Deep Dive from The Japan Times The Japan Times

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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