147: Living with disaster: Building the cities of the future
After a large earthquake struck Turkey and Syria last week, those of us living in Japan can’t help but worry about something similar happening here. This week, we speak to Prof. Hitoshi Abe, an archit...
15 Feb 202321min
146: I can’t believe it’s not meat! Is lab-grown beef on Japanese menus?
The reviews are in, lab-grown meat is … good? This week, Oscar Boyd gives us a review of his cultured chicken meal and runs down the environmental implications of such an endeavor, while Tomoko Otake ...
8 Feb 202321min
145: The sword, the shield and the new face of Japan's military
As 2022 wrapped up, the Japanese government let forth a flurry of defense policy announcements. Those were followed by a five-nation tour by Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, and talk of a tax hike to pay...
1 Feb 202327min
144: Japan on a plate: Our food critic reveals his favorite spots
From noodle stands to Michelin-starred restaurants, Japan has some of the most amazing food in the world. Food writer Robbie Swinnerton has been covering Tokyo’s culinary scene for decades, so for thi...
25 Jan 202327min
143: Clutter, trash and hoarding disorder in Japan
With Marie Kondo and those tidy soccer fans representing Japan overseas, you’d be forgiven for thinking that everything is spick and span at home. This week, Alex K.T. Martin looks at what form compul...
18 Jan 202319min
142: Culture in 2022: Good books, outdoor art and ‘Tokyo Vice’
For the final Deep Dive of the year, culture editor Alyssa I. Smith talks to culture critic Thu-Huong Ha about the books they read, the festivals they went to and how Japanese stories are currently ca...
21 Des 202227min
141: Is it too late to save the Japanese giant salamander?
With the United Nations Biodiversity Conference taking place in Montreal this week, we thought it would be a good opportunity to look at how Japan is handling issues involving biodiversity here. Envir...
16 Des 202229min
140: 25 years on from the protocol’s signing, did we ever 'Kyoto'?
Dec. 11 marked the 25th anniversary of the Kyoto Protocol, a landmark treaty that put the idea of global effort to save the planet on many national radars. To mark the event, The Japan Times has launc...
14 Des 202220min
