This week, Mitch and Natsuki are joined by special guest from Natsuki's past to talk about life in America vs Japan, as well as talk about the news this week in Japan! Articles from this week's episode Women in Japan say biggest cause of low birth rate is high cost of child care: survey - The Mainichi https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20230525/p2a/00m/0na/010000c Baby boomtown: does Nagi hold the secret to repopulating Japan? | Japan | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/may/29/baby-boomtown-does-nagi-hold-the-secret-to-repopulating-japan Japan court rules disallowing same ..read more

This week, Mitch and Alex are joined by two special guests as they talk about the good, the bad, and the strange parts of Japan! Support us on patreon: https://www.patreon.com/smalltalkjapan Articles from this week's episode Japan's Nikkei powers to 1990 'bubble' era high | Reuters https://www.reuters.com/markets/asia/japans-nikkei-powers-1990-bubble-era-high-2023-05-19/ https://www.reddit.com/r/japannews/comments/13qaj3n/human_body_found_in_the_stomach_of_a_brown_bear/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=ioscss&utm_content=1&utm_term=1 City legislator's son detained ..read more

Allegations against Japan's biggest boy band producer, the dairy crisis of Japan, weird new gadgets in Japan, and more! That's what Mitch and Ricky talk about on this week's episode of Small Talk Japan! Support us on patreon: https://www.patreon.com/smalltalkjapan Articles from this week's episode New ex-member of Johnny's talent agency claims teenage sexual abuse https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2023/05/34edabd6d1a3-alleged-sex-abuse-victim-lauds-apology-of-johnnys-head-seeks-change.html Tokyo ranked as world’s second wealthiest city after New York | The Asahi Shimbun: Breaking News, Japa ..read more

This week, Natsuki is back in studio with Mitch to talk about crime in Japan, parental harassment, convenience stores with beer on tap, the new Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom merch, and more! Support us on patreon: https://www.patreon.com/smalltalkjapan Articles from this week's episode Japan lowers COVID threat level to same as flu in major policy shift https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2023/05/40b13036adf1-japan-lowers-covid-threat-level-to-same-as-flu-in-major-policy-shift.html Nearly 40% of people surveyed in Japan going without a mask | The Asahi Shimbun: Breaking News, Japan Ne ..read more

This week, Mitch and Ricky talk about the most popular destinations for foreign tourists in Japan, the earthquake that shook Japan, Jack Ma working in Tokyo, and more! Support us on patreon: https://www.patreon.com/smalltalkjapan Articles from this week's episode Shiga Pref. hoping Austria-shaped Lake Biwa makes tourism splash https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2023/05/343aa201fb00-shiga-pref-hoping-austria-shaped-lake-biwa-makes-tourism-splash.html FOCUS: Japan moves to criminalize exploitative photo voyeurism https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2023/05/830036798422-focus-japan-moves-to-cri ..read more

Support us on patreon: https://www.patreon.com/smalltalkjapan Articles from this week's episode https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2023/04/4e4e26d7c472-japan-health-ministry-panel-oks-oral-abortion-pill-for-1st-time.html https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2023/04/47d82b06649b-japan-aims-to-draw-100-tril-yen-foreign-investment-digital-nomads.html https://newsdig.tbs.co.jp/articles/-/459003 https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2023/04/9b8ade8708c5-japan-pm-likely-us-presidential-hopeful-say-alliance-key-to-peace.html https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2023/04/37160f7f36b8-harry-potter-theme-p ..read more

This week, Mitch and Alex talk about Japan's first casino, a film with only audio, guidelines for AI chatbots in schools, and more! Support us on patreon: https://www.patreon.com/smalltalkjapan Articles from this week's episode Sound-only film about foreigners aims to open eyes to their presence https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2023/04/9b5f43f94f62-feature-sound-only-film-about-foreigners-aims-to-open-eyes-to-their-presence.html Japan's crown prince, princess to attend British king's coronation https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2023/04/0f4905ae5fff-japans-crown-prince-princess-to-attend-b ..read more

This week, Mitch is back from China to talk about Japan's birthrate, a potential war, fast food that makes you buff, and more! Articles from this week's episode Tokyo ramen shop bans customers from watching YouTube videos while eating | CNN https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/tokyo-debu-chan-smartphone-ban-intl-hnk/index.html Japan probed China Communist Party member over leaking farm tech data https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2023/04/7267209f526b-japan-probed-china-communist-party-member-over-leaking-farm-tech-data.html China ships stay in Japan waters near Senkakus for record time https ..read more

Support us on patreon: https://www.patreon.com/smalltalkjapan Articles from this week's episode Japan egg prices soar amid record 16 million bird flu cullings https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2023/03/f8b84f25644e-japan-egg-prices-soar-amid-record-16-mil-bird-flu-cullings.html Baseball: Shohei Ohtani fans Mike Trout, closes out Japan's 3rd WBC title https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2023/03/dc14f6a4c8ca-urgent-japan-beats-us-for-3rd-world-baseball-classic-championship.html No. of yakuza, associates probed by Japan police falls below 10,000 in 2022 https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2023/03 ..read more

Support us on patreon: https://www.patreon.com/smalltalkjapan Articles from this week's episode Knife-wielding teen attacks teacher in school near Tokyo, arrested https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2023/03/ab399377a5e7-man-arrested-after-knife-attack-on-teacher-in-school-near-tokyo.html South Korea's Yoon says Japan changed from aggressor to partner https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2023/03/3d039138feed-s-koreas-yoon-says-japan-changed-from-aggressor-to-partner.html Japan sees 1st foreign cruise ship arrival in 3 years https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2023/03/2dd3f82be4bc-japan-sees-1st-fo ..read more