ways of doing business.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Sep 19, 2020
As COVID-19 persists, Japan looks to send in the robots
A new wave of service machines has emerged amid the coronavirus pandemic to help maintain safety and social distancing.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink
Aug 15, 2020
How COVID-19 has reshaped Japan's drinking culture
Suit-clad office workers are no longer flocking to Japanese-style pubs en masse to unwind after a long day at the office. Where are they drinking instead?
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Aug 13, 2020
Tabletop games on a roll as families in Japan stay home in pandemic
Sales of board, card, dice and other traditional games have skyrocketed as people spend more time indoors.
Japan Times
PODCAST / deep dive
Jul 22, 2020
Episode 58: A brief history of mask wearing in Japan
The Japan Times' Alex Martin discusses the history of mask wearing and how it's changed from the Edo Period to the Spanish Flu to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Science & Health / Longform
Jul 4, 2020
The history behind Japan’s love of face masks
In Japan, it's sometimes said that the eyes speak as much as the mouth.
Japan Times
CULTURE
Jun 20, 2020
Rethinking summer in Japan amid a pandemic
Japan struggles to deal with the cancellation of annual seasonal events that serve as a lifeblood for local communities.
Japan Times
LIFE / Travel
Jun 6, 2020
Getting the wheels back on Japan's travel industry
Unprecedented travel restrictions have crippled tourism, forcing businesses in the sector to rethink strategies and explore new opportunities.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
May 23, 2020
Remote possibilities: Can every home in Japan become an office?
The COVID-19 pandemic is prompting companies to adopt remote work to reduce contagion risks, accelerating the digital shift of the workspace.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Economy
May 9, 2020
Hard sell: Japan’s retail sector may need to reinvent itself in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic
A sea change in shopping habits amid the new coronavirus outbreak could impact marketing and distribution across the country for years to come.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Apr 25, 2020
Japan’s economic backbone creaks under the weight of COVID-19
Domestic small and medium-size businesses are bearing the brunt of business closures amid a nationwide state of emergency.
Japan Times
JAPAN / History
Apr 11, 2020
Looking for solace in Japanese mythology during a pandemic
Amid growing anxiety over an invisible pathogen that has so far claimed tens of thousands of lives worldwide, some Japanese are turning to faith and mythology for solace.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Companies
Apr 5, 2020
In graying Japan, the market for home shopping is still maturing
The suit-clad television presenter makes breathless promises about the qualities of the Hitachi rice cooker he is pitching, describing how the induction heating steam pressure system allows the aluminum pot to produce the perfect batch of Japan’s staple food with a fluffy yet firm texture and a sweet...
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Mar 30, 2020
Coronavirus pandemic fuels trend toward smaller funerals in Japan
From dispatching Buddhist monks to connecting grieving families with affordable funeral homes, Osaka-based end-of-life startup Uniquest Inc. is among the many firms that have been capitalizing on the growing preference toward simple, cheaper funerals and greater efficiency and personalization of services....
Two of America’s biggest debt holders are dumping Treasurys
The U.S. Treasury building in Washington. Investors in Japan and China sold a pile of U.S. debt in the last quarter, just before the U.S. presidential election.
Ishiba aggravates his own political failures with diplomatic faux pas
Prime Minster Shigeru Ishiba is greeted at the APEC summit in Lima by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Friday. The Japanese leader was criticized for remaining seated while meeting several world leaders at the event.
Japan's 3.31 million visitors in October set monthly record
Kiyomizu Temple in Kyoto in December 2023. Famous autumn leaf colors contributed to increased tourism demand last month from many markets across Asia, Europe and North America, the Japan National Tourism Organization has said.
Japan ranks last in romance satisfaction for second straight year
In a survey of 31 countries, Japan ranked last in terms of those who felt loved, with just 51% of respondents saying so.
Ruling coalition and DPP strike last-minute deal over economic policy
DPP policy chief Makoto Mahaguchi speaks at the party's policy gathering in Tokyo on Wednesday.
Japan, U.K. and Italy discuss inviting more countries to joint fighter project
A new concept model of a next-generation fighter jet to be jointly developed by Japan, Britain and Italy is on display in Farnborough, Hampshire, in July.
Haruki Murakami's 'The City and Its Uncertain Walls' gives deep deja vu
For “The City and Its Uncertain Walls,” translated into English by Philip Gabriel, Haruki Murakami confronts the ghosts who won't leave him alone.
Japanese expats in Asia find community through rugby
The Taiwan Fivewoods celebrate their victory at the 2023 Asian Japanese Rugby Cup in December of last year.
In Fukushima, a weekend of prose, poetry and translation
Aomori-based writer JJ Carter presented on tabletop gaming as creative inspiration for building characters and narratives.
For Dr. Nakamats, aging is just experience in action
Though he didn't win the recent gubernatorial election in Tokyo, the 96-year-old Dr. Nakamats' run was seen as inspirational in Japan's aging society.

Podcast

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

Longform

Construction takes place on the Takanawa Gateway Convention Center in Tokyo, slated to open in 2025.
A boom for business tourism in Japan?
By Kathryn Wortley

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