Deep Dive from The Japan Times

With an increase in tourists heading to these parts, some may be wondering if Japan is a safe destination for those with disabilities. If you’re concerned, Josh Grisdale from the website Accessible Japan is here to help. Check out this past interview with him on everything from accessibility in Tokyo to dealing with trains and the country’s shifting attitudes. Hosted by Shaun McKenna and produced by Dave Cortez. Read more: Accessible JapanBreaking down barriersTokyo named among the world’s best destinations for disabled travelersBehind the push to improve universal access in JapanNew film honors life and legacy of disability pioneer Mark Bookman Get in touch: Send us feedback at deepdive@japantimes.co.jp. Support the show by rating, reviewing and sharing the episode with a friend if you’ve enjoyed it. For a transcript of the show, visit japantimes.co.jp, and don’t forget to follow us on X! Photo: From easily navigable train stations to the helpfulness of its municipal staff, Tokyo has earned high praise for its commitment to accessibility for disabled travelers. | REUTERS

We are revisiting some past content on the science, economics and culture of cherry blossom season. Most importantly, we talk about some of the best spots to check them out in the Tokyo and Osaka areas. Hosted by Shaun McKenna and produced by Dave Cortez. Read more: In Japan, cherry blossom forecasting is a big deal. Warming is making it harder.We invite you to get ready for this year’s cherry blossom partiesToshio Katsuki: ‘The cherry blossoms have been my vehicle to find new relationships’Cherry blossoms are just as beautiful on a plate as a branchJapan’s economy to bloom as hanami season kicks offOur guide to family hanami hot spots Get in touch: Send us feedback at deepdive@japantimes.co.jp. Support the show by rating, reviewing and sharing the episode with a friend if you’ve enjoyed it. For a transcript of the show, visit japantimes.co.jp, and don’t forget to follow us on X!

Three residents with foreign roots have filed a lawsuit claiming Japanese police officers routinely target visible minorities with searches. In this week’s episode, we speak with the lawyer and one plaintiff about what prompted them to bring the case forward and what they hope to achieve with it. Hosted by Shaun McKenna and produced by Dave Cortez. On this episode: Shaun McKenna: Articles | X Read more: Lawsuit filed in Tokyo over alleged racial profiling by policeMaking Japanese history by being Black historyBrazilian files discrimination suitRacial profiling in Japan is prevalent but unseen, some residents sayLawsuit to end racially discriminatory police questioningCALL4.jpStop racially discriminatory police questioningchange.orgHow Shohei Ohtani mastered the mediaHow to be an all-star sports parentOhtani is taken. It’s enough to make you cry. Get in touch: Send us feedback at deepdive@japantimes.co.jp. Support the show by rating, reviewing and sharing the episode with a friend if you’ve enjoyed it. For a transcript of the show, visit japantimes.co.jp, and don’t forget to follow us on X! Motoki Taniguchi (left) and one of his clients, Maurice Shelton, hope their lawsuit can change alleged police practices involving stop-and-search. | LOUISE CLAIRE WAGNER

This week on Deep Dive, contributing writer and photographer Lance Henderstein reads us his article on traveling Okinawa during the rainy season. Hosted by Shaun McKenna and produced by Dave Cortez. On this episode: Shaun McKenna: Articles | Twitter | Instagram Lance Henderstein: Articles | Instagram | Threads Read/Listen more: My annual pilgrimage to OkinawaAkiko Mizuno: ‘Time moves forward. Photographers stop time.’ Get in touch: Send us feedback at deepdive@japantimes.co.jp. Support the show by rating, reviewing and sharing the episode with a friend if you’ve enjoyed it. For a transcript of the show, visit japantimes.co.jp, and don’t forget to follow us on Twitter! Photo: Aoi Suzuki’s son runs past a home in Taketomi on Iriomote Island (not to be confused with Taketomi Island, which lies to the east of Iriomote). The Suzukis run the Takemori Inn, one of the few hotels on Iriomote. | LANCE HENDERSTEIN

At 12, Miku Narisawa experienced the Great East Japan Earthquake. The ensuing and tsunami destroyed her home. Instead of running from the ocean, however, she is now working to try to protect it through her Odyssey Nature Japan initiative. On this episode: Miku Narisawa: Instagram | Odyssey Nature Japan Read more/Listen more: After 3/11, an environment education rethink takes shape in JapanCOP28, didn't the oceans deserve more attention?Japan is about to release 1.3 million tons of Fukushima wastewater. Should we be concerned?Anger at Fukushima’s wastewater; hope in its renewablesPreparing for the hottest year Japan has ever seenTOMODACHI Kibou for Maui Get in touch: Send us feedback at deepdive@japantimes.co.jp. Support the show by rating, reviewing and sharing the episode with a friend if you’ve enjoyed it. For a transcript of the show, visit japantimes.co.jp, and don’t forget to follow us on X! Photo: Yasuhiro Otomo and Miku Narisawa during one of Odyssey Nature Japan's educational fishing programs. | ODYSSEY

You probably don’t think of guns when you think of Japan, but Hokkaido’s hunters do. Hokkaido-based writer Justin Randall says newly proposed gun laws may make their lives more dangerous. Later, Shaun McKenna and Alyssa I. Smith discuss something less dangerous: Taylor Swift’s sold-out Tokyo shows. Hosted by Shaun McKenna and produced by Dave Cortez. On this episode: Justin Randall: Articles | Linktree Alyssa I. Smith: Articles Read more/Listen more: Hokkaido hunters say more firepower means more humane killsHow are firearms regulated in Japan?Bear goes the neighborhood? Japanese wildlife is on the move.Most Japanese outside major urban areas say they do not engage with foreign nationalsTaylor Swift slays her Tokyo eraFans share love for Taylor Swift at sold-out Tokyo showsWelcome to Japan, Taylor Swift fans. Please remain seated as you cheer.Seiji Ozawa’s boundless experimentThe story behind my favorite photo of Seiji Ozawa Get in touch: Send us feedback at deepdive@japantimes.co.jp. Support the show by rating, reviewing and sharing the episode with a friend if you’ve enjoyed it. For a transcript of the show, visit japantimes.co.jp, and don’t forget to follow us on X! Photo: Naoko Motooka began hunting 10 years ago. Her hobby is one way Hokkaido hopes to curb a current boom in the deer population. | JUSTIN RANDALL

Who wants to live forever? As scientists and tech billionaires attempt to tackle the problem of aging and death, we discuss Japanese ideas about immortality. Later, our games writers discuss the recent Palworld-Pokemon flare up. On this episode: Elizabeth Beattie: Articles | X Owen Ziegler: Articles Ann-Loy Morgan: Articles Read more/Watch more/Play more: Eternal pursuits: A history of Japanese quests for immortalityLiving until 100, if not forever, in good healthThe digital beyond: Is an eternal existence within grasp?Reverse aging mogul discusses regimen as he strives for the biological age of an 18-year-oldOvernight smash Palworld is much more than ‘Pokemon with guns’ Get in touch: Send us feedback at deepdive@japantimes.co.jp. Support the show by rating, reviewing and sharing the episode with a friend if you’ve enjoyed it. For a transcript of the show, visit japantimes.co.jp, and don’t forget to follow us on X! Photo: GETTY IMAGES

Japan made history last month when it became the fifth nation to soft land on the moon. What’s more, they landed it close to their target, a feat that could be a gamechanger for space travel. This week we discuss the science and the politics behind Japan’s lunar landing. On this episode: Joel Tansey: Articles | X Tomoko Otake: Articles | X Gabriel Dominguez: Articles | X Read more/Watch more/Play more: Japan makes history as spacecraft lands on the moonOne small step for a JAXA spacecraft, one giant leap for explorationJapan’s moonshot may mark breakthrough for future lunar missionsGeopolitics in space: Why great powers are scrambling for the moonSLIM Moon Landing Live & Press ConferenceSORA-Q Flagship ModelSLIM: The pinpoint moon landing gameArtemis Accords Get in touch: Send us feedback at deepdive@japantimes.co.jp. Support the show by rating, reviewing and sharing the episode with a friend if you’ve enjoyed it. For a transcript of the show, visit japantimes.co.jp, and don’t forget to follow us on X! Photo: The Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM) is seen on the surface of the moon in an image released Jan. 25. | JAPAN AEROSPACE EXPLORATION AGENCY (JAXA), TAKARA TOMY, SONY GROUP, DOSHINSHA UNIVERSITY/ VIA REUTERS

It was a rough start to 2024 for Japan, with a magnitude 7.6 earthquake and an airplane collision at Haneda airport in the first week of January. On our first episode of the year, we report on the impact of the Noto Peninsula earthquake and what can be learned from rural disasters. Hosted by Shaun McKenna and produced by Dave Cortez. On this episode: Jordan Allen: Articles Karin Kaneko: Articles | X Alex K.T. Martin: Articles | X Read more: “Noto is kind, right down to its soil”: A community’s long road to recoveryHow Japan’s violent New Year’s quake felt in ToyamaIn Ishikawa, shelter for people but not four-legged friendsNationwide donation effort for earthquake-hit Ishikawa gains steamNoto quake: “In times of crisis, all we have is each other”Photo essay; Inside the Ishikawa earthquake disaster zoneNoto community’s long road to recovery from the New Year’s quake“Our minds are blank”: How ‘earthquake resilient’ Japan fails its ageing rural communities Get in touch: Send us feedback at deepdive@japantimes.co.jp. Support the show by rating, reviewing and sharing the episode with a friend if you’ve enjoyed it. For a transcript of the show, visit japantimes.co.jp, and don’t forget to follow us on X! Photo: Cars drive past a damaged road, in the aftermath of an earthquake, in Wajima, Ishikawa Prefecture. | KIM KYUNG-HOON, REUTERS

For our last episode of the year, we’re summing up the year in culture with Matt Schley, Alyssa I. Smith, Thu-Huong Ha and Owen Ziegler, who tell us why anime dominated in 2023, which books stood out among a lackluster crowd and why the Zelda franchise is experiencing a renaissance. Hosted by Shaun McKenna and produced by Dave Cortez. On this episode: Shaun McKenna: Articles | X Matt Schley: Articles | X Alyssa I. Smith: Articles Thu-Huong Ha: Articles | X Owen Ziegler: Articles Read more: The year that defined the post-Miyazaki eraJ-pop's global ambitions came closer to reality in 2023‘The Great Reclamation’ details the horrors of the foreign occupation in SingaporeSaou Ichikawa’s 'Hunchback': A darkly funny portrait of disabilityUnderstanding the LDP political funding scandal and its implications Get in touch: Send us feedback at deepdive@japantimes.co.jp. Support the show by rating, reviewing and sharing the episode with a friend if you’ve enjoyed it. For a transcript of the show, visit japantimes.co.jp, and don’t forget to follow us on X! Photo: A still from The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom | NINTENDO

In a year that saw Japan release 24,000 tons of wastewater (so far) from Fukushima No. 1 as the planet smashed heat records, it’s no wonder climate anxiety is on the rise. Mara Budgen joins us to break down the year in environment news, where we could see hope, and what we should be worried about. Hosted by Shaun McKenna and produced by Dave Cortez. Excerpt for Audioboom: On this episode: Shaun McKenna: Articles | X Mara Budgen: Articles | X Read more: How simple steps can help alleviate climate anxietyFall is the new summer: Warming threatens Japan’s cultural calendarIn Japan, extreme heat and an aging population are a deadly mixThe concrete forest: Bears, boars and more head to the citiesNew solutions tackle Japan’s waste problem at its coreJapan is about to release 1.3 million tons of Fukushima wastewater. Should we be concerned?Japan sticks with climate solution that critics say is far from clean Get in touch: Send us feedback at deepdive@japantimes.co.jp. Support the show by rating, reviewing and sharing the episode with a friend if you’ve enjoyed it. For a transcript of the show, visit japantimes.co.jp, and don’t forget to follow us on X! Photo: The Climate Action Network holds an event at the venue of the U.N. climate change conferences in Dubai on Sunday to give its "fossil" award to countries including Japan. | KYODO

An “Otaku Dictionary” has Japan’s subcultures upset at an attempt to define them. Thu-Huong Ha and Yukana Inoue join us to explain the linguistic scandal before discussing whether or not Japan has mastered “sitting.” On this episode: Shaun McKenna: Articles | X Thu-Huong Ha: Articles | X Yukana Inoue: Articles Read more: How a dictionary came to spark outrage among the web’s otakuTest your otaku vocabulary, from 'oshi' to bacon lettuce’Let the gaming begin: A guide to Tokyo’s video game landmarksHas Japan mastered sitting?Bedbugs are spreading in South Korea and China. Is Japan next?Japan to start trial of over-the-counter sales of morning after pill Get in touch: Send us feedback at deepdive@japantimes.co.jp. Support the show by rating, reviewing and sharing the episode with a friend if you’ve enjoyed it. For a transcript of the show, visit japantimes.co.jp, and don’t forget to follow us on X! Photo: Pages from a new Otaku Dictionary catalog the lexicons of Japan’s various subcultures. | TAIDGH BARRON

Chinese President Xi Jinping made the rounds at APEC last week, Gabriel Dominguez tells us what it means for Japan. At home, NHK has announced its “Kohaku” lineup — with nary a Johnny’s act to be found. Patrick St. Michel discusses the year’s most notable snub. On this episode: Shaun McKenna: Articles | X Gabriel Dominquez: Articles | X Patrick St. Michel: Articles | X Read more: Kishida and Xi aim for trade progress despite lingering tensions'Offensive' and 'defensive' diplomacy: Managing ties with ChinaNHK ditches Johnny's acts for year-end musical bonanzaTakeshi Kitano, comedian, film director, actor, painter, writer, singerScandal-hit Takarazuka to set up experts panel to improve cultureWith ‘Idol,’ Yoasobi pens a new chapter in J-pop’s story Get in touch: Send us feedback at deepdive@japantimes.co.jp. Support the show by rating, reviewing and sharing the episode with a friend if you’ve enjoyed it. For a transcript of the show, visit japantimes.co.jp, and don’t forget to follow us on X! Photo: An official shot for this year’s lineup for NHK’s annual “Kohaku Uta Gassen.” | KYODO

As nature reclaims depopulated villages and climate change wreaks havoc on food sources, Japan’s animal population has been inching closer to the country’s urban areas. This week, Alex K.T. Martin joins us to discuss why people are encountering bears, boars and other wildlife in the most unlikely of places. Hosted by Shaun McKenna and produced by Dave Cortez. On this episode: Shaun McKenna: Articles | X Alex K.T. Martin: Articles | X Dave Cortez: Articles | X Read more: The concrete forest: Bears, boars and more head for the citiesA saury state of affairs: How the price of ‘autumn’s fish’ skyrocketedIn the shadow of the Fukushima disaster, an unusual experiment in rewildingSamurai Restaurant Time gives kitschy thrills fit for KabukichoJapan set to scrap rule requiring testing of new drugs on JapaneseJapan women prisoners suffer serious abuse: Human Rights Watch Get in touch: Send us feedback at deepdive@japantimes.co.jp. Support the show by rating, reviewing and sharing the episode with a friend if you’ve enjoyed it. For a transcript of the show, visit japantimes.co.jp, and don’t forget to follow us on Twitter! Photo: Bears doing yoga? If you’re in the city, why not? | GETTY IMAGES

Baseball writer Jason Coskrey and editor Joel Tansey discuss the Hanshin Tigers’ Japan Series victory; Gabriele Ninivaggi explains how the prime minister hopes to get a home run with his tax plan. Hosted by Shaun McKenna and produced by Dave Cortez. On this episode: Shaun McKenna: Articles | X Gabriele Ninivaggi: Articles | X Dave Cortez: Articles | X Jason Coskrey: Articles | X Joel Tansey: Articles | X Read/View more: Hotly debated tax cuts risk backfiring on Kishida administrationKishida unveils ¥17 trillion stimulus package amid pushbackG7 top diplomats call for ‘humanitarian pauses’ in Israel-Hamas warTigers beat Buffaloes in Game 7 to end 38-year Japan Series droughtSheldon Neuse and the catch that ended the Tigers’ 38-year droughtOsaka erupts in celebrations as Tigers win Japan Series Get in touch: Send us feedback at deepdive@japantimes.co.jp. Support the show by rating, reviewing and sharing the episode with a friend if you’ve enjoyed it. For a transcript of the show, visit japantimes.co.jp, and don’t forget to follow us on Twitter! Photo: A man dressed as Kentucky Fried Chicken founder Colonel Sanders jumps into the Dotonbori River in Osaka after the Hanshin Tigers won the Japan Series. | KYODO

Single parents in Japan have it tough, but these hardships seem to disproportionately affect single mothers more. This week, filmmaker Rionne McAvoy joins us to discuss the hidden poverty present in one of the world’s richest nations. Hosted by Mara Budgen and produced by Dave Cortez. On this episode: Mara Budgen: Articles | X Rionne McAvoy: Website | X Read/View more: Documentary shines a spotlight on Japan’s single mothersPandemic magnifies household gender roles in Japan“The Ones Left Behind: The Plight of Single Mothers in Japan”Heartful Family Get in touch: Send us feedback at deepdive@japantimes.co.jp. Support the show by rating, reviewing and sharing the episode with a friend if you’ve enjoyed it. For a transcript of the show, visit japantimes.co.jp, and don’t forget to follow us on X! Image Caption (JT): A scene from "The Ones Left Behind," which documents the successes and struggles of single mothers in Japan. | JAPAN MEDIA SERVICES

One year on, Elizabeth Beattie joins us to discuss where Itaewon stands after its Halloween disaster, and what its legacy means for celebrations in Japan. Hosted by Shaun McKenna and produced by Dave Cortez. On this episode: Shaun McKenna: Articles | X Elizabeth Beattie: Articles | X Read/View more: Halloween’s rise in the 2010s provided Shibuya crossing with plenty of tricks and treatsHalloween spooks ShibuyaCalls grow to abolish Japan’s surgery requirement for gender changeGermany set to eclipse Japan as No. 3 economy in 2023, IMF saysWhat South Korea’s frequent protests say about its politicsWhat went wrong in the South Korean ferry disaster Get in touch: Send us feedback at deepdive@japantimes.co.jp. Support the show by rating, reviewing and sharing the episode with a friend if you’ve enjoyed it. For a transcript of the show, visit japantimes.co.jp, and don’t forget to follow us on Twitter! Photo: A banner at the entrance to Shibuya’s Center Street makes it clear this is no place for a party. | TAIDGH BARON

This week on Deep Dive, Alex K.T. Martin noticed a dip in the national caloric intake and it turns out that a graying population that is increasingly single has something to do with why Japan is gradually downsizing dinner. Hosted by Shaun McKenna and produced by Dave Cortez. On this episode: Shaun McKenna: Articles | X | Instagram Alex K.T. Martin: Articles | X | Instagram Read/Listen more: Downsizing dinner: Aging Japan is eating lessInside Japan’s oldest villageWork forever: Japan’s seniors brace for life without retirementBoom in ‘pet guardianship’ amid rise in elderly and singles Get in touch: Send us feedback at deepdive@japantimes.co.jp. Support the show by rating, reviewing and sharing the episode with a friend if you’ve enjoyed it. For a transcript of the show, visit japantimes.co.jp, and don’t forget to follow us on Twitter! Photo: A woman takes her meal alone in Tokyo's Yanaka neighborhood. | LANCE HENDERSTEIN

This week on Deep Dive, Shaun McKenna and Dave Cortez discuss a few horror movies before “Uncanny Japan” podcast host Thersa Matsuura tells a classic Japanese ghost story. Hosted by Shaun McKenna and produced by Dave Cortez. On this episode: Shaun McKenna: Articles | X | Instagram Dave Cortez: Articles | X Thersa Matsuura: Website | X | Instagram | YouTube Read/Listen more: The ghosts that have been haunting cinema-goers in Japan for over a century10 days of J-horror: From funny frights to shock and goreScary Japanese stories to read in the darkUncanny Japan Get in touch: Send us feedback at deepdive@japantimes.co.jp. Support the show by rating, reviewing and sharing the episode with a friend if you’ve enjoyed it. For a transcript of the show, visit japantimes.co.jp, and don’t forget to follow us on Twitter! Photo: The classic Japanese ghost story often features a vengeful female ghost. | GETTY IMAGES

The team at Deep Dive is taking a short break. We'll be back in mid-October, but in the meantime, enjoy this rebroadcast of our discussion with consultant Rochelle Kopp in April about how best to navigate your work life in Japan. Hosted by Shaun McKenna and produced by Dave Cortez. On this episode: Shaun McKenna: Articles | Twitter | Instagram Rochelle Kopp: Articles | Twitter Read more: Help wanted: The (sleeper) agent of change Get in touch: Send us feedback at deepdive@japantimes.co.jp. Support the show by rating, reviewing and sharing the episode with a friend if you’ve enjoyed it. And don’t forget to follow us on Twitter! Photo: A businessman waits to cross a street in Tokyo in April 2011. | REUTERS