Deep Dive from The Japan Times

Single parents in Japan have it tough, but these hardships seem to disproportionately affect single mothers more. This week, filmmaker Rionne McAvoy joins us to discuss the hidden poverty present in one of the world’s richest nations.

Hosted by Mara Budgen and produced by Dave Cortez.

On this episode: 
Mara Budgen: Articles | X 
Rionne McAvoy: Website | X 

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Documentary shines a spotlight on Japan’s single mothers (Louise George Kittaka, The Japan Times)

Pandemic magnifies household gender roles in Japan (Mara Budgen, The Japan Times)

“The Ones Left Behind: The Plight of Single Mothers in Japan” (official website)

Heartful Family 

Get in touch: Send us feedback at [email protected]. Support the show by rating, reviewing and sharing the episode with a friend if you’ve enjoyed it. For a transcript of the show, visit japantimes.co.jp, and don’t forget to follow us on X!  

Image Caption (JT): A scene from "The Ones Left Behind," which documents the successes and struggles of single mothers in Japan. | JAPAN MEDIA SERVICES

One year on, Elizabeth Beattie joins us to discuss where Itaewon stands after its Halloween disaster, and what its legacy means for celebrations in Japan.
Hosted by Shaun McKenna and produced by Dave Cortez.

On this episode: 
Shaun McKenna: Articles | X 
Elizabeth Beattie: Articles | X 

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Halloween’s rise in the 2010s provided Shibuya crossing with plenty of tricks and treats (Mike Sunda, The Japan Times)

Calls grow to abolish Japan’s surgery requirement for gender change (Tomoko Otake, The Japan Times)

Germany set to eclipse Japan as No. 3 economy in 2023, IMF says (Elizabeth Beattie, The Japan Times)

What South Korea’s frequent protests say about its politics (Choe Sang-hun and Chang W. Lee, The New York Times)

What went wrong in the South Korean ferry disaster (The New Yorker, YouTube)

Get in touch: Send us feedback at [email protected]. Support the show by rating, reviewing and sharing the episode with a friend if you’ve enjoyed it. For a transcript of the show, visit japantimes.co.jp, and don’t forget to follow us on Twitter!  

Photo: A banner at the entrance to Shibuya’s Center Street makes it clear this is no place for a party. | TAIDGH BARON

This week on Deep Dive, Alex K.T. Martin noticed a dip in the national caloric intake and it turns out that a graying population that is increasingly single has something to do with why Japan is gradually downsizing dinner.
Hosted by Shaun McKenna and produced by Dave Cortez.

On this episode: 
Shaun McKenna: Articles | X | Instagram
Alex K.T. Martin: Articles | X | Instagram 

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Downsizing dinner: Aging Japan is eating less (Alex K.T. Martin, The Japan Times)

Inside Japan’s oldest village (Alex K.T. Martin, The Japan Times)

Work forever: Japan’s seniors brace for life without retirement (Alex K.T. Martin, The Japan Times)

Boom in ‘pet guardianship’ amid rise in elderly and singles (Kyodo)

Get in touch: Send us feedback at [email protected]. Support the show by rating, reviewing and sharing the episode with a friend if you’ve enjoyed it. For a transcript of the show, visit japantimes.co.jp, and don’t forget to follow us on Twitter!  

Photo: A woman takes her meal alone in Tokyo's Yanaka neighborhood. | LANCE HENDERSTEIN

This week on Deep Dive, Shaun McKenna and Dave Cortez discuss a few horror movies before “Uncanny Japan” podcast host Thersa Matsuura tells a classic Japanese ghost story.  
Hosted by Shaun McKenna and produced by Dave Cortez.

On this episode: 
Shaun McKenna: Articles | X | Instagram
Dave Cortez: Articles | X 
Thersa Matsuura: Website | X | Instagram | YouTube

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The ghosts that have been haunting cinema-goers in Japan for over a century (Mark Schilling, The Japan Times)

10 days of J-horror: From funny frights to shock and gore (Mark Schilling, The Japan Times)

Scary Japanese stories to read in the dark (Haruka Murayama, The Japan Times)

Get in touch: Send us feedback at [email protected]. Support the show by rating, reviewing and sharing the episode with a friend if you’ve enjoyed it. For a transcript of the show, visit japantimes.co.jp, and don’t forget to follow us on Twitter!  

Photo: The classic Japanese ghost story often features a vengeful female ghost. | GETTY IMAGES

The team at Deep Dive is taking a short break. We'll be back in mid-October, but in the meantime, enjoy this rebroadcast of our discussion with consultant Rochelle Kopp in April about how best to navigate your work life in Japan.
Hosted by Shaun McKenna and produced by Dave Cortez.

On this episode:
Shaun McKenna: Articles | Twitter | Instagram
Rochelle Kopp: Articles | Twitter

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Help wanted: The (sleeper) agent of change (Rochelle Kopp, The Japan Times)

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Photo: A businessman waits to cross a street in Tokyo in April 2011. | REUTERS

This week on Deep Dive we get contributing writer and photographer Lance Henderstein to read us his article on traveling Okinawa during the rainy season.  
Hosted by Shaun McKenna and produced by Dave Cortez.

On this episode: 
Shaun McKenna: Articles | Twitter | Instagram
Lance Henderstein: Articles | Instagram | Threads

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My annual pilgrimage to Okinawa (Lance Henderstein, The Japan Times)

Akiko Mizuno: ‘Time moves forward. Photographers stop time.’ (Lance Henderstein, The Japan Times)

Get in touch: Send us feedback at [email protected]. Support the show by rating, reviewing and sharing the episode with a friend if you’ve enjoyed it. For a transcript of the show, visit japantimes.co.jp, and don’t forget to follow us on Twitter!  

Photo: Aoi Suzuki's son tries to get a glimpse of the neighborhood barbecue from a nearby roof. | LANCE HENDERSTEIN

A drugs scandal at Japan’s biggest university draws attention to a troubling statistic: Cannabis use among young people is on the rise. Yukana Inoue and Tomoko Otake join us to discuss Japanese attitudes toward marijuana. (This episode includes a segment that was originally broadcast May 17.) 
Hosted by Shaun McKenna and produced by Dave Cortez.

On this episode: 
Shaun McKenna: Articles | Twitter | Instagram
Yukana Inoue: Articles
Tomoko Otake: Articles | Twitter
Alex K.T. Martin: Articles | Twitter 

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Illegal stimulants found in Nihon University football player dorm (Yukana Inoue, The Japan Times)

Nihon University scandal puts focus on ‘collective responsibility’ (Yukana Inoue, The Japan Times)

Navigating Japan’s maze of cannabis-related laws (Tomoko Otake, The Japan Times)

Jail in Japan for cannabis in Canada? Possible but unlikely (Colin P.A. Jones, The Japan Times)

Cannabis: The fabric of Japan (Jon Mitchell, The Japan Times)

CBD — Japan's path to medical marijuana? (Deep Dive from The Japan Times)

“Legalize It” by Masataka and Saya Takagi (YouTube)

Get in touch: Send us feedback at [email protected]. Support the show by rating, reviewing and sharing the episode with a friend if you’ve enjoyed it. For a transcript of the show, visit japantimes.co.jp, and don’t forget to follow us on Twitter!  

Photo: Leaves of marijuana plants from which hemp fibers are extracted at Japan's largest legal marijuana farm in Kanuma, Tochigi Prefecture, on July 5, 2016 | REUTERS

The Johnny & Associates sexual abuse scandal is like the Harvey Weinstein and Michael Jackson scandals rolled into one. Karin Kaneko catches us up on how things are unfolding, while Alyssa I. Smith and Patrick St. Michel discuss the effect it may have on the Japanese music industry.   
Hosted by Shaun McKenna and produced by Dave Cortez.

On this episode: 
Shaun McKenna: Articles | X (Twitter) | Instagram
Karin Kaneko: Articles | X (Twitter)
Alyssa I. Smith: Articles 
Patrick St. Michel: Articles | X (Twitter) 

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Johnny’s replaces president as it admits to abuse by late founder  (Karin Kaneko, The Japan Times)

More companies move away from Johnny’s over sex abuse scandal (Yukana Inoue, The Japan Times) 

Kauan Okamoto finds some closure after recognition of Kitagawa abuse (Karin Kaneko, The Japan Times)

What’s in a name? A lot of baggage and trauma, unfortunately. (Patrick St. Michel, The Japan Times)

“Predator: The Secret Scandal of J-pop” (Mobeen Azhar and Megumi Inman, BBC)

The death of Johnny Kitagawa, J-pop’s puppet master (Deep Dive from The Japan Times)

Get in touch: Send us feedback at [email protected]. Support the show by rating, reviewing and sharing the episode with a friend if you’ve enjoyed it. And don’t forget to follow us on X (Twitter) at @JapanDeepDive)!

Good news and bad news out of Fukushima. First, the bad news: Anika Osaki Exum and Gabriele Ninivaggi join us to discuss the reaction to the treated wastewater release plan (China’s not happy). Then, Francesco Bassetti gets us caught up on the good news: There has been a boom in renewable energies there.   
Hosted by Shaun McKenna and produced by Dave Cortez.

On this episode: 
Shaun McKenna: Articles | Twitter | Instagram
Anika Osaki Exum: Articles | Twitter
Gabriele Ninivaggi: Articles | Twitter
Francesco Bassetto: Articles | Twitter 

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Japan begins controversial release of treated Fukushima water (Gabriele Ninivaggi, The Japan Times)

Fukushima locals worry about the ‘what ifs’ from water release (Anika Osaki Exum, The Japan Times) 

Fukushima water plan ‘complete opposite’ of recovery: former mayor (Anika Osaki Exum, The Japan Times)

How a nuclear disaster turned Fukushima into a renewables leader (Francesco Bassetti, The Japan Times)

After 3/11, an environment education rethink takes shape in Japan (Francesco Bassetti, The Japan Times)

Japan is about to release 1.3 million tons of Fukushima wastewater. Should we be concerned? (Mara Budgen, Deep Dive from The Japan Times)

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Photo: An activist in Seoul protests Japan’s plan to release treated wastewater from the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear plant. | REUTERS

The Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923 was literally a picture of hell. Fires killed hundreds of thousands of people and sparked a witch hunt of Korean residents who were wrongfully blamed for the infernos. Alex K.T. Martin joins us to discuss the quake and how the scars left by the disaster shaped the course of Japan's future.   
Hosted by Shaun McKenna and produced by Dave Cortez.

On this episode: 
Shaun McKenna: Articles | Twitter | Instagram
Alex K.T. Martin: Articles | Twitter 

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The Great Kanto Earthquake: A wall of fire, a picture of hell (Alex K.T. Martin, The Japan Times)

Century since Kanto quake, expert warns of ‘blind faith’ in disaster resilience (Kathleen Benoza, The Japan Times)

A documentary on the Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923 has unearthed Japan’s first ‘disaster footage’ (Kyodo) 

A diaspora remembers the disaster that forged it (Chitose Nakagawa, Kyodo)

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Photo: A child stands in front of the Hibiya Music Hall, which collapsed during the 1923 Great Kanto Earthquake. | PUBLIC DOMAIN