10 episodes

A weekly roundup of the week's biggest — and smallest — national news, crime, politics and entertainment stories from Japan Today with a dash of opinionated commentary and a sprinkling of readers' comments. Ready for you every Friday evening (JST).

Japan This Week Japan Today

    • News
    • 4.8 • 12 Ratings

A weekly roundup of the week's biggest — and smallest — national news, crime, politics and entertainment stories from Japan Today with a dash of opinionated commentary and a sprinkling of readers' comments. Ready for you every Friday evening (JST).

    May 17, 2019: Work to 70, Nissan Nosedive, Sex Abuse by Dad, War with Russia? and Halloween Havoc

    May 17, 2019: Work to 70, Nissan Nosedive, Sex Abuse by Dad, War with Russia? and Halloween Havoc

    In this week's news from Japan Today: The Japanese government wants companies to hire employees until age 70 as part of measures to address a severe labor shortage amid Japan's rapidly graying population; Nissan this week reported that its annual profit nose-dived 57.3% to less than half of what it earned the previous year, and forecast even dimmer future results; a 10-year-old girl who died in January after a series of assaults by her father had earlier been released from protective custody despite his suspected sexual abuse of her; a lawmaker was expelled from the opposition Japan Innovation Party this week after alluding to Japan waging war with Russia to regain control of islands at the center of a territorial dispute and Tokyo's busy Shibuya district has decided to ban drinking alcohol on some streets during the Halloween season following a number of incidents last year, including the overturning of a small truck.

    Rate and review us: https://itunes.apple.com/jp/podcast/japan-today/id517133982?mt=2

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    Japan Today: https://japantoday.com/

    This weeks stories:

    Work to 70 — https://japantoday.com/category/business/gov't-to-urge-firms-to-hire-employees-until-age-70-amid-labor-crunch

    Nissan Nosedive — https://japantoday.com/category/business/Nissan-profit-nose-dives-57.3-

    Fatal Sex Abuse by Dad — https://japantoday.com/category/crime/Child-fatally-assaulted-by-father-was-earlier-released-from-custody-despite-his-sexual-abuse-of-her

    War with Russia? — https://japantoday.com/category/politics/Lawmaker-expelled-from-party-over-remarks-about-possible-war-with-Russia

    Halloween Havoc — https://japantoday.com/category/national/tokyo's-shibuya-to-ban-drinking-on-streets-during-halloween

    • 17 min
    May 10, 2019: Toddler Deaths, Schoolgirl Suicide, Rope ’n’ Road, Quote of the Day and DIY PM.

    May 10, 2019: Toddler Deaths, Schoolgirl Suicide, Rope ’n’ Road, Quote of the Day and DIY PM.

    In this week's news from Japan Today: Two preschoolers were killed and a dozen injured when they were rammed by a car in Shiga Prefecture; verbal abuse and threats by a teacher have been blamed for the suicide of a junior high school girl in Ibaraki Prefecture; two teenagers were arrested for stringing a rope across a road in Osaka Prefecture and clothes lining a 77-year-old woman off her scooter; a quote by American crime reporter and former Japan resident Jake Adelstein inflamed Japan Today readers plus a social video of the Japanese PM goes viral internationally — and it has nothing to do with politics or scandal.

    Rate and review us: https://itunes.apple.com/jp/podcast/japan-today/id517133982?mt=2

    Japan Today: https://japantoday.com/

    This weeks stories:

    Toddler Deaths — https://japantoday.com/category/crime/Car-hits-group-of-preschoolers-in-Shiga-Pref-2-dead

    Schoolgirl Suicide — https://japantoday.com/category/national/teacher%E2%80%99s-verbal-abuse-blamed-for-15-year-old-girl%E2%80%99s-suicide

    Rope ’n’ Road — https://japantoday.com/category/crime/2-teens-arrested-after-woman-injured-by-rope-across-road

    Quote of the Day — https://japantoday.com/category/quote-of-the-day/while-the-japanese-government-relentlessly-promotes-the-image-of-'cool-japan'-and-mega-tourism-the-current-reality-is-a-country-run-by-sociopathic-hitler-loving-plutocrats-with-plummeting-press-freedom-endemic-poverty-rising-censorship-deliberate-destruct

    https://www.thedailybeast.com/japan-has-a-new-emperor-naruhito-and-a-new-era-but-a-dark-future-under-shinzo-abe

    DIY PM — https://japantoday.com/category/politics/video-of-abe-installing-canadian-door-knocker-goes-global

    • 15 min
    April 26, 2019: Heisei’s Greatest Hits: Bubble, Disaster, Politics, Crime, Pop Culture and more.

    April 26, 2019: Heisei’s Greatest Hits: Bubble, Disaster, Politics, Crime, Pop Culture and more.

    In this week's news from Japan Today: A very quick scan of headlines in Japan this week and then a look back at the last 30 years of Emperor Akihito’s reign and events that shaped the Heisei era, including: the bubble bursts; the earthquake emperor; revolving door politics, criminal minds, fashion pops, toilet technology plus readers look back on Japan and Heisei.

    Rate and review us: https://itunes.apple.com/jp/podcast/japan-today/id517133982?mt=2

    Japan Today: https://japantoday.com/

    • 18 min
    April 19, 2019: Micro Racism, Trump Sumo Summit, Toilet Bowl Baby, Train in Vain and Poop Museum.

    April 19, 2019: Micro Racism, Trump Sumo Summit, Toilet Bowl Baby, Train in Vain and Poop Museum.

    In this week's news from Japan Today: A survey of foreigners in Tokyo released this week reports that 50% of respondents have faced discrimination; Donald Trump plans to watch a sumo tournament when visiting Japan in May — and might present the winner’s trophy; a woman was arrested in Saitama Prefecture after giving birth in a 7-Eleven restroom and leaving the newborn in the toilet bowl; in punctual Japan, an elderly man in Nagoya who stopped a train from leaving the station by repeatedly preventing the doors from closing goes viral in a video and… that’s it? Plus a poop museum opens in Yokohama.

    Rate and review us: https://itunes.apple.com/jp/podcast/japan-today/id517133982?mt=2

    Japan Today: https://japantoday.com/

    This weeks stories:

    Micro Racism — https://japantoday.com/category/national/half-of-foreigners-in-tokyo-experienced-discrimination-survey

    Trump Sumo Summit — https://japantoday.com/category/politics/sumo-trump-wants-to-watch-sumo-during-japan-visit-in-may

    Toilet Bowl Baby — https://japantoday.com/category/crime/woman-arrested-for-leaving-baby-after-giving-birth-in-store-bathroom

    Train in Vain — https://japantoday.com/category/national/man-stops-train-from-leaving-station-in-japan-video-goes-viral-online

    Poop Museum — https://japantoday.com/category/national/japanese-museum-show-tries-to-clean-up-poop's-image

    • 16 min
    Apr 12 2019: The Defiant One, Foot-in-Mouth Disease, Like a Virgin, Fashion Police and Mango Tango.

    Apr 12 2019: The Defiant One, Foot-in-Mouth Disease, Like a Virgin, Fashion Police and Mango Tango.

    In this week's news from Japan Today: Former Nissan boss Carlos Ghosn released a video message proclaiming his innocence via his lawyer that he recorded before he was arrested; the minister responsible for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics has resigned after comments deemed insulting to people in the Tohoku area who suffered after the 2011 earthquake and tsunami; a new study released by the ministry of health finds that the number of Japanese adults in their 30s with absolutely no sexual experience is increasing;” police in Fukuoka Prefecture are using fashion shows to recruit college-age women to join the force plus a pair of mangoes has sold for $4,500 in Miyazaki Prefecture.

    Rate and review us: https://itunes.apple.com/jp/podcast/japan-today/id517133982?mt=2

    Japan Today: https://japantoday.com/

    This weeks stories:

    The Defiant One — https://japantoday.com/category/crime/in-video-ghosn-says-he-is-innocent-and-victim-of-backstabbing

    Foot-in-Mouth Disease — https://japantoday.com/category/politics/japan-olympic-minister-resigns-over-disaster-gaffe

    Like a Virgin — https://japantoday.com/category/national/virgin-territory-study-shows-sexual-inexperience-rising-in-japan

    Fashion Police — https://japantoday.com/category/crime/fukuoka-police-tackle-shortage-of-female-recruits-via-fashion-show

    Mango Tango — https://japantoday.com/category/national/pair-of-mangoes-goes-for-record-500-000-yen-at-first-auction

    • 16 min
    April 5 2019: Bail Fail Jail, Autocrat Era, Lost in Translation, Karoshi Cap and Velvet Buzz Cut.

    April 5 2019: Bail Fail Jail, Autocrat Era, Lost in Translation, Karoshi Cap and Velvet Buzz Cut.

    In this week's news from Japan Today: Former Nissan boss Carlos Ghosn is back in a Tokyo jail tonight facing new financial misconduct charges; the new era name for Crown Prince Naruhito’s ascension to the throne next month has been announced — and not everyone is happy; after a recent survey, the Japan Tourism Agency wants transit and tourist information signs cleaned of “Engrish;” a new labor reform law came into force limiting overtime for workers in a bid to combat “karoshi” or “death from overwork” plus a teacher in Yamaguchi Prefecture is in hot water after forcibly shaving the head of one of his students.

    Rate and review us: https://itunes.apple.com/jp/podcast/japan-today/id517133982?mt=2

    Japan Today: https://japantoday.com/

    This weeks stories:

    Bail Fail Jail — https://japantoday.com/category/crime/Ex-Nissan-boss-Ghosn-served-4th-arrest-warrant-calls-it-%27outrageous%27

    Autocrat Era — https://japantoday.com/category/national/japan-gov't-says-era-name-translates-as-beautiful-harmony

    https://japantoday.com/category/national/Abe-explains-choice-of-Reiwa-for-next-era-name

    https://japantoday.com/category/business/Companies-looking-to-cash-in-on-new-era-name

    Karoshi Cap — https://japantoday.com/category/politics/japan-introduces-legal-cap-on-long-work-hours-under-labor-reform-law

    Lost in Translation — https://japantoday.com/category/national/odd-translations-found-on-english-websites-for-tourists-in-japan

    Velvet Buzz Cut — https://japantoday.com/category/national/high-school-teacher-in-hot-water-after-forcibly-giving-male-student-a-buzz-cut

    • 17 min

Customer Reviews

4.8 out of 5
12 Ratings

12 Ratings

Does Machines ,

The News Done Right

A good mix of news categories from Japan served up with a dash of personality to keep things entertaining. If you wanna keep up with what’s going on in Japan there’s no better source.

73738394 ,

Really Excellent Japan News Podcast!

This is perfect for me to get a little dose of Japanese news.
The host has a nice voice and the production quality is good. A like that they have a little bit of humor in there as well.
Give it a listen!

TokyoTigers06 ,

Yes!!!!!!!!!

Thank you do much! Your podcast is filling a huge void left by other podcasts currently on top in rankings dispute no show for almost a year. Keep up the food work and take 1st place you deserve it!!

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