During the pandemic, women in Japan have been more likely to lose their jobs, face increased pressure at home and be victims of domestic violence. And data released earlier this month showed that in 2021 suicides increased among women for the second year running, whilst declining for men.  Hanako Montgomery, a reporter for Vice World News in Japan, discusses Japan’s poor record on gender equality, why the pandemic has impacted women in particular, and what the country is trying to do about the rise in suicides among women. Read/see more:  Japan Is Facing an Alarming Spike in Female Suicides (Hanako Montgomery, Vice) Suicides by women rose in Japan for second straight year in 2021 (The Japan Times) COVID scared her. But it was loneliness that nearly killed her. (Hanako Montgomery, Vice) Japanese schools are still banning ponytails because they could ‘sexually excite’ men (Hanako Montgomery, Vice) Bloste counseling app  The Japan Times 125th anniversary discount: To celebrate our 125th anniversary, The Japan Times is offering a lifetime discount to its premium digital plan. You’ll have unlimited access to The Japan Times’ content, no ads on the website, and a digital copy of the printed paper. All for just ¥1,600 a month. This offer expires on March 31. For more details on how to sign up, head to jtimes.jp/jt125dd. Sponsor: Today’s episode is sponsored by RGF Professional Recruitment Japan, the bilingual arm of Recruit, Japan and Asia's largest recruiting and information service company. Visit RGF Professional Recruitment Japan to register your resume and unleash your potential today. On this episode: Hanako Montgomery: Twitter | Articles | Instagram Oscar Boyd: Twitter | Articles | Instagram Transcript: We have recently begun experimenting with transcripts for episodes of Deep Dive. A full transcript of this episode is available on The Japan Times website. Find transcripts useful? Tips for improvement? Contact us to let us know. Crisis lines: If you or someone you know is in crisis and needs help, resources are available. In case of an emergency, please call 119 in Japan for immediate assistance. The TELL Lifeline is available for those who need free and anonymous counseling at 03-5774-0992. You can also visit them at telljp.com. For those in other countries, visit www.suicide.org for a detailed list of resources and assistance. Announcements: Get in touch with Oscar and the show at deepdive@japantimes.co.jp. Support the show. Rate, review 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: In 2021, Japan placed 120th out of 156 countries in the World Economic Forum's gender equality list. | Getty Images

March 24th marks one month since Russia began its invasion of Ukraine, starting a war that has forced millions of Ukrainians to flee their country.  Kanako Takahara explains Japan's efforts to help these refugees, and why the government here isn't calling them by that name. Later in the episode, we hear the story of Maria, a 71-year-old Ukrainian woman who was reunited with her daughter Nataliia last Friday, after a six-day ordeal escaping from Ukraine to Japan. Read more:  Tears, relief and the 'smell of Ukraine': A daughter's reunion with her mother in Japan Japan looks to offer enhanced support to help Ukrainian refugees settle Are Ukrainians who flee 'refugees' or 'evacuees'? For Japan, it's complicated. Ukrainian support groups in Japan: The Japan-Ukraine friendship association Japan Association for Refugees Ukrainians in Japan Facebook group  Facebook group for Ukrainians hoping to bring relatives to Japan Sponsor: Today’s episode is sponsored by RGF Professional Recruitment Japan, the bilingual arm of Recruit, Japan and Asia's largest recruiting and information service company. Visit RGF Professional Recruitment Japan to register your resume and unleash your potential today. On this episode: Kanako Takahara: Articles | Twitter Oscar Boyd: Twitter | Articles | Instagram Transcript: We have recently begun experimenting with transcripts for episodes of Deep Dive. A full transcript of this episode is available on The Japan Times website. Find transcripts useful? Tips for improvement? Contact us to let us know. Announcements: Get in touch with Oscar and the show at deepdive@japantimes.co.jp. Support the show. Rate, review 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: Ukrainian Maria Dovbash hugs her family in an emotional reunion Friday at Narita Airport after she traveled six days from her home in Zaporizhzhia in southern Ukraine to Japan. | Oscar Boyd

From India to the U.S., the pandemic has spurred millions of people to leave their jobs in search of more fulfilling, flexible roles, in what has been dubbed the Great Resignation. But so far at least, Japan’s workforce is charting a very different course, with fewer people than ever moving jobs. This week, senior staff writer Alex Martin joins to discuss the changing face of work in Japan, and why so few people seem inclined to switch roles.  Read more: Is Japan on the brink of its own ‘Great Resignation’? (Alex Martin) Japan to review top obstacle to telework — the personal seal Even after pandemic, Japan's labor market faces shortages and mismatches (Kazuaki Nagata) Tokyo loses population for first time in 26 years amid pandemic Yahoo tells Japan employees they can work anywhere and commute by plane when necessary Sponsor: Today’s episode is sponsored by RGF Professional Recruitment Japan, the bilingual arm of Recruit, Japan and Asia's largest recruiting and information service company. Visit RGF Professional Recruitment Japan to register your resume and unleash your potential today. On this episode: Alex K.T. Martin: Articles | Twitter Oscar Boyd: Twitter | Articles | Instagram Transcript: We have recently begun experimenting with transcripts for episodes of Deep Dive. A full transcript of this episode is available on The Japan Times website. Find transcripts useful? Tips for improvement? Contact us to let us know. Announcements: Get in touch with Oscar and the show at deepdive@japantimes.co.jp. Support the show. Rate, review 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: There may not yet be a 'Great Resignation' in Japan, but the pandemic has transformed work culture in many other ways. | Getty Images

As Vladimir Putin's grim war in Ukraine escalates, The Economist's Tokyo bureau chief, Noah Sneider, joins to discuss the reasons for the conflict, the lengths to which Japan is supporting Ukraine, and how the war will redefine relationships between Japan and its northern neighbor, Russia. Read more:  Noah's War in Translation project Japan resists pressure to follow Big Oil’s exit from Russia Japan accepts eight people displaced by Russian invasion of Ukraine Top Japanese and U.S. officials to meet this week to discuss Ukraine war The Japan Times' full coverage of the Russia-Ukraine conflict Sponsor: Today’s episode is sponsored by RGF Professional Recruitment Japan, the bilingual arm of Recruit, Japan and Asia's largest recruiting and information service company. Visit RGF Professional Recruitment Japan to register your resume and unleash your potential today. On this episode: Noah Sneider: Website | Twitter | War in Translation Oscar Boyd: Twitter | Articles | Instagram Transcript We have recently begun experimenting with transcripts for episodes of Deep Dive. A full transcript of this episode is available on The Japan Times website. Find transcripts useful? Tips for improvement? Contact us to let us know. Announcements: Get in touch with Oscar and the show at deepdive@japantimes.co.jp. Support the show. Rate, review 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 march through to protest the Russia-Ukraine war on March 5, 2022 | Reuters

Craig has spent large chunks of the past several years walking across Japan, completing months-long journeys along the country's historical walking routes, like the Tokaido, the Nakasendo and the Kumano Kodo. As he goes, he documents his experiences, sharing essays and photographs through his member-supported newsletters, and his books, Koya Bound and Kissa by Kissa.  "Walking is everything." he says. And if you've got the time and the inclination to do it, it is the best way to come to know the country, from beautifully preserved shrines and forests to the messier parts of suburban reality — pachinko parlors and all. Read more:  Paying pilgrimage to the last kissaten on the Kumano Kodo (Craig Mod, The Japan Times) Craig's website, where you can sign up to his walking newsletters I walked 600 miles across Japan for pizza toast (Craig Mod, Eater) Sponsor: Today’s episode is sponsored by RGF Professional Recruitment Japan, the bilingual arm of Recruit, Japan and Asia's largest recruiting and information service company. Visit RGF Professional Recruitment Japan to register your resume and unleash your potential today. On this episode: Craig Mod: Articles | Twitter | Instagram Oscar Boyd: Twitter | Articles | Instagram Transcript We have recently begun experimenting with transcripts for episodes of Deep Dive. A full transcript of this episode is available on The Japan Times website. Find transcripts useful? Tips for improvement? Contact us to let us know. Announcements: Get in touch with Oscar and the show at deepdive@japantimes.co.jp. Support the show. Rate, review 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: Craig Mod has spent the past several years completing monthslong walks along some of Japan's historical walking routes. | Craig Mod

Kanako Takahara, head of The Japan Times' domestic news team, joins Deep Dive to give us the details. Read more:  It's official: Japan eases entry restrictions for foreign students, business travelers and other nontourists What you need to know about Japan's upcoming eased border restrictions  Japan to shorten or drop quarantine requirements for most arrivals from March  Japan’s entry ban leaves students and universities counting the cost Survey on how the travel ban has affected students Sponsor: Today’s episode is sponsored by RGF Professional Recruitment Japan, the bilingual arm of Recruit, Japan and Asia's largest recruiting and information service company. Visit RGF Professional Recruitment Japan to register your resume and unleash your potential today. On this episode: Kanako Takahara: Articles | Twitter Oscar Boyd: Twitter | Articles | Instagram Transcript We have recently begun experimenting with transcripts for episodes of Deep Dive. A full transcript of this episode is available on The Japan Times website. Find transcripts useful? Tips for improvement? Contact us to let us know. Announcements: Get in touch with Oscar and the show at deepdive@japantimes.co.jp. Support the show. Rate, review 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 passenger walks the arrival hall at Tokyo's Haneda Airport | AFP

Winifred Bird is the author of "Eating Wild Japan," a book that goes deep into the foraging culture of Japan and contains essays on foraging, a selection of recipes and a guide to forageable plants. In her essays, Winifred touches on rural culture and decline, the state of Japan's forests and coastal areas, and the food of the indigenous Ainu people. Winifred joins Deep Dive to discuss Japan's foraging culture, and the role wild foods play in modern society. Read more: Winifred's book, Eating Wild Japan (Winifred Bird, Stone Bridge Press) Kris Kosaka's review, Foraging in Japan: What to eat and where to find it J.J. O Donoghue's article, "Is farming in Japan on its last legs?" Japan's farming population falls below 2 million for first time: survey Sponsor: Today’s episode is sponsored by RGF Professional Recruitment Japan, the bilingual arm of Recruit, Japan and Asia's largest recruiting and information service company. Visit RGF Professional Recruitment Japan to register your resume and unleash your potential today. On this episode: Winifred Bird: Website Oscar Boyd: Twitter | Articles | Instagram Transcript We have recently begun experimenting with transcripts for episodes of Deep Dive. A full transcript of this episode is available on The Japan Times website. Find transcripts useful? Tips for improvement? Contact us to let us know. Announcements: Get in touch with Oscar and the show at deepdive@japantimes.co.jp. Support the show. Rate, review 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 rural populations are in decline, threatening the future of foraging culture. | iStock

Over the past 20 years, Japan has become known around the world as a dream destination for skiers and snowboarders. Yet the country has had an on-and-off love affair with snow sports.  As domestic interest in skiing and snowboarding has waned, resorts have become increasingly reliant on international visitors. So when the pandemic hit, and Japan's borders were shut, many of them were plunged into crisis.  Japan Times contributor Francesco Basetti joins Deep Dive to discuss the rise and fall of the Japanese ski industry, and how resorts are faring with so few people able to enjoy them. Read more:  With international tourists still absent, Japan’s ski resorts dig deep (Francesco Bassetti and Oscar Boyd) Wipe out: Japan's ski slopes suffering worst winter in decades The Japan Times' full coverage of the Winter Olympics Sponsor: Today’s episode is sponsored by RGF Professional Recruitment Japan, the bilingual arm of Recruit, Japan and Asia's largest recruiting and information service company. Visit RGF Professional Recruitment Japan to register your resume and unleash your potential today. On this episode: Francesco Bassetti: Articles | Twitter Oscar Boyd: Twitter | Articles | Instagram Transcript We have recently begun experimenting with transcripts for episodes of Deep Dive. A full transcript of this episode is available on The Japan Times website. Find transcripts useful? Tips for improvement? Contact us to let us know. Announcements: Get in touch with Oscar and the show at deepdive@japantimes.co.jp. Support the show. Rate, review 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: Hakuba Valley received fewer than half its usual number of visitors in the 2020-21 season. | Courtesy of Evergreen Outdoor Center

With omicron surging around the world, Japan Times sports reporter Dan Orlowitz tells us about the stringent measures put in place to allow these Games to take place, and how Japan is responding to the U.S. call for a diplomatic boycott of these Olympics. Later in the show, Dr. Madeleine Orr joins us to talk about how climate change is threatening the Winter Olympics, and why Beijing is so uniquely reliant on artificial snow. Read more:  Absence of Yuzuru Hanyu fans at Beijing 2022 a relief for Xi’s Pooh-paranoid censors (Dan Orlowitz, The Japan Times) Slippery Slopes: How climate change is threatening the Winter Olympics (The Sport Ecology Group) China’s fake snow frenzy for Beijing Olympics strains water supplies China reports 34 new COVID-19 cases among personnel connected to Olympics Ahead of Olympics, Lower House issues toned-down resolution on 'rights situation' in China The Japan Times' full coverage of the Winter Olympics Sponsor: Today’s episode is sponsored by RGF Professional Recruitment Japan, the bilingual arm of Recruit, Japan and Asia's largest recruiting and information service company. Visit RGF Professional Recruitment Japan to register your resume and unleash your potential today. Livestream Dan will join Oscar for a livestream about his experiences in Beijing on Twitter on Monday, Feb. 7 at 8 p.m. Japan time. Follow @japantimes to join the conversation when they go live. On this episode: Dan Orlowitz: Articles | Twitter Madeleine Orr: Twitter | The Sport Ecology Group Oscar Boyd: Twitter | Articles | Instagram Transcript We have recently begun experimenting with transcripts for episodes of Deep Dive. A full transcript of this episode is available on The Japan Times website. Find transcripts useful? Tips for improvement? Contact us to let us know. Announcements: Get in touch with Oscar and the show at deepdive@japantimes.co.jp. Support the show. Rate, review 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 volunteer wearing a face mask and shield is seen at the National Aquatics Center in Beijing on Sunday. | REUTERS

At the start of the year, AMC Networks — the U.S. company behind shows like “The Walking Dead” and “Breaking Bad” — acquired anime distributor Sentai, and with it the anime-streaming service Hidive. In August 2021, Sony bought the anime-streaming service Crunchyroll for almost $1.2 billion. And streaming giants such as Netflix and Disney have been pouring money into original anime programming over the past few years. Interest in anime around the world has never been higher.   Behind the scenes, though, animators struggle to make a living and many insiders are calling the industry unsustainable as studios struggle to keep up with demand and the pandemic slows production.  The Japan Times' culture editor Alyssa I. Smith talks with contributor Matt Schley about why Japan’s anime industry is booming and the challenges it faces in 2022.  Read more:  The push to go digital opens new doors for anime (Matt Schley, The Japan Times) Streaming heavyweights made big moves into the world of anime in 2021 (Matt Schley, The Japan Times) Younger animators still struggling amid anime boom (Matt Schley, The Japan Times) ‘Akira’: Looking back at the future (Matt Schley, The Japan Times) Kyoto Animation: A unique force in Japan's anime industry (Matt Schley, The Japan Times) Sponsor: Today’s episode is sponsored by RGF Professional Recruitment Japan, the bilingual arm of Recruit, Japan and Asia's largest recruiting and information service company. Visit RGF Professional Recruitment Japan to register your resume and unleash your potential today. On this episode: Matt Schley: Articles | Twitter Alyssa I. Smith: Articles Oscar Boyd: Twitter | Articles | Instagram Announcements: Get in touch with Oscar and the show 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 still from 'Spirited Away,' which remains the only Japanese anime to win an Academy Award. © 2001 Studio Ghibli