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December 24, 2024
 

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Joel Tansey

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Joel Tansey
Joel joined The Japan Times in 2017 after four years as a reporter with Black Press Media in western Canada. He's currently a senior news editor and in 2022 he helped launch a new section of the paper focusing on climate change, earth science and other environmental issues.
On Dec. 11, Universal Studios Japan officially unveiled its new Donkey Kong Country area, putting the iconic character in the spotlight for the first time in a while.
LIFE / Travel
Dec 12, 2024
USJ’s new Donkey Kong Country is a barrel of fun
Mine Cart Madness is the area’s only ride, but there are shops and snacking options as well as chances to meet costumed characters from the iconic series.
A portion of the Tokyo skyline from an observatory deck at an industrial port in Kawasaki
ENVIRONMENT / Climate change / OUR PLANET
Oct 20, 2024
Japan scientists are tracking the big climate problem with tiny aerosols
The clear signs of climate change are everywhere, but a Japan team has found a way to trace the crisis with something that's a little less visible: aerosols.
The Iron Dames car shared by Rahel Frey, Sarah Bovy and Michelle Gatting is pushed into the garage during the World Endurance Championship race in Austin, Texas, earlier this year.
MORE SPORTS / Auto Racing
Oct 15, 2024
While motorsports' inclusivity has improved, there's still work to be done
The Iron Dames team is among those battling for a more welcoming motorsports environment for women.
The Nintendo Museum opens to the public on Oct. 2, but unlike the company's all-ages games, the new attraction may be geared more toward older rather than younger gamers.
LIFE / Travel
Sep 25, 2024
A first look inside the new Nintendo Museum
Set to open on Oct. 2, the gaming giant's newest foray into real-world experiences shows flashes of the same creativity that made the company what it is today.
Fiji's Vuate Karawalevu races to score a try during the Pacific Nations Cup final against Japan at Hanazono Rugby Stadium in Higashiosaka, Osaka Prefecture, on Saturday.
MORE SPORTS / Rugby
Sep 22, 2024
Young Brave Blossoms squad outmatched against Fiji in Pacific Nations Cup final
Head coach Eddie Jones said the 41-17 loss was a "good reminder of how far we are off the mark."
Toyota Gazoo Racing fans cheer on the team at the start of the 6 Hours of Fuji race on Sunday at Fuji Speedway in Oyama, Shizuoka Prefecture.
MORE SPORTS / Auto Racing
Sep 20, 2024
For Toyota and its rivals, WEC becomes important arena amid major industry shift
Carmakers' involvement in endurance racing has taken on a new level of importance as the auto industry faces a once-a-generation sea change.
As team principal, Kamui Kobayashi's role with Toyota Gazoo Racing goes far beyond his performance behind the wheel.
MORE SPORTS / Auto Racing
Sep 15, 2024
Kamui Kobayashi still driven by passion after long career in driver’s seat
Despite turning 38 on Friday, Kobayashi is not ready to pump the brakes on his auto racing career. 
The front facade at Koshien Stadium in Nishinomiya, Hyogo Prefecture. The stadium, widely regarded as the spiritual home of Japanese baseball, turns 100 on Thursday.
BASEBALL / Japanese Baseball
Jul 31, 2024
Koshien at 100: 'Sacred' dirt, the Hanshin Tigers and a storied high school tourney
For baseball fans across Japan, Koshien Stadium — which celebrates its 100th anniversary on Thursday — is more than just a ballpark. It's a cathedral.
Lamposts and other signs throughout Hirogawa, Wakayama Prefecture, display warnings, evacuation routes and measurements of height above sea level. The town has been hit by eight tsunami in its recorded history.
ENVIRONMENT / Earth science / OUR PLANET
Jul 21, 2024
Why Japanese researchers are looking to submarine cables for faster tsunami warnings
While Japan boasts one of the world's most sophisticated earthquake and tsunami detection systems, gaps still remain.
Thirty years after his death, Ayrton Senna remains a revered figure among motorsports fans in Japan.
MORE SPORTS / Auto Racing
May 1, 2024
30 years on, Japan's bond with Senna remains strong
During the driver's peak, Formula One grew to a point where the sport brought a second race to Japan in 1994.
Haas team principal Ayao Komatsu during a practice session ahead of the Japanese Grand Prix. Komatsu is the first Japanese to hold the top position at a non-Japanese F1 team.
MORE SPORTS / Auto Racing
Apr 7, 2024
Tokyo native Ayao Komatsu brings ‘calm’ and ‘focus’ to improving Haas F1 team
The impact is apparent three months into leadership change that made Komatsu team principal.
Japanese driver Yuki Tsunoda competes in the Japanese Grand Prix on Sunday as the race's spring debut saw cherry blossoms greet the 20 drivers on the Formula One grid.
MORE SPORTS / Auto Racing
Apr 7, 2024
Tsunoda becomes first Japanese F1 driver to score a point at home since 2012
Tsunoda’s deep knowledge of the track paid off and Max Verstappen's Honda-powered Red Bull took the win.
Yuki Tsunoda will be looking to earn points at his home race for the first time when he starts 10th for Sunday's Japanese Grand Prix.
MORE SPORTS / Auto Racing
Apr 6, 2024
Tsunoda qualifies 10th as he eyes points at Japanese Grand Prix
A loud cheer from the 77,000 fans at Suzuka Circuit could be heard over the roar of Tsunoda’s Honda engine after he secured his top 10 position.
Ayumu Iwasa says his target is to be in F1 as a regular driver and become world champion.
MORE SPORTS / Auto Racing
Apr 5, 2024
RB’s Iwasa eager for more after first taste of an F1 weekend at Suzuka
The Osaka Prefecture native logged a fastest lap of 1:32.103 for RB, putting him 16th among the 20 drivers in the session
Yuki Tsunoda attends a promotional event ahead of the Japanese Grand Prix, in Tokyo on Wednesday.
MORE SPORTS / Auto Racing
Apr 5, 2024
Japan favorite Tsunoda looks to shift career into higher gear at Suzuka
Without a race seat yet for 2025, the driver's future is up in the air.
Red Bull's Max Verstappen in action during the 2023 Japanese Grand Prix in Suzuka, Mie Prefecture, on Sept. 24.
MORE SPORTS / Auto Racing
Apr 4, 2024
Cherry blossoms greet F1 on eve of spring debut at Suzuka
Red Bull's Max Verstappen will be looking to reestablish a pecking order that has him firmly on top.
Ferrari's Carlos Sainz Jr., RB's Yuki Tsunoda, Red Bull's Max Verstappen, Williams' Alexander Albon, Mercedes' George Russell and Alpine's Pierre Gasly during a news conference in Suzuka, Mie Prefecture, on Thursday
MORE SPORTS / Auto Racing
Apr 4, 2024
Five drivers to watch this weekend at Suzuka
The battles that take place further down the grid promise plenty of excitement this weekend.
Nissan's Oliver Rowland races in the first Tokyo E-Prix on Saturday. The Japanese team delighted the home fans with Rowland's second-place finish as Formula E made its debut in the motorsport-loving country.
MORE SPORTS / Auto Racing
Mar 31, 2024
First Tokyo E-Prix wins over Japan's passionate motorsports fans
Spectators hailed the long-awaited arrival of the racing series, which offered a different kind of spectacle compared to F1 and domestic series.
Drivers speed toward the first corner at the start of the first Tokyo E-Prix.
MORE SPORTS / Auto Racing
Mar 30, 2024
Nissan’s Rowland narrowly misses dream win in Formula E’s electric Tokyo debut
Maserati’s Maximilian Guenther spoiled the party for Nissan's legions of fans as the electric racing series made its long-awaited Japan debut.
Formula E drivers prepare for the Tokyo E-Prix during a practice session on Friday in the capital's Odaiba district.
MORE SPORTS / Auto Racing
Mar 29, 2024
Formula E set to electrify Tokyo
The series' arrival in Tokyo comes as Japanese manufacturers start to take a greater interest.
Bankruptcies and suicides rise as Japanese struggle with mounting debt
Lawyers estimate that personal bankruptcies in Japan are on track to reach the highest since 2012 this year.
Japan accuses Google of violating antimonopoly law
The Japanese antitrust watchdog said that Google forced smartphone makers to preinstall its search app on their devices, sources say.
Okinawa people stage rally against sexual assaults by U.S. servicemen
Sorane Sakihama, a 22-year-old college student, speaks at a rally in the city of Okinawa on Sunday protesting against sexual assaults by U.S. soldiers.
Zelenskyy to replace Ukraine ambassador to Japan
Ukrainian Ambassador to Japan Sergiy Korsunsky delivers a speech during a handover ceremony of Self-Defense Force vehicles to Ukraine, at the Defense Ministry in Tokyo, in May last year.
Is Japan finally ready to tap its abundant geothermal energy potential?
Steam rises from a geothermal plan in Yuzawa, Akita Prefecture. Despite its long history and potential, geothermal provided just 0.3% of Japan's overall energy mix in the fiscal year from April 2023
A brief history of ‘osechi ryōri,' Japan's edible tradition for the new year
Japan's traditional New Year cuisine has a long history, though modern developments have led to slight changes in the way things work.
Casual workouts, cool living, ‘complete’ food: Japan’s health trends of 2024
In 2024, efficiency trumped effort among Japan's fitness-focused aspirants.
Is Japan finally ready to tap its abundant geothermal energy potential?
Steam rises from a geothermal plan in Yuzawa, Akita Prefecture. Despite its long history and potential, geothermal provided just 0.3% of Japan's overall energy mix in the fiscal year from April 2023
Japanese officials inspect Yokota Air Base over PFAS concerns
The Yokota Air Base in western Tokyo in September 2019. An inspection of the base by Japanese government officials on Friday came amid public pressure to investigate suspected links between the use of PFAS-containing firefighting foam by the U.S. base and contamination of soil and groundwater in western Tokyo.
North Korea aiding Russia where it needs it most, Canadian general says
North Korean special forces soldiers march and shout slogans during a military parade marking the 105th birth anniversary of the country's founding father, Kim Il Sung, in Pyongyang in April 2017.

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One of the many entrances to the Kabukicho neighborhood in Tokyo’s Shinjuku Ward.
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Longform

Visitors to Kyoto walk along a street near Kiyomizu Temple in April. A popular tourist spot, Kyoto has seen what locals feel to be an overwhelming amount of tourists in 2024.
Is Japan ready for 60 million tourists?
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