Featured stories about Japan
Stories about Japan
17 October 2018
Nationwide far-right protests in Japan met with vigorous anti-racism opposition
The main organizing force behind the racist marches is Japan First Party, a political party founded in 2016 who is the direct successor of a much older anti-Korean hate group.
10 October 2018
Japanese television program turns migrant raids and deportations into entertainment
"With no deep insights, without even a shred of critical analysis and the stupidity of superficial entertainment, [this] is the worst television program on Japanese television today."
6 October 2018
Osaka cuts sister city ties with San Francisco over “comfort women” statue
The mayor of Osaka wrote a 10-page letter in English listing -- often in bolded, underlined text -- a litany of reasons for the breakup.
5 October 2018
Japan mortgages its future, choosing growth over environment
"One could speculate that the Japanese militarism of the early Showa period has simply been channeled into fanatical devotion to the principle of economic growth."
22 September 2018
Amidst typhoon rescue efforts in Japan, a Taiwanese diplomat dies. Did misinformation play a role?
Some hearsay even claimed that Taiwanese had to proclaim themselves as Chinese in order to get on the buses. The news had enraged [Taiwanese] netizens.
18 September 2018
Japan moves to accept more workers from abroad, but public opinion remains divided
Japan may have little choice but to accept more workers from abroad to cope with an expected shrinkage in the working population caused by an aging and low birth rates.
13 September 2018
Japan’s vending machines strike again—this time with pizza and crepes
There is one vending machine for every 23 people in Japan and they still never fail to surprise.
11 September 2018
Strongest typhoon to hit Japan in 25 years largely forgotten following massive earthquake
The media has struggled to cover the dizzying succession of disasters, leaving people feeling that some are eclipsing others in the public consciousness.
23 August 2018
Blooms of fire: How Japan celebrates summer with ‘hanabi’
The summer months of July and August in Japan are famed for their fireworks, known as 'hanabi' (花火) in Japanese. Here are some photos.
19 August 2018
Fans around the world celebrate as Akira turns 30
On July 16, 2018 netizens around the world marked the thirtieth anniversary of the release of Akira, a groundbreaking film that revolutionized animated movies forever.
8 August 2018
What happens when women report sexual assault in Japan?
"If this happens again I will feel more powerless knowing there's probably nothing I can do, and nothing the police will do."
26 July 2018
Go sightseeing in Japan, right on YouTube
What makes the videos useful for travelers or anyone interested in Japan is each video includes annotations in English, with time stamps, of what particular sightseeing spot is on screen.
14 July 2018
What's the story behind the samurai walking a cat, anyway?
The image depicting a shoeless samurai walking an armored cat pops up on social media from time to time.
12 July 2018
Questions swirl over Japanese government's response to deadly, unprecedented rains
"As unusual weather becomes the new normal, how are we to protect ourselves?"
1 July 2018
Was a Japanese cybersecurity expert murdered by an online troll?
When a previously anonymous internet celebrity in Japan revealed his true identity, his long-time troll was waiting to track him down.
14 June 2018
Taiwanese and Vietnamese activists are working together to pursue justice for the victims of the Vietnam marine life disaster
"This is the pain of Taiwanese. If we experience this kind of pain, we should not then inflict it on Vietnam."
9 June 2018
Japan's Hirokazu Kore'eda wins big at Cannes. Here's a short selection of his films.
"I have never made a film to praise or to criticize something. That kind of filmmaking is nothing but propaganda."
21 May 2018
Making Japan's hot springs more friendly for LGBT folks
"This is the first time I've entered a communal bath in 13 years. It made me so happy!”
16 May 2018
Japanese high school girls wear badges warning would-be train gropers: ‘I'm not going to take it!
"We want the idea that 'you must have been doing something to attract a chikan' to stop!"
7 May 2018
Tweeting out Japan's idiosyncratic folk customs
Fish heads, jumping frogs and conjugal foxes: one Twitter account takes a look at arcane folk traditions from every corner of Japan.
About our Japan coverage
Nevin Thompson is our Japan editor. Email him story ideas or volunteer to write.
