This Week In Japan

05/03/2022

Hey guys, it’s been a while since we released our last episode but here’s some update on our YouTube activity.

First of all, the Ken Watanabe video that we helped Chris produce is finally out! We’ve spent “months” coordinating things besides filming and editing it, so hope you guys check it out!
I Spent a Week with Japan’s Biggest Movie Star | Ken Watanabe
https://youtu.be/TlW1tN34MZU

Besides, we’ve made another video with Chris on our Japan Go! channel. The video’s about Olive Wagyu which is considered one of the most elusive cuts of Wagyu beef in Japan today.
Japan's RAREST Beef | Olive Wagyu (feat in Japan )
https://youtu.be/7eMjYXRcm-0

This year, we’ll probably be spending more on making videos than podcast, but it’s nice to stay in touch with you all. Stay safe everyone! - Julian & Yasu

As Japan's biggest movie star, Ken Watanabe has performed in Hollywood movies such as The Last Samurai, Batman Begins, Godzilla & Inception. But it's off the...

06/02/2022

This week we discuss the remarkable lengths one student went to cheat on an exam, the most unbelieve accident to ever happen when a man falling from a roof caused another woman to fall out of a window, Japan's favorite snack is finally raising its price by ¥2 after 40 years and a videogame developer has requested that fans do not send chocolate and presents to their favorite videogame characters this year.

Word of the Week:
アラサー (ara-saa)
アラフォー (ara-foo)
アラフィフ (ara-fifu)

Listen on:
Apple Podcasts - https://bit.ly/ThisWeekInJapan
Spotify - https://spoti.fi/3arHs5w
Google Podcasts - https://bit.ly/ThisWeekInJapanGoogle

28/01/2022

** UPDATE **
Hi everyone, hope you're all doing well this Friday!
Today is our usual recording time for This Week In Japan, but unfortunately, we'll have to postpone it (perhaps for a few days) due to some unforeseen circumstances.
We'll let you know soon when to expect the next episode!

15/01/2022

This week we discuss the huge success of the latest anime movie hit 'Jujutsu Kaisen 0', how a firefighter is in trouble for moonlighting as a Youtuber & the unlikely new toy that's taking Japan by storm!

Word of the Week:
イクメン (iku-men)

Listen on:
Apple Podcasts - https://bit.ly/ThisWeekInJapan
Spotify - https://spoti.fi/3arHs5w
Google Podcasts - https://bit.ly/ThisWeekInJapanGoogle

08/01/2022

Happy New Year everybody! 明けましておめでとうございます！　We're back with the 1st episode of 2022 and the start of Season 4!

This week we discuss the sudden snowfall in Tokyo, the police department that is currently in hot water over a couple of misplaced floppy disks, the world's oldest person Kane Tanaka turning 119, a team from Meiji University inventing a lickable screen you can taste and Convenience store chain Lawson's vision for a greener future.

Words of the Week:
ドンマイ - (don-mai)
バリアフリー (baria-furii)
レスバ (re-su-ba)

Listen on:
Apple Podcasts - https://bit.ly/ThisWeekInJapan
Spotify - https://spoti.fi/3arHs5w
Google Podcasts - https://bit.ly/ThisWeekInJapanGoogle

19/12/2021

Hey everybody! Sorry if you checked in for a new episode yesterday and couldn't find it. We were, unfortunately, unable to record this week but will be releasing a new episode a bit earlier next week on Thursday 23rd December.
That will also be our final show of the year as we start to wind down for Winter vacation. We hope you'll all be having fun and enjoying time with family.
As we close up for 2021 though, let us know, what were some of YOUR favourite stories of this year in Japan?

11/12/2021

This week we discuss billionaire Yusaku Maezawa who just became the first Japanese civilian to travel to space, how prolonged exposure to face masks is causing unexpected anxiety and outrage as a school in Tokyo asks students to relinquish their social media passwords.

Word of the Week:
学歴フィルター (gakureki-firutā)

Listen on:
Apple Podcasts - https://bit.ly/ThisWeekInJapan
Spotify - https://spoti.fi/3arHs5w
Google Podcasts - https://bit.ly/ThisWeekInJapanGoogle

04/12/2021

This week we discuss Japan's tightened border restrictions worlding the discovery of the new Omicron Covid variant, how Japan's favourite Christmas food (fried chicken) is facing severe shortages, and how Japanese workers are dreading the return of the high pressure, end of year party known as bounenkai.

Word of the Week:
バップ (bappu)

Listen on:
Apple Podcasts - https://bit.ly/ThisWeekInJapan
Spotify - https://spoti.fi/3arHs5w
Google Podcasts - https://bit.ly/ThisWeekInJapanGoogle

27/11/2021

This week we discuss the nominations for Japan's 'Word of the Year' 2021 competition (流行語大賞), JAXA's search for new astronauts for the first time in 13 years, the seemingly positive return to normalcy with low COVID-19 numbers, and how Uber Eats drivers are unhappy with the current state of flexible wages.

Word of the Year Nominations:
うっせえわ！ (usseewa)
ぼったくり男爵 (bottakuri-dan-shoku)
黙食 (moku-shoku)
ピクトグラム (pikutoguramu)
ウマ娘 (uma-musume)
リアル二刀流 (riaru-ni-tou-ryuu)

Listen on:
Apple Podcasts - https://bit.ly/ThisWeekInJapan
Spotify - https://spoti.fi/3arHs5w
Google Podcasts - https://bit.ly/ThisWeekInJapanGoogle

25/11/2021

This week we discuss 19-year old shogi master Sōta Fujii becoming the 'Dragon King', JR East performing the 1st ever test run of its new autonomous bullet train system, a 16-year old girl who engineered an AI system to prevent aggressive drivers, a Tokyo team of researchers that made a 'super clone' of the world's oldest but destroyed oil painting and KFC Japan was trending on Twitter this week for a comical reason.

Word of the Week: 二刀流 (ni-tou-ryuu)

Listen on:
Apple Podcasts - https://bit.ly/ThisWeekInJapan
Spotify - https://spoti.fi/3arHs5w
Google Podcasts - https://bit.ly/ThisWeekInJapanGoogle

15/11/2021

This week we discuss an Osaka landmark becoming the center of an anti-vax photoshop controversy, a disgruntled JR West Train driver who is suing his employer for $0.50, and how an 84-year old Granpa who has become the countries oldest Pokémon GO Master!

Word of the Week: 割り勘 (wari-kan)

Listen on:
Apple Podcasts - https://bit.ly/ThisWeekInJapan
Spotify - https://spoti.fi/3arHs5w
Google Podcasts - https://bit.ly/ThisWeekInJapanGoogle

06/11/2021

Hey guys! If you were wondering why there's no new episode this week, it's because we're currently in Kesennuma (Tohoku) this weekend assisting our good friend Chris Broad with an upcoming video!

Later today we'll be filming Japan's greatest actor, Mr. Ken Watanabe as he rocks out on stage. We won't spoil too much now but just wanted to give you guys a little teaser of what's to come. We don't know the exact date but it should be out by the end of the year on the Abroad in Japan channel and we're all super excited for you to see it.

Sorry again but we'll be back next week though for your listening pleasure!

30/10/2021

This week we discuss the conclusion of Princess Mako's long overdue marriage to Kei Komuro and how Tokyo's busiest train line was closed over the weekend for renovations on an impressive scale!

Word of the Week: 撮り鉄 (tori-tetsu)

Listen on:
Apple Podcasts - https://bit.ly/ThisWeekInJapan
Spotify - https://spoti.fi/3arHs5w
Google Podcasts - https://bit.ly/ThisWeekInJapanGoogle

23/10/2021

This week we discuss the huge volcanic eruption on Mt A*o in Kumamoto Prefecture, former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's foray into the world of Youtube, the end of a Japanese gamer's epic quest to collect 3,289 Playstation games & how frozen food vending machines are pleasing customers and saving businesses all across Japan.

Word of the week: バイトテロ (baito-tero)

Listen on:
Apple Podcasts - https://bit.ly/ThisWeekInJapan
Spotify - https://spoti.fi/3arHs5w
Google Podcasts - https://bit.ly/ThisWeekInJapanGoogle

17/10/2021

This week we discuss the upcoming virtual Shibuya Halloween experience, Japan's 1st ever typhoon research institute, the 2021 results of the most appealing prefecture survey, and how ramen shops are starting to ban YouTubers and critics.

Word of the week:
フロリダ (furorida)

Listen on:
Apple Podcasts - https://bit.ly/ThisWeekInJapan
Spotify - https://spoti.fi/3arHs5w
Google Podcasts - https://bit.ly/ThisWeekInJapanGoogle

10/10/2021

This week we discuss Japan's new Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, a brief update of Princess Mako's wedding, and the Japanese-born American climate scientist Shukuro Manabe, who just won a Nobel Prize.

Word of the Week: ロン毛 (ron-ge)

Listen on:
Apple Podcasts - https://bit.ly/ThisWeekInJapan
Spotify - https://spoti.fi/3arHs5w
Google Podcasts - https://bit.ly/ThisWeekInJapanGoogle

26/09/2021

This week we discuss Japan's new rules on age limits for children in opposite-sex onsen & a new app is being developed to help protect the human rights of foreign works in Japan.

Word of the Week:
バッシュ (basshu)

Listen on:
Apple Podcasts - https://bit.ly/ThisWeekInJapan
Spotify - https://spoti.fi/3arHs5w
Google Podcasts - https://bit.ly/ThisWeekInJapanGoogle

18/09/2021

This week we discuss the growing worldwide popularity of Matcha powder and how the industry in Japan is adapting to meet demand.

Word of the Week:
親ガチャ (oyagacha)

Listen on:
Apple Podcasts - https://bit.ly/ThisWeekInJapan
Spotify - https://spoti.fi/3arHs5w
Google Podcasts - https://bit.ly/ThisWeekInJapanGoogle

‎ニュース · 2021年