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July 06, 2025
 

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EXPLAINER

Japan Times
JAPAN / EXPLAINER
Jul 22, 2009
Wake up, hike out, tune in, move it
It's early on a summer morning and schoolchildren have gathered for some rhythmic exercise timed to music coming from the radio.
JAPAN / EXPLAINER
Jul 14, 2009
For Hatoyamas, politics is considered birthright
Often compared to the Kennedy family for the impressive list of lawmakers and scholars hailing from its ranks, the Hatoyama clan is one of the nation's most prominent political dynasties.
Japan Times
JAPAN / EXPLAINER
Jul 7, 2009
NHK a fount of info, a lot of it from the government
Sometimes compared with the British Broadcasting Corporation or America's Public Broadcasting System — and by its fiercest critics even to the state-run media in China and North Korea — NHK boasts two terrestrial television services, three satellite television services, three radio networks and the...
Japan Times
JAPAN / EXPLAINER
Jun 30, 2009
Japan a low-key player in space race
Japan has launched Earth observation, communications and weather satellites as well as other space vehicles since it began its space program in the late 1960s.
Japan Times
JAPAN / EXPLAINER
Jun 23, 2009
Fans make troupe phenomenon it is
Takarazuka Revue Co., Japan's all-female musical troupe, is a love-it or hate-it theatrical landmark.
Japan Times
JAPAN / EXPLAINER
Jun 16, 2009
The all-powerful voice of corporate Japan
Since its founding, the Japan Business Federation (Nippon Keidanren) has been the nation's most powerful business lobby and its head is often called "the prime minister of the business world."
JAPAN / EXPLAINER
Jun 9, 2009
Narita airport — worth long struggle to build?
Narita International Airport has played a key role in the aviation industry since it opened in 1978.
Japan Times
JAPAN / EXPLAINER
Jun 2, 2009
Supercomputers — infinity within reach?
From forecasting the weather to improving the earthquake resistance of architecture, supercomputers have become a vital tool in just the span of a few decades.
Japan Times
JAPAN / EXPLAINER
May 26, 2009
'Manga': heart of pop culture
From "One Piece" and "Naruto" to "Doraemon" and "Sazae-san," comic books have been the heart of Japanese pop culture.
JAPAN / EXPLAINER
May 19, 2009
Weight of Imperial world on Princess Masako
Observers often liken Crown Princess Masako to Britain's Princess Diana. They both embody the fairy tale gone tragically wrong — women outside the royal circle wooed by the heir to the throne, only to end up clashing with the establishment and surrounded by controversy and speculation that has made...
JAPAN / EXPLAINER
May 12, 2009
Between a rock and a hard place
The islands of Okinawa offer subtropical resorts, original delicacies and a distinct culture.
Japan Times
JAPAN / EXPLAINER
May 5, 2009
Go with the flow at classic 'sento'
Not simply as a means to get clean, "sento," or public baths, have traditionally been places where communication flowed. Bathing and chatting together with one's friends and neighbors in the buff exemplifies the off-guardedness of the most informal relationships.
JAPAN / EXPLAINER
Apr 28, 2009
Corporate bankruptcy, the Japanese way
Ever since U.S. financial services giant Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. collapsed in September, in what many have called the worst corporate failure in U.S. history, the global economy has been heading south.
Japan Times
JAPAN / EXPLAINER
Apr 21, 2009
The past, present and future of fortunetelling
From the traditional "omikuji" — sacred lots — people draw at shrines and temples to learn their New Year's fortunes, to the horoscopes displayed on commuter train video screens to distract strap-hangers, Japanese society is immersed in fortunetelling.
Japan Times
JAPAN / EXPLAINER
Apr 14, 2009
So, you wanna be a Johnny?
What do the most popular male celebrity in Japan and a star of Clint Eastwood's "Letters from Iwo Jima" have in common?
JAPAN / EXPLAINER
Apr 7, 2009
Prosecutors boast clout, success
Prosecutors are legal professionals who work for the state and represent the public interest. They have the authority to investigate any crime and indict and try alleged offenders.
JAPAN / EXPLAINER
Mar 31, 2009
Child porn hard to define, stop
Japan has a huge adult pornography market. But the country also has a reputation as a haven for child porn, with international human rights groups and governments including the United States all criticizing Tokyo for not doing enough to curb the spread of sexually graphic material that exploits children....
Japan Times
JAPAN / EXPLAINER
Mar 24, 2009
Smokes here cheap, in state's interest
The World Health Organization calls smoking "one of the biggest public health threats the world has ever faced."
JAPAN / EXPLAINER
Mar 17, 2009
Found in 'Area 51,' he goes by one name
Pitching greats Daisuke Matsuzaka and Yu Darvish are leading Japan's star-studded squad as national teams battle it out in the United States in the World Baseball Classic.
Japan Times
JAPAN / EXPLAINER
Mar 10, 2009
Nintendo secret: It's all in the game
It's a common belief that the video game industry is recession-proof.
Japan braces for more quakes as authorities dismiss doomsday hype
Evacuees from Akuseki Island, located in the Tokara island chain in Kagoshima Prefecuture, arrive at Kagoshima Port on Friday.
Hidden AI prompts in academic papers spark concern about research integrity
Waseda University is one of 14 institutions in eight countries found to have used hidden prompts in research papers.
A prophesied disaster (likely) won’t strike Japan this weekend
A viral manga prediction of a July 5 disaster has gripped Japan with anxiety and triggered an economic impact, but experts warn that while such dates are unreliable, the threat of a massive earthquake remains real. 
Residents of Tokara Islands begin evacuation as seismic swarm continues
Details about evacuations from Akuseki Island, located in the Tokara island chain in Kagoshima Prefecture, is seen written on a whiteboard in the city of Kagoshima on Thursday.
U.S. military apologizes over Okinawa sexual assault case
Col. Neil Owens (right), chief of staff for the 3rd Marine Division, bows in apology at the Okinawa Prefectural Government office in Naha on Thursday.
Ghibli’s Isao Takahata exhibit shows how beloved anime is made
“The man who planted Japanese animation” exhibition includes a variety of sketches, drawings and animation cels from Isao Takahata films such as color design for characters by Michiyo Yasuda from "Grave of the Fireflies."
Flag football facing challenges and opportunities ahead
Japan’s women’s flag football team at the 2025 International Bowl in Los Angeles in June. The sport is enjoying continued growth in the country.
From Hokusai’s Great Wave, shinkansen to One Piece: a cultural treasure box for Lego Japan
Michael Ebbesen, general manager of Lego Japan, says Lego bricks based on Japanese culture have a rich global appeal and are sellable around the world.
With farmed fish, RelationFish swims against the tide in fine dining
Chef Hideaki Matsuo (middle) and the staff of Oseto Suisan Fisheries prepare to check on their sustainably farmed fish.
As Southeast Asia heats up, a Japanese cooling giant sees a major opportunity
An employee of Daikin Cambodia explains the use of different tools during an air conditioner installation training session in Phnom Penh. Daikin is one of Japan’s oldest air conditioning companies, but as Japan’s population falls, the firm is keying in on overseas growth.

Podcast

One of the many entrances to the Kabukicho neighborhood in Tokyo’s Shinjuku Ward.
Kabukicho: Tokyo’s ‘stadium of desire’

Longform

Mount Fuji is considered one of Japan's most iconic symbols and is a major draw for tourists. It's still a mountain, though, and potential hikers need to properly prepare for any climb.
What it takes to save lives on Mount Fuji
By Alex K.T. Martin

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