Deep Dive from The Japan Times

A royal wedding usually involves celebration and pageantry, a ceremony steeped in tradition at an ancient and palatial building, and flag-waving in the streets by a public eager to see the newlywed couple. But for Princess Mako, who married Kei Komuro on Tuesday this week, there was none of that. There was only the perfunctory stamping of documents, followed by a muted press conference. Read more:  What you need to know about the not-so-fairy tale of Princess Mako (Magdalena Osumi, The Japan Times) Imperial Household Agency criticized for media strategy — or lack thereof (Magdalena Osumi, The Japan Times) Princess Mako's marriage a 'warning sign' for Japan's imperial system (Ami Takahashi via The Japan Times) The world’s oldest monarchy is running out of royals (Marika Katanuma via The Japan Times ) On this episode: Natsuko Fukue: Twitter Oscar Boyd: Twitter | Articles | Instagram Announcements: Subscribe to the show and sign up to the Deep Dive mailing list to be notified when new episodes come out. Get in touch with us at deepdive@japantimes.co.jp. Support the show! Rate us, review us and share this episode with a friend if you’ve enjoyed it. Follow us on Twitter, and give us feedback. This episode of Deep Dive may be supported by advertising based on your location. Advertising is sourced by Audioboom and is not affiliated with The Japan Times. Photo: Princess Mako (right) and her sister Princess Kako attend the enthronement ceremony for Emperor Naruhito at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo in October 2019. | POOL / AFP-JIJI

Over the past few years a combination of overspending and lack of tax revenue has put the city of Kyoto in a precarious financial situation, made worse by the lack of domestic and international tourism to the city during the pandemic. The Japan Times' senior national correspondent, Eric Johnston, joins us from Osaka to explain Kyoto's problems, and what the city needs to do to get itself out its predicament.  Read more:  Kyoto is facing bankruptcy. What happens now? (Eric Johnston, The Japan Times) Kyoto's reconstruction plan calls for big spending cuts (Eric Johnston, The Japan Times) Kyoto without tourists: How the ancient capital looks without its crowds (Oscar Boyd, The Japan Times) On this episode: Eric Johnston: Articles Oscar Boyd: Twitter | Articles | Instagram Announcements: Subscribe to the show and sign up to the Deep Dive mailing list to be notified when new episodes come out. Get in touch with us at deepdive@japantimes.co.jp. Support the show! Rate us, review us and share this episode with a friend if you’ve enjoyed it. Follow us on Twitter, and give us feedback. This episode of Deep Dive may be supported by advertising based on your location. Advertising is sourced by Audioboom and is not affiliated with The Japan Times. Photo: Kinkakuji, otherwise known as the Golden Pavilion, was made a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1994 and usually attracts over 5 million visitors per year. During the pandemic it has received a fraction of that number. | Oscar Boyd

Fumio Kishida replaces Yoshihide Suga as the leader of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party and as Prime Minister of Japan, and will face a general election at the end of this month where he will hope to cement his position in power. But who is Kishida and how did he rise to become the country’s newest Prime Minister? The Japan Times’ political correspondent Satoshi Sugiyama joins from his desk at the prime minister's office to answer those very questions. Read more:  Challenges await as Kishida takes reins as Japan's prime minister (Satoshi Sugiyama, The Japan Times) What Kishida's Cabinet picks tell us (Michael MacArthur Bosack, The Japan Times) Kishida off to rocky start in approval polls (The Japan Times) Japan's general election to be held Oct. 31, new PM Kishida says (The Japan Times) On this episode: Satoshi Sugiyama: Twitter | Articles Oscar Boyd: Twitter | Articles | Instagram Announcements: Subscribe to the show and sign up to the Deep Dive mailing list to be notified when new episodes come out. Get in touch with us at deepdive@japantimes.co.jp. Support the show! Rate us, review us and share this episode with a friend if you’ve enjoyed it. Follow us on Twitter, and give us feedback. This episode of Deep Dive may be supported by advertising based on your location. Advertising is sourced by Audioboom and is not affiliated with The Japan Times. Photo: Prime Minister Fumio Kishida speaks at a news conference at the Prime Minister's Office in Tokyo on Monday. | Bloomberg

At every Olympics there is one cycling event that stands out above all the rest: keirin. It’s been in the Olympics since Sydney 2000, but it’s actually based on a form of track cycling that originated in post-war Japan.  Keirin is a gambling sport in Japan, and though it’s nowhere near as popular as the national pastime baseball, or held in the same regard as sumo, it is still a multi-billion dollar industry, with races taking place up and down the country on an almost daily basis. The War on Wheels Justin's book "The War on Wheels: Inside the Keirin and Japan's Cycling Subculture" is out now via all major book retailers. Get your hands on a copy here, or read The Japan Times' review. Find out more about keirin and where to watch it at keirin.jp On this episode: Justin McCurry: Twitter | Articles Oscar Boyd: Twitter | Articles | Instagram Announcements: Subscribe to the show and sign up to the Deep Dive mailing list to be notified when new episodes come out. Get in touch with us at deepdive@japantimes.co.jp. Support the show! Rate us, review us and share this episode with a friend if you’ve enjoyed it. Follow us on Twitter, and give us feedback. This episode of Deep Dive may be supported by advertising based on your location. Advertising is sourced by Audioboom and is not affiliated with The Japan Times. Photo: Keirin riders race around the Omiya velodrome in the outskirts of Tokyo. | Oscar Boyd

If you were in Japan back in February, when the Pfizer vaccine was first approved, you’ll remember the frustratingly slow pace of the vaccine rollout, as many other countries around the world ramped up their vaccine programs at speed.  The slow pace continued through to the start of summer, but in August Japan distributed its 100 millionth dose of vaccine, and almost 50% of the country is now fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Later this month, Japan is set to pass the U.S. when it comes to the percentage of its citizens fully vaccinated.  Of course there are still many people who have yet to receive a vaccine and it is vital that they do, but with around 1 million shots being given each day, Japan will soon be in the position where everyone who wants a vaccine will be able to receive one. Read more: Youth clobbered, elderly spared in Japan’s worst-ever COVID-19 wave (Lisa Du, The Japan Times) Japan reaches 100 million vaccine doses as focus shifts to youth (Sophie Jackman and Lisa Du, The Japan Times) With new leader to take reins, Japan eyes extending COVID-19 emergency in hot spots (The Japan Times) Moderna to recall COVID-19 doses in Japan over stainless steel contaminants (The Japan Times) Third man in Japan died after receiving recalled Moderna vaccine (The Japan Times) Canada, France and Singapore begin to recognize Japan’s vaccine passports (Magdalena Osumi, The Japan Times) Japan to issue digital COVID-19 vaccination certificates in December, report says (The Japan Times) On this episode: Lisa Du: Twitter | Articles Oscar Boyd: Twitter | Articles | Instagram Announcements: Subscribe to the show and sign up to the Deep Dive mailing list to be notified when new episodes come out. Get in touch with us at deepdive@japantimes.co.jp. Support the show! Rate us, review us and share this episode with a friend if you’ve enjoyed it. Follow us on Twitter, and give us feedback. This episode of Deep Dive may be supported by advertising based on your location. Advertising is sourced by Audioboom and is not affiliated with The Japan Times. Photo: A health care worker administers a dose of the Moderna Inc. Covid-19 vaccine in the city of Saitama last month. | BLOOMBERG

The Japan Times’ political correspondent, Satoshi Sugiyama, discusses Suga’s sudden resignation and who might replace him as prime minister. Read more:  A behind-the-scenes look at Suga’s shocking decision to quit the LDP race (Satoshi Sugiyama, The Japan Times) Suga's abrupt exit throws LDP race wide open (Satoshi Sugiyama, The Japan Times) Vaccine czar Taro Kono tops opinion poll to be Japan's next leader (The Japan Times) Could Japan soon have a female leader? Sanae Takaichi emerges as a contender (Tomohiro Osaki, The Japan Times) For Suga, the pandemic proved to be his undoing (Osamu Tsukimori, The Japan Times) On this episode: Satoshi Sugiyama: Twitter | Articles Oscar Boyd: Twitter | Articles | Instagram Announcements: Subscribe to the show and sign up to the Deep Dive mailing list to be notified when new episodes come out. Get in touch with us at deepdive@japantimes.co.jp. Support the show! Rate us, review us and share this episode with a friend if you’ve enjoyed it. Follow us on Twitter, and give us feedback. This episode of Deep Dive may be supported by advertising based on your location. Advertising is sourced by Audioboom and is not affiliated with The Japan Times. Photo: Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga arrives to meet with Andrew Parsons, president of the International Paralympic Committee, in Tokyo on Friday. | POOL / VIA REUTERS

Today we're joined by Josh Grisdale, who has cerebral palsy and uses an electric wheelchair in his daily life. He moved to Japan in 2007 and became a Japanese citizen in 2016.  Josh has used his intimate knowledge of getting around Japan in a wheelchair to set up and run the website Accessible Japan, which provides the latest accessible travel information for people coming to, staying and living in Japan.  Josh argues that creating a more accessible Japan is better for society as a whole, and that despite Japan being a world leader in physical mobility infrastructure, there's still plenty to improve across the country when it comes to inclusivity.  Read more:  Accessible Japan Behind the push to improve universal access in Japan (Mara Budgen, The Japan Times) What will be the legacy of the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics? (Deep Dive) Tokyo robot cafe offers new spin on disability inclusion (The Japan Times) The Japan Times coverage of the Paralympics On this episode: Josh Grisdale: Twitter | Accessible Japan Oscar Boyd: Twitter | Articles | Instagram Announcements: Subscribe to the show and sign up to the Deep Dive mailing list to be notified when new episodes come out. Get in touch with us at deepdive@japantimes.co.jp. Support the show! Rate us, review us and share this episode with a friend if you’ve enjoyed it. Follow us on Twitter, and give us feedback. This episode of Deep Dive may be supported by advertising based on your location. Advertising is sourced by Audioboom and is not affiliated with The Japan Times. Photo: Accessible Japan founder Josh Grisdale visits Kyoto's Fushimi Inari Taisha shrine, one of the country's most popular tourist sites. | Josh Grisdale/Accessible Japan

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic and with no fans to watch them, will the Paralympics lead to a more inclusive society in Japan or will they fail to make a lasting impression? Anoma van der Veere and Oscar Boyd discuss. Read more:  A study of the Tokyo 2020 ‘Game Changer Project’ between the Netherlands and Japan: leveraging disability sports in local communities in Japan (Anoma van der Veere) The Tokyo Paralympic Superhero: Manga and Narratives of Disability in Japan (Anoma van der Veere) Disability in Japan (Carolyn Stevens) 'Most important' Paralympics arrive at starting line in Tokyo (Jason Coskrey, The Japan Times) The Japan Times coverage of the Paralympics On this episode: Anoma van der Veere: Twitter | Papers Oscar Boyd: Twitter | Articles | Instagram Announcements: Subscribe to the show and sign up to the Deep Dive mailing list to be notified when we return. Get in touch with us at deepdive@japantimes.co.jp. Support the show! Rate us, review us and share this episode with a friend if you’ve enjoyed it. Follow us on Twitter, and give us feedback. This episode of Deep Dive may be supported by advertising based on your location. Advertising is sourced by Audioboom and is not affiliated with The Japan Times. Photo: Japan's Katsuya Hashimoto fights off Britain's Aaron Phipps during the fourth period of the wheelchair rugby semifinals on Saturday. | KYODO

Ten years in the making, the Tokyo Olympics ended with a grand closing ceremony at the National Stadium on Sunday, Aug. 8. Patrick and Oscar look back at the closing moments of the Games, the last few sporting achievements, the handover to Paris, and what to make of these tumultuous Olympics now that they're all over. Read more:  The Japan Times' coverage of the Olympic Games Curtain falls on a tumultuous Tokyo Games (Jason Coskrey, The Japan Times) Japan ends Tokyo 2020 with record medal haul (The Japan Times) How we saw it: The Athletes’ Olympics (Dan Orlowitz, The Japan Times) How we saw it: The Mental Health Olympics (Jason Coskrey, The Japan Times) How we saw it: The Japanese Women's Olympics (Kaz Nagatsuka, The Japan Times)  How we saw it: The Silent Olympics (Oscar Boyd, The Japan Times) Tokyo Paralympics likely to be held with no spectators (The Japan Times) On this episode: Patrick St. Michel: Twitter | Articles Oscar Boyd: Twitter | Articles | Instagram Announcements: Subscribe to the show and sign up to the Deep Dive mailing list to be notified when we return. Get in touch with us at deepdive@japantimes.co.jp. Support the show! Rate us, review us and share this episode with a friend if you’ve enjoyed it. Follow us on Twitter, and give us feedback. This episode of Deep Dive may be supported by advertising based on your location. Advertising is sourced by Audioboom and is not affiliated with The Japan Times. Photo: Fireworks light up the sky over National Stadium during the closing ceremony. | AFP-JIJI

Gianmarco Tamberi and Mutaz Barshim share a gold medal in the high jump, skateboarding is dominated by more incredible Japanese teenagers, and it continues to be incredibly hot at these Olympic Games. Read more:  The Japan Times' coverage of the Olympic Games Japan's summer heat an Olympic challenge for competing athletes (The Japan Times) The man behind the Olympic 'anti-sex' beds speaks out (Dan Orlowitz, The Japan Times) Japan wins two more medals in skateboarding as Sakura Yosozumi takes gold (Oscar Boyd, The Japan Times) Shot-putter’s gesture renews controversy over podium protests at Tokyo Games (The Japan Times) Belarusian Olympic sprinter receives humanitarian visa from Poland (Magdalena Osumi, The Japan Times) On this episode: Patrick St. Michel: Twitter | Articles Oscar Boyd: Twitter | Articles | Instagram Announcements: Subscribe to the show and sign up to the Deep Dive mailing list to be notified when we return. Get in touch with us at deepdive@japantimes.co.jp. Support the show! Rate us, review us and share this episode with a friend if you’ve enjoyed it. Follow us on Twitter, and give us feedback. This episode of Deep Dive may be supported by advertising based on your location. Advertising is sourced by Audioboom and is not affiliated with The Japan Times. Photo: Daniil Medvedev takes a medical timeout for heat fatigue during an Olympic tennis match on July 28. | KYODO