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Japan Times
LIFE / Digital / ON: GAMES
Mar 6, 2021

Battle fish foes, fight bravely and fly through the air with these new video game releases

Taito is back with a collection of Darius' 3D polygon games; Bravely Default starts anew; and Monster Hunter Rise brings a new dimension to the series.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Companies / Regional Voices: Hokkaido
Mar 5, 2021

Pandemic delays returns on privatization of Hokkaido airports

The operation of all runways and other facilities at the airports was handed to Hokkaido Airports Co., to be run as a single entity, just before COVID-19 landed.
Japan Times
WORLD / Science & Health
Mar 5, 2021

'Super-Earth' may offer clues about atmospheres on distant worlds

Scientists have spotted a planet orbiting a star relatively near our solar system that may offer a prime opportunity to study the atmosphere of a rocky Earth-like alien world — the type of research that could aid the hunt for extraterrestrial life.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Companies
Mar 5, 2021

Nissan to electrify more sedans and SUVs for U.S., says COO Gupta

Even so, the Japanese automaker isn't rushing to join a stampede into battery-powered trucks, the executive said, citing low demand.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Regional voices: Chubu
Mar 5, 2021

Shops and restaurants at transport hubs struggle to survive as customers vanish

“Our customers used to be business travelers to Nagoya, but they aren't coming any more,” said the operator of an underground mall at the city's shinkansen station.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Mar 1, 2021

Clubhouse won over Elon Musk. Now it’s conquering the world.

With its stunning emergence this year, Clubhouse has already become the biggest U.S. social-media success story in nine years after the Instagram, Twitter and Snapchat era.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Regional Voices: Fukushima
Feb 26, 2021

Radiation criteria sow confusion for evacuees

The government has given two conflicting figures for radiation exposure levels — 20 millisieverts a year and 1 millisievert a year — triggering concern.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Regional Voices: Okinawa
Feb 26, 2021

Fishermen call for calm in wake of China coast guard law

While government officials are alarmed at the provision for weapons use, no local Japanese fishing vessels travel near the Senkaku Islands nearest China.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Regional voices: Chubu
Feb 26, 2021

Aichi rescue officer remembers information blackout after 3/11

Kunihiko Asai cautions against taking electronic devices for granted in times of disaster.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Feb 26, 2021

Australia’s face-off with Facebook is of global import

In one clumsy strike, Facebook unified the entire Australian political spectrum, alienated its users and underlined just why tech giants require enforceable regulation.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Feb 26, 2021

Twitter’s moment in the sun won’t last

Does Twitter deserve the benefit of the doubt? They may see something to cheer but, at least for now, I don't.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Feb 25, 2021

For Tracy Hyde balances idyllic nostalgia with political unease on ‘Ethernity’

Guitarist Azusa Suga based part of the sound for the Tokyo rock band's new album “Ethernity” on American suburbia and pop culture from the 1990s.
Japan Times
Special Supplements / sustainable brands 2021 Yokohama
Feb 24, 2021

An opportunity for renewal, recovery, rejuvenation

Sustainable Brands 2021 Yokohama will take place on Feb. 24 and 25 at Pacifico Yokohama North in the city’s vibrant Minato Mirai area. As one of the largest domestic sustainability community events and the fifth of its kind to be held in Japan, the conference is a chance for stakeholders from every...
Japan Times
Special Supplements / 5G Special
Feb 24, 2021

Racing full speed ahead toward a digitalized Japan

About a year has passed since Japan’s first commercial 5G mobile communications service was launched. The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications has announced a target of increasing the number of base stations to 280,000 by the end of March 2024 and is promoting further development of the...
Japan Times
JAPAN / Media / BIG IN JAPAN
Feb 20, 2021

Line between solitude and withdrawal becomes blurred in Japan amid pandemic

More than half of the nationwide hikikomori population of 1.15 million are between 40 and 64 years old.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Regional Voices: Tohoku
Feb 19, 2021

Sendai farmers' post-tsunami struggles compounded by pandemic and policy

Last spring saw a decrease in demand for fresh produce as eateries closed during the state of emergency, and wholesale prices of some vegetables dropped by half.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Feb 17, 2021

‘The Murders of Oiso’: A whodunnit in search of a crime

Takuya Misawa's stylish and enigmatic murder mystery centers on a quartet of friends thrown into disarray after a sudden death in their town.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Regional voices: Chubu
Feb 15, 2021

Empty stores and offices on the rise in Nagoya

Nagoya's central district is seeing more empty stores and offices as the COVID-19 pandemic has led to an increase in teleworking and almost no inbound tourists.
Japan Times
Special Supplements
Feb 15, 2021

Toyama's rich industrial culture marked by innovation, flexibility and change

The circular rings found in cut tree trunks are said to age a tree and tell its story. A visit to the Uozu Buried Forest Museum in Uozu, Toyama Prefecture, also reveals how surprisingly adaptable nature can be. The museum, through its exhibits and housing the impressive, preserved remains of cedar trees...
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink
Feb 13, 2021

No pork? No problem: Make a mushroom-miso carbonara instead

This incredibly luxurious bowl of pasta pairs well with a glass of sauvignon blanc for an impressive at-home dinner date.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / KANPAI CULTURE
Feb 13, 2021

SG Low: A street culture-inspired izakaya gets the speakeasy treatment

SG Group's newest cocktail bar has a pared-down atmosphere, but the food and drinks have a high-class global twist.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Society / Regional Voices: Kyushu
Feb 12, 2021

Is Japan's national payment for childbirth sufficient?

While the country provides a lump sum for mothers to assist with childbirth costs, some are finding it doesn't stretch far enough as a result of pandemic pressures.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Companies / Regional voices: Chubu
Feb 12, 2021

Closing a factory, the Toyota way

When the company decided to shut one of its plants in Japan, it took inspiration from a previous factory closure in Australia, in which efforts had been made to protect a legacy.
Japan Times
ESG CONSORTIUM
Feb 12, 2021

How Mie preserves firms, farms, fishing and tourism

Mie Prefecture, located in the center of the Japanese archipelago, has a balanced economy supported by industry, agriculture, fishing and tourism. Gov. Eikei Suzuki attended a recent online chat to talk about the role and efforts of the prefectural government in enhancing the sustainability of each sector....
Japan Times
SATOYAMA CONSORTIUM
Feb 12, 2021

Citizen revitalization projects take root in Tsukuba district

In the Oda district of the city of Tsukuba, citizens are starting to engage in projects aimed at revitalizing the community with support from older generations.
Japan Times
SATOYAMA CONSORTIUM
Feb 12, 2021

Living history: You could spend a night in a castle

Although castles are one of Japan’s most popular tourist destinations, not many people know you can actually spend a night in a 400-year-old castle.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Feb 11, 2021

Facebook said to be building a product to compete with Clubhouse

Facebook has a history of breaking into new technologies and chasing different mediums that have attracted users, especially if those audiences are young.
Japan Times
SUMO / INSIDE SUMO
Feb 10, 2021

Spring Basho's Tokyo relocation a loss for Kansai-area sumo fans

Even though the March tournament will go ahead this year, the fact that it will be in Tokyo rather than Osaka means the annual event will be missing some of its trademarks.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Issues / THE FOREIGN ELEMENT
Feb 9, 2021

New trends in 'J-vlogging' allow for a more diverse range of views on Japan

YouTubers based in Japan are focusing less on the 'slice of life' videos that defined past content and are catering to smaller communities within the non-Japanese audience.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / ADOPT ME!
Feb 7, 2021

Cumin the dog is starting to learn how wonderful life can be

He may look adorably goofy, with huge ears and a terribly skinny frame, but there has been nothing to smile about in Cumin's life until recently. At the tender age of 2 he has already had a rough time in life, but he's at ARK now and his gentle heart remains as strong as ever.

Longform

Construction takes place on the Takanawa Gateway Convention Center in Tokyo, slated to open in 2025.
A boom for business tourism in Japan?