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Tokyo Report
May 27, 2020
Coronavirus or No, Japan’s Politics Remain Stuck
By Yusaku Yoshikawa
Despite strong disapproval of Prime Minister Abe’s COVID-19 response, the public sees little alternative to his continued governance.
May 25, 2020
Abe’s Popularity Plummets Amid Latest Controversy
By Thisanka Siripala
Abe’s approval ratings fell to a two-year low as online protests derailed the passage of a bill delaying the retirement age of prosecutors.
May 15, 2020
Japan Approves a Partial Cancellation of National Emergency Ahead of Expiration Date
By Thisanka Siripala
The government shifts its coronavirus response toward cluster tracing and long-term lifestyle changes.
May 14, 2020
The Trouble With Linking COVID-19 to Japan’s Hikikomori
By Tadasu Takahashi
The mental health issue is already poorly understood; now its role in the public imagination is shifting again.
May 12, 2020
The Rise of Japan’s Governors: Central-Local Relations During a Pandemic
By Michio Ueda
While Japan’s central government moved slowly to respond to COVID-19, prefectural governors sprung into action. That could have lasting consequences.
May 11, 2020
Is Japan Pulling Its Companies out of China?
By Shin Kawashima
A recent Japanese government policy is significant, but hardly a decoupling.
May 08, 2020
Japan Navigates an Extended National Emergency
By Thisanka Siripala
New social guidelines detail public health manners aimed at easing pressure on hospitals in the COVID-19 era.
May 07, 2020
Japan Should Have a Serious Debate on Revising Its Constitution—But Not Now
By Rintaro Nishimura
Shinzo Abe is right about the need for a debate, but the time is not right.
May 05, 2020
Tokyo Prods Japanese Firms to Leave China
By Mercy A. Kuo
Insights from David Arase.
May 02, 2020
What Will Tokyo’s Postponed Olympics Mean for Japanese Politics?
By Kristo Tamm
Shinzo Abe’s legacy is on the line.
May 02, 2020
Japan’s Jobless Rate Spikes as Companies Clamor for Assistance
By Thisanka Siripala
Confusion, controversy, and red tape have critics warning that government assistance will arrive too late to keep businesses from going under.
April 27, 2020
Japan’s Surge in COVID-19 Infections Threatens To Derail Healthcare System
By Thisanka Siripala
Overstretched emergency rooms struggle to treat a growing number of coronavirus inpatients.