Tomoko Otake

The Japan Times

Could Japan see more avalanches like one that hit Nepal?

By: Tomoko Otake

Though the scale and mechanisms may vary, experts say Japan is not immune to the risk of catastrophic mudslides.

The Japan Times

Four Japanese scientists win prestigious U.S. Lasker Awards

By: Tomoko Otake

One received the prize for his work on a sleep-regulating brain chemical, and a trio, for discovering an antibody therapy for hemophilia A patients.

The Japan Times

In superaged Japan, athletes are making waves well into their 90s

By: Tomoko Otake

Regardless of age, engaging in sports brings multiple health benefits — the greater one’s physical fitness, the longer one tends to live.

The Japan Times

Clinical trials for Alzheimer’s treatment face global shortage of participants

By: Tomoko Otake

The shortage of trial participants risks slowing progress in dementia therapies, Alzheimer’s Disease International warns.

The Japan Times

University of Tokyo’s first female president vows to restore trust in scandal-hit school

By: Tomoko Otake

Yuko Fujigaki, 64, told a news conference that she thinks being chosen to lead the 150-year-old institution “sends a powerful message to society.”

The Japan Times

As state funding stalls, medical researchers in Japan pivot to crowdfunding

By: Tomoko Otake

Medical campaigns have surged, particularly since the pandemic, when the acute shortage of resources at some hospitals became widely known.

The Japan Times

Nobel winner Kenso Soai says he understood the significance of his research

By: Tomoko Otake

“I may sound arrogant, but I had thought I would not get complaints if I won,” the Japanese scientist said of his achievement.

The Japan Times

KDDI subsidiary faces criticism and questions over Mongolian wildfire

By: Tomoko Otake

Mobicom is also likely to be hit with compensation claims after a company vehicle ignites a blaze in a nature preserve.

The Japan Times

A dramatic bear hunt in a midsize Japanese city could be a harbinger of what is to come

By: Tomoko Otake

Utsunomiya’s dramatic three-day ordeal with an at-large bear could be a mere sign of what’s to come for Japanese cities.

The Japan Times

What can Asia do to avoid crossing crucial climate tipping points?

By: Tomoko Otake

At a global conference in smog-hit Malaysia, scientists outlined how the Earth’s natural systems are buckling due to warming.