S1 Ep60: Japan's foreign residents are trapped — Part 2 w/ Magdalena Osumi
It's now August and many of Japan's residents are still stuck inside or outside of the country.
20m Aug 13, 2020
20m
S1 Ep59: Hiroshima, 75 years after the atomic bomb w/ Peter Chordas
At 8:15 a.m. on Aug. 6, 1945, some 350,000 people in Hiroshima were just beginning their day when an atomic bomb, nicknamed “Little Boy,” detonated 580 meters above the city, quickly killing an estimated 70,000 people.
33m Aug 06, 2020
33m
S1: [Rebroadcast] Fear and loathing on Mount Fuji
Mount Fuji is closed to the public this summer so, in tribute to the mountain, we're rebroadcasting Deep Dive Episode 20: Fear and loathing on Mount Fuji.
46m Jul 29, 2020
46m
S1 Ep58: A brief history of mask wearing in Japan w/ Alex Martin
Why does everyone wear masks in Japan, and where did the practice start?
27m Jul 22, 2020
27m
S1 Ep57: Has Japan's pop culture conquered the world? w/ Matt Alt
From the karaoke machine and the Walkman to Hello Kitty and the Game Boy, Japan's cultural influence can be felt almost everywhere.
29m Jul 15, 2020
29m
S1 Ep56: A second term for Koike, a second wave for Tokyo? w/ Ryusei Takahashi
Incumbent Yuriko Koike won 59 percent of the vote in this Sunday's election for governor of Tokyo, catapulting her into her second term as governor of the world's largest city.
23m Jul 08, 2020
23m
S1 Ep55: The case to legalize same-sex marriage in Japan w/ Alexander Dmitrenko
Japan is the only country in the G7 not to offer any form of legal recognition to same-sex couples, despite a 2018 survey showing almost 80 percent of 20 to 59 year olds in Japan are in favor of same-sex marriage.
33m Jul 01, 2020
33m
S1 Ep54: Yuriko Koike and the race for Tokyo governor w/ Kanako Takahara & Ryusei Takahashi
Tokyo will host elections for governor on July 5, 2020, no small event for the largest city in the world.
35m Jun 24, 2020
35m
S1 Ep53: Why Japan needs Black Lives Matter w/ Ayana Wyse & Austin Freeman
On May 25, George Floyd was killed by members of the Minneapolis Police Department, sparking protests across the United States and the rest of the world — including in Japan.
38m Jun 12, 2020
38m
S1 Ep52: Can Terrace House continue after Hana Kimura's death? w/ Alyssa Smith & Tom Hanaway
Terrace House star Hana Kimura's death was announced on May 23, shocking fans of the cult hit Netflix show.
50m Jun 05, 2020
50m
S1 Ep51: Japan's foreign residents are trapped - Part 1 w/ Magdalena Osumi
Entry restrictions at Japan's borders have sparked a furious reaction from its international community.
22m May 28, 2020
22m
S1 Ep50: How Japan's 'murder hornet' got its new name w/ Matt Alt
The Asian giant hornet is an aggressive, six-centimeter-long hornet that is common to Japan and regularly terrorizes the country’s residents during the summer months.
28m May 21, 2020
28m
S1 Ep49: Hospitalized, discharged and out the other side?
As the coronavirus shows some signs of slowing in Japan we hear from people hospitalized with COVID-19 in Japan.
25m May 14, 2020
25m
S1 Ep48: The Great Konbini Debate
Which of Japan's convenience stores is best and why? That's the question we try and answer in celebration of convenience stores, which have proved themselves more essential than ever during Japan's state of emergency.
45m Apr 29, 2020
45m
S1 Ep47: The current state of Japan's emergency
Japan is now in a state of emergency, but how far do these powers extend?
34m Apr 15, 2020
34m
S1 Ep46: What's it like to be tested for COVID-19 in Japan?
After suffering from a cough and shortness of breath for a week, Tokyo resident Joe Oliver visited the doctor to see if he should be tested for COVID-19.
29m Apr 08, 2020
29m
S1 Ep45: Ken Shimura — Japan loses a comedy legend
On March 29, Ken Shimura, one of Japan's most celebrated comedians, passed away after testing positive for COVID-19.
30m Apr 06, 2020
30m
S1 Ep44: The Tokyo 2021 Olympics
On Tuesday 24 March it was announced that the Tokyo Olympics will be postponed until 2021.
17m Mar 25, 2020
17m
S1 Ep43: Plastic nation
Japan uses more single-use plastic per capita than any other nation besides the U.S.
27m Mar 18, 2020
27m
S1 Ep42: Will coronavirus cancel the Tokyo 2020 Olympics?
The 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games are set to start on July 24, bringing millions of fans and tens of thousands of athletes and support staff from around the world to Japan. Or that’s how the story is supposed to go. Now with the global coronavirus outbreak, there are serious concerns that the games will have to be canceled or postponed.
36m Mar 11, 2020
36m
S1 Ep41: How can Japan's response to coronavirus improve?
As Japan struggles to contain the outbreak of coronavirus, we assess the response so far.
30m Mar 03, 2020
30m
S1 Ep40: An 11 year fight for asylum in Japan
Japan has earned itself a reputation for turning away refugees and accepts only 1 percent of asylum-seekers who apply. Just 42 were accepted in 2018.
29m Feb 26, 2020
29m
S1 Ep39: What makes the J. League such a thrill to watch?
All you need to know about the upcoming J. League season.
26m Feb 19, 2020
26m
S1 Ep38: Aboard the quarantined Diamond Princess cruise ship
Since Feb. 4, the Diamond Princess cruise ship has been quarantined in Yokohama Bay due to passengers being diagnosed with coronavirus COVID-19.
19m Feb 13, 2020
19m
S1 Ep37: Japan and the Wuhan coronavirus
What we know so far.
19m Feb 03, 2020
19m
S1 Ep36: Has Fukushima found a future in renewables?
Fukushima Prefecture has announced plans to go 100 percent renewable by 2040, making it the most ambitious prefecture in Japan when it comes to the adoption of green technologies.
22m Jan 29, 2020
22m
S1 Ep35: Japan's first climate emergency
On Sept. 25, 2019, Iki Island in Nagasaki Prefecture became the first place in Japan to declare a climate emergency. Jesse Chase-Lubitz and Oscar Boyd head to the island to find out why.
27m Jan 16, 2020
27m
S1 Ep34: The great escape of Carlos Ghosn
On Dec. 29, Carlos Ghosn escaped arrest in Tokyo and fled to Beirut, Lebanon.
18m Jan 10, 2020
18m
S1 Ep33: Have yourself a merry little podcast!
Happy Christmas!
42m Dec 24, 2019
42m
S1 Ep32: What's the secret to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's longevity?
What has allowed Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to stay in office for such a long time? Shinzo Abe is now Japan's longest serving prime minister, and is approaching his 3,000th day in office. The Japan Times politics reporter Sakura Murakami (https://twitter.com/sakmurakami?lang=en) discusses this remarkable run and what it is about Abe that's kept him in power. Hosted by Oscar Boyd (https://twitter...
29m Dec 12, 2019
29m
S1 Ep31: Japan's youth climate movement is doing better than you think
Ahead of the global climate strikes on Nov. 29, Fridays for Future leader Takuro Kajiwara and 350.org field organizer Hinako Arao tell of their experiences as two of Japan’s most prominent climate activists, and why Japan’s climate movement is doing better than you might think. Hosted by Oscar Boyd (https://twitter.com/omhboyd?lang=en) . See more: Why aren't more young people fighting climate c...
38m Nov 28, 2019
38m
S1 Ep30: #StandwiththePooh — The Hong Kong protesters in Japan
The Hong Kong protests have been escalating recently, but what of the pro-democracy Hong Kongers living in Japan? Julia Bergin (https://twitter.com/juliabergin1?lang=en) tells Oscar Boyd (https://twitter.com/omhboyd) about the protestors she's been following in Tokyo, and why Japan should care about them and Hong Kong's pro-democracy movement. Julia Bergin is a researcher for The Little Red Pod...
31m Nov 20, 2019
31m
S1 Ep29: Is Tokyo ready for its next big earthquake?
There is a 70 percent chance of a magnitude 7 earthquake striking Tokyo in the next 30 years.
46m Nov 14, 2019
46m
S1 Ep28: Chris Broad and Sharla — living the YouTube life in Japan
Chris Broad of Abroad in Japan and Sharla of Sharmander discuss their careers as two of the most successful YouTubers in Japan. Based in northern Japan's Tohoku region, Chris and Sharla have over 2 million subscribers across their YouTube channels. Hosted by Oscar Boyd (https://twitter.com/omhboyd?lang=en) See more from Chris and Sharla: Abroad in Japan on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/chann...
42m Oct 30, 2019
42m
S1 Ep27: The enthronement of Emperor Naruhito — pomp, splendor and a ¥16 billion bill
Emperor Naruhito became Japan's 126th emperor at an enthronement ceremony on Oct. 22, 2019. Japan Times politics reporter Sakura Murakami joins Oscar Boyd to dicuss. Read/see more: Deep Dive podcast on the abdication of Emperor-Emeritus Akihito (https://www.japantimes.co.jp/podcast/episode-12-old-emperor-new/#.XbAE9i2B124) Sakura Murakami's article on Emperor Naruhito's enthronement (https://ww...
23m Oct 23, 2019
23m
S1 Ep26: Perspectives from Typhoon Hagibis — a storm chaser, an evacuee, a reporter
Typhoon Hagibis hit Japan on Oct. 12, causing widespread damage to Tokyo and its surrounding prefectures. This week, storm chaser James Reynolds (https://twitter.com/earthuncuttv?lang=en) , evacuee Andrew McKirdy (https://twitter.com/Andrew_McKirdy?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor) and reporter Chisato Tanaka (https://twitter.com/jt_chisat?lang=en) share their experiences ...
43m Oct 17, 2019
43m
S1 Ep25: The start of Abe's extraordinary Diet
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe set the tone for this year’s extraordinary Diet session with a pledge to overhaul the nation’s social welfare system to create one beneficial for all generations. But, covering everything from South Korea-Japan relations to revision of Japan's constitution, the speech was not without controversy. JT politics reporter Sakura Murakami (https://twitter.com/sakmurakami?lan...
25m Oct 09, 2019
25m
S1 Ep24: What does Brexit mean for Japan?
The UK's Brexit deadline to leave the European Union is on October 31. Assuming it goes ahead, what does it mean for Japan if the UK leaves the EU? Chris Russell (https://twitter.com/jt_cr?lang=en) and Oscar Boyd (https://twitter.com/omhboyd) discuss in this week's episode of Deep Dive. Also, Dan Orlowitz (https://twitter.com/aishiterutokyo) reports on Japan's epic victory over Ireland at the R...
35m Oct 02, 2019
35m
S1 Ep23: Welcome to the land of the rising scrum — Rugby World Cup 2019
In this week's episode, we talk to Alan Gilpin, Head of Rugby World Cup, about his expectations for the tournament (01:30), to The Japan Times' rugby experts Elliott Samuels and Andrew McKirdy about what to look out for in this year's tournament (09:42), and to triple-cancer survivor Patrick McIntosh, who has cycled from Twickenham Stadium in the U.K. to Japan to watch the games and raise aware...
46m Sep 18, 2019
46m
S1 Ep22: Japan and South Korea's trade dispute
While the world stews over the trade war between the USA and China, and the potential of a no deal exit of the United Kingdom from the European Union, here in Japan a separate storm has been brewing: a growing trade dispute between Japan and its geographical neighbor — South Korea. Satoshi Sugiyama (https://twitter.com/SatoshiJournal) and Oscar Boyd (https://twitter.com/omhboyd) discuss. Help D...
21m Sep 11, 2019
21m
S1 Ep21: The death of Johnny Kitagawa, J-pop's puppet master
On this week’s episode we discuss the life and recent death of Johnny Kitagawa, the secretive mega mogul behind some of Japan's biggest music acts, including SMAP, Arashi and Hey! Say! Jump. Despite his success, Kitagawa's career was not without controversy, and allegations of sexual abuse of underage employees have followed him for the past 30 years. Joining Oscar Boyd (https://twitter.com/omh...
31m Aug 28, 2019
31m
S1 Ep20: Fear and loathing on Mount Fuji
This week, Oscar Boyd takes Shaun McKenna to the top of Japan to see what it's like to climb the fabled Mount Fuji.
46m Jul 24, 2019
46m
S1 Ep19: Why is Japan whaling again?
On July 1, Japan announced it would leave the International Whaling Commission to resume commercial whaling within its exclusive economic zone. Hours after ships left ports across Japan, two minke whales were caught by whalers and brought ashore. Whalers are delighted by the policy shift, but many around the world have been left outraged and confused as to why Japan is so keen to continue its h...
23m Jul 10, 2019
23m
S1 Ep18: Is the Japanese wolf really extinct?
The last confirmed sighting of the Japanese wolf was in 1905, but is it really extinct? The Japan Times' Alex Martin has been chasing the story and joins Oscar Boyd to discuss the topic on this week's episode of Deep Dive. More on this:  Read Alex's full article here (https://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2019/05/25/environment/search-japans-extinct-wolves-sightings-mysterious-canine-chichibu-capti...
20m Jun 26, 2019
20m
S1 Ep17: Hikikomori — Japan's missing million
Over 1 million people are thought to be hikikomori in Japan, meaning they've remained isolated at home for at least six consecutive months without going to school or work, and rarely interact with people from outside their own immediate family. Earlier this year, Andrew McKirdy interviewed several recovering hikikomori, and now joins Oscar Boyd to discuss the issue. Read more: • Andrew McKirdy'...
22m Jun 19, 2019
22m
S1 Ep16: Hiro Iwamoto — the first blind man to sail the Pacific
On April 20, 2019, Hiro Iwamoto became the first blind man to sail the Pacific nonstop, completing a 55-day journey across the world’s largest ocean. In this episode, Hiro and his crew mate, Doug Smith, join Oscar Boyd to talk about their voyage. See more: Hiro and Doug's Voyage of Inspiration website (https://voyageofinspiration.com/) Ariadne GPS (https://www.ariadnegps.eu/)  — the app Hiro us...
33m Jun 05, 2019
33m
S1 Ep15: Japan — climate change leader or lagger?
With the G20 summit being hosted in Osaka at the end of June, and Prime Minister Abe pledging at Davos to put climate change at the top of the agenda, Deep Dive host Oscar Boyd is joined by Pelin Zorlu of climate change think tank E3G (https://www.e3g.org) to discuss opportunities for Japan to lead on the issue, where it is lagging behind its counterparts, and to look at the country's continued...
24m May 22, 2019
24m
S1 Ep14: What's the deal with Terrace House?
Ahead of the new season of Terrace House — "Terrace House: Tokyo 2019-2020," released on Netflix on May 14 — Tom Hanaway and Patrick St. Michel join Oscar Boyd to discuss why the show has proved such a hit both here in Japan and internationally, and what we might be able to expect from the upcoming season. Read more by Tom Hanaway (https://www.japantimes.co.jp/author/tom-hanaway/) Read more b...
41m May 13, 2019
41m
S1 Ep13: The extraordinary fall of Carlos Ghosn
This week we unpack one of the biggest stories of the past few months: the arrest and detainment of Carlos Ghosn, former CEO of car manufacturers Nissan and Renault. Joining Deep Dive this week to discuss the case is staff writer Satoshi Sugiyama (@SatoshiJournal). Hosted by Oscar Boyd (@omhboyd) for The Japan Times. Links: Follow Deep Dive on Twitter (https://twitter.com/japandeepdive?lang=...
20m Apr 24, 2019
20m
S1 Ep12: Out with the old Emperor, in with the new
In 2016, Emperor Akihito announced he intended to step down from the throne because of his age and declining health. Now, with just two weeks until Akihito’s son Naruhito becomes the country’s 126th emperor and with the name of the new Reiwa Era announced, Deep Dive asks: What does it mean to be Emperor of Japan, and what can we expect from the next person to sit atop the Chrysanthemum Throne?...
19m Apr 17, 2019
19m