Featured stories about Japan
Stories about Japan
18 September 2017
For Some Stunning Photos of Japan, Check Out Tokyo Camera Club
Whether you live in Tokyo or not, anyone can submit an image to be considered for Tokyo Camera Club's feed, as long as the photo is of someplace in Japan.
16 September 2017
Vending Machines Around the World that Japanese People Find Surprising
Japan is often considered to have some of the world's most unusual vending machines, but there are a few in other countries giving them a run for their money.
7 September 2017
Chinese Are Questioning the Government's Response to Pyongyang's Nuclear Tests
"Maintaining [social] stability is more important than human life?"
5 September 2017
Ishinomaki's Reborn Arts Festival: Art Therapy for a Tsunami-Scarred City's Soul
The city of Ishinomaki had recovered physically from the 2011 earthquake and tsunami, but still lacked its former vitality. Enter the Reborn Art Festival.
3 September 2017
Offbeat ‘Objets d'Art’ Are Rather Commonplace in Japan
"When walking around town, especially in parks and playgrounds, you often see strange 'objets d'art'. Wondering who and what are they for... I am still not sure of the answer."
31 August 2017
Okinawans Protesting US Military Base Asked If They ‘Understand Japanese’
"Okinawa has historically been discriminated against because of its dialect and has suffered under American occupation. It's hard to forgive such language."
24 August 2017
A Popular Japanese Cosmetic Surgeon Is Called Out for Admiring Nazism
"The last thing our world needs today is the embrace of Nazi ideology, under whose banner physicians carried out unspeakable crimes in the name of ‘progress.’"
20 August 2017
A New Documentary Shows the Human Side of Male Sex Work in Japan
"The clients are powerful," says one interviewee in "Boys For Sale." "I end up giving in... So no matter what the customer forces me to do. I cannot really refuse."
13 August 2017
On Anniversary of Nagasaki Bombing, Japanese Government Criticized For Refusing to Sign Ban on Nuclear Weapons
“Whose country are you leader of anyway?” — a representative of survivors of the 1945 bombing lashes out at Prime Minister Abe Shinzo
6 August 2017
Japanese Politician Pressures School Principal About the Use of History Textbook that Explains the ‘Comfort Women’ Issue
‘Why was this textbook selected?’ trended on Twitter after a Japanese politician questioned the selection of a school textbook referencing the ‘comfort women’ issue.
3 August 2017
Japan Reacts With Alarm to Venomous Fire Ant Invasion
Fire ants have never been observed in Japan before.
21 July 2017
Between Worlds: The Complicated Life of a Young Japanese Returnee
'We said "sorry" in Japanese, to which she replied, “Oh, you're Japanese? Then always speak Japanese, you foreigner!”'
20 July 2017
A Look Back at Japan's Transformative ‘Showa Era’
One Twitter account combs encyclopedias, photo magazines, guidebooks and other sources for nostalgic images from Japan's postwar recovery.
16 July 2017
15 Movies That Speak to the Complex Relationship Between Taiwan and Japan
Only since the late 1980s have filmmakers begun to examine the two countries' history, from colonial rule and World War II to present day.
14 July 2017
The Unusual, Sometimes Mysterious Bookmarks Found in Used Books in Japan
"This handmade bookmark in my second-hand book is so cool."
12 July 2017
Japan Celebrates Day Devoted to Sticky, Aromatic Cultured Soy Beans
On Monday, July 10, Japan feted its favorite food made from cultured soy beans: natto.
7 July 2017
In Effort to Stop Anti-Korean Hate Speech, Osaka Mayor Wants to Loosen Internet Privacy Laws
For more than a decade, Osaka and other communities with large populations of ethnic Korean residents have struggled to deal with far-right organizations that target ethnic Koreans and other minorities.
Early Typhoon Brings Torrential Rains and Deadly Flooding to Japan
"It's become apparent there has been massive destruction."
1 July 2017
In Japan, Paraplegic Man Resorts to Crawling Up Stairs After Being Refused Help Boarding Plane
"Why is Japan's implementation of "barrier free" so excessively luxurious?"
29 June 2017
Beatles Memorial Day Marks the Anniversary of the Iconic Band’s First Visit to Japan
The 1966 visit by the Beatles to Japan is regarded as a turning point in Japanese postwar culture.
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