Featured stories about Japan
Stories about Japan
Queering the internet: anonymous online spaces for LGBTQ+ people
The threat of persecution, violence, and judgement is why many queer people turn to anonymous online spaces to build community and relationships, seek support, and share their experiences.
Amid fears of contamination, Japan will soon dump treated water from Fukushima Nuclear Plant into the Pacific
"(The plan) shows direct disregard for the sovereignty and self-determination of Pacific peoples and the ocean their livelihoods depend upon."
Chinese police detains a woman wearing Japanese Kimono, sparking outrage on social media
A police officer from Suzhou city in Jiangsu province, China, arrested a woman for wearing a traditional Japanese Kimono while taking photos on Huaihai street, a Japanese cuisine district.
Myanmar detains Japanese journalist who covered protest
"We call for freedom of expression and the protection of journalists in Myanmar and abroad."
Exploring the Mariko Aoki phenomenon: Do bookstores make you poop?
"The intensity of the information that you encounter in museums and libraries—or the sudden quiet of a garden—can trigger an autonomic response in your gut."
Japan officially rebukes Ukraine for comparing wartime emperor with Hitler, Mussolini
"You can love Japan, and be proud to be Japanese, without defending this history of fascism."
Japanese fast food exec fired after talk of “hooking young women on meth”
The former Yoshinoya executive's remarks are just one example of the deeper problem of misogyny that plagues Japanese society.
Satellite mapping project tracks damage to Ukrainian communities
Satellite Images Map of Ukraine incorporates satellite images, drone footage, and 3D visualization to track, organize, and verify damage done to Ukraine.
Japan's complicated response to the invasion of Ukraine
The Russian invasion has also reinforced Japan as a country unwelcoming to refugees, and has shattered the nation's rejection of nuclear weapons.
Japan confronts the problem of ‘mega solar’
Some residents who live nearby say these "mega solar farms" destroy the environment and bring few benefits to surrounding communities.
Japan's local rail lines become the latest pandemic victim
Japanese railway operators are using COVID-19 to squeeze money out of cash-strapped local governments.
Travel bans, Japan, and me
Thanks to Japan's strict, and, in some ways, incomprehensible COVID-19 travel restrictions for foreigners, it's hard to say when I'll be able to return.
An overview of Indonesia’s coal export ban and Asia’s energy crisis
All coal mining companies in Indonesia are required to reserve 25 percent of their coal supply for domestic sale, which they have been shirking since coal prices skyrocketed internationally in 2021.
Excitement, misgivings over Japan's newest bullet train
The public is questioning the very utility of the new West Kyushu shinkansen line, which complicates travel in certain areas and remains only partially completed.
Japan calls for stricter COVID-19 measures for U.S. military personnel
For some, Japan's "mambo"—the country's quasi-state of emergency—is not enough to deal with the COVID-19 threat that they percieve is being posed by the U.S. military.
Despite widespread opposition, Japan plans to dump water from Fukushima plant into the Pacific Ocean
"The Pacific is not and must not become the dumping ground for nuclear wastes." - The Pacific Collective on Nuclear Issues
Omicron prompts Japan to attempt “national isolation” once more
Following the identification of a new strain of COVID-19, the Japanese government briefly attempted to completely seal the country's air and sea borders.
Japan named ‘Fossil of the Day’ for ‘clean coal’ plans
Efforts by Japan to reduce carbon emissions over the next decade appear to be marginal at best.
Why can't Japan's opposition parties win?
Despite an all-out effort to coordinate campaign activities, opposition parties once again failed to gain traction with voters.
A McDonald's drive-through in Japan gets a visit from a sacred horse
A popular post on Japanese Twitter provides a glimpse into the long connection between horses and Shinto shrines in Japan.
Prefecture threatens to sue after being ranked one of the “least attractive” places in Japan
The annual survey asks respondents all over Japan to rank the attractiveness of the nation's 47 prefectures based on 84 different attributes, including natural features, cuisine, and tourist attractions.
