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Eric Johnston

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Eric Johnston
Japan Times
BUSINESS
May 6, 2018
Place your bets: Local governments in Japan weigh the benefits of applying for a casino license
As North Korean leader Kim Jong Un stepped over the border of the demilitarized zone in Panmunjom for a historic summit with South Korean President Moon Jae-in on April 27, a group of local politicians and international business leaders meeting in Osaka hailed another milestone moment reached that same...
JAPAN
Apr 27, 2018
Cabinet approval of casino bill welcomed in Osaka by politicians and international casino operators
The Cabinet’s approval of a casino bill draws praise from Osaka politicians and casino moguls eager to open Japan’s first legal gambling dens.
JAPAN
Apr 26, 2018
Osaka governor says casino resort could open by fiscal 2023
Despite a tight construction schedule, political problems in Tokyo and local concerns over funding, Osaka Gov. Ichiro Matsui said the prefecture could have one of Japan’s first casino resorts up and running on an island in Osaka Bay nearly two years before it hopes to host the 2025 World Expo at the...
JAPAN / EXPLAINER
Apr 23, 2018
Tourists, take note: As drones multiply in Japan, so do rules governing where they can be flown
Make a trip to any major electronics store today and you’re bound to find a section selling drones. Once little more than toys for enthusiasts, today’s commercially available drones come in all shapes and sizes and are used for all sorts of purposes, with prices ranging from thousands to hundreds of...
Japan Times
JAPAN / KANSAI PERSPECTIVE
Apr 22, 2018
For foreign nationals over 150 years ago, Kyoto’s Fushimi was end of the line
Just before reaching Chushojima Station on the Keihan Line heading into Kyoto from Osaka, or just after crossing the Uji River on the almost parallel Kintetsu train that runs between Kyoto and Nara, two towers that look old and of European design flash briefly into view before disappearing among the...
JAPAN / KANSAI PERSPECTIVE
Apr 22, 2018
Security issues worry Osaka residents ahead of 2019 G-20 summit
Beginning this month, both the city of Osaka and the prefecture began preparations to host next year’s Group of Twenty leaders’ summit, with political and business leaders forming task forces to help with local assistance and promotional efforts prior to the event.
JAPAN / Politics
Apr 14, 2018
Scandal-hit Abe moves to shore up base in Osaka ahead of LDP presidential election
Abe told members of the LDP’s Osaka chapter Friday evening that he is opposed to a plan to merge the city’s 24 wards.
JAPAN / View from Osaka
Apr 14, 2018
‘Safe, secure and stable’ mantra a winner at the polls
“The people all said, ‘Sit down, sit down, you’re rockin’ the boat.’”
JAPAN
Apr 13, 2018
Britain to have three warships in Japan by year’s end, envoy Mark Field says
Two more British warships will join a Royal Navy frigate in Japan by the end of the year to help enforce sanctions on North Korea, while plans are underway for British ground troops to conduct an exercise with their Japanese counterparts to assist in an international effort to enforce sanctions on Pyongyang,...
JAPAN
Apr 10, 2018
Japan’s former chief negotiator for talks on North Korea warns that U.S. lacks expertise on Pyongyang
As discussions continue over when and where a summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un will take place, Japan’s former chief negotiator for multilateral talks aimed at ending the North’s nuclear program on Tuesday warned that the current U.S. administration has virtually...
JAPAN / Politics
Apr 8, 2018
Nishiwaki triumphs in Kyoto gubernatorial race, vows to continue policies of predecessor
Kyoto voters cast their ballots for the status quo and closer relations with Tokyo on Sunday, electing a candidate with strong ties to the central government who promised to continue the policies of the previous governor and who was backed by all major political parties except the Japanese Communist...
Japan Times
JAPAN
Apr 5, 2018
Kyoto turns to crowdfunding to maintain lesser known cultural assets
In an effort to get younger people more involved with preserving Kyoto’s traditional culture, a local heritage association has begun a crowdfunding campaign that seeks small, individual donations for the repair of temples, shrines and cultural assets.
JAPAN / Politics
Apr 2, 2018
2019 G-20 summit to be held on June 28-29, Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary Suga announced
The 2019 Group of 20 leaders’ summit in Osaka will take place on June 28 and 29, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga announced Monday.
JAPAN / Politics
Apr 2, 2018
Osaka Gov. Ichiro Matsui eyes second referendum on merger plan during nationwide elections in 2019
Osaka Gov. Ichiro Matsui announced Monday that a second referendum on whether to merge Osaka’s wards might be held during the nationwide local elections in April 2019, six months later than the governor and his supporters originally hoped for.
JAPAN / Politics
Apr 2, 2018
Assemblies from Niigata to Tottori criticize handling of Moritomo probe as threat to democracy
Municipal and prefectural politicians are calling the document-tampering scandal a threat to Japan’s democracy and ratcheting up calls for key figures to testify in the Diet.
JAPAN
Mar 29, 2018
Kyoto University says no to military-related research despite spike in Defense Ministry funding
In fiscal 2017, the Defense Ministry allotted u00a511 billion for military technology-related research, an 18-fold increase over the previous fiscal year.
Japan Times
JAPAN / History
Mar 27, 2018
Tsushima Island was key conduit of Japan’s Edo Period trade with Korea
Japan’s historic relationship with the Korean Peninsula has often been complicated by mutual misunderstanding and distrust, if not outright hostility. But on Tsushima, a Japanese island off the coast of the peninsula, efforts are being made to celebrate long-ago diplomatic missions with Korea that took...
Japan Times
JAPAN
Mar 27, 2018
Amid tourism rise, Tsushima Island could play evacuation role if tensions flare with North Korea
Within sight of the bright lights and bustling beaches of Busan, sleepy Tsushima Island has little in common with its neighbor located a mere 50 kilometers north, but the island of about 31,000 people has recently become a hot spot for South Korean tourists.
JAPAN / Politics / KANSAI PERSPECTIVE
Mar 25, 2018
Kyoto gubernatorial race puts focus on demographic and economic challenges to come
Faced with a rapidly aging society and a growing socioeconomic gap between its prosperous capital and the rest of the prefecture, Kyoto voters go to the polls April 8 to choose a new governor who will be either a well-connected insider or a complete outsider.
JAPAN / KANSAI PERSPECTIVE
Mar 25, 2018
Osaka begins prep for largest international gathering in decades
With the summit for the Group of 20 advanced and emerging economies coming to Osaka next year, preparations are underway to host the largest international gathering the city has seen in over two decades.
China’s demand for Soviet-style apartments shows limits to revival
Apartments built during a Soviet Union-inspired construction drive in the 1970s and 1980s tend to suffer from poor insulation and outdated plumbing, but they are seeing a revival in interest due to their attractive locations.
Japanese scientists identify neural mechanism that may explain why we dislike people
The aggressive mouse (left) used in the experiment and a mouse defending itself
Japanese payment processor’s collapse hits banks and restaurants
Zentoshin served around 200,000 shops, many of which rely on early payments to maintain cash flow, raising concerns over their financial stability following the disruption.
Over 70% of accommodations in Japan say they are understaffed amid tourism influx
The number of foreign visitors to Japan reached a high of 42.68 million in 2025.
Lenders seek $700 million after Japanese payments firm’s collapse
The financial failure of Osaka-based Zentoshin has left 63 creditors with claims totaling ¥115.16 billion, according to Tokyo Shoko Research.
Japan’s largest exhibition of women photographers rights a wrong in cultural history
Miwa Yanagi’s “Elevator Girl House” series skewers the superficiality of gender roles through staged images.
Over 70% of accommodations in Japan say they are understaffed amid tourism influx
The number of foreign visitors to Japan reached a high of 42.68 million in 2025.
‘Princess Mononoke’ comes alive in Super Kabuki staging
The “Princess Mononoke” adaptation was created under Shochiku’s Super Kabuki initiative, a modern form of kabuki with more technology in staging and open to pop culture collaborations.
The beating heart inside ‘Human Vapor’
Different forms of love and connection form the emotional backbone of Netflix’s “Human Vapor,” says actor Shun Oguri, who plays troubled detective Kenji Okamoto.
Japan bets on character IP to drive global growth
Born on social media platforms in 2022, Opanchu Usagi has become a major hit, especially among Generation Z.

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