Deep Dive from The Japan Times

Our minds have been largely preoccupied with the COVID-19 pandemic the past couple of years, but that doesn't mean the threats caused by the climate crisis have gone away. Still, sometimes it feels like environmental issues don't loom as large in Japan as they do in other countries.  Two of our guests on this episode of Deep Dive, Hanae Takahashi and Eric Margolis, currently cover climate issues for The Japan Times. They have spoken to Japan-based environmentalists about how the media in this country could do a better job at informing the Japanese public on these issues, so they can make better decisions when voting. First, however, we are joined by former Deep Dive host and climate journalist Oscar Boyd who takes part in a conversation on the larger picture when it comes to the environment and how we can better equip ourselves with knowledge when it comes to this rather overwhelming issue.  Read/ hear more: Bloomberg Green's “Zero” podcast Yuka Natori: Starting a climate initiative in your own community would be great (Hanae Takahashi, The Japan Times) The true cost of the climate crisis on Japan (Eric Margolis, The Japan Times) What can we do to fight the climate crisis from Japan? (Eric Margolis, The Japan Times) How can you fight climate change in Japan? Learn how to talk about it. (Eric Margolis, The Japan Times) On this episode: Oscar Boyd: Articles | Twitter  Hanae Takahashi: Articles | Twitter Eric Margolis: Articles | Twitter  Shaun McKenna: Articles | Twitter  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 the Deep Dive team 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: Firefighters rescue people with a raft in a flooded area of Kurume, Fukuoka Pref., following torrential rain last summer. | Kyodo

The podcast is on hiatus for the next few months. For all the latest news from Japan, please subscribe to The Japan Times and help support its journalism. Thank you to all our listeners, guests and supporters of the show. ポッド疲れ様

Over the past few months, Japan has been slowly easing its COVID-19 related border restrictions. In March, after almost two years, it started allowing in students, academics and business people. Then in April, parents and immediate relatives of foreign residents were allowed to enter the country. But the borders are still closed to tourists, a broad category of people that includes everyone from leisure travelers to the unmarried partners of residents of Japan. This week on Deep Dive, Kanako Takahara joins to discuss when Japan might reopen to international tourism, and what form that reopening might take. Read more:  The ¥22 trillion question: When will Japan reopen to foreign tourists? (Kanako Takahara, The Japan Times) Japan plans to double entry cap to allow 20,000 daily arrivals starting in June Japan should end cap on overseas visitors, senior LDP lawmaker says On this episode: Kanako Takahara: Articles | Twitter 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: Mount Fuji, one of Japan's most popular tourist attractions, in fall. | Getty Images

Since 2008, Japan's population has been falling, and each year the amount it falls by grows larger and larger. In 2008, the country lost around 20,000 people. In 2010, 100,000, and by 2019, the figure stood at over half a million. The most recent data, released earlier this month, shows that in 2021, Japan lost more than 640,000 people.  This week on Deep Dive Japan Times staff writer Alex Martin joins to discuss Japan's declining population, and why one town in Saitama thinks it's not all bad news. Read more:  For some shrinking towns in Japan, depopulation isn't all bad news Japan's population plummeted by 640,000 in 2021 for biggest drop on record Japan, in need of more babies, is helping pay for costly IVF What is Golden Week and why does it matter? Archival clip from Tokyo Today 1948 On this episode: Alex K.T. Martin: Articles | Twitter Oscar Boyd: Twitter | Articles | Instagram  Transcript: We now have 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: Nestled along its namesake river and set against lush forests and mountains, the town of Tokigawa, is fighting against its declining population. | COURTESY OF TOKIGAWA TOWN

Since the beginning of March, the value of the yen has plummeted against the dollar, the euro and the British pound. Bloomberg economy reporter Yuko Takeo joins Deep Dive to explain why. Read more: Yen falls to ¥129 against U.S. dollar, refreshing a 20-year low Amid deepening yen weakness, a mixed blessing sours for Japan Japan's trade shifts mean a weak yen is likely here to stay Bank of Japan poised to predict strongest inflation in 30 years On this episode: Yuko Takeo: Twitter | Articles Oscar Boyd: Twitter | Articles | Instagram  Transcript: We now have 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: The yen's value has plummeted against the dollar over the past few weeks. | Getty Images

Demolition of the Nakagin Capsule Tower — an iconic representation of Japan's metabolist architectural movement — officially kicked off on Tuesday, with fans of the building showing up to take a last glimpse before it is torn down. On this week's Deep Dive, Japan Times editor Chris Russell joins to discuss the story of Nakagin and why he thinks it has captivated so many people over the years. Read more: Demolition of Tokyo's iconic Nakagin Capsule Tower officially begins Nakagin Capsule Tower: Saving an urban dream from the ravages of time Tokyo's Tearing Down an Iconic Building. That's a Good Thing. On this episode: Chris Russell: Twitter | Articles 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: Nakagin Capsule Tower on April 12, 2022, the first day of its scheduled demolition. | Oscar Boyd

Two weeks ago, Japan's government issued its first ever electricity supply warning for Tokyo and its surrounding prefectures, calling on citizens to conserve power to avoid blackouts. Bloomberg energy reporter Shoko Oda joins Deep Dive to explain why that crisis was a decade in the making. Read more: Japan's power crisis was a decade in making and won't go away Japanese turn down heat and lights to avoid power cut after quake The future of energy will require citizens to make sacrifices. Just ask Tokyo residents. Japan's energy buyers warn that the weak yen threatens their business On this episode: Shoko Oda: Twitter | Articles Oscar Boyd: Twitter | Articles | Instagram 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. 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: Tokyo Tower turned off its lights on Tuesday, March 22, after the government requested the Tokyo area conserve energy. | BLOOMBERG

During the pandemic, women in Japan have been more likely to lose their jobs, face increased pressure at home and be victims of domestic violence. And data released earlier this month showed that in 2021 suicides increased among women for the second year running, whilst declining for men.  Hanako Montgomery, a reporter for Vice World News in Japan, discusses Japan's poor record on gender equality, why the pandemic has impacted women in particular, and what the country is trying to do about the rise in suicides among women. Read/see more:  Japan Is Facing an Alarming Spike in Female Suicides (Hanako Montgomery, Vice) Suicides by women rose in Japan for second straight year in 2021 (The Japan Times) COVID scared her. But it was loneliness that nearly killed her. (Hanako Montgomery, Vice) Japanese schools are still banning ponytails because they could ‘sexually excite' men (Hanako Montgomery, Vice) Bloste counseling app  The Japan Times 125th anniversary discount: To celebrate our 125th anniversary, The Japan Times is offering a lifetime discount to its premium digital plan. You'll have unlimited access to The Japan Times' content, no ads on the website, and a digital copy of the printed paper. All for just ¥1,600 a month. This offer expires on March 31. For more details on how to sign up, head to jtimes.jp/jt125dd. 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: Hanako Montgomery: Twitter | Articles | Instagram 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. Crisis lines: If you or someone you know is in crisis and needs help, resources are available. In case of an emergency, please call 119 in Japan for immediate assistance. The TELL Lifeline is available for those who need free and anonymous counseling at 03-5774-0992. You can also visit them at telljp.com. For those in other countries, visit www.suicide.org for a detailed list of resources and assistance. 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: In 2021, Japan placed 120th out of 156 countries in the World Economic Forum's gender equality list. | Getty Images

March 24th marks one month since Russia began its invasion of Ukraine, starting a war that has forced millions of Ukrainians to flee their country.  Kanako Takahara explains Japan's efforts to help these refugees, and why the government here isn't calling them by that name. Later in the episode, we hear the story of Maria, a 71-year-old Ukrainian woman who was reunited with her daughter Nataliia last Friday, after a six-day ordeal escaping from Ukraine to Japan. Read more:  Tears, relief and the 'smell of Ukraine': A daughter's reunion with her mother in Japan Japan looks to offer enhanced support to help Ukrainian refugees settle Are Ukrainians who flee 'refugees' or 'evacuees'? For Japan, it's complicated. Ukrainian support groups in Japan: The Japan-Ukraine friendship association Japan Association for Refugees Ukrainians in Japan Facebook group  Facebook group for Ukrainians hoping to bring relatives to Japan 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: Kanako Takahara: Articles | Twitter 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: Ukrainian Maria Dovbash hugs her family in an emotional reunion Friday at Narita Airport after she traveled six days from her home in Zaporizhzhia in southern Ukraine to Japan. | Oscar Boyd

From India to the U.S., the pandemic has spurred millions of people to leave their jobs in search of more fulfilling, flexible roles, in what has been dubbed the Great Resignation. But so far at least, Japan's workforce is charting a very different course, with fewer people than ever moving jobs. This week, senior staff writer Alex Martin joins to discuss the changing face of work in Japan, and why so few people seem inclined to switch roles.  Read more: Is Japan on the brink of its own ‘Great Resignation'? (Alex Martin) Japan to review top obstacle to telework — the personal seal Even after pandemic, Japan's labor market faces shortages and mismatches (Kazuaki Nagata) Tokyo loses population for first time in 26 years amid pandemic Yahoo tells Japan employees they can work anywhere and commute by plane when necessary 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: Alex K.T. Martin: Articles | Twitter 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: There may not yet be a 'Great Resignation' in Japan, but the pandemic has transformed work culture in many other ways. | Getty Images

As Vladimir Putin's grim war in Ukraine escalates, The Economist's Tokyo bureau chief, Noah Sneider, joins to discuss the reasons for the conflict, the lengths to which Japan is supporting Ukraine, and how the war will redefine relationships between Japan and its northern neighbor, Russia. Read more:  Noah's War in Translation project Japan resists pressure to follow Big Oil's exit from Russia Japan accepts eight people displaced by Russian invasion of Ukraine Top Japanese and U.S. officials to meet this week to discuss Ukraine war The Japan Times' full coverage of the Russia-Ukraine conflict 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: Noah Sneider: Website | Twitter | War in Translation 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 march through to protest the Russia-Ukraine war on March 5, 2022 | Reuters

Craig has spent large chunks of the past several years walking across Japan, completing months-long journeys along the country's historical walking routes, like the Tokaido, the Nakasendo and the Kumano Kodo. As he goes, he documents his experiences, sharing essays and photographs through his member-supported newsletters, and his books, Koya Bound and Kissa by Kissa.  "Walking is everything." he says. And if you've got the time and the inclination to do it, it is the best way to come to know the country, from beautifully preserved shrines and forests to the messier parts of suburban reality — pachinko parlors and all. Read more:  Paying pilgrimage to the last kissaten on the Kumano Kodo (Craig Mod, The Japan Times) Craig's website, where you can sign up to his walking newsletters I walked 600 miles across Japan for pizza toast (Craig Mod, Eater) 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: Craig Mod: Articles | Twitter | Instagram 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: Craig Mod has spent the past several years completing monthslong walks along some of Japan's historical walking routes. | Craig Mod

Kanako Takahara, head of The Japan Times' domestic news team, joins Deep Dive to give us the details. Read more:  It's official: Japan eases entry restrictions for foreign students, business travelers and other nontourists What you need to know about Japan's upcoming eased border restrictions  Japan to shorten or drop quarantine requirements for most arrivals from March  Japan's entry ban leaves students and universities counting the cost Survey on how the travel ban has affected students 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: Kanako Takahara: Articles | Twitter 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 passenger walks the arrival hall at Tokyo's Haneda Airport | AFP

Winifred Bird is the author of "Eating Wild Japan," a book that goes deep into the foraging culture of Japan and contains essays on foraging, a selection of recipes and a guide to forageable plants. In her essays, Winifred touches on rural culture and decline, the state of Japan's forests and coastal areas, and the food of the indigenous Ainu people. Winifred joins Deep Dive to discuss Japan's foraging culture, and the role wild foods play in modern society. Read more: Winifred's book, Eating Wild Japan (Winifred Bird, Stone Bridge Press) Kris Kosaka's review, Foraging in Japan: What to eat and where to find it J.J. O Donoghue's article, "Is farming in Japan on its last legs?" Japan's farming population falls below 2 million for first time: survey 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: Winifred Bird: Website 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: Japan's rural populations are in decline, threatening the future of foraging culture. | iStock

Over the past 20 years, Japan has become known around the world as a dream destination for skiers and snowboarders. Yet the country has had an on-and-off love affair with snow sports.  As domestic interest in skiing and snowboarding has waned, resorts have become increasingly reliant on international visitors. So when the pandemic hit, and Japan's borders were shut, many of them were plunged into crisis.  Japan Times contributor Francesco Basetti joins Deep Dive to discuss the rise and fall of the Japanese ski industry, and how resorts are faring with so few people able to enjoy them. Read more:  With international tourists still absent, Japan's ski resorts dig deep (Francesco Bassetti and Oscar Boyd) Wipe out: Japan's ski slopes suffering worst winter in decades 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. On this episode: Francesco Bassetti: 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, 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: Hakuba Valley received fewer than half its usual number of visitors in the 2020-21 season. | Courtesy of Evergreen Outdoor Center

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 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

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

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

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

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

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

Send us your stories about your favorite experience this year and how it got you through the challenges of 2021. It could be a new hobby you started, a trip you were finally able to take after getting vaccinated, things you did for other people, anything really as long it helped to make 2021 a memorable year for you. 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 it to only a couple of minutes in length. Once you're done, email your recording to deepdive@japantimes.co.jp with the subject line “So long, 2021.” Please send your recordings by Friday, December 24 to play before the New Year. Thank you. Listen to last year's episode, here.

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 

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

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 coronavirus variant (Ryusei Takahashi) Japan to ban all foreign travelers from 10 African countries amid omicron outbreak (Ryusei Takahashi) Japan tells airlines to halt inbound flight bookings over omicron fears (Ryusei Takahashi) On this episode: Rochelle Kopp: Website | Twitter Oscar Boyd: Twitter | Articles | Instagram Announcements: Sign up to the Deep Dive mailing list and be notified when new episodes comes out. Get in touch with us 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 notice about COVID-19 safety measures pictured next to closed doors at a departure hall of Narita International Airport in Chiba Prefecture on Tuesday. | REUTERS

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 role Japan played at this crucial climate summit. Subscribe to The Japan Times One of the best ways that you can support Deep Dive is by subscribing to The Japan Times, and we are currently offering a 30% discount on the first six months of a digital premium subscription. Head to jtimes.jp/deepdive30 and enter the promo code "DEEPDIVE30" to claim the discount, and get unlimited access to The Japan Times' journalism. Thank you as always for your support. Read more:  COP26 seals breakthrough climate deal after major compromises (The Japan Times) Japan, once a leader on climate, under fire at COP26 over coal use (The Japan Times) Kishida places Japan's business interests at the forefront of climate policy (The Japan Times) Japan gets Fossil of the Day Award at COP26 after Kishida speech (The Japan Times) Toyota defends skipping COP26 emissions pledge (The Japan Times) On this episode: Masako Konishi: Twitter | WWF Japan Oscar Boyd: Twitter | Articles | Instagram Announcements: Sign up to the Deep Dive mailing list and be notified when new episodes comes out. Get in touch with us 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: People dressed as Pikachu protest against the funding of coal by Japan, near the U.N. Climate Change Conference (COP26) venue in Glasgow, Scotland, on Nov. 4. | REUTERS

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 that you can support Deep Dive is by subscribing to The Japan Times, and we are currently offering a 30% discount on the first six months of a digital premium subscription. Head to jtimes.jp/deepdive30 and enter the promo code "DEEPDIVE30" to claim the discount, and get unlimited access to The Japan Times' journalism. Thank you as always for your support. Read more:  Kodoku: The fine line between solitude and loneliness in Japan (Alex Martin, The Japan Times) As suicides rise amid the pandemic, Japan takes steps to tackle loneliness (Tomohiro Osaki, The Japan Times) Escaping COVID-19: When you can't see the virus for the trees (Alex Martin, The Japan Times) On this episode: Alex K.T. Martin: Twitter | Articles Oscar Boyd: Twitter | Articles | Instagram Announcements: Sign up to the Deep Dive mailing list and be notified when new episodes comes out. Get in touch with us 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: Japan is facing a problem of chronic loneliness | GETTY IMAGES

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 important part of this in two ways. First, it is a significant emitter of CO2, the fifth largest globally by total annual emissions. And second, it is a country that is exceptionally vulnerable to climate change. The climate crisis is here and it is affecting everything from the strength of typhoons and flooding, to the timing of the annual cherry blossoms and autumn leaves.  Read more:  The true cost of the climate crisis on Japan (Eric Margolis, The Japan Times) A crucial U.N. climate summit kicks off Oct. 31. Here's what you need to know. (Eric Johnston, The Japan Times) As Japan looks to expand renewable energy, nuclear power's role remains unclear (The Japan Times) On this episode: Eric Margolis: Twitter | Website Oscar Boyd: Twitter | Articles | Instagram Announcements: Sign up to the Deep Dive mailing list and be notified every time a new episode comes out. Get in touch with us 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: Rescue workers search a flooded area in the aftermath of Typhoon Hagibis, which caused severe floods at the Chikuma River in Nagano Prefecture in October 2019. | REUTERS

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 Times) Imperial Household Agency criticized for media strategy — or lack thereof (Magdalena Osumi, The Japan Times) Princess Mako's marriage a 'warning sign' for Japan's imperial system (Ami Takahashi via The Japan Times) The world's oldest monarchy is running out of royals (Marika Katanuma via The Japan Times ) On this episode: Natsuko Fukue: Twitter Oscar Boyd: Twitter | Articles | Instagram Announcements: Subscribe to the show and sign up to the Deep Dive mailing list to be notified when new episodes come out. Get in touch with us 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: Princess Mako (right) and her sister Princess Kako attend the enthronement ceremony for Emperor Naruhito at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo in October 2019. | POOL / AFP-JIJI

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) Kyoto's reconstruction plan calls for big spending cuts (Eric Johnston, The Japan Times) Kyoto without tourists: How the ancient capital looks without its crowds (Oscar Boyd, The Japan Times) On this episode: Eric Johnston: Articles Oscar Boyd: Twitter | Articles | Instagram Announcements: Subscribe to the show and sign up to the Deep Dive mailing list to be notified when new episodes come out. Get in touch with us 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: Kinkakuji, otherwise known as the Golden Pavilion, was made a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1994 and usually attracts over 5 million visitors per year. During the pandemic it has received a fraction of that number. | Oscar Boyd

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 takes reins as Japan's prime minister (Satoshi Sugiyama, The Japan Times) What Kishida's Cabinet picks tell us (Michael MacArthur Bosack, The Japan Times) Kishida off to rocky start in approval polls (The Japan Times) Japan's general election to be held Oct. 31, new PM Kishida says (The Japan Times) On this episode: Satoshi Sugiyama: Twitter | Articles Oscar Boyd: Twitter | Articles | Instagram Announcements: Subscribe to the show and sign up to the Deep Dive mailing list to be notified when new episodes come out. Get in touch with us 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: Prime Minister Fumio Kishida speaks at a news conference at the Prime Minister's Office in Tokyo on Monday. | Bloomberg

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 Wheels Justin's book "The War on Wheels: Inside the Keirin and Japan's Cycling Subculture" is out now via all major book retailers. Get your hands on a copy here, or read The Japan Times' review. Find out more about keirin and where to watch it at keirin.jp On this episode: Justin McCurry: Twitter | Articles Oscar Boyd: Twitter | Articles | Instagram Announcements: Subscribe to the show and sign up to the Deep Dive mailing list to be notified when new episodes come out. Get in touch with us 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: Keirin riders race around the Omiya velodrome in the outskirts of Tokyo. | Oscar Boyd

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 percentage of its citizens fully vaccinated.  Of course there are still many people who have yet to receive a vaccine and it is vital that they do, but with around 1 million shots being given each day, Japan will soon be in the position where everyone who wants a vaccine will be able to receive one. Read more: Youth clobbered, elderly spared in Japan's worst-ever COVID-19 wave (Lisa Du, The Japan Times) Japan reaches 100 million vaccine doses as focus shifts to youth (Sophie Jackman and Lisa Du, The Japan Times) With new leader to take reins, Japan eyes extending COVID-19 emergency in hot spots (The Japan Times) Moderna to recall COVID-19 doses in Japan over stainless steel contaminants (The Japan Times) Third man in Japan died after receiving recalled Moderna vaccine (The Japan Times) Canada, France and Singapore begin to recognize Japan's vaccine passports (Magdalena Osumi, The Japan Times) Japan to issue digital COVID-19 vaccination certificates in December, report says (The Japan Times) On this episode: Lisa Du: Twitter | Articles Oscar Boyd: Twitter | Articles | Instagram Announcements: Subscribe to the show and sign up to the Deep Dive mailing list to be notified when new episodes come out. Get in touch with us 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 health care worker administers a dose of the Moderna Inc. Covid-19 vaccine in the city of Saitama last month. | BLOOMBERG

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 contender (Tomohiro Osaki, The Japan Times) For Suga, the pandemic proved to be his undoing (Osamu Tsukimori, The Japan Times) On this episode: Satoshi Sugiyama: Twitter | Articles Oscar Boyd: Twitter | Articles | Instagram Announcements: Subscribe to the show and sign up to the Deep Dive mailing list to be notified when new episodes come out. Get in touch with us 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: Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga arrives to meet with Andrew Parsons, president of the International Paralympic Committee, in Tokyo on Friday. | POOL / VIA REUTERS

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 despite Japan being a world leader in physical mobility infrastructure, there's still plenty to improve across the country when it comes to inclusivity.  Read more:  Accessible Japan Behind the push to improve universal access in Japan (Mara Budgen, The Japan Times) What will be the legacy of the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics? (Deep Dive) Tokyo robot cafe offers new spin on disability inclusion (The Japan Times) The Japan Times coverage of the Paralympics On this episode: Josh Grisdale: Twitter | Accessible Japan Oscar Boyd: Twitter | Articles | Instagram Announcements: Subscribe to the show and sign up to the Deep Dive mailing list to be notified when new episodes come out. Get in touch with us 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: Accessible Japan founder Josh Grisdale visits Kyoto's Fushimi Inari Taisha shrine, one of the country's most popular tourist sites. | Josh Grisdale/Accessible Japan

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 in Japan (Carolyn Stevens) 'Most important' Paralympics arrive at starting line in Tokyo (Jason Coskrey, The Japan Times) The Japan Times coverage of the Paralympics On this episode: Anoma van der Veere: Twitter | Papers Oscar Boyd: Twitter | Articles | Instagram Announcements: Subscribe to the show and sign up to the Deep Dive mailing list to be notified when we return. Get in touch with us 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: People take pictures of fireworks during the opening ceremony of the Paralympic Games from outside the National Stadium. | REUTERS

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 (The Japan Times) How we saw it: The Athletes' Olympics (Dan Orlowitz, The Japan Times) How we saw it: The Mental Health Olympics (Jason Coskrey, The Japan Times) How we saw it: The Japanese Women's Olympics (Kaz Nagatsuka, The Japan Times)  How we saw it: The Silent Olympics (Oscar Boyd, The Japan Times) Tokyo Paralympics likely to be held with no spectators (The Japan Times) On this episode: Patrick St. Michel: Twitter | Articles Oscar Boyd: Twitter | Articles | Instagram Announcements: Subscribe to the show and sign up to the Deep Dive mailing list to be notified when we return. Get in touch with us 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: Fireworks light up the sky over National Stadium during the closing ceremony. | AFP-JIJI

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 (Oscar Boyd, The Japan Times) Shot-putter's gesture renews controversy over podium protests at Tokyo Games (The Japan Times) Belarusian Olympic sprinter receives humanitarian visa from Poland (Magdalena Osumi, The Japan Times) On this episode: Patrick St. Michel: Twitter | Articles Oscar Boyd: Twitter | Articles | Instagram Announcements: Subscribe to the show and sign up to the Deep Dive mailing list to be notified when we return. Get in touch with us 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: Daniil Medvedev takes a medical timeout for heat fatigue during an Olympic tennis match on July 28. | KYODO

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 Times)  Japanese surfer Kanoa Igarashi earns silver as Amuro Tsuzuki takes bronze on stormy day in Chiba (Oscar Boyd, The Japan Times) On this episode: Patrick St. Michel: Twitter | Articles Oscar Boyd: Twitter | Articles | Instagram Announcements: Subscribe to the show and sign up to the Deep Dive mailing list to be notified when we return. Get in touch with us 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.

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, The Japan Times) The sexism scandal engulfing the Tokyo 2020 Olympics (Deep Dive) Keigo Oyamada quits Olympic opening ceremony role over past bullying (The Japan Times) Director of Olympics opening ceremony ousted over past comments on Holocaust (The Japan Times) More companies pull out of Tokyo Olympics opening ceremony (The Japan Times) The Japan Times' coverage of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics (The Japan Times) On this episode: Patrick St. Michel: Twitter | Articles Oscar Boyd: Twitter | Articles | Instagram Announcements: Subscribe to the show and sign up to the Deep Dive mailing list to be notified when we return. Get in touch with us 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: People protest against the Tokyo Olympic Games outside the Akasaka State Guest House, where International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach attended a welcome ceremony on Sunday. | REUTERS

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 handover ceremony at the Rio Olympics in 2016. Part 2 will follow on Friday, ahead of the opening ceremony. Read/see more:  Twists and turns: Retracing Tokyo's tumultuous path to the Olympics (Alex K.T. Martin, The Japan Times) Tokyo wins bid to host 2020 Olympics (The Japan Times) Tokyo awarded 2020 Summer Games (The Telegraph via YouTube) The Complete Tokyo 1964 Olympics Film (Olympics via YouTube) The handover ceremony at the Rio 2016 Closing Ceremony (Olympics via YouTube) The troubled history of Zaha Hadid's Tokyo Olympic stadium project (Oliver Wainwright, The Guardian) Contested Tokyo 2020 Olympic logo scrapped amid plagiarism claim (Shusuke Murai, The Japan Times) The Japan Times' coverage of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics (The Japan Times) On this episode: Patrick St. Michel: Twitter | Articles Oscar Boyd: Twitter | Articles | Instagram Announcements: Subscribe to the show and sign up to the Deep Dive mailing list to be notified when we return. Get in touch with us 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: The Olympic rings in Tokyo Bay, Odaiba | Oscar Boyd

Host Oscar Boyd is heading to language school for 3 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 its 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 three-month-long ポッド疲れ様Oscar's favorite Japan pods: Japan By River Cruise - A comedy podcast by Bobby Judo and Ollie Horn Uncanny Japan - Tales from the spooky side of Japan by Thersa Matsuura Japan Eats - A podcast all about Japanese food and the people behind it by Akiko Katayama Even more podcasts from Japan

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 as planned.Read more:  Why ‘cursed’ Olympics are pressing ahead amid a pandemic (Motoko Rich and Hikari Hida, The New York Times) Experts fear the Olympics could trigger a global superspreader event (The Japan Times) Tokyo Olympic torch relay begins amid COVID-19 fears (The Japan Times) Japanese stars have no burning desire to be involved in torch relay (The Japan Times) 'Unavoidable': Overseas fans barred from Tokyo Olympics over virus (The Japan Times) On this episode:Motoko Rich: Twitter | ArticlesOscar Boyd: Twitter | Articles | InstagramAnnouncements: Deep Dive will be going on hiatus for three months until July 2021. Subscribe to the show and sign up to the Deep Dive mailing list to be notified when we return. Get in touch with us 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: The Olympic rings are reinstalled at Odaiba Marine Park in Tokyo on Dec. 1, 2020. | REUTERS

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 resolve asylum contradictions (Philip Brasor, The Japan Times) Government approves bill to bail asylum-seekers from long-term detention (The Japan Times) Japanese society warms to asylum-seekers despite the government's cold shoulder (Jesse Chase-Lubitz, The Japan Times) Deep Dive Episode 40: An 11-year-long fight for asylum in Japan (Deep Dive podcast) On this episode: Jesse Chase-Lubitz: Twitter | Articles Oscar Boyd: Twitter | Articles | InstagramAnnouncements:Sign up to the Deep Dive mailing list and be notified every time a new episode comes out. Get in touch with us 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: Detainees are seen through a hatch at the Tokyo Detention House in December 2015. | REUTERS

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 Tsukimori, The Japan Times) 'Vaccine passports' could help global travel resume. But is Japan on board? (Magdalena Osumi, The Japan Times) EU set to tighten vaccine export rules amid U.K. tensions (Bloomberg) Astra’s pain grows as U.S. questions beleaguered vaccine (Bloomberg) Episode 77: When will Japan get a vaccine for COVID-19? (Deep Dive podcast) On this episode:  Lisa Du: Twitter | Articles Oscar Boyd: Twitter | Articles | InstagramAnnouncements:Sign up to the Deep Dive mailing list and be notified every time a new episode comes out. Get in touch with us 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 medical worker gets a second dose of COVID-19 vaccine at a Tokyo hospital on March 10. | KYODO

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 catching hearts as game franchise celebrates 25th anniversary (The Japan Times) On this episode:Tom Bateman: Twitter | Website Oscar Boyd: Twitter | Articles | Instagram Announcements:Sign up to the Deep Dive mailing list and be notified every time a new episode comes out. Get in touch with us 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: The Pokemon Company

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 (https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2021/03/06/national/tohoku-challenges-quake-anniversary/) (Alex K.T. Martin, The Japan Times) Photo essay: Tsunami survivors call lost loves on the ‘phone of the wind’ (https://www.japantimes.co.jp/tohoku-tsunami-phone-booth/) (Mari Saito via The Japan Times) Photo essay: The seawalls of Tohoku (https://www.japantimes.co.jp/photo-essay-the-seawalls-of-tohoku/) (Oscar Boyd, The Japan Times) The Japan Times' coverage of the 10th anniversary of 3/11 (https://www.japantimes.co.jp/tag/3-11-10th-anniversary/) On this episode: Alex K.T. Martin: Twitter (https://twitter.com/alexktmartin) | Articles (https://www.japantimes.co.jp/author/int-alex-k_t_-martin/) Mari Saito: Twitter (https://twitter.com/saitomri) | Articles (https://www.reuters.com/journalists/mari-saito) Oscar Boyd: Twitter (https://twitter.com/omhboyd) | Articles (https://www.japantimes.co.jp/author/oscar-boyd/) | Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/oscar.boyd/) Announcements: Sign up to the Deep Dive mailing list (https://www.japantimes.co.jp/email-newsletters/) and be notified every time a new episode comes out. Get in touch with us 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 (https://twitter.com/japandeepdive) , 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 man surveys the damage in Ishinomaki, Miyagi Prefecture, a few days after the city was struck by a deadly tsunami in March 2011. | KYODO

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, as it became clear to survivors that the deaths of those children were entirely avoidable. Read more:  Ghosts of the Tsunami book (https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250192813) (Richard Lloyd Parry, Macmillan) Ghosts of the Tsunami essay (https://www.lrb.co.uk/session?redirect=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.lrb.co.uk%2Fthe-paper%2Fv36%2Fn03%2Frichard-lloyd-parry%2Fghosts-of-the-tsunami%3Freferrer%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fen.wikipedia.org%252F&s=GUtOGLTGkX2IUdBDE+CY8vRb1eUH5OnHzBxZoyVv/6U9ERVNyEf6h1lLZJG97/0h7hcI3vVpadBAe5EaA9TilIt96NOkZpJRCCUqD2sRCDBXVr8VoZqtc+Arj3up4Zh1+xko7U0V/iXzu+tDM1fNUt0N/gThpZe82Fse64NbbrJjQt/2Ea/6E0r+a61lwBChkvwfv9BRZQy//rP9zY6k4m7ZwFiZ1Y6ju8Jh0RnoPvbzR1XM) (Richard Lloyd Parry, London Review of Books) The school beneath the wave: the unimaginable tragedy of Japan’s tsunami (https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/aug/24/the-school-beneath-the-wave-the-unimaginable-tragedy-of-japans-tsunami) (Richard Lloyd Parry, The Guardian) Tsunami-hit Miyagi school building to reopen as memorial in April (https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2021/01/25/national/tsunami-school-memorial-miyagi/) (The Japan Times) Japan's top court finalizes ¥1.44 billion in damages for 84 deaths at school in 3/11 tsunami (https://www.japantimes.co.jp/tag/okawa-elementary-school/) (The Japan Times) On this episode: Richard Lloyd Parry: Twitter (https://twitter.com/dicklp) | Articles (https://www.thetimes.co.uk/profile/richard-lloyd-parry) Oscar Boyd: Twitter (https://twitter.com/omhboyd) | Articles (https://www.japantimes.co.jp/author/oscar-boyd/) | Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/oscar.boyd/) Announcements: Sign up to the Deep Dive mailing list (https://www.japantimes.co.jp/email-newsletters/) and be notified every time a new episode comes out. Get in touch with us 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 (https://twitter.com/japandeepdive) , 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 mural at the Okawa Elementary School, where 74 children died on March 11, 2011. | Oscar Boyd

On this week's episode we look at why Clubhouse, an invite-only social media platform has become all the rage in Japan. Here to discuss is Yuzuha Oka, a tech journalist at NewsPicks Japan, and also Austin Freeman, a Japan Times contributor and founder of the 13,000 member strong clubhouse group Tokyo Unearthed. Read more:  Why is Japan so intrigued by the audio app Clubhouse? (https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2021/02/19/national/media-national/clubhouse-explainer/) (Patrick St. Michel, The Japan Times) Clubhouse tops Japan chart as CEOs and celebrities embrace chat app (https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2021/02/10/business/corporate-business/clubhouse-japan-app-chart/) (Bloomberg via The Japan Times) Clubhouse app offers Chinese rare glimpse of censor-free debate (https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2021/02/08/asia-pacific/clubhouse-china-censorship/) (The Japan Times) Facebook said to be building a product to compete with Clubhouse (https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2021/02/11/business/clubhouse-facebook-product/) (The Japan Times) You’ve been invited to Clubhouse. Your privacy hasn’t (https://www.vox.com/recode/22278601/clubhouse-invite-privacy-contacts-app)  (Sara Morrison, Vox) On this episode: Yuzuha Oka (Clubhouse: @yuzu): Twitter (https://twitter.com/yuzuhaoka) | Website (https://yuzuhaoka.wordpress.com/highlights/)   Austin Freeman (Clubhouse: @anxiety): Articles (https://www.japantimes.co.jp/author/austin-freeman/) Oscar Boyd (Clubhouse: @omhboyd): Twitter (https://twitter.com/omhboyd) | Articles (https://www.japantimes.co.jp/author/oscar-boyd/) | Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/oscar.boyd/) Announcements: Sign up to the Deep Dive mailing list (https://www.japantimes.co.jp/email-newsletters/) and be notified every time a new episode comes out. Get in touch with us 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 (https://twitter.com/japandeepdive) , 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: Clubhouse as it appears on the App Store. 

With just five months and six days to go until the Olympic opening ceremony, large parts of Japan are still under a state of emergency, and the first vaccine has only just been approved for use here. As if those weren’t big enough challenges to overcome, the Tokyo Olympic Organizing Committee was plunged into scandal earlier this month after its president, Yoshiro Mori, suggested that women talk too much in board meetings, leading to his eventual resignation. Read more: Tokyo Olympics Chief Apologizes for Remarks Demeaning Women (https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/03/sports/olympics/tokyo-olympics-yoshiro-mori.html)   (Motoko Rich, The New York Times) Tokyo Olympics Chief Resigns Over Sexist Comments (https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/11/world/asia/yoshiro-mori-tokyo-olympics-resigns.html) (Motoko Rich, The New York Times) Olympics minister Seiko Hashimoto eyed as next Tokyo Games chief (https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2021/02/17/national/hashimoto-tokyo-olympics-mori/) (Ryusei Takahashi, The Japan Times) Activists demand reform after Tokyo Olympic sexism furor (https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2021/02/13/national/activists-reform-furor/) (AFP-Jiji via The Japan Times) How 'indispensable' Mori came to enjoy huge influence in politics and sport (https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2021/02/12/national/mori-influence-politics-sport/) (Eric Johnston, The Japan Times) On this episode: Motoko Rich: Twitter (https://twitter.com/motokorich) | Articles (https://www.nytimes.com/by/motoko-rich) Oscar Boyd: Twitter (https://twitter.com/omhboyd) | Articles (https://www.japantimes.co.jp/author/oscar-boyd/) | Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/oscar.boyd/) Motoko at the Gender Symposium Japan 2021 Motoko Rich will be joining panelists from the Asahi Shimbun and New York Times on March 3, 2021, at 3 p.m  to discuss gender inequality in Japan and around the world, sharing stories to highlight challenges and progress. For more information and to register visit http://bit.ly/gender2021. Announcements: Sign up to the Deep Dive mailing list (https://www.japantimes.co.jp/email-newsletters/) and be notified every time a new episode comes out. Get in touch with us 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 (https://twitter.com/japandeepdive) , 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 protester takes part in a rally against Tokyo 2020 President Yoshiro Mori outside the Olympic museum in Tokyo on Thursday. | AFP-JIJI

With Valentine’s Day fast approaching, Jeana Cadby, PhD in specialty cacao and craft chocolate, takes us on a tour through the history of chocolate in Japan. We also look at the the recent growth of the country’s craft chocolate scene, as well as the pioneering chocolatiers who have managed to grow cacao on Tokyo’s Ogasawara Islands for the first time. Read more: Tokyo Cacao: Japan’s first 'soil-to-bar' chocolate (https://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2020/02/29/food/tokyo-cacao-chocolate/) (Jeana Cadby, The Japan Times Akihiro Kakimoto: The man behind Japan's most elaborate chocolate desserts (https://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2020/01/25/food/akihiro-kakimoto-man-behind-japans-elaborate-chocolate-desserts/) (J.J. O'Donoghue, The Japan Times) Little Chocolate’s Big Moment (https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2017-02-07/the-rise-of-craft-chocolate) (Deena Shanker, Bloomberg) Inside Japan’s Craft Chocolate Craze (https://craftsense.co/craftfood/inside-japans-craft-chocolate-craze/) (Craft Sense) Craft Chocolate Experience Tokyo (https://craftchocolateexperience.jp/en/) (Annual Event) On this episode: Jeana Cadby: LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeanacadby) | Articles (https://www.japantimes.co.jp/author/jeana-cadby/) Oscar Boyd: Twitter (https://twitter.com/omhboyd) | Articles (https://www.japantimes.co.jp/author/oscar-boyd/) | Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/oscar.boyd/) Announcements: Sign up to the Deep Dive mailing list (https://www.japantimes.co.jp/email-newsletters/) and be notified every time a new episode comes out. Get in touch with us 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 (https://twitter.com/japandeepdive) , 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: Chocolate by Tokyo Cacao, who grow cacao trees on the Ogasawara Islands. | COURTESY OF TOKYO CACAO