The Diplomat | Author
Thisanka Siripala
Thisanka Siripala is an Australian-Sri Lankan cross platform journalist living in Tokyo.
Thisanka Siripala is an Australian-Sri Lankan cross platform journalist living in Tokyo. She specializes in Asia-Pacific news and current affairs while predominantly covering Japan and North Asia-related politics, business, and socio-economic shifts. She is an honors graduate from The University of Melbourne with a degree in International Relations, Media Studies, and Japanese language.
Page 14 of 20
July 29, 2019
Japan-Korea ‘Trade War’ Starts to Bite
By Thisanka Siripala
Escalating Japan-South Korea tensions, including a boycott movement, begin to hit the pockets of major Japanese brands.
July 23, 2019
Japan Mourns Victims of Deadly Kyoto Animation Arson Attack
By Thisanka Siripala
In the aftermath of Japan’s worst mass killing, tributes pour in from over the world.
July 19, 2019
Landmark Court Ruling Grants Compensation for Families of Japan’s Former Leprosy Sufferers
By Thisanka Siripala
Families hail ruling as a win in the fight against discrimination 20 years after the government abolished the leprosy segregation policy.
July 15, 2019
Japan’s Rainy Season Raises Fresh Weather Warnings for Torrential Rains
By Thisanka Siripala
As survivors and bereaved families remember the victims of last year’s floods, residents prepare for another potentially deadly rainy season.
July 09, 2019
Japan’s G20 Summit Fails at Repairing Japan-Korea relations
By Thisanka Siripala
Tensions between Tokyo and Seoul show no signs of easing, with a political trade war escalating over historic grievances.
June 27, 2019
Report: Japan’s Public Pension Fund Not Enough to Cover Post-Retirement Needs
By Thisanka Siripala
The government rejected the report's findings, but the public is up in arms over the pension scare.
June 24, 2019
Japanese Women Campaign Against Mandatory High Heels
By Thisanka Siripala
A controversy surrounding women being forced to wear high heels at work has exploded into a new #KuToo protest movement.
June 11, 2019
Japan’s Police Struggle to Curb a Sharp Increase in Cannabis Use
By Thisanka Siripala
Despite harsh laws, celebrities embroiled in high-profile marijuana convictions highlight a new generation of social acceptance.
June 08, 2019
Is Human Trafficking in Japan Coming to an End?
By Thisanka Siripala
Pressure from the international community prompts a look at Japan’s prevention and eradication measures.
May 31, 2019
Violent Stabbing Spree Near Tokyo Targets Elementary School Girls, Wounding Scores
By Thisanka Siripala
A mass stabbing at a bus stop in west Tokyo leaves Japan reeling.
May 29, 2019
High-Profile Pedestrian Fatalities Point Finger at Japan’s Aging Drivers
By Thisanka Siripala
A series of deadly car mishaps across Japan aims a spotlight at elderly drivers and inconsistent road safety policies.
May 16, 2019
Japan’s Once Powerful Criminal Underworld Hits Record Low Membership
By Thisanka Siripala
Hit hard by police crackdowns and aging, the number of people leaving Japan’s yakuza has reached a 15-year high.