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Tokyo Report
Japan Welcomes Domestic Spectators for Tokyo Olympics Despite Warnings From Experts
By Thisanka Siripala
While restaurants and bars in Tokyo face COVID-19 restrictions, local fans will be allowed at Olympic venues, fanning fears of a coronavirus rebound.
Can Japan Fix the Gender Gap in Its Politics?
By Daisuke Akimoto
Japan remains hesitant to formally tackle its male-dominated political system. But one woman might beat the odds and force real change.
Japan Steps Up Its ‘Vaccine Diplomacy’ in Southeast Asia
By Sebastian Strangio
A donation of 1 million jabs to Vietnam could be followed by shipments to Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Thailand.
Japanese Corporations Get VIP COVID-19 Vaccine Treatment Ahead of Immunity Passports
By Thisanka Siripala
Despite a lagging vaccination rollout, Japan has set its sights on issuing vaccine passports and ensuring corporations get priority jabs.
Japan’s COVID-19 Vaccine Campaign Is Quietly Picking Up Steam
By Thisanka Siripala
Vaccinations for the elderly are in full swing, but the current pace means Japan won’t see a return to normal life until the end of the year.
No Cheers: Tokyo Olympic Village Considering Ban on Alcohol
By Stephen Wade
These are going to be the "no cheers" Olympics, with testing and vaccinations taking priority over fun and games.
Could Russia and Japan Finally Find Peace in the Pacific?
By Gabriel Gavin
The Kuril Islands dispute has kept Japan and Russia from ever formally ending the hostilities between them during World War II.
Keeping Strategic Anxieties at Bay: Growing Japan-Vietnam Bonhomie
By Rahul Mishra
Japan has made crucial moves in recent years, particularly in its relations with Vietnam, but without much hype.
Will the Tokyo Olympics Go Ahead?
By Thisanka Siripala
Public opinion has hardened against the Tokyo Olympics as Japan struggles to curb the latest outbreak of COVID-19 in time for the tournament.
Major Japan Newspaper Asahi Calls for Olympic Cancellation
By Stephen Wade and Kantaro Komiya
Japan’s second-largest newspaper by circulation called for the Olympics to be scrapped amid an ongoing COVID-19 surge.
On Myanmar, Japan Must Lead by Example
By Yusuke Watanabe
“Japan must position itself as a bridge between the Tatmadaw and the United States and other democratic countries rather than blindly aligning itself with the Western policy of regime change.”
Japan Opens Mass Vaccine Centers 2 Months Before Olympics
By Mari Yamaguchi
Japan is scrambling to speed up its vaccination campaign ahead of opening day for the Tokyo Olympics.