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July 12, 2026
 

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Alistair Smout
Japan Times
WORLD / FOCUS
Nov 5, 2021
Johnson’s COVID-19 gambit steers Britain’s health care system into uncharted waters
Britain, its hospitals and its COVID-19 strategy are under the microscope as the country enters the dangerous winter period.
Japan Times
WORLD / Science & Health
Jul 26, 2021
How the delta variant upends assumptions about the coronavirus
The delta variant is the fastest, fittest and most formidable version of the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 the world has encountered.
Japan Times
WORLD / Science & Health / FOCUS
Nov 24, 2020
Decades of work, and half a dose of fortune, drove Oxford vaccine success
The Oxford vaccinologists were exhilarated on Monday when drugmaker AstraZeneca, with whom they developed the shot, announced that it could be around 90% effective.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Entertainment news
Nov 2, 2020
Johnny Depp loses ‘wife beater’ libel case against The Sun
Hollywood star Johnny Depp on Monday lost his libel battle with a British tabloid that labelled him a “wife beater,” after a London High Court judge ruled he had repeatedly assaulted his former partner and put her in fear for her life.
Japan Times
WORLD / Politics
May 8, 2015
Scottish nationalists crush opponents, setting stage for new independence bid
Scottish nationalists rampaged to victory north of the border in Britain’s national election, obliterating their opponents and setting the stage for a new battle over independence.
Japan Times
WORLD / Politics
Sep 21, 2014
After Scottish vote, U.K. faces monumental shift in governance — and all that comes with it
When 3.6 million Scots voted Thursday on whether to leave or stay within the United Kingdom, they were answering one simple question: Should Scotland be an independent country?
Japan Times
WORLD / Politics
Sep 5, 2014
A Scottish ‘yes’ vote may not be such a big change for the queen
Scotland’s vote on independence this month means Queen Elizabeth II faces a division in her kingdom not seen since the days of her namesake, Elizabeth I, at the start of the 17th century.
Japan Times
WORLD / Politics / FOCUS
Jul 18, 2014
As Scotland decides, not all Scots get a say
Ruth McPherson was born and educated in Scotland but left to work in London two years ago and so has no say on whether her native country should end three centuries of union with England.
China’s demand for Soviet-style apartments shows limits to revival
Apartments built during a Soviet Union-inspired construction drive in the 1970s and 1980s tend to suffer from poor insulation and outdated plumbing, but they are seeing a revival in interest due to their attractive locations.
Japanese scientists identify neural mechanism that may explain why we dislike people
The aggressive mouse (left) used in the experiment and a mouse defending itself
Japanese payment processor’s collapse hits banks and restaurants
Zentoshin served around 200,000 shops, many of which rely on early payments to maintain cash flow, raising concerns over their financial stability following the disruption.
Over 70% of accommodations in Japan say they are understaffed amid tourism influx
The number of foreign visitors to Japan reached a high of 42.68 million in 2025.
Lenders seek $700 million after Japanese payments firm’s collapse
The financial failure of Osaka-based Zentoshin has left 63 creditors with claims totaling ¥115.16 billion, according to Tokyo Shoko Research.
Japan’s largest exhibition of women photographers rights a wrong in cultural history
Miwa Yanagi’s “Elevator Girl House” series skewers the superficiality of gender roles through staged images.
Over 70% of accommodations in Japan say they are understaffed amid tourism influx
The number of foreign visitors to Japan reached a high of 42.68 million in 2025.
‘Princess Mononoke’ comes alive in Super Kabuki staging
The “Princess Mononoke” adaptation was created under Shochiku’s Super Kabuki initiative, a modern form of kabuki with more technology in staging and open to pop culture collaborations.
The beating heart inside ‘Human Vapor’
Different forms of love and connection form the emotional backbone of Netflix’s “Human Vapor,” says actor Shun Oguri, who plays troubled detective Kenji Okamoto.
Japan bets on character IP to drive global growth
Born on social media platforms in 2022, Opanchu Usagi has become a major hit, especially among Generation Z.

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