Alex K.T. Martin

Tokyo-based journalist.

[Alex K.T. Martin @AlexktMartin]

I spoke with the daughter of a man whose disappearance sheds light on a little-seen consequence of Japan’s aging society: the rising number of elderly people with dementia who go missing each year. https://t.co/wJDYlHpaiF

[The Japan Times @japantimes]

As Japan's population ages, thousands of people with dementia are reported missing every year — and some are never found. One daughter turned her search for her father into advocacy. 👉 https://t.co/VAp7ZYRZNc

[The Japan Times @japantimes]

He left home for an evening walk around 4 p.m. and never came back. As Japan's population ages, thousands of people with dementia are reported missing every year — and some are never found. One daughter turned her search for her father into advocacy. https://t.co/0HrWH1Av1i

[Alex K.T. Martin @AlexktMartin]

AI is beginning to enter temples and shrines in Japan, raising questions about what can — and can’t — be replicated when it comes to ritual, belief and human presence. My story: https://t.co/vHdq9Z5UV1

[The Japan Times @japantimes]

Monks are building chatbots. Robots are entering rituals. But something essential may be missing. What happens when AI starts to sound like the Buddha? https://t.co/w617l1nQex

[Alex K.T. Martin @AlexktMartin]

Japan’s hay fever problem is the legacy of a postwar reforestation campaign. My story: https://t.co/e5vI8H83wG

[Alex K.T. Martin @AlexktMartin]

I covered the 2011 Tohoku quake and nuclear disaster when it happened. 15 years later, I visited communities still shaped by displacement — from the still-sparsely populated town of Futaba to a new inland neighborhood built for tsunami survivors. My story: https://t.co/dvWakQJnpr

[The Japan Times @japantimes]

Recovery following the 2011 earthquake, tsunami and nuclear crisis has been uneven across northern Japan. What do those efforts reveal about reconstruction as the country prepares for the next megaquake? 👉 https://t.co/HJF4BdIdMn

[Alex K.T. Martin @AlexktMartin]

https://t.co/od9AYaJQRo

[Alex K.T. Martin @AlexktMartin]

A Japanese temple builder founded in 578 is still operating today. So is a 1,300-year-old hot spring inn, along with Japan’s largest school of ikebana. How have these institutions survived wars, disasters and social change for over a millennium? My story: https://t.co/FQnA8aoEJF

[The Japan Times @japantimes]

Japan’s reputation for longevity extends beyond its people. Some of its oldest companies — from temple builders to hot spring inns — offer clues to how craft and continuity can outlast centuries of change. https://t.co/S2y0SvuuGT

[Alex K.T. Martin @AlexktMartin]

From cuddly crowd-pleasers to symbols of international ties — my latest on Ueno’s pandas and what their goodbye means for Japan and China🐼 https://t.co/tkYNMeOOeu

[The Japan Times @japantimes]

When Ueno Zoo’s last pandas leave this month, the loss won’t just be emotional. Economists estimate the absence of pandas could cost the area ¥15 billion a year — a reminder that pandas are serious business. 👉 https://t.co/oVHDTfY06e

[The Japan Times @japantimes]

In tomorrow's edition of The Japan Times Weekend: What happens when the pandas leave Ueno?

[Alex K.T. Martin @AlexktMartin]

Despite long-term declines in crime, “taikan chian” (体感治安) — the public’s perceived sense of safety — is worsening in Japan. I explored the gap between data and sentiment. https://t.co/SLz7JD13v1

[The Japan Times @japantimes]

Japan is one of the world’s safest countries. So why do so many people feel uneasy? This week, @AlexktMartin takes a look at crime, perception and the growing gap between data and fear. 👉 https://t.co/RlbCPFNt8p

[Alex K.T. Martin @AlexktMartin]

@heathcozens 明けましておめでとう御座います！是非是非！

[Alex K.T. Martin @AlexktMartin]

Wishing everyone a peaceful and healthy 2026🙏
今年もありがとうございました。
皆さまが安心して過ごせる2026年になりますように🎍

[The Japan Times @japantimes]

Japan is the fastest aging nation in the world. Now that we're closer to 2050 than 2000, how will that affect the generation now coming of age? 👉 https://t.co/9i2DiGUMsJ

[Alex K.T. Martin @AlexktMartin]

For my final story of 2025, I looked ahead to the next quarter century for Japan — and the society today’s young adults may inherit as demographic decline accelerates. Thanks for reading this year, and a Happy New Year to all! 良いお年をお迎えください！🎍https://t.co/Gm3ttoT6ia