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April 06, 2025
 

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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
Jan 8, 2016
Bad management to blame for Yokohama piling scandal, interim report says
A third-party panel probing the Asahi Kasei Construction Materials piling scandal concludes sloppy management encouraged data manipulation but avoids stating whether workers engaged in a coverup.
JAPAN
Jan 7, 2016
'Zainichi' Koreans say North Korean nuclear test may fuel discrimination in Japan
Korean residents in Japan expressed anger and disappointment at North Korea, saying its test could fuel anti-Korean sentiment.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Society / DEMOGRAPHIC CHALLENGES
Jan 3, 2016
Options available to mitigate dangers of living alone with dementia
At first glance, it's hard to tell what's wrong with Keiko Sawada. As casual exchanges continue, however, it becomes increasingly clear the former bar hostess has serious memory problems.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
Dec 23, 2015
Tattooist's legal challenge could lift industry in Japan or send it underground
Tattooist Taiki Masuda is challenging a law that makes him a criminal for practicing what he considers a form of art.
JAPAN / EXPLAINER
Dec 21, 2015
Joso disaster prompts ministry rethink of flood control, prediction policies
On Dec. 11, the land ministry released a new policy vision for dealing with floods in response to September's typhoon-triggered breach of the Kinugawa River, which inundated residential areas of Joso, Ibaraki Prefecture, stranding thousands for hours, and some for days.
JAPAN
Dec 18, 2015
Dye factory under scrutiny after five workers contract rare bladder cancer
Five men in their 40s and 50s who worked for a chemical company handling dyes and pigments have developed bladder cancer, the health ministry said Friday.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
Dec 16, 2015
Plaintiffs express shock at bad precedent set by court's decision on shared surnames
Plaintiffs contesting family laws that require spouses to choose a single surname expressed shock and anger at Wednesday's Supreme Court ruling, saying it sets a bad precedent and will force more women to suffer the misery of having to change their name upon marriage.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Dec 15, 2015
Leafy designs for new National Stadium seen as posing security headaches
The greenery-rich design proposals for the main stadium for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics could pose security headaches, an expert said Tuesday.
JAPAN / Society
Dec 11, 2015
State retirement communities, aimed at luring elderly from cities, take shape in Japan
Ten to 20 cities and towns will be named next year as sites for a state program to create new retirement communities for Japan's rapidly graying populace.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Dec 9, 2015
Japan to ground hobbyist drones in urban areas, impose sweeping restrictions elsewhere
New regulations on the flights of drones and other unmanned aircraft will take effect on Thursday, despite concerns over the impact on hobbyists and fears that restrictions may hamper innovation in the emerging sector.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Society
Dec 2, 2015
Media firm seeks to make prep schooling affordable, higher education reachable, via online lectures
Major media company Recruit Marketing Partners is waging a price war in a field of business that has thrived despite a dwindling pool of clients: preparing for entrance exams.
JAPAN
Dec 1, 2015
'Bakugai,' 'toripuru suri' share top honors as year's most memorable buzzwords in Japan
This year's most memorable buzzwords in Japan were announced Tuesday, with the words bakugai (explosive shopping spree carried out by Chinese tourists) and toripuru suri ("Triple Three" achievements in baseball) jointly taking home the top honors.
JAPAN
Dec 1, 2015
Saitama school apologizes over student's racist tweets
A private high school in Urawa, Saitama Prefecture, has apologized for racist tweets targeting Gamba Osaka's black Brazilian striker Patric posted by a male student over the weekend.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Nov 25, 2015
Public education spending in Japan lowest in OECD for sixth straight year
Japan's public spending on education as a percentage of GDP was the lowest among the OECD countries in 2012, marking the sixth consecutive year that the nation was saddled with the ignominy of being the stingiest spender, the group's latest report on education shows.
JAPAN / Science & Health
Nov 24, 2015
Syphilis cases rise sharply in Japan, especially among young women
The number of syphilis patients is rising rapidly, especially among young women, according to new statistics from the National Institute of Infectious Diseases.
JAPAN
Nov 18, 2015
Japan sees record number of overseas tourists in October
A total of 1.82 million people arrived in Japan in October, a record high and up 43.8 percent from the same period a year ago.
JAPAN
Nov 17, 2015
Japan piling probe to expand to entire industry as data falsification fears grow
The infrastructure ministry says it will expand its probe into data management for piling work to the entire industry, as fears of manipulation involving building foundation piles continue to grow.
Japan Times
JAPAN / ANALYSIS
Nov 16, 2015
'Proactive pacifism' makes Japan a target for Islamic terrorists: experts
The terrorist attacks Friday in Paris highlight the need for Japan to be on high alert as it prepares to host such high-profile events as next year's Group of Seven summit and the 2020 Summer Olympics.
JAPAN
Nov 13, 2015
Asahi Kasei piling scandal grows to at least 50 workers, 266 sites
The company at the center of Yokohama's tilting condominium reveals that over 50 employees falsified data on at least 266 piling projects over the past decade.
JAPAN
Nov 10, 2015
Nominees announced for year's top buzzwords
The Jiyukokuminsha publishing house on Tuesday announced 50 nominees for this year's top buzzwords, covering everything from the "bakugai" (explosive shopping spree) carried out by Chinese tourists to "Goromaru pozu," referring to rugby star Ayumu Goromaru's characteristic clasping of his hands before...
3D printer used to construct train station building in Japan
A train station building (front) is assembled from parts printed using 3D printer technology, in Arida, Wakayama Prefecture, on Wednesday.
Nissan says it will not take new U.S. orders for Mexican-built Infiniti SUVs
A Nissan manufacturing complex in Aguascalientes, Mexico. Nissan says it will not take new orders from the United States for two Mexican-built Infiniti SUVs following new auto tariffs levied by the U.S.
Japan digs deep to address 'national crisis' caused by Trump tariffs
Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba speaks during a news conference at the Prime Minister's Office on April 1. He has said that Japan is facing a "national crisis" following the introduction of new tariffs by the United States.
Tokyo’s KK Line to close for decadelong overhaul as public greenway
People enjoy running and yoga on Tokyo Expressway’s KK Line, a 2-kilometer elevated expressway cutting through the capital’s commercial Ginza district, when it was opened as a pedestrian space in May last year.
Japan promises 'bold and speedy' response to Trump’s surprise 24% tariffs
U.S. President Donald Trump unveils new U.S. tariffs at the White House in Washington on Wednesday.
‘Let’s make it practical’: NATO chief eyes greater defense-industrial ties with Japan
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte plans to visit Japan on Tuesday and Wednesday — his first to the Indo-Pacific region since taking office in October, as he seeks to implement lessons from the ongoing war in Ukraine.
Tottori takes a bold leap forward in the arts
The city of Kurayoshi in Tottori Prefecture celebrated the opening of its public art museum with festivities such as a parade that drew 1,000 revelers.
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.

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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