Alex Martin
The Japan Times
Japan
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Past articles by Alexander:
The future of food: Insects?
A thriving industry looks promising if consumer aversion can be overcome. → Read More
The winter coronavirus conundrum: How much heat vs. how much ventilation
The dry and often freezing climate is proving to be challenging as restaurants, shops and other facilities scramble to keep their facilities safe. → Read More
Escaping COVID-19: When you can’t see the virus for the trees
Individuals are replacing forestry companies and large corporations in efforts to buy plots of affordable forestland — but for a very different reason. → Read More
Amabie: Folklore apparition generated a big buzz in 2020
The long-haired, beak-faced amabie, which forecasts bountiful harvests and killer epidemics, has found itself in Japan's spotlight in recent months. → Read More
How Japan’s growing subscription economy could redefine the way consumers and companies interact
Japan has lagged behind other nations in terms of subscription-based activities, but the model is finally catching on as consumers explore new ways of doing business. → Read More
As COVID-19 persists, Japan looks to send in the robots
A new wave of service machines has emerged amid the coronavirus pandemic to help maintain safety and social distancing. → Read More
How COVID-19 has affected Japan's drinking culture
Suit-clad office workers are no longer flocking to Japanese-style pubs in mass to unwind after a long day at the office. Where are they drinking instead? → Read More
Episode 58: A brief history of mask wearing in Japan
The Japan Times' Alex Martin discusses the history of mask wearing and how it's changed from the Edo Period to the Spanish Flu to the COVID-19 pandemic. → Read More
Examining the history behind Japan’s love of face masks
In Japan, it's sometimes said that the eyes speak as much as the mouth. Perhaps the proverbial phrase captures the essence of the nation’s affinity for fac → Read More
Rethinking summer in Japan amid a pandemic
Japan struggles to deal with the cancellation of annual seasonal events that serve as a lifeblood for local communities. → Read More
Getting the wheels back on Japan's travel industry
Unprecedented travel restrictions have crippled tourism, forcing businesses in the sector to rethink strategies and explore new opportunities. → Read More
Remote possibilities: Can every home in Japan become an office?
The COVID-19 pandemic is prompting companies to adopt remote work to reduce contagion risks, accelerating the digital shift of the workspace. → Read More
Hard sell: Japan’s retail sector may need to reinvent itself in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic
A sea change in shopping habits amid the new coronavirus outbreak could impact marketing and distribution across the country for years to come. → Read More
Japan’s economic backbone creaks under the weight of COVID-19
Domestic small and medium-size businesses are bearing the brunt of business closures amid a nationwide state of emergency → Read More
Looking for solace in Japanese mythology during a pandemic
Amid growing anxiety over an invisible pathogen that has so far claimed tens of thousands of lives worldwide, some Japanese are turning to faith and mythology for solace. → Read More
In graying Japan, the market for home shopping is still maturing
The suit-clad television presenter makes breathless promises about the qualities of the Hitachi rice cooker he is pitching, describing how the induction he → Read More
Coronavirus pandemic fuels trend toward smaller funerals in Japan
From dispatching Buddhist monks to connecting grieving families with affordable funeral homes, Osaka-based end-of-life startup Uniquest Inc. is among the m → Read More
In bloom? Celebrating Japan’s iconic cherry trees in a time of pandemic
Blossoms are beginning to open in Tokyo, but will this year's celebrations wither due to concern over the new coronavirus? → Read More
Michi no eki: Japan's truck stops are kings of the road
This isn't your modest highway truck stop with parking, public toilets, a few vending machines and a kiosk. Occupying 5 hectares of land by Route 64, a roa → Read More
What's Japan's next food trend? It might finally be pulled pork
Barbecue pulled pork might not have taken off in Japan just yet, but thanks to restaurants like Fatz's The San Franciscan, which aserve up the real slow-smoked deal, that might be about to change. → Read More