The murder of an elderly homeless woman in Tokyo in November was another reminder of the vulnerability of people living on the streets, even in one of the world’s safest cities. Misako Obayashi, 64, was hit on the head, apparently with a bag of rocks, while sitting at a bus stop near Sasazuka Station in the early hours of Nov 16. Her alleged killer, Kazuhito Yoshida, 46, reportedly offered her money to move elsewhere and became enraged when she refused.
Japan's retirees offer solution to labor shortage conundrum
For Eiji and Kumiko Ishikawa, the working day starts as early as 5 a.m. Having loaded the requisite equipment into their van, they set off for their first job of the day,...
This article has not yet been translated.
This article has not yet been translated into English.
Tokyo has created one of the world’s best sewage-management systems but unions warn of the impact of market-driven capitalism and climate change.
Japan’s gender gap is still wide and post-covid austerity threatens to make it worse. The defense of our most vulnerable communities, including women, is the greatest defense we can provide for our economies and citizens.
Someone in the Japanese government appears to have ordered an Osaka-based union to be destroyed. The Kan’nama story has triggered alarming constitutional questions – but little media attention.
May Day Eve for Women was organized to recognize and re-evaluate unpaid and underappreciated domestic and care work in and outside of their homes.
An interview with former firefighter: Yukio Takayama
The high-pitched sound of the dosimeter echoed in the darkness, and hyper-rescue personnel who had been dispatched from Tokyo confirmed their radiation doses. On that day, March 18, 2011, the world watched on...
Vulnerable young gay men lured into "legal" Tokyo sex industry
At a glance, First Dash is just a regular Tokyo bar. Customers laugh and drink, their animated chatter competing with the monotonous beat of techno thumping through speakers hovering somewhere...