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July 16, 2024
 

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Tomoko Otake

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Tomoko Otake
Tomoko Otake is a senior writer with a strong interest in health, medical and social issues. A native of Nara Prefecture, she obtained an M.A. in journalism from The University of Montana.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Science & Health / A MATTER OF HEALTH
Apr 26, 2017
Todai-linked venture developing technology for speedy home flu test
Every winter, people running a fever and complaining of muscle pain swarm the nation's clinics, suspecting one thing: the flu.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Science & Health / A MATTER OF HEALTH
Apr 19, 2017
Language barriers at Japanese medical institutions put foreign patients at risk: expert
Here's a little-known, unnerving truth about health care in Japan: for non-Japanese, the death rate is higher than that for Japanese.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Apr 12, 2017
JAL and ANA say overbooking violence would never happen in Japan
The violent video of a passenger being forcibly removed from an overbooked United Airlines flight on Sunday has gone viral around the world, including in Japan, sparking outcry and concern that a similar incident could happen here.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Science & Health / A MATTER OF HEALTH
Apr 12, 2017
Tottori venture touts simulated patient for budding medical professionals
It looks and feels like a real person. It can cough, has a gag reflex and will even cry “ouch!” if handled roughly.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Society
Apr 10, 2017
Japan's population projected to plunge to 88 million by 2065
The population of Japan is expected to plunge to 88.08 million in 2065, a roughly 30 percent fall from the 2015 level, according to a government-affiliated research institute.
Japan Times
JAPAN / GENERATIONAL CHANGE
Apr 10, 2017
Robotics whiz envisions prosthetic limbs for all
A high school teacher in a black coat enters the classroom. "Good morning," he says to the students before starting his lecture, with his right hand busily scribbling something on a blackboard and his left holding a physics textbook.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Science & Health / A MATTER OF HEALTH
Apr 5, 2017
When it comes to health info, online 'fake news' can have serious repercussions
A recent "fake news" scandal involving IT giant DeNA Co. shows how quickly bogus health information can make the rounds online.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Society
Mar 29, 2017
Families of 'karoshi' victims lambaste overtime cap recommendations as legalizing unhealthy working hours
Families of people who have died from overwork blasted a report adopted Tuesday by a government labor reform panel, saying its call for creating a monthly overtime cap of 100 hours could effectively legalize long working hours at the expense of workers' health.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Society
Mar 24, 2017
Entrepreneurs use their diseases as springboard for business success
Despite calls for diversity in the workplace and "work-style reforms" being debated in the government, Japan has yet to come up with a way to fully utilize the talent of all who wish to work, especially those with rare and incurable diseases.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Science & Health
Mar 24, 2017
Kyoto University professor does the math and finds that sperm swim to a beat
We know that the upshot of sex between a man and a woman is more than 50 million sperm racing to reach one egg, though exactly how sperm swim through a woman’s body and how just one survives the journey to fertilize an egg is full of mystery.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Mar 13, 2017
Huge number of articles on DeNA info websites found to have plagiarism, copyright issues
A three-month probe uncovers problems with around 20,000 articles uploaded on 10 health and lifestyle information websites run by DeNA Co.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
Mar 9, 2017
Patent authority rules against Nintendo, lets go-kart firm keep MariCar trademark
The Japan Patent Office in January dismissed an objection filed by Nintendo Co. over the MariCar trademark registered by a Tokyo-based go-kart service company, it was learned Thursday.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Science & Health / FOCUS
Mar 8, 2017
New guidelines tackle misuse of antibiotics amid rise of superbugs
Public health officials have begun tackling the misuse and overuse of antibiotics, as the prevalence of superbugs, or bacteria resistant to antibiotics, reaches alarming levels worldwide.
Japan Times
JAPAN / EXPLAINER
Feb 27, 2017
Tax break for OTC drugs seeks to get Japanese managing their health, not swarming clinics
Buying medicine at a drugstore can now save you taxes.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Society
Feb 24, 2017
20% of Tokyo's children from impoverished households: survey
A fifth of the children in the capital are from households in dire financial straits struggling to survive, a survey finds.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Feb 19, 2017
Japan's buckling health care system at a crossroads
U.S. President Donald Trump's plan to repeal “Obamacare” has left many people here wondering: How does Japan compare?
Japan Times
JAPAN
Feb 19, 2017
Japan's health care system edges foreign care in expat survey
Just over half of non-Japanese residents feel Japan's health care system is generally better than that in their home countries, a trend particularly pronounced among U.S. citizens, with 3 out of 4 rating it more highly, an informal Japan Times survey has found.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Feb 19, 2017
Japanese offer mixed views of foreign health care
Japanese people who have received medical care overseas have mixed views of other countries' health systems, according to an online straw poll conducted by The Japan Times.
Japan Times
WORLD / Science & Health
Feb 7, 2017
U.S. patients could end up paying the price if travel ban bars foreign doctors, Japanese researcher says
U.S. President Donald Trump's travel ban for citizens from seven Muslim-majority countries could end up impairing the health of Americans, according to a new study led by a Harvard University-based Japanese researcher.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Science & Health
Feb 3, 2017
Schools close, hospitals swell as influenza spikes
Japan sees a surge of 400,000 influenza cases in just one week as patients rush to get doctor's notes instead of resting.
Bloodied Trump survives assassination attempt at political rally
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is surrounded and evacuated by Secret Service agents at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on Saturday. Trump was rushed off stage at the rally after shots rang out.
How to beat Japan’s summer heat in ways better for the planet
Tenugui towels hang up to dry at a dyeing company in Sakai, Osaka Prefecture, on May 8. The durable and versatile tenugui, which many people have in their homes, can be used in many ways to cool one’s body.
The neurological disorder that 'kills culture'
Akiko Trush says her experience with the neurological disorder dystonia left her feeling like she wanted to chop her own hand off.
Amid same-sex marriage ban, LGBTQ couples opt for 'photo weddings'
A lesbian couple, consisting of a 35-year-old woman (left) and 40-year-old woman, cover their faces with bouquets as they pose for wedding photos in Yokohama on Nov. 1.
China and Russia conduct joint Pacific military patrol
The Russian corvette Gromkiy enters the Chinese port of Zhanjiang as part of a joint China-Russia naval exercise on Saturday.
How to beat Japan’s summer heat in ways better for the planet
Tenugui towels hang up to dry at a dyeing company in Sakai, Osaka Prefecture, on May 8. The durable and versatile tenugui, which many people have in their homes, can be used in many ways to cool one’s body.
After Trump shooting, U.S. presidential race might take a violent turn
United States Secret Service Counter Snipers stand guard on a rooftop during a campaign rally for U.S. President Donald Trump in Avoca, Pennsylvania, in 2020.
No AC this summer? No problem (for me).
Think air conditioning is a requirement for a Tokyo summer? Think again.
She’s paying ¥1 million to help behind the scenes at the Paris Olympics
Mai Tarumi, who previously volunteered at the postponed Tokyo Olympics in 2021, has a travel budget of ¥1 million for her trip to volunteer at the Paris Games.
How to tweak your diet when temperatures spike
Most people think of hydration as a strictly liquid-based concept, but eating foods with high water content is an essential part of making it through a Japanese summer unscathed.

Podcast

You can often see generations of families enjoying performances together at Fuji Rock Festival.
Japan’s summer music festivals are feeling the heat in more ways than one

Longform

Akiko Trush says her experience with the neurological disorder dystonia left her feeling like she wanted to chop her own hand off.
The neurological disorder that 'kills culture'
By Tomoko Otake

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