In-depth News Features | NHK WORLD-JAPAN News

A piano that was exposed to the blast and radiation from the atomic bombing of Hiroshima 80 years ago has made it on stage. A German playwright who was inspired by the instrument’s tragic story to write the piece in which the piano takes center stage has finally been able to see it for himself.

Oren Cass, the founder and chief economist of conservative think tank American Compass, believes that "making things matters" ― and that tariffs play a crucial role in rebuilding American industry. The 41-year-old is not part of the Trump administration, but is closely aligned with key figures like Vice President J.D. Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. In late March, Cass visited Japan for...

Immigration judges in the United States play a crucial role in hearing the cases of non-citizens and deciding their future. But as dozens get fired by the Trump administration, a retired court official – himself a third-generation Japanese American – is sounding a warning that people's rights are under threat.

The slowing Chinese economy is fueling employment concerns especially among young people. University graduates are struggling to find work and many have set their sights on jobs with the government or at state-owned companies. The best and brightest want stability — and that means they are set to become cogs in the wheel of the powerful one-party Communist system.

A team from NHK-World takes an exclusive look inside the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, which suffered a triple meltdown in the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami. The disaster forced tens of thousands of people to flee their homes, and the decommissioning process is expected to carry on for decades.

The Akiruno area of western Tokyo is home to hillsides draped with hydrangea blooms in season. During early summer, the area attracts thousands of tourists who flock to see the flowers under a canopy of cedar and cypress boughs.

Just south of the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant lies the town of Tomioka, where residents were ordered to evacuate following the triple meltdown in 2011. Those orders have now mostly been lifted, but as people return, they've been saddened to find the town’s colorful azalea bushes were removed during decontamination work. One young man has made it his mission to revive the symboli...

As Japan's population shrinks, rural areas are facing a problem ― too many empty houses. An American fan of Japanese architecture is stepping in to preserve old homes, even if it means shipping them piece-by-piece across the country.

South Koreans reacted with anger and defiance when their President abruptly declared martial law earlier this month. The ensuing turmoil was captured in an iconic image that shows an opposition party spokesperson grabbing the rifle of a soldier amid chaotic protests outside the parliament building in Seoul. Weeks later, Yoon Suk-yeol is suspended from duty following a successful move by the opposi...

Landscape photographer Imai Go has a soft spot for sparrows. It's an interest that began four years ago when he captured some images of one of the tiny, delicate birds nibbling on cherry blossom buds.

Harris or Trump? The world's largest economy is heading to the polls on November 5th to choose its next leader. The outcome could have wide-ranging economic effects. An expert breaks down what to expect ― from the possibility of rising inflation to a deepening global divide. NHK World's Yanaka Marie interviewed Neil Shearing, Group Chief Economist at Capital Economics.

People across the Noto Peninsula were slowly recovering from January's magnitude-7.5 earthquake when a second disaster struck―in September, record rain caused extensive flooding across the region. Thousands are still living in evacuation facilities and temporary housing, unsure when they can go home. For many, the ordeal has been made a little easier with the support of Syrian man Salim Mazen, who...

The global popularity of Japanese food seemingly knows no bounds. Tourists are flocking to the country in record numbers to savor the cuisine ― but back home, finding the real deal isn't always easy. A legendary sushi master in the United States wants to change that by imparting his knowledge and skills to other top chefs, all while battling cancer.

Efforts to tackle homelessness in the Japanese city of Osaka are having knock-on effects that are resolving a series of other issues facing the metropolis – from illegally parked bicycles to abandoned dwellings. Win-win solutions are being led by non-profit groups offering employment and shelter to people who have troubled backstories but still want to contribute to society.

George Bory is the chief investment strategist for the fixed income team at Allspring Global Investments. He recently visited Tokyo and spoke with NHK World’s Hirata Miyu and Esaki Daisuke about the potential impact of US President-elect Donald Trump’s agenda on the US economy in 2025. The following interview has been edited for brevity and clarity.

Japanese mountaineers Hiraide Kazuya and Nakajima Kenro have posthumously received 2024's Piolet d'Or for the unprecedented feat of ascending the northern wall of Tirich Mir in Pakistan in 2023. The Piolet d'Or award is considered the highest honor in the climbing world. It is given to those who achieve imaginative and innovative climbing by scaling a mountain through new routes while using simple...

A little over a year ago, Japan's Noto Peninsula was shaken by a powerful earthquake. About nine months later, when many people were finding their footing, torrential rains swept through, causing even more destruction. The city of Suzu, perched on the tip of the Noto Peninsula, bore the brunt of both disasters. One man saw his home devastated both times, but instead of succumbing to despair, he be...

The weak yen is luring record numbers of visitors to Japan, and the tourism industry is now turning its attention to travelers who can deliver a bigger economic impact. In April, Japan began issuing 6-month residency visas to traveling remote workers known as digital nomads who can show they earn at least 10 million yen per year. NHK World visited Shimoda City in Shizuoka Prefecture, a coastal cit...

A year after a powerful earthquake ravaged Japan's Noto Peninsula, residents of one historic neighborhood are banding together to expedite repairs to the centuries-old shrine they consider the heart of their community.

A remote island in western Japan is a spiritual home for sumo wrestling. For hundreds of years, a competition in Shimane Prefecture's Okinoshima town has honored a local deity. Among more than 200 people who took part in the latest event were wrestlers from Poland who discovered that the sacred ritual is far more than just a sport.

Nobel Peace Prize-winning economist Muhammad Yunus has a new challenge: The political novice took the helm of an interim Bangladeshi government after a surge of student protests culminated in the ousting of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. In an exclusive interview with NHK World's Mitamura Taro in New York, Yunus shared his vision for his country's future. This is the full transcript of the i...

South Korean pop star group New Jeans surprised fans at its Tokyo concert with a cover of a beloved Japanese '80s hit, sparking a viral buzz back home. NHK World's Aoki Yoshiyuki unpacks why Japanese pop from the 1970s and '80s is enjoying a major revival in South Korea.

NHK interviewed a former prisoner of war who experienced brutality after being captured by Russian forces. His suffering is not unique, according to a United Nations' report based on interviews with hundreds of current and former detainees on both sides. The report claims Russia is carrying out "systematic torture" of Ukrainian prisoners.

Perry Link is a leading sinologist with a deep knowledge of Chinese language and culture, and more than half a century of expertise in US-China relations. During the 1989 Tiananmen Square incident, he helped shelter a prominent Chinese intellectual at the US embassy in Beijing. Although he has been banned from entering China, Link has kept in touch with many of the country’s activists and intellec...

US President-elect Donald Trump won over voters in some surprising places, including reliably blue cities like New York, Chicago and Los Angeles. NHK World's Inoue Yuki takes a closer look at Trump's success amid this swing to red in some of New York's most diverse districts.