Deep Dive from The Japan Times

With omicron surging around the world, Japan Times sports reporter Dan Orlowitz tells us about the stringent measures put in place to allow these Games to take place, and how Japan is responding to the U.S. call for a diplomatic boycott of these Olympics. Later in the show, Dr. Madeleine Orr joins us to talk about how climate change is threatening the Winter Olympics, and why Beijing is so uniquely reliant on artificial snow. Read more:  Absence of Yuzuru Hanyu fans at Beijing 2022 a relief for Xi’s Pooh-paranoid censors (Dan Orlowitz, The Japan Times) Slippery Slopes: How climate change is threatening the Winter Olympics (The Sport Ecology Group) China’s fake snow frenzy for Beijing Olympics strains water supplies China reports 34 new COVID-19 cases among personnel connected to Olympics Ahead of Olympics, Lower House issues toned-down resolution on 'rights situation' in China The Japan Times' full coverage of the Winter Olympics Sponsor: Today’s episode is sponsored by RGF Professional Recruitment Japan, the bilingual arm of Recruit, Japan and Asia's largest recruiting and information service company. Visit RGF Professional Recruitment Japan to register your resume and unleash your potential today. Livestream Dan will join Oscar for a livestream about his experiences in Beijing on Twitter on Monday, Feb. 7 at 8 p.m. Japan time. Follow @japantimes to join the conversation when they go live. On this episode: Dan Orlowitz: Articles | Twitter Madeleine Orr: Twitter | The Sport Ecology Group Oscar Boyd: Twitter | Articles | Instagram Transcript We have recently begun experimenting with transcripts for episodes of Deep Dive. A full transcript of this episode is available on The Japan Times website. Find transcripts useful? Tips for improvement? Contact us to let us know. Announcements: Get in touch with Oscar and the show at deepdive@japantimes.co.jp. Support the show. Rate, review and share this episode with a friend if you've enjoyed it. Follow us on Twitter, and give us feedback. This episode of Deep Dive may be supported by advertising based on your location. Advertising is sourced by Audioboom and is not affiliated with The Japan Times. Photo: A volunteer wearing a face mask and shield is seen at the National Aquatics Center in Beijing on Sunday. | REUTERS

2 Feb 202234min

At the start of the year, AMC Networks — the U.S. company behind shows like “The Walking Dead” and “Breaking Bad” — acquired anime distributor Sentai, and with it the anime-streaming service Hidive. In August 2021, Sony bought the anime-streaming service Crunchyroll for almost $1.2 billion. And streaming giants such as Netflix and Disney have been pouring money into original anime programming over the past few years. Interest in anime around the world has never been higher.   Behind the scenes, though, animators struggle to make a living and many insiders are calling the industry unsustainable as studios struggle to keep up with demand and the pandemic slows production.  The Japan Times' culture editor Alyssa I. Smith talks with contributor Matt Schley about why Japan’s anime industry is booming and the challenges it faces in 2022.  Read more:  The push to go digital opens new doors for anime (Matt Schley, The Japan Times) Streaming heavyweights made big moves into the world of anime in 2021 (Matt Schley, The Japan Times) Younger animators still struggling amid anime boom (Matt Schley, The Japan Times) ‘Akira’: Looking back at the future (Matt Schley, The Japan Times) Kyoto Animation: A unique force in Japan's anime industry (Matt Schley, The Japan Times) Sponsor: Today’s episode is sponsored by RGF Professional Recruitment Japan, the bilingual arm of Recruit, Japan and Asia's largest recruiting and information service company. Visit RGF Professional Recruitment Japan to register your resume and unleash your potential today. On this episode: Matt Schley: Articles | Twitter Alyssa I. Smith: Articles Oscar Boyd: Twitter | Articles | Instagram Announcements: Get in touch with Oscar and the show at deepdive@japantimes.co.jp. Support the show! Rate us, review us and share this episode with a friend if you've enjoyed it. Follow us on Twitter, and give us feedback. This episode of Deep Dive may be supported by advertising based on your location. Advertising is sourced by Audioboom and is not affiliated with The Japan Times. Photo: A still from 'Spirited Away,' which remains the only Japanese anime to win an Academy Award. © 2001 Studio Ghibli

26 Jan 202232min

The New York Times' Ben Dooley joins Deep Dive to discuss his recent reporting trip to Ishigaki, and why the island is currently building a missile base. Read more: The island paradise near the front line of tensions over Taiwan (Ben Dooley, The New York Times) To China's chagrin, Japan-Taiwan talks could pave the way for closer ties (Jesse Johnson, The Japan Times) What's behind surging tensions in the Taiwan Strait? (Jesse Johnson, The Japan Times) What can Japan do in a Taiwan-China clash? (Michael MacArthur Bosack, The Japan Times) Invasion of Taiwan by China would be ‘economic suicide,’ former PM Abe warns Japan brings back COVID-19 restrictions over omicron surge Tsunami caused by Tonga volcano eruption stumps Japan weather experts Sponsor: Today’s episode is sponsored by RGF Professional Recruitment Japan, the bilingual arm of Recruit, Japan and Asia's largest recruiting and information service company. Visit www.rgf-professional.jp, to register your resume and unleash your potential today. On this episode: Ben Dooley: Articles | Twitter Oscar Boyd: Twitter | Articles | Instagram Announcements: Get in touch with Oscar and the show at deepdive@japantimes.co.jp. Support the show! Rate us, review us and share this episode with a friend if you've enjoyed it. Follow us on Twitter, and give us feedback. This episode of Deep Dive may be supported by advertising based on your location. Advertising is sourced by Audioboom and is not affiliated with The Japan Times. Photo: Ishigaki, best known for sun, sand and pineapples, is at the frontline of regional tensions between Taiwan, China and Japan. | Oscar Boyd

19 Jan 202227min

Gearoid Reidy, senior editor at Bloomberg's Tokyo bureau, joins to discuss what the rapid spread of omicron means for Japan. Read more:  Japan's daily COVID-19 cases top 10,000 for first time in four months Why you should still try to avoid catching omicron Japan eyes relaxed rules on COVID close contacts and hospitalization 90% of omicron cases in Okinawa show mild to no symptoms Japan seeks restrictions on U.S. troop movements as Okinawa reports record cases Japan to maintain strict border restrictions until end of February On this episode: Gearoid Reidy: Articles | Twitter Oscar Boyd: Twitter | Articles | Instagram Announcements: Get in touch with Oscar and the show at deepdive@japantimes.co.jp. Support the show! Rate us, review us and share this episode with a friend if you've enjoyed it. Follow us on Twitter, and give us feedback. This episode of Deep Dive may be supported by advertising based on your location. Advertising is sourced by Audioboom and is not affiliated with The Japan Times. Photo: Cases of COVID-19 have surged across the nation since the start of 2022. | Kyodo

13 Jan 202227min

Happy New Year! Thank you to everyone who submitted their stories for this episode, it was lovely hearing from you all. Regular episodes of Deep Dive will return in January. Until then, podtsukaresama! More bits and bobs:  On breaking my arms and climbing the Matterhorn  'How Do You Live?' — Alyssa's book recommendation The Japan Times' tribute to the lifework of actor Sonny Chiba 'Bullet Train' — Shaun's Sonny Chiba recommendation 'Jojo Rabbit' — Oscar's film recommendation Penguin Cafe — Shaun's recommendation in Matsumoto Zoria's interview with Kengo Kuma for Tokyo Weekender 'I Need To Be In Love' by The Carpenters — Yukiko's singing debut Peter's suggestion for bicycle rental for cycle excursions around Shikoku Rina's podcast On this episode: Deep Dive listeners: Thank you! Alyssa I. Smith: Articles Shaun McKenna: Twitter | Articles Oscar Boyd: Twitter | Articles | Instagram Announcements: The Japan Times is currently hiring news reports and a features editor. Find out more at bit.ly/JTworkwithus.  Get in touch with Oscar and the show at deepdive@japantimes.co.jp. Support the show! Rate us, review us and share this episode with a friend if you've enjoyed it. Follow us on Twitter, and give us feedback. This episode of Deep Dive may be supported by advertising based on your location. Advertising is sourced by Audioboom and is not affiliated with The Japan Times. Photo: Atop the Matterhorn, September 2021 | Oscar Boyd

29 Dec 202125min

Chris Broad has been making videos for YouTube for almost 10 years now, publishing them on his channel Abroad in Japan. The last time he joined us on Deep Dive was back in 2019, after his channel crossed the 1 million subscriber mark. But over the course of the pandemic, that number has swelled, and now stands at over 2.5 million. Earlier this month, Chris invited us up to visit his new Blade Runner-inspired studio in Sendai, where we recorded this episode of Deep Dive, in which Chris talks about the evolution of his channel, his new studio setup, and what’s left for him to explore in Japan. Read more:  Inside his new studio, YouTuber Chris Broad finally has space to create (Oscar Boyd, The Japan Times) Abroad in Japan (YouTube) Episode 28: Chris Broad and Sharla — living the YouTube life in Japan (Deep Dive) So long, 2021: We want to hear stories from our listeners, wherever you are! Send us your stories about your favorite experiences this year, and what got you through the challenges of 2021. It could be a new hobby you started, a trip you took after getting vaccinated, anything that helped make 2021 a memorable year.   Record a voice memo on your phone — the inbuilt app is totally fine — and tell us your story along with your name and where you're recording from. Try and keep the recording to a minute or two. Once you're done, email your recording to deepdive@japantimes.co.jp with the subject line “So long, 2021.” Please send your entries in by Monday, December 27, to be played around the New Year. Listen to last year's episode, here. On this episode: Chris Broad: Twitter | Website | Instagram Oscar Boyd: Twitter | Articles | Instagram Announcements: The Japan Times is currently hiring news reports and a features editor. Find out more at bit.ly/JTworkwithus.  Get in touch with Oscar and the show at deepdive@japantimes.co.jp. Support the show! Rate us, review us and share this episode with a friend if you've enjoyed it. Follow us on Twitter, and give us feedback. This episode of Deep Dive may be supported by advertising based on your location. Advertising is sourced by Audioboom and is not affiliated with The Japan Times. Photo: Chris Broad in his studio in Sendai | Oscar Boyd

22 Dec 202129min

On this week’s show, Japan Times contributor Mara Budgen takes a look at the history of onsen in Japan and asks whether Japan's iconic hot-spring resources are sustainable. Read more:  Unlocking Japan's geothermal energy potential Kurokawa Onsen: Eat, sleep, bathe, repeat Private equity sees hot opportunity in Japan's traditional onsen inns So long, 2021: We want to hear stories from our listeners, wherever you are! Send us your stories about your favorite experiences this year, and what got you through the challenges of 2021. It could be a new hobby you started, a trip you took after getting vaccinated, anything that helped make 2021 a memorable year.   Record a voice memo on your phone — the inbuilt app is totally fine — and tell us your story along with your name and where you're recording from. Try and keep the recording to a minute or two. Once you're done, email your recording to deepdive@japantimes.co.jp with the subject line “So long, 2021.” Please send your entries in by Friday, December 24, to be played around the New Year. Listen to last year's episode, here. On this episode: Mara Budgen:  Twitter | Website Oscar Boyd: Twitter | Articles | Instagram Announcements: The Japan Times is currently hiring news reports and a features editor. Find out more at bit.ly/JTworkwithus.  Get in touch with Oscar and the show at deepdive@japantimes.co.jp. Support the show! Rate us, review us and share this episode with a friend if you've enjoyed it. Follow us on Twitter, and give us feedback. This episode of Deep Dive may be supported by advertising based on your location. Advertising is sourced by Audioboom and is not affiliated with The Japan Times. Photo: An onsen in Beppu, Oita Prefecture | Getty Images

15 Dec 202129min

Gearoid Reidy, senior editor at Bloomberg Japan, joins to discuss Japan's low COVID-19 case count, and if the country can expect another wave. Read more:  Japan’s COVID-19 deaths lowest in 16 months as cases plummet First case of Japanese national infected with omicron variant confirmed What's behind the rapid disappearance of the delta variant in Japan? It could be self-extinction.  Japan boosts medical system to admit 37,000 COVID patients South Korea's new COVID-19 cases top 7,000 for first time Japan's COVID-19 booster shot drive kicks off with health care workers Poll finds 89% in Japan back Kishida’s ban on new foreign arrivals  Japan Times Covid Tracker On this episode: Gearoid Reidy: Articles | Twitter Oscar Boyd: Twitter | Articles | Instagram Announcements: The Japan Times is currently hiring news reports and a features editor. Find out more at bit.ly/JTworkwithus. Get in touch with Oscar and the show at deepdive@japantimes.co.jp. Support the show! Rate us, review us and share this episode with a friend if you've enjoyed it. Follow us on Twitter, and give us feedback. This episode of Deep Dive may be supported by advertising based on your location. Advertising is sourced by Audioboom and is not affiliated with The Japan Times. Photo: Though cases are low and almost all emergency measures have been lifted in Japan, the public is still taking a cautious approach to the pandemic, and mask wearing is ubiquitous. | REUTERS

8 Dec 202131min