Japan

World News

Opinion: 75 Years On, Remember Hiroshima And Nagasaki. But Remember Toyama Too

2:17pm August 01, 2020

A U.S. firebombing campaign targeted Toyama and other Japanese cities, killing 180,000 before the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, write geographer Cary Karacas and historian David Fedman.

Pictured in 2019, Okinawa Governor Denny Tamaki on Tuesday questioned U.S. measures to stop the coronavirus from spreading on the island.

Coronavirus Surge For U.S. Military On Okinawa Adds To Soured Relations There

6:09pm July 14, 2020

by David Welna

One hundred newly confirmed cases of COVID-19 among U.S. forces on the small island that hosts about half the Americans stationed in Japan are further testing tense ties with Okinawa.

A display at Hello Kitty's Kawaii Paradise in Tokyo. Sanrio's new president and CEO Tomokuni Tsuji will be steering a company that has seen slumping revenues in recent years.

World News

What Will Sanrio's New Leadership Mean For Hello Kitty?

12:22pm July 10, 2020

by Ashley Westerman

A new CEO is steering a company that's seen years of slumping revenues and whose home market of Japan has an aging population. But "don't count out Hello Kitty," says an author of a book about Sanrio.

Japan's Tokyo Dome is shown before amusement rides began to reopen in the country. Japanese amusement park operators have asked people on rides at some parks not to scream.

Health & Safety

'Please Scream Inside Your Heart,' Japanese Amusement Park Tells Thrill-Seekers

4:18pm July 09, 2020

by Austin Horn

Several park-goers have complained that the request for those on roller coasters to remain silent is unrealistic. "If a scream comes out, it comes out," one visitor said.

Heavy rain has flooded in Hitoyoshi, Kumamoto prefecture in Japan on Saturday.

World News

At Least 15 Feared Dead After Torrential Rains Sweep Through Southern Japan

3:12pm July 04, 2020

by Matthew S. Schwartz

Japanese officials say it's the heaviest rainfall ever recorded in the region. More than 200,000 people were asked to evacuate.

The Olympic rings float in the water at sunset in the Odaiba section in Tokyo earlier this month.

Tokyo Olympics Organizers Aim To 'Simplify' Games

4:58pm June 10, 2020

by Austin Horn

Japanese organizing officials said Wednesday that they want to "streamline" the games, which may include seeking to reduce the total number of participants. They haven't provided specific details.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe leaves a news conference Monday in Tokyo, after lifting the country's nationwide state of emergency over the coronavirus.

World News

Japan's Shinzo Abe Lifts Coronavirus State Of Emergency As Critics Swarm

9:40am May 25, 2020

by Colin Dwyer

Even though Japan has not seen the same devastating numbers as some others, its prime minister is still grappling with dissatisfaction at home over what critics call a botched response.

Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, seen in parliament on Tuesday in Tokyo, said it would be "impossible" to hold the already delayed Summer Olympics and Paralympics in 2021 if the disease is not brought under control.

No Tokyo Olympics Next Year Unless COVID-19 Can Be Contained, Japan's Abe Says

9:54am April 29, 2020

by Scott Neuman

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said it would be "impossible" to hold the already delayed Summer Olympics and Paralympics in 2021 if the disease is not brought under control.

A man reads a sports newspaper on the street amid the COVID-19 pandemic in Tokyo on Tuesday. The move for dentists to administer tests is aimed at relieving the burden on doctors and boosting capacity.

Japan To Allow Dentists To Conduct Coronavirus Tests

10:22am April 28, 2020

by Scott Neuman

Japan currently conducts about 9,000 tests per day, and the move for dentists to administer them is aimed at relieving the burden on doctors and boosting capacity.

An illustration of an Amabie, a sea monster from 19th century Japanese folklore, that has become an Internet meme and pop culture mascot in the fight against COVID-19.

In Japan, Mythical 'Amabie' Emerges From 19th Century Folklore To Fight COVID-19

2:57pm April 22, 2020

The sea monster from folklore has emerged in art, food and fashion as a symbol of hope and pop culture mascot. Its first depiction was in 1846, telling people to draw it and "be free from disease."