Flush, then Fill Up: Japan Taps Sewage to Fuel Hydrogen-Powered Cars
When Mutsuro Yuji, chief of the central sewage plant in Fukuoka, first heard about the idea of making hydrogen from biogas — the combination of methane and carbon dioxide produced by the breakdown of stinky matter — he was skeptical. But now, drivers are able to roll up to the sewage plant and power up their hydrogen fuel cell cars at what you might call the world’s first toilet-to-tank filling station.
Citizen Science Takes on Japan’s Nuclear Establishment
As other Tokyo office workers poured into restaurants and bars at quitting time one recent evening, Kohei Matsushita went to the eighth floor of a high-rise for an unusual after-hours activity: learning how to assemble his own Geiger counter from a kit.
Learning from Japan’s Tsunami: Six Steps to Improve International Disaster Philanthropy
When news began trickling out about the massive earthquake and tsunami that struck Japan on March 11, 2011, it was immediately clear we were dealing with a disaster of historic proportions. What was less clear was how the rest of the world should respond, especially since the disaster hit a rich country rather than an impoverished one.
Japan’s Centuries-Old Tradition of Making Soba Noodles
Here in Japan, the buckwheat noodles known as soba are a staple. Nowhere more so than in the mountains of the southern island of Shikoku. The soil there is poor. Buckwheat is one of the few crops that will grow. So the region has been known for its soba for centuries.
How Art Transformed a Remote Japanese Island
Art can enlighten, soothe, challenge and provoke. Sometimes it can transform a community. Case in point: a 5.5-square-mile island called Naoshima in Japan’s Seto Inland Sea, where art tourism has brought big changes to the island and the lives of its residents.
East Asia Insights | Five Factors That Could Lead to War with North Korea
What are the five factors that could lead to war with North Korea? They include the domestic turmoil in both political systems and the fact that differences between American and North Korean political systems and the absence of normal diplomatic relations increase the possibility of misunderstandings.
Accepting Immigrants is the Ultimate Key to Reviving Japan
The Japanese government continues to avoid adopting an immigration policy unpopular with the public as the population continues to decline. While the groundwork for receiving migrants has been laid to a degree at the grassroots level, the government should undertake to develop a comprehensive immigration policy.
Japan on Missile Mission to Get 127 Million People to Hide—Fast
Natalie Andrews reports on Japan’s efforts to train its citizens how to effectively respond to a missile threat, a necessary process given looming threats from North Korea.
East Asia Insights | Confronting Uncertainty in East Asia
From a Japanese perspective, the defining characteristic of East Asia’s regional order today appears to be the high degree of uncertainty that prevails about what might come next. Geopolitical uncertainty seems to be intensifying on all fronts, whether one looks at the disarray engulfing US politics and foreign policy, the escalation of tensions with North Korea, the challenge of managing relations with China, or even Japan’s domestic politics. How can leaders around the region work to find a way to dispel this uncertainty?
Why Japan Is Paying Single Mothers to Move to the Countryside
Japan’s population is projected to shrink by a third by 2065. With small towns getting smaller, local governments are looking for creative ways to bring in new people.