Twenty Minutes With… is a bilingual podcast by Japan Forward, where professionals including artists, scholars, politicians, and business insiders discuss their lives and work in Japan.

The Reutter family talks life, faith, and raising children in Japan — an American family of six documenting everyday family life, public schools, and cross-cultural living through their YouTube channel Life in Japan. What does it take to truly make Japan home?

Twenty Minutes With… is a bilingual podcast by Japan Forward, where professionals including artists, scholars, politicians, and business insiders discuss their lives and work in Japan.

GEM Talks founder Kanako Date talks heritage, global education, and the arts — from opera stages to traditional Japanese dance, law school to youth empowerment. What does it take to stand between worlds and still sound like yourself?

Check the link below to stream with English captions.

https://youtu.be/5qEjeRgaf4U

Twenty Minutes With… is a bilingual podcast by Japan Forward, where professionals including artists, scholars, politicians, and business insiders discuss their lives and work in Japan.

What does it mean to be a Buddhist monk in modern Japan? Myoshun Tsuji, the executive manager of Nara’s UNESCO-listed Kohfuku-ji Temple shares how ancient faith meets the challenges of contemporary life.

Twenty Minutes With… is a bilingual podcast by Japan Forward, where professionals including artists, scholars, politicians, and business insiders discuss their lives and work in Japan.

American-born comedian Nick Niisan talks comedy, language mix-ups, and life in Japan’s entertainment world — from culture shock to cracking jokes across borders. What does it take to turn being "the foreign guy" into a career that connects with Japanese audiences?

Twenty Minutes With… is a bilingual podcast by Japan Forward, where professionals including artists, scholars, politicians, and business insiders discuss their lives and work in Japan.

In this episode of 20 Minutes With..., JAPAN Forward reporters Daniel Manning and Kenji Yoshida discuss their journeys in Japan, contrasts between Japanese and South Korean media, and what drew them to JAPAN Forward. Together, they reflect on why the platform matters in bringing Japan’s voice to the world.

Twenty Minutes With… is a bilingual podcast by Japan Forward, where professionals including artists, scholars, politicians, and business insiders discuss their lives and work in Japan.

Check the link below to stream with English captions.

https://youtu.be/9T6nJZr7wVg

「獺祭は、変化を恐れず挑戦を続ける」―。それが株式会社 獺祭、桜井一宏社長の信念である。伝統を守りながら、世界を見据えた革新を続ける桜井社長の挑戦は、日本文化の未来に新たな可能性を示している。

桜井 一宏（さくらい・かずひろ） 山口県の酒蔵、株式会社 獺祭の代表取締役社長。2025年6月1日に社名を旭酒造から変更した「獺祭」は、世界的に最も知られる日本酒ブランドの一つ。品質と職人技に根ざしながらも、ニューヨークに醸造所を開設、海外事業に注力するなど、グローバルな視点で日本酒の新たな可能性を切り拓く先駆者。

Twenty Minutes With… is a bilingual podcast by Japan Forward, where professionals including artists, scholars, politicians, and business insiders discuss their lives and work in Japan.

Marking the 60th anniversary of diplomatic normalization between Japan and South Korea, retired Yonsei University professor and South Korean sociologist Dr. Lew Seok-choon shares his insights on the evolving bilateral relationship, the outlook under South Korea's new leadership, and the lingering historical tensions between the two East Asian neighbors. Interview held on June 23, 2025.

Twenty Minutes With… is a bilingual podcast by Japan Forward, where professionals including artists, scholars, politicians, and business insiders discuss their lives and work in Japan.

Illustrator and NHK reporter Kailene Falls talks Japanese food, design, and culture — from watercolor travel guides to TV reporting, and why she made food her niche. What does it take to share Japan with the world without losing its flavor?

Twenty Minutes With… is a bilingual podcast by Japan Forward, where professionals including artists, scholars, politicians, and business insiders discuss their lives and work in Japan.

Former British Museum curator Paul Martin talks Japanese swords — who buys them, how to spot fakes, samurai myths in movies, and the future of swordsmithing in Japan. Can this centuries-old tradition survive in the modern world?

Twenty Minutes With… is a bilingual podcast by Japan Forward, where professionals including artists, scholars, politicians, and business insiders discuss their lives and work in Japan.

Japan faces population decline, labor shortages, geopolitical volatility, and climate threats.

Political scientist and former Diet member Mieko Nakabayashi says it's time to rethink how the country approaches risk — and embrace it as a force for growth, not just a danger to avoid.

Check the link below to stream with English captions.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DuF95mHOON0&t=838s

人口減少や労働力不足、地政学的リスク、気候変動など、複合的な危機に直面する日本。早稲田大学の中林美恵子教授は、「ゼロリスク」を追い求めるのではなく、リスクを戦略的に管理し、成長の糧とする発想の転換が必要だと語ります。