Deep Dive from The Japan Times

News editor Joel Tansey discusses the impact of Naomi Osaka’s support for the Black Lives Matter movement both in the U.S. and Japan, and what a new wave of activism in sports might mean for next summer's Tokyo Olympics.

Sponsor:
This episode is sponsored by Democrats Abroad Japan, a volunteer organization that helps Americans overseas register to vote. VoteFromAbroad.org makes the ballot request process simple and easy, so if you need to vote from overseas, visit VoteFromAbroad.org. Many states have their deadlines on Saturday Oct. 17, so request your ballot now.

Read/see/hear more: 

Outstanding Osaka: Japanese star captures second U.S. Open title (Joel Tansey, The Japan Times)

Naomi Osaka is the role model that Japan needs right now (Baye McNeil, The Japan Times)

Black Lives Matter prompts important conversations in Japanese sports (Kaz Nagatsuka, The Japan Times)

Naomi Osaka's Japanese sponsors hesitant to comment on activism (AP via The Japan Times)

Naomi Osaka gives voice to victims of racial injustice at U.S. Open (Kyodo)

Episode 6: What a week for Naomi Osaka (Deep Dive)

U.S. Open 2020 Winner's Speech (U.S. Open via YouTube)

Naomi Osaka on leading tennis to protest the police shooting of Jacob Blake (ESPN via YouTube)

Sebastian Coe says athletes should be allowed to protest at Tokyo Olympics (AP via The Japan Times)

I used the podium to protest. The Olympic Committee punished me. (NYT via The Japan Times)

On this episode:
Joel Tansey: Twitter | Articles
Oscar Boyd: Twitter | Articles | Instagram

Announcements:
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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.

Ginny Tapley Takemori is probably best known for her 2018 translation of "Convenience Store Woman," the bestselling novel by Sayaka Murata, which won the prestigious Akutagawa Prize when it was first published in Japanese in 2016. Like the original, the English translation was a bestseller, and the author and translator have collaborated again to translate Murata’s 11th novel, "Earthlings," which was published at the beginning of October. We hear from Ginny about the art of translation and why she thinks we should all be reading more books from other cultures.

Sponsor
This episode is sponsored by Elite Havens. This ski season, enjoy a 15% discount on Elite Havens' Niseko accommodations for bookings confirmed from now until Nov. 30, 2020, for stays between Dec. 24 and March 31, 2021. Enjoy an additional 5% off your next booking when you book now. Just mention the promo code JAPANTIMES to your reservation specialist. Terms and conditions apply.

Read more:

In "Convenience Store Woman," Sayaka Murata questions normality in modern Japan (Nicolas Gating, The Japan Times)

Sayaka Murata's 'Earthlings': Alienated misfits fight against the ties that bind (Kris Kosaka, The Japan Times)

Strong woman, soft power (David Jacobson, GLLI)

Order a copy of 'Earthlings' (Granta)

On this episode:
Ginny Tapley Takemori: Author profile
Oscar Boyd: Twitter | Articles | Instagram

Announcements:
Sign up to the Deep Dive mailing list and be notified every time a new episode comes out. Get in touch with us at [email protected].

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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: Sayaka Murata's "Convenience Store Women"

Japan Times food editor Claire Williamson joins Deep Dive to discuss her new found passion for Aspergillus oryzae, the mold better known in Japan as kōji. Jeremy Umansky and Rich Shih, authors of "Koji Alchemy: Rediscovering the Magic of Mold-based Fermentation," also give us the lowdown on what makes the mold so exciting for them. Hosted by Oscar Boyd

Read more: 

‘Koji Alchemy’: Fermentation enthusiasts are making mold magic (Claire Williamson, The Japan Times)

Recipe: Kōji — Japan's vital hidden ingredient (Makiko Itoh, The Japan Times)

The fermentation power of kōji, Japanese food's secret ingredient (Momoko Nakamura, The Japan Times)

Claire's favorite brand of shio kōji (Uminosei)

Order some kōji spores (Higuchi Moyashi)

On this episode:
Claire Williamson: Articles | Instagram
Special Guests: Jeremy Umansky, Rich Shih and Thomas Frebel
Oscar Boyd: Twitter | Articles | Instagram

Koji Alchemy:
Get your hands on a copy of Jeremy Umansky and Rich Shih's book "Koji Alchemy: Rediscovering the Magic of Mold-based Fermentation" now. Order online via Wordery or Amazon.

Announcements:
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.

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Photo: A bowl of kōji-infused rice, Getty Images

This episode is based around an extract from the audiobook of "Pure Invention." We join in the middle of chapter 5, which is all about the invention of the Walkman. We hear from Matt as he describes a conversation between the two co-founders of Sony, Akio Morita and Masaru Ibuka — a conversation that would lead to the creation of the iconic portable music player that completely redefined how we listen to music today.

Read more:

On this episode:
Matt Alt: Website | Twitter
Oscar Boyd: Twitter | Articles | Instagram

Announcements:
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.

Sign up to the Deep Dive mailing list and be notified every time a new episode comes out. Get in touch with us at [email protected].

Support the show! Rate us, review us and share this episode with a friend if you've enjoyed it. Follow us on Twitter, and give us feedback.

Credit:
Audiobook excerpt courtesy Penguin Random House Audio from "Pure Invention: How Japan’s pop culture conquered the world" by Matt Alt, read by the author. Photo: Akio Morita and Masaru Ibuka, Sony Press Centre. 

Staff reporter Ryusei Takahashi joins Oscar Boyd to discuss the idea, opportunities and difficulties of a green recovery in Japan.

Sponsor:
This episode is sponsored by Democrats Abroad Japan, a volunteer organization that helps Americans overseas register to vote. VoteFromAbroad.org makes the ballot request process simple and easy, so if you need to vote from overseas, visit VoteFromAbroad.org. Ballots for the U.S. election will be sent out Sept. 19, so request yours now!

Read more:

'Green recovery' offers Japan a chance to slash carbon emissions (Ryusei Takahashi, The Japan Times)

Separating environmental issues from business matters in Japan (Philip Brasor, The Japan Times)

Japan urged to boost green power to achieve Paris climate goals (Bloomberg via The Japan Times)

Japan's climate change efforts hindered by Keidanren bias, study says (Reuters via The Japan Times)

Think 2020's disasters are wild? 'It’s going to get a lot worse' (AP via The Japan Times)

On this episode:
Ryusei Takahashi: Twitter | Articles | Instagram
Oscar Boyd: Twitter | Articles | Instagram

Announcements:
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.

Sign up to the Deep Dive mailing list and be notified every time a new episode comes out. Get in touch with us at [email protected].

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Photo: A satellite image shows Typhoon Haishen barreling toward Kyushu in September 2020. NASA VIA AP

We’re joined by Tobias Harris, author of “The Iconoclast,” a biography of Shinzo Abe. Harris gives his take on Abe’s legacy, examining everything from his foreign policy to the missed opportunities.

Also on the show is Wakako Fukuda, one of the cofounders of the activist group SEALDs, who led some of Japan's biggest protests since the 1960s against Abe’s proposed changes to security laws in 2015. She’ll be talking about why so many people joined SEALDs and what she hopes a future PM will do to support women.

Sponsor:
This episode is sponsored by Democrats Abroad Japan, a volunteer organization that helps Americans overseas register to vote. VoteFromAbroad.org makes the ballot request process simple and easy, so if you need to vote from overseas, find out more at VoteFromAbroad.org. Ballots for the U.S. election will be sent out Sept. 19, so request yours now!

Read more: 

Episode 63: The end of Shinzo Abe: What happened and who's next? (Deep Dive)

What will be Abe's legacy as the longest-serving prime minister? (Editorial, The Japan Times)

For Abe, latest milestone is a moment of trepidation (Tobias Harris, The Japan Times)

What Abe leaves behind for Japan and the world (Brad Glosserman, The Japan Times) 

Abenomics here to stay despite Japan PM's looming departure (Kazuaki Nagata, The Japan Times)

Suga, favored to succeed Abe, says won't lead 'interim' government (Kyodo)

On this episode:
Tobias Harris: Twitter | Articles | Book
Wakako Fukuda: Twitter | Articles
Oscar Boyd: Twitter | Articles | Instagram

The Iconoclast:
Tobias Harris' biography of Shinzo Abe, "The Iconoclast" is out now. Deep Dive listeners can get a 25 percent discount by using the promo code ICONOCLAST25 if you order the book through the Hurst website.

Announcements:
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.

Sign up to the Deep Dive mailing list and be notified every time a new episode comes out. Get in touch with us at [email protected].

Support the show! Rate us, review us and share this episode with a friend if you've enjoyed it. Follow us on Twitter, and give us feedback.

Photo by Reuters

We're joined by Tobias Harris, author of "The Iconoclast," a  biography of Shinzo Abe that was published the day before Abe resigned. Harris talks about Abe's last few months in office, and who might be the next prime minister of Japan.

Also, Japan Times politics reporter Satoshi Sugiyama describes his day reporting on Abe's historic resignation announcement.

Read more: 

Suga, Abe’s right-hand man, declares candidacy for LDP leadership vote (Satoshi Sugiyama, The Japan Times)

Abe right-hand man Yoshihide Suga emerges as a top pick to replace him (Satoshi Sugiyama, The Japan Times)

Former Japan defense chief Shigeru Ishiba to run in LDP leadership race, report says (Reuters, The Japan Times)

How possible successors stack up if Abe resigns (Reuters, The Japan Times)

Ruling LDP to skip rank-and-file votes in party election for Abe's  successor (Satoshi Sugiyama, The Japan Times)

Abe to resign over health, ending era of political stability (Satoshi Sugiyama, The Japan Times)

Abe's resignation catches even Japan's political insiders off guard (Satoshi Sugiyama, The Japan Times)

On this episode:
Tobias Harris: Twitter | Articles | Book
Satoshi Sugiyama: Twitter | Articles
Oscar Boyd: Twitter | Articles | Instagram

The Iconoclast
Tobias Harris' biography of Shinzo Abe, "The Iconoclast" is out now. Deep Dive listeners can get a 25 percent discount by using the promo code ICONOCLAST25 if you order the book through the Hurst website.

Announcements
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.

Sign up to the Deep Dive mailing list and be notified every time a new episode comes out. Get in touch with us at [email protected].

Support the show! Rate us, review us and share this episode with a friend if you've enjoyed it. Follow us on Twitter, and give us feedback.

Photo via Reuters

In next week’s episode we’ll be looking at the latest news in much more depth, but for now we’re bringing you an episode from the archives, episode 32, somewhat ironically titled "What’s the secret to Shinzo Abe’s longevity?"

This episode was originally recorded in December 2019, in a world that had not yet gone through the trials of the coronavirus, and when Japan was looking ahead to hosting the Olympics this summer. Much has changed since we recorded the episode, but it still paints a really good picture of who Abe is, and how he rose to become Japan’s prime minister, not once, but twice. 

Read more:

Abe to resign as prime minister due to health condition (Satoshi Sugiyama, Eric Johnston The Japan Times)

On this episode:
Sakura Murakami: Twitter | Articles
Oscar Boyd: Twitter | Articles | Instagram

Announcements
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.

Sign up to the Deep Dive mailing list and be notified every time a new episode comes out. Get in touch with us at [email protected].

Support the show! Rate us, review us and share this episode with a friend if you've enjoyed it. Follow us on Twitter, and give us feedback. 

Photo by Getty Images

On this episode we’re taking a look at how Japan’s international students and academics have been affected by the entry bans. Though the government is expected to change its policy imminently, to date the border closures have had an overwhelmingly negative impact on Japan’s universities, even as the country tries to position itself on the international stage as a more attractive place to study. 
We hear from regular Japan Times contributor and consultant Rochelle Kopp about how the border closures have impacted international students in Japan, and also from masters student Angus Watson about his experiences coming back to Japan after being stuck outside for six months.

Japan may allow in all stranded foreign residents from September (Magdalena Osumi, The Japan Times)

Japan's re-entry ban threatens scholarships, admission and graduation for foreign students (Magdalena Osumi, The Japan Times)

Travel bans throttle Japanese universities’ global ambitions (Rochelle Kopp, The Japan Times)

I'm happy to be in Japan, but it shouldn't have taken this long to get back (Angus Watson, The Japan Times)   

Episode 60: Japan's foreign residents are trapped — Part 2 (Deep Dive)

Episode 51: Japan's foreign residents are trapped - Part 1 (Deep Dive)

On this episode:
Rochelle Kopp: Twitter | Articles | Consultancy
Angus Watson: Articles
Oscar Boyd: Twitter | Articles | Instagram

Announcements
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.

Sign up to the Deep Dive mailing list and be notified every time a new episode comes out. Get in touch with us at [email protected].

Support the show! Rate us, review us and share this episode with a friend if you've enjoyed it. Follow us on Twitter, and give us feedback. 

This episode, our guests are Robbie Swinnerton and Melinda Joe. Robbie has been writing Tokyo Food File, his restaurant review column for The Japan Times, since 1998 and Melinda has been writing her column Kanpai Culture, all about Japan’s drinking culture, since 2011.

With well over 30 years experience of eating, drinking and writing about the capital's food scene between them, we hear from Robbie and Melinda about what makes Tokyo the gastronomic phenomenon it is, how coronavirus has impacted upon the restaurant business and where Japan's hospitality industry goes from here.

Read/hear more:

Tokyo Food File (Robbie Swinnerton, The Japan Times)

Kanpai Culture (Melinda Joe, The Japan Times)

How COVID-19 has reshaped Japan's drinking culture (Alex Martin, The Japan Times)

Tokyo’s restaurants stare down COVID-19: ‘We have to stay open’ (Dan Buyanovsky, The Japan Times)

Tokyo's restaurants again boast world's most Michelin stars in 2020 guide (Magdalena Osumi, The Japan Times)

Japanese Kitchen (Makiko Itoh, The Japan Times)

Welcome aboard SG Airways, Shingo Gokan’s cocktail-pairing pop-up (Melinda Joe, The Japan Times)

Episode 11: Thomas Frebel — a top chef in a city of stars (Deep Dive)

Still eating, still writing: Robbie Swinnerton reflects on 20 years of Tokyo Food File (Oscar Boyd, The Japan Times)

On this episode:
Melinda Joe:  Twitter | Articles | Instagram
Robbie Swinnerton:  Twitter | Articles | Instagram
Oscar Boyd: Twitter | Articles | Instagram

Announcements:
Want to learn Japanese cooking? Follow Makiko Itoh's monthly Japanese Kitchen column for easy to make, seasonal recipes. Free for all readers of The Japan Times

Sign up to the Deep Dive mailing list and be notified every time a new episode comes out. Get in touch with us at [email protected].

Photo by Dan Buyanovsky