Stories about Japan from April, 2015
Japanese University Turns a Blind Eye to the Plight of Campus Cats
Professor Charles Januzzi has worked for nearly 25 years to care and control the population of a stray cat colony on campus, but University of Fukui now says no more.
Japanese Women Push Back Against Leaning In
The Japanese government wants more women in the workforce, but some women, stretched thin between childcare, running a household and caring for aging parents, feel the support system isn't there.
US Ambassador Kennedy Visits Hiroshima Acknowledging Legacy of Atomic Destruction
US Ambassador Caroline Kennedy visited Hiroshima's Peace Memorial Museum and laid a wreath at the cenotaph for A-bomb victims - unprecedented for a US ambassador.
Finding Christianity in Japan, Where Believers Are a Small Minority
"The doctrine teaches me to how to live life as a human and it all sounds very decent to me. I am inclined to listen to it."
Japan's ‘Vagina Artist’ Denies Obscenity Charges
Japanese artist Megumi Igarashi, nicknamed "The Vagina Artist" by the Western media, says there's nothing obscene about artwork based on her genitalia.
Japan’s ‘Compassionate Pugilist’ Gives Training and Hope to Poor Filipino Boxers
There are thousands of amateur Filipino boxers who wanted to be like world champion Manny Pacquiao but many of them remain poor and lack proper training.
Meet One of the Few American Women Married to a Japanese Man
Among "international marriages" in Japan, US husbands outnumber US wives 6 to 1. Tracy Slater, who left Boston to marry a Japanese man, is one of those wives.
Do Japanese People Really Have a Low Opinion of Americans?
USA Today found the one nugget of negativity in a new Pew survey comparing Japanese and American attitudes about each other and made that the headline.
Should We Pity the Poor Western Man ‘Trapped’ in Japan?
Social media users have not been kind to an article in Japan Times titled "Spare a thought for the Western men trapped in Japan" explaining the difficulties Western men face.
Is Blackface in Japan a Form of Racism or Respect?
Japanese bands RATS & STAR and Momoiro Clover Z recently appeared in blackface on TV. Removed from its American context, some argue blackface in Japan isn't intended to be racist.
Cherry Blossoms Help Japanese Town Shake Off Tsunami Sorrow
Cherry blossom season means more than just pretty photos published on social media. It's a time for Japanese people to reflect, hope, dream, and come to terms with loss.