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? (M...
Jan 19, 2022•28 min•Ep. 113
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 rest...
Jan 13, 2022•28 min•Ep. 112
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 — S...
Dec 29, 2021•25 min•Ep. 111
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 abo...
Dec 22, 2021•30 min•Ep. 110
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 ...
Dec 15, 2021•30 min•Ep. 109
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 tim...
Dec 08, 2021•32 min•Ep. 108
Japan Times contributor and cross-cultural communications consultant Rochelle Kopp joins to discuss the changes at Japan's border and how they are affecting the people who hope to call Japan home. Read more: Japan to bar all new foreign visitors as omicron fears grow (Ryusei Takahashi) Scores hoping to enter Japan in limbo — again — after latest entry ban (Jesse Johnson and Ryusei Takahashi) Omicron is the price we pay for vaccine inequality (Brad Glosserman) Japan confirms first case of omicron...
Dec 01, 2021•29 min•Ep. 107
On Nov. 12, COP26 wrapped up in Glasgow, Scotland, after two weeks of tense negotiations attended by heads of state from across the world. The outcome? The Glasgow Climate Pact, an agreement that aims to hold the world to no more than 1.5 degrees Celsius of global heating above pre-industrial levels. Masako Konishi, Expert Director for Conservation and Energy at WWF Japan, was in Glasgow for the two-week conference and joins Deep Dive to give her insights into what was agreed at COP26, and the r...
Nov 18, 2021•31 min•Ep. 106
In February this year the government created a new cabinet position to try to address the problem of loneliness, the so-called "minister for loneliness." But loneliness did not begin with COVID-19, and has been a growing problem in Japan for decades. Alex K.T. Martin, a senior writer at the Japan Times, recently wrote an article on kodoku , and the fine line between solitude and loneliness that many of us have experienced throughout the pandemic. Subscribe to The Japan Times One of the best ways...
Nov 10, 2021•29 min•Ep. 105
This week, world leaders are gathered in Glasgow, Scotland, for COP26, a meeting of nations that has been billed by British Prime Minister Boris Johnson as the world's last chance to avert catastrophic climate change. At this point, the science behind climate change could not be clearer. In August, the IPCC released its most comprehensive report to date on the state of the global climate, and concluded it is unequivocal that human influence has warmed the atmosphere, ocean and land. Japan is an ...
Nov 03, 2021•20 min•Ep. 104
A royal wedding usually involves celebration and pageantry, a ceremony steeped in tradition at an ancient and palatial building, and flag-waving in the streets by a public eager to see the newlywed couple. But for Princess Mako, who married Kei Komuro on Tuesday this week, there was none of that. There was only the perfunctory stamping of documents, followed by a muted press conference. Read more: What you need to know about the not-so-fairy tale of Princess Mako (Magdalena Osumi, The Japan Time...
Oct 28, 2021•27 min•Ep. 103
Over the past few years a combination of overspending and lack of tax revenue has put the city of Kyoto in a precarious financial situation, made worse by the lack of domestic and international tourism to the city during the pandemic. The Japan Times' senior national correspondent, Eric Johnston, joins us from Osaka to explain Kyoto's problems, and what the city needs to do to get itself out its predicament. Read more: Kyoto is facing bankruptcy. What happens now? (Eric Johnston, The Japan Times...
Oct 20, 2021•23 min•Ep. 102
Fumio Kishida replaces Yoshihide Suga as the leader of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party and as Prime Minister of Japan, and will face a general election at the end of this month where he will hope to cement his position in power. But who is Kishida and how did he rise to become the country’s newest Prime Minister? The Japan Times’ political correspondent Satoshi Sugiyama joins from his desk at the prime minister's office to answer those very questions. Read more: Challenges await as Kishida t...
Oct 07, 2021•24 min•Ep. 101
At every Olympics there is one cycling event that stands out above all the rest: keirin. It’s been in the Olympics since Sydney 2000, but it’s actually based on a form of track cycling that originated in post-war Japan. Keirin is a gambling sport in Japan, and though it’s nowhere near as popular as the national pastime baseball, or held in the same regard as sumo, it is still a multi-billion dollar industry, with races taking place up and down the country on an almost daily basis. The War on Whe...
Sep 22, 2021•32 min•Ep. 100
If you were in Japan back in February, when the Pfizer vaccine was first approved, you’ll remember the frustratingly slow pace of the vaccine rollout, as many other countries around the world ramped up their vaccine programs at speed. The slow pace continued through to the start of summer, but in August Japan distributed its 100 millionth dose of vaccine, and almost 50% of the country is now fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Later this month, Japan is set to pass the U.S. when it comes to the p...
Sep 08, 2021•29 min•Ep. 99
The Japan Times’ political correspondent, Satoshi Sugiyama, discusses Suga’s sudden resignation and who might replace him as prime minister. Read more: A behind-the-scenes look at Suga’s shocking decision to quit the LDP race (Satoshi Sugiyama, The Japan Times) Suga's abrupt exit throws LDP race wide open (Satoshi Sugiyama, The Japan Times) Vaccine czar Taro Kono tops opinion poll to be Japan's next leader (The Japan Times) Could Japan soon have a female leader? Sanae Takaichi emerges as a conte...
Sep 06, 2021•22 min•Ep. 98
Today we're joined by Josh Grisdale, who has cerebral palsy and uses an electric wheelchair in his daily life. He moved to Japan in 2007 and became a Japanese citizen in 2016. Josh has used his intimate knowledge of getting around Japan in a wheelchair to set up and run the website Accessible Japan, which provides the latest accessible travel information for people coming to, staying and living in Japan. Josh argues that creating a more accessible Japan is better for society as a whole, and that...
Sep 01, 2021•28 min•Ep. 97
Amid the COVID-19 pandemic and with no fans to watch them, will the Paralympics lead to a more inclusive society in Japan or will they fail to make a lasting impression? Anoma van der Veere and Oscar Boyd discuss. Read more: A study of the Tokyo 2020 ‘Game Changer Project’ between the Netherlands and Japan: leveraging disability sports in local communities in Japan (Anoma van der Veere) The Tokyo Paralympic Superhero: Manga and Narratives of Disability in Japan (Anoma van der Veere) Disability i...
Aug 25, 2021•29 min•Ep. 96
Ten years in the making, the Tokyo Olympics ended with a grand closing ceremony at the National Stadium on Sunday, Aug. 8. Patrick and Oscar look back at the closing moments of the Games, the last few sporting achievements, the handover to Paris, and what to make of these tumultuous Olympics now that they're all over. Read more: The Japan Times' coverage of the Olympic Games Curtain falls on a tumultuous Tokyo Games (Jason Coskrey, The Japan Times) Japan ends Tokyo 2020 with record medal haul (T...
Aug 13, 2021•26 min•Ep. 95
Gianmarco Tamberi and Mutaz Barshim share a gold medal in the high jump, skateboarding is dominated by more incredible Japanese teenagers, and it continues to be incredibly hot at these Olympic Games. Read more: The Japan Times' coverage of the Olympic Games Japan's summer heat an Olympic challenge for competing athletes (The Japan Times) The man behind the Olympic 'anti-sex' beds speaks out (Dan Orlowitz, The Japan Times) Japan wins two more medals in skateboarding as Sakura Yosozumi takes gold...
Aug 06, 2021•28 min•Ep. 94
From the opening ceremony to Naomi Osaka and Simon Biles' shock exits, it's been a busy week at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Read more: Biracial representation, game soundtracks and shiny pecs: bright moments at a somber Olympic opening (Patrick St. Michel, The Japan Times) The Japan Times' coverage of the Olympic Games Osaka exits Games as Tokyo hits record coronavirus cases (The Japan Times) U.S. gymnast Simone Biles out of next Tokyo event, sharpening focus on mental health at Games (The Japan Ti...
Jul 30, 2021•28 min•Ep. 93
In Part 2 of this two-part look at the long and tumultuous road to the Olympics, we discuss heat, corruption and the endless run of scandals that followed when the COVID-19 pandemic forced a one-year postponement of the Games. Read/see more: Twists and turns: Retracing Tokyo’s tumultuous path to the Olympics (Alex K.T. Martin, The Japan Times) Heat risks add to challenges for Tokyo's pandemic-hit Olympics (Oscar Boyd, The Japan Times) The Olympic opening ceremony that wasn’t (Patrick St. Michel,...
Jul 23, 2021•30 min•Ep. 92
This week, the delayed 2020 Tokyo Olympics will begin, with the opening ceremony planned for Friday, July 23. It will be a Games like none before it, with its host city, Tokyo, under a state of emergency and COVID-19 still very much a threat to the public. In Part 1 of a two-part look at the long and tumultuous road to the Olympics, we look at Tokyo's initial bid for the Olympics in 2011, how the city won that bid in 2013, and the ups and downs that accompanied the Games until the famous handove...
Jul 21, 2021•27 min•Ep. 91
Host Oscar Boyd is heading to language school for three months and so Deep Dive will be on hiatus. Make sure you subscribe on whichever podcasting platform you use to be notified when we return. For all the latest news from Japan, please subscribe to The Japan Times and help support our journalism: the latest on the pandemic, vaccinations, the Olympics, and sports, culture and lifestyle features. Thank you to all our listeners, guests and supporters of the show. Until next time, stay well, and a...
Apr 06, 2021•2 min•Ep. 90
With medical experts worried that the Olympics will turn into a superspreader event, polls show that the Japanese public is overwhelmingly not on board with the Games. Yet things are going full steam ahead, with test events taking place, athletes arriving and the torch relay beginning last week. Joining Deep Dive is the New York Times Tokyo bureau chief Motoko Rich, here to discuss why the government seems so intent on holding the Games this summer, and the risks associated with them going ahead...
Apr 02, 2021•32 min•Ep. 89
Japan is a country that is good at many things, but accepting refugees is not one of them. In 2019, just 44 refugees were accepted here. Now, the government has proposed a series of amendments to the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act that will make it even harder for asylum seekers in Japan. Freelance journalist Jesse Chase-Lubitz joins Deep Dive to discuss. Read more: Japan mulls closing another door to refugees (Jesse Chase-Lubitz, Foreign Policy) Immigration reform fails to reso...
Mar 31, 2021•22 min•Ep. 88
Bloomberg reporter Lisa Du joins Deep Dive to discuss how Japan's vaccine rollout has gone so far, and the challenges the program may face going forward. Read more: 65% see Japan's vaccine rollout as slow, poll finds (The Japan Times) 62.1% of Japanese willing to have COVID-19 vaccination, survey says (The Japan Times) Japan may approve second COVID-19 vaccine in May, health minister says (The Japan Times) Trials and transparency stand in way of Japan's acquisition of non-Western shots (Osamu Ts...
Mar 24, 2021•27 min•Ep. 87
Pokemon is thought to be the most valuable media franchise in the world, with an empire that straddles video games, television, cinema, trading cards, Pokemon Go and much, much more. This week on Deep Dive, journalist Tom Bateman takes us through the 25 year history of Pokemon, and how it has become one of Japan’s most successful and recognizable exports. Read more: Monsters, mania and the unstoppable march of Pokemon (Tom Bateman, BBC) Beware of the Pokemania (Time Magazine, 1999) Pokemon still...
Mar 17, 2021•31 min•Ep. 86
On this week's episode, The Japan Times' Alex Martin visits Ishinomaki, 10 years after he first went there, to reconnect with residents he spoke with in the aftermath of the earthquake and to find out how the city is recovering from the tsunami. Also, Reuters' Mari Saito tells us about the "phone of the wind," where tsunami survivors can grieve for the people they lost. Read more: A decade on, real challenges lie ahead for communities devastated by March 2011 disaster (Alex K.T. Martin, The Japa...
Mar 10, 2021•32 min•Ep. 85
Richard Lloyd Parry is the author of "Ghosts of the Tsunami," which focuses on the story of a small elementary school in the town of Okawa, around 200 miles north of Tokyo. 74 pupils and 10 teachers at the school that day lost their lives to the tsunami that followed the Great East Japan Earthquake. "Ghosts of the Tsunami" is a must-read for anyone interested in learning about the disaster: a beautifully written, harrowing account of what happened on 3/11 and the events that unfolded afterward, ...
Mar 03, 2021•33 min•Ep. 84
