JCIE in the Media
Explore English-language articles written by or featuring JCIE staff and senior fellows, coverage of JCIE events, and stories written by JCIE’s US-Japan Journalism Fellows. For Japanese language articles click here.
A Dying Japanese Village Brought Back To Life — By Scarecrows
Ina Jaffe | NPR
August 26, 2016
Japan’s population is declining. For example, the rural village of Nagoro used to have around 300 residents. Now it has 30. Visitors know they’ve arrived when they see the three farmers in floppy hats…
For Some Older Adults In Japan, A Chance To Stay In The Workforce
Ina Jaffe | NPR
August 25, 2016
Hiromi Yamamuro is doing something that’s relatively rare in Japan. At age 67, he’s still working in the corporate world, where traditionally, the mandatory retirement age has been 60. But Yamamuro ke…
93,000 People Voluntarily Left Japan for North Korea After World War II. Or Did They?
Julie Makinen | Los Angeles Times
August 24, 2016
In April 1960, not yet finished with high school, 17-year-old Eiko Kawasaki boarded a Soviet ship called the Kryl’ion in the Japanese port of Niigata and set sail on the journey of a lifetime, to a pl…
Beyond Slurpees: Many Japanese Mini-Marts Now Cater To Elders
Ina Jaffe | NPR
August 23, 2016
In Japanese cities, space is at a premium. So convenience stores that cram everything from Kleenex to rice balls into a few square yards are everywhere. But they’re not just a place for Slurpees and s…
Japanese City Takes Community Approach To Dealing With Dementia
Ina Jaffe | NPR
August 23, 2016
No government plan can keep people with dementia from wandering. But health officials in Japan hope there eventually will be entire communities prepared to help keep them safe, if and when they do. Th…
How Japan Is Dealing With Impacts Of Supporting The Oldest Population In The World
Ina Jaffe | NPR
August 21, 2016
Japan has the oldest population in the world. Nearly 27 percent of the people there are 65 or older. NPR’s Ina Jaffe shares her stories on how Japan is changing as its population grows older.