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Reader Mail
Apr 22, 2020

Flying empty planes is wasteful

Regarding the April 17 story "Japan's airlines fly empty domestic flights as they stick to schedule," what an utter waste of resources in the land of "mottainai". Flying almost empty airplanes at a time when climate change is threatening the planet, is highly irresponsible. Thanks Japan Times for bringing...
Japan Times
CULTURE / TV & Streaming / 'Terrace House Tokyo 2019-2020' Recaps
Apr 21, 2020

Ep. 40 ‘Never Forgive Luigi’

"Terrace House" is shutting its doors, for now. The big news this week was that, according to the show's official Twitter account, production would be shut down due to the current outbreak of COVID-19. That means this week's episode is the last new one we'll be seeing for a while, so savor each sip of...
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / MORNING ENGLISH
Apr 21, 2020

Let's discuss Hikakin and Yuriko Koike

A Japan Times story looks at the YouTube interview social media personality Hikakin did with Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Apr 20, 2020

The post-COVID-19 international order

The postwar movement toward an open, free, rule-based and truly globalized international order must be put on hold.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Apr 20, 2020

Grim truth of the ‘Swedish model’

The lack of a lockdown has led to one of the world's highest COVID-19 death rates.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Apr 20, 2020

Strength in numbers: A more open approach to tracking the virus in Japan

Like many foreign residents of Japan during the early days of the country's COVID-19 outbreak, Shane Reustle and Jiahui Zhou recall poring over websites run by the health ministry and local municipalities to try to get a clear picture of how infections were spreading in the world’s third-largest economy....
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Tech
Apr 20, 2020

Houseparty vies with Zoom to be homebound chatters’ app of choice

Sima Sistani has been getting through the coronavirus outbreak’s shelter-in-place order the past month in many of the same ways others have: home-schooling her 7-year-old, trading off parenting shifts with her husband, and jumping from room to room to find a quiet space for phone calls.
Japan Times
LIFE / Style & Design
Apr 19, 2020

A Japanese designer lauds the allure of everyday aluminum

They may not have the stylish design of what's being produced today, but the simplicity in Seiji Onishi's collection of aluminum items are where true beauty lies.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Media / Japan Pulse
Apr 18, 2020

When jumping on the social media bandwagon to score political points backfires

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe jumped into the fire by joining J-pop star Gen Hoshino's YouTube challenge.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Apr 15, 2020

COVID-19 pandemic prompts a digital revolution

Even as the novel coronavirus pandemic throws the global economy into turmoil and as commercial activities are paralyzed in Japan under the state of emergency declared by the government, at least one sector is seeing an expansion in demand — “virtual” business models and online transactions that...
Reader Mail
Apr 15, 2020

The government's questionable priorities

Regarding the April 9 story "Tokyo and central governments clash over what should shut in emergency," I find it absolutely amazing that the economic revitalization minister, Yasutoshi Nishimura, said during a videoconference that barbershops and beauty salons are "vital in maintaining lives."
Reader Mail
Apr 15, 2020

'Amabie' — an eerie coincidence

Regarding your April 2 story “Japanese monster goes viral on hopes for end to coronavirus pandemic,” permit me to indulge in conjecture. Despite the media attention the amabie mythical creature has been garnering over the last few weeks (The Guardian and The New Yorker have also run stories on this...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Apr 14, 2020

For filmmaker Nobuhiko Obayashi, freedom was the most important thing of all

Director Nobuhiko Obayashi, who died on April 10 at the age of 82, was incredibly prolific during his six-decade career. A pioneering experimental filmmaker in the 1960s, he went on to direct 2,000 television commercials (by his own estimate; no exact count exists) and 43 theatrical features.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / MORNING ENGLISH
Apr 14, 2020

Let's discuss memes

This Japan Times article looks at a recent meme spawned by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's recent mask policy, but what's a meme?
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Apr 13, 2020

Pikotaro turns viral hit into anti-virus anthem

During tumultuous times, sometimes the best advice comes from toddlers.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Apr 10, 2020

Virus pandemic pushes Japan’s shoppers to finally buy online

Now that the government is urging consumers and businesses to step up efforts to contain the coronavirus outbreak, shoppers may finally have no excuse but to embrace e-commerce and wean themselves from brick-and-mortar stores.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Voices / FOREIGN AGENDA
Apr 9, 2020

'The swab goes really deep into your head': What it's like to take the test for coronavirus in Japan

Have you wondered what it's like to get tested for COVID-19 in Japan? With little Japanese, Joe Oliver learned the hard way after being sent by his doctor to head straight to the hospital.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Tech
Apr 9, 2020

Smartphone industry headed for virtual reality check as Japan gets 5G

With speedy data transmission and low latency, the advent of 5G networks means users of mobile communications devices will have access to more elaborate augmented and virtual reality apps.
WORLD
Apr 9, 2020

U.S. senators told to avoid Zoom over security concerns, FT reports

The U.S. Senate has told its members to not use Zoom's video conferencing app due to data security concerns, the Financial Times reported on Thursday, even as the company attempts to stem a global backlash against its fast-growing app.
Japan Times
BASKETBALL / NBA
Apr 9, 2020

Kevin Garnett yearns to see NBA return to Seattle, has big plans for future

Kevin Garnett always found Seattle to be a difficult place for opponents. He played in 27 games there during his NBA career, leaving the court as a winner only eight times.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Apr 8, 2020

Setting ‘simple’ standards is critical diplomacy

China is trying to put its stamp on “standard setting,” a little understood and even less appreciated dimension of international engagement.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Politics / EXPLAINER
Apr 8, 2020

What changes under Japan's state of emergency declaration?

After weeks of intense pressure Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has declared a state of emergency in seven urban areas, but what does that change?
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / MORNING ENGLISH
Apr 7, 2020

Let's discuss panic-buying at the supermarket

An English lesson looks at what you do to prepare for a weekend at home.
Japan Times
PODCAST / deep dive
Apr 6, 2020

Episode 45: Ken Shimura — Japan loses a comedy legend

On March 29, Ken Shimura, one of Japan's most celebrated comedians, passed away after testing positive for COVID-19. JT entertainment writeru00a0Patrick St. Michelu00a0discusses Shimura's life and death with host Oscar Boyd.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Economy
Apr 6, 2020

Jobs destroyed worldwide as coronavirus triggers deep recession

The world’s workers are reeling from the initial shock of the coronavirus recession, with job losses and welfare claims around the globe already running into the millions this week.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Apr 5, 2020

Shut the door on the North’s cyberarmy

The world needs to wake up to North Korea's ability to launch cyberattacks on nuclear facilities.

Longform

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