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Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Jun 1, 2023

Antisemitism and intersectionality

The European Jewish Association’s conceptual framework on antisemitism could all too easily reproduce the very bigotry it seeks to oppose.
SUMO / INSIDE SUMO
May 31, 2023

Summer Basho offered excitement and a streamlined experience for sumo fans

The sport has emerged from three years of pandemic-era restrictions into a rapidly changing landscape that requires better delivery of content and a more attractive in-arena experience.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Regional Voices: Fukushima
May 29, 2023

A year on, restricted licenses for elderly drivers rarely used in Fukushima

The license was introduced to encourage older drivers to switch to so-called safety support cars fitted with cutting-edge technologies.
Japan Times
LIFE / Travel / Longform
May 22, 2023

Luxury hotels are on the rise as Japan woos the wealthy

From plush city hotels to beach resorts, establishments costing over ¥100,000 a night are becoming a common sight.
Japan Times
Special Supplements / Hiroshima G7 Summit Special
May 19, 2023

Temple stays offer peace and opportunities for reflection

Busy, sprawling and noisy cities are often the first things that greet visitors upon arrival in Japan. Landing in Osaka, a new arrival might wade through the throngs of people in Dotonbori, mesmerized by the acres of neon lights. Eager to try the local food, the battered octopus balls called takoyaki...
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
May 3, 2023

China’s DriveGPT is here. Time to play catch-up.

Beijing’s regulations have put its autonomous-vehicle industry way ahead of competitors. Entry-level offerings won’t cut it any more.
Japan Times
LIFE
Apr 25, 2023

Gaudy cartoon cars turn heads in Japan

Perceptions of 'itasha,' cars covered in gaudy images of anime and manga characters, have begun to change, with hobby subcultures gaining a new mainstream acceptance in Japan.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Tech
Apr 25, 2023

Apple app store policies upheld by court in antitrust challenge brought by Epic Games

Apple won an appeals court ruling upholding its App Store’s policies in an antitrust challenge brought by Epic Games.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Apr 20, 2023

‘Osaka Vintage Diary’: Secondhand concept offers comfortable charm

Director Takeshi Taniyama builds on the universe of his web series 'Tokyo Vintage Diary' by making a film focused on comedian Tetsuya Morita.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Apr 19, 2023

With eye on growth and sustainability targets, Uniqlo rethinks retail spaces

Uniqlo plans on cutting 90% of greenhouse gas emissions from its stores and offices by 2030 compared to 2019 levels.
Japan Times
LIFE / Travel
Apr 8, 2023

A long and winding visit to 'secret' Ubayu Onsen

Secluded and remote hot springs are yet another example of Japan's deep bathing culture.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink
Apr 2, 2023

Lucky Pierrot’s anti-McDonald's approach makes it a Hakodate treasure

With an eclectic menu, eccentric decor and 35 years under its belt, Lucky Pierrot is a fixture of southern Hokkaido comfort food.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Mar 13, 2023

'Everything Everywhere' dominates at Oscars, capping award-season sweep

The unconventional sci-fi drama won seven Academy Awards, including best picture, while Michelle Yeoh made history as the first Asian best actress winner.
BASEBALL / Japanese Baseball
Mar 8, 2023

Shohei Ohtani ready to lead powerful Japan at World Baseball Classic

After more than a decade of frustration, Japan is back and stronger than ever, with the Angels star — who may one day surpass Ichiro Suzuki in the Japanese baseball pantheon — at the helm.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Tech
Mar 2, 2023

Tech rivals chase ChatGPT as AI race ramps up

Google has said that AI-powered features will soon be rolled out in its world dominating search engine, though it has remained vague on exactly how and when.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Feb 16, 2023

One of the world’s cleanest new skyscrapers collides with the future

One Vanderbilt in New York is built to be especially climate friendly. But the design landscape is changing so quickly that some features are now yesterday's news.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Tech
Feb 7, 2023

Google to release ChatGPT rival named Bard

Google's announcement came on the eve of an AI-related launch event by Microsoft in yet a further sign that the two tech giants will do battle over the technology.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Tech / FOCUS
Feb 4, 2023

Blaming TikTok for harming students is easy. Proving it isn’t.

About half of adolescents have had a mental health disorder at some point in their lives, and some school districts are putting at least part of the blame on social media companies that they say addict America’s youth.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Feb 1, 2023

ChatGPT sounds exactly like us. How is that a good thing?

For 70 years, programmers have tried to make computers more like people. Now they’ve succeeded — sort of.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / New Wine Frontier
Jan 29, 2023

The ‘bugs, microbes and wild yeast’ of Japan’s umami wine master

Takahiko Soga embraces the potentially destructive elements of winemaking that many other vintners try their best to avoid.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Regional Voices: Kyushu
Jul 3, 2023

Nagasaki island divided over survey on hosting nuclear waste disposal site

Some residents are expressing hopes for regional development — mindful that the city will receive a large subsidy if it proceeds with the move.
Japan Times
MORE SPORTS / Ice Hockey
Jul 2, 2023

New professional women's ice hockey league set to launch in 2024

Details on the new league, with regards to how many teams it will consist of and in what cities, were not disclosed.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Jan 23, 2023

Yamagata pins hopes on shinkansen tunnel, but faces roadblocks

Looming over the move are the harsh conditions of Itaya Pass straddling Yamagata and Fukushima prefectures, which is battered by heavy snow in winter.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Society
Jan 23, 2023

Trapped in trash: Japan’s hidden hoarders

Behind closed doors, Japan has more houses filled with garbage than you might think — a phenomenon being exacerbated by shifting demographics and pandemic-induced social isolation.
An extreme heat warning in Death Valley, California, on July 15
COMMENTARY / World
Jul 21, 2023

Our civilization was built for a climate that’s vanishing

Weather disasters linked to climate change like those unfolding across the northern hemisphere will affect more and more of us.
Director Hirobumi Watanabe (second from left) stars alongside his brother Yuji (far right), who has served as composer on all of his films, in his new feature “Techno Brothers,” which follows a sibling trio on the road to Tokyo to find success in the music business.
CULTURE / Film
Jul 21, 2023

Foolish Piggies Films keeps humor at its heart

Indie director Hirobumi Watanabe looks back on 10 years of making distinctive, micro-budget films with his brother and seeking out new challenges on and off screen.
A cinema employee checks on a display showing a digital poster for Oscar-winning animator Hayao Miyazaki's latest film, "The Boy and the Heron," on the first day of its premiere in Tokyo on July 14.
CULTURE / Film
Jul 21, 2023

For his last movie, Hayao Miyazaki recycles himself

While visually and technically stunning, "The Boy and the Heron" might give some viewers an unsatisfying sense of deja vu.
A photograph by Joel Pulliam provides a hint at what is on offer at VoidTokyo's "Sharaku" exhibition at HikoHiko Gallery.
CULTURE
Jul 19, 2023

Street photography by VoidTokyo on full display in Ginza

With the goal of capturing the city of Tokyo in physical form and not just on social media, VoidTokyo celebrates its members at “Sharaku.”
TikTok is in a race to dominate e-commerce in Southeast Asia.
BUSINESS
Jul 24, 2023

TikTok steps up Southeast Asia presence amid e-commerce push

As the company intermingles social media and e-commerce, it is betting that this vision of shopping will knock aside rivals in the region.
Haruki Hirao, second grader at Torikai Elementary School in Kurume, Fukuoka Prefecture, attends a mathematics class in May as nurse Yoshimi Yoshiyama looks on from the back of the classroom.
JAPAN / Science & Health
Jul 24, 2023

More children who need daily medical care attend regular schools since 2021 law

Since 2021, more children who require daily medical care have been able to attend regular schools, broadening their horizons and raising awareness of diversity in classroom.

Longform

An ongoing shortage of rice has resulted in rising prices for Japan's main food staple.
Why Japan is running out of rice — and farmers to grow it