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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.
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.
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.
Japan Times
LIFE / Digital / ON: GAMES
Feb 7, 2021

Game consoles and famous franchises get spruced-up

The Switch gets a Mario makeover, while Super Mario 3D World and Nioh get remastered for new consoles.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Books
Feb 6, 2021

Literary manga ‘The Man Without Talent’ speaks volumes in hermetic angst

The work of Yoshiharu Tsuge, one of Japan's masters of literary manga, is now available in English thanks to translator Ryan Holmberg.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / DESSERT WATCH
Feb 6, 2021

On the hunt for chocolate cake? Surprisingly, Sushiro has you covered.

With its new double-chocolate cake, the famous sushi chain is the Valentine's Day destination we didn't know we needed.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Companies / Regional Voices: Hokkaido
Feb 5, 2021

Hokkaido businesses go extra mile for overseas clients unable to enter Japan

Many customers have postponed travel and events due to the novel coronavirus, and it's unclear when Japan's government will lift its entry ban for foreign tourists.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Companies
Feb 4, 2021

Toyota moves to take on Tesla in high-tech auto software

Overseen by a star Silicon Valley engineer, the automaker's Arene system allows new features to be installed in a car's existing hardware over the air.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / 20 QUESTIONS
Jan 31, 2021

Yoshihiro Makino: 'One early morning I realized that a sunrise is more beautiful than a sunset'

Photographer Yoshihiro Makino began his career by snapping pictures of Tokyo's vibrant youth culture before establishing himself as an in-demand artist in Los Angeles.
BUSINESS / Economy / Longform
Jan 30, 2021

Japan’s hospitality sector creaks under the weight of a second state of emergency

Restaurants, bars and karaoke parlors are bearing the brunt of restrictions placed on their operations, a move that could have a long-lasting impact on the nation's culinary landscape.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / KONBINI WATCH
Jan 30, 2021

There’s a mini Mexican food moment happening in Japan’s convenience stores

Pro tip for any konbini giving tacos (or burritos) a try: Don't serve them cold.
Japan Times
MORE SPORTS / Regional voices: Chubu,Regional Voices: Chubu
Jan 29, 2021

Ishikawa student gains victory in world capoeira championship

“I hope to continue competing in capoeira and become infinitely awesome,” said 13-year-old Akari Tachi, who hails from the city of Hakusan.
BUSINESS / Economy / Regional Voices: Okinawa
Jan 29, 2021

As COVID-19 compounds Okinawa's tourism woes, industry looks for a way out

An emergency system through which workers are temporarily seconded to companies so that they can return to their jobs once the economy is back on its feet has been proposed.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Regional Voices: Tohoku
Jan 29, 2021

Fukushima businesses struggling to stay afloat despite government help

Financial issues will not end soon, given that only a portion of the residents who evacuated from disaster-stricken areas have returned or are expected to.

Longform

Visitors walk past Sou Fujimoto's Grand Ring, which has been recognized as the largest wooden structure in the world.
Can a World Expo still matter? Japan is about to find out.