Tag: Japan
‘Skyrocketing’ demand for matcha raises fears of shortage in Japan
Fuelled by social media, a global boom is outstripping production of the powdered green tea The appearance of the vivid-green powder elicits smiles and appreciative sounds, and anticipation among dozens of tea lovers. Their hand-milled batches now ready for whisking with hot water, they will soon be rewarded for their patience. The foreign tourists attending…
In Japan, an Iceless Lake and an Absent God Sound an Ancient Warning
For centuries, residents in central Japan have chronicled a mysterious natural phenomenon in winter. They see its disappearance as a bad omen. By Martin Fackler and Hisako Ueno Reporting from Suwa, Japan For at least six centuries, residents along a lake in the mountains of central Japan have marked the depth of winter by celebrating…
Japan battles largest wildfire in decades
More than a thousand people have been evacuated near forest of Ofunato in northern region of Iwate More than a thousand people have been evacuated as Japan battles its largest wildfire in more than three decades. The flames are estimated to have spread over about 1,200 hectares (3,000 acres) in the forest of Ofunato in…
Orlando Bloom Shares Glimpse Inside Vacation With Katy Perry in Japan
Orlando Bloom shared how he and fiancé Katy Perry rang in the new year during their relaxing trip to Japan. Orlando Bloom and Katy Perry loved their getaway to Japan unconditionally. Indeed, the Pirates of the Caribbean actor and the “Firework” singer—who got engaged in 2019—celebrated the new year with a magical trip to…
Tomiko Itooka of Japan, World’s Oldest Person, Dies at 116
Born in 1908, she raised four children, ran a family textile factory during World War II, and remained an avid hiker into her 80s. By Martin Fackler Reporting from Tokyo Tomiko Itooka, a Japanese woman born before the start of World War I and the sinking of the Titanic who was believed to be the…
Weather tracker: Cold air over warm waters brings heavy snow to Japan
Prefectures in north hit by falls of up to 30cm in a day as similar weather pattern affects parts of north America Heavy snow fell across northern Japan on Thursday, with the prefectures of Hokkaido, Aomori, Yamagata and Niigata particularly affected. Accumulations of 20-30cm over a 24-hour period were recorded across the affected areas, with…
Japan urges Australians to head off the beaten track as record numbers flood tourist hotspots
About 807,800 Australians visited Japan between January and November this year, nearly 200,000 more than the previous record in 2019 Japan’s tourism board has urged holidaymakers to swap Tokyo and Kyoto for towns in Tohoku and Kanazawa as Australian tourists flood Japan’s cities in record numbers. About 807,800 Australians visited Japan between January and November…
Crisis in South Korea: Yoon Suk-yeol’s Martial Law and Its Political Consequences
President Yoon Suk-yeol declared martial law throughout the country, citing the need to protect the “constitutional order” against alleged “anti-state” activities and accusing the opposition of attempting to “overthrow free democracy.
Japan Launches $65 Billion Plan to Revitalize Its Semiconductor Industry
The Japanese government has announced an ambitious $65 billion plan aimed at revitalizing its semiconductor industry and reestablishing itself as a global leader in chip production. This initiative seeks to reduce reliance on imports and strengthen the country’s economic security.