Rappler's latest stories on Tokyo
Hidilyn Diaz ramps up bid for top Olympic ranking
Weightlifting star Hidilyn Diaz plans to intensify her training in China for two months to gear up for the 2019 Olympic qualifying events

Turning garbage into gold: Tokyo to award e-waste Olympic medals
Tokyo's Olympic organizing committee has stockpiled electronic waste from smartphones and laptops to collect metal for the medals

2019 SEA Games swimming to serve as Olympic qualifier
FINA approves the 30th Southeast Asian Games in Manila as an Olympic qualifying meet

Blackmail letters with suspected cyanide sent to Japanese firms
The letters are sent under the name of executed members of the Japanese doomday cult behind the 1995 sarin gas attack in Tokyo

Tokyo metro offers free food to early subway riders
To decongest the most crowded subway line during rush hour, Tokyo Metro offers free meals of tempura and soba to early commuters

Ghosn awaits fate after vowing to stay in Japan if bailed
(UPDATED) 'As the court considers my bail application, I want to emphasize that I will reside in Japan and respect any and all bail conditions the Court concludes are warranted,' says Carlos Ghosn

Tokyo court denies ex-Nissan chief Ghosn's bail request
The decision means the 64-year-old auto tycoon is likely to stay in custody until his trial, which even his own defense lawyer admits could take 6 months to begin

LOOK: Adorable, one-of-a-kind Sanrio things, food to check out in Tokyo
'Hello Kitty'-themed hotel rooms, food featuring your favorite Sanrio characters, and other souvenirs you can take home – find all of these in the Japanese capital

Record $3.1 million paid in New Year's tuna auction at Japan's new market
Self-styled 'Tuna King' Kiyoshi Kimura pays the top price, which doubled the previous record of 155 million yen also paid by him in 2013.

Ghosn's detention extended to January 11
The move comes as Carlos Ghosn, who was arrested on November 19, faces 3 separate sets of allegations involving financial wrongdoing during his tenure as Nissan chief

IN PHOTOS: Tokyo's Sanrio Puroland is a 'Hello Kitty' fan’s paradise
Meet Hello Kitty and friends in Sanrio’s indoor theme park in west Tokyo

Teen gymnast Carlos Yulo finds winning rhythm in Olympic quest
The 18-year-old is already a favorite to deliver a medal – possibly a gold – for the Philippines in the next Olympiad
Chooks-to-Go 3x3 league boosts PH bid for Olympic berth
The Philippines' inaugural 3x3 league will help the country accumulate much-needed points to qualify for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics

Tokyo 2020 unveils new budget, spending unchanged at $12 billion
Tokyo 2020 organizers pledge that the bill will not increase amid concerns that ballooning costs are putting off potential Olympic host cities

Gold medals, grey zones: Tokyo 2020 budget sparks dispute
Japan and Tokyo 2020 organizers clash in considering which projects are 'Olympics-related'

Japan says 10 med schools altered admissions, some kept out women
An investigation finds out improper school admission practices at 10 Japanese medical schools, including 4 that tried to keep women out

From superstar to suspect: Carlos Ghosn's crazy week
When Carlos Ghosn's private Gulfstream jet touched down at Tokyo's Haneda Airport on November 19, the crazy week of the millionaire auto tycoon was about to begin

Boxing body vote could see sport thrown out of Olympics
Hit by allegations of bout-fixing, amateur boxing may be dropped in the 2020 Tokyo Games

Japan protests China ships near disputed isles ahead of Abe visit
A Japanese government spokesman says China's intrusion was 'extremely regrettable' but said Tokyo is still hoping to 'take Japan-China relations to the next level'

New Japan hotels must be wheelchair accessible before Tokyo 2020
At least 1% of rooms in newly built and refurbished hotels or traditional inns must be barrier-free for wheelchair users by September 2019

Birth of firstborn Tokyo added motivation for Paul Lee
Wondering why the Magnolia star and wife Rubie named their daughter after the famous city in Japan? He has a pretty direct explanation
Aung Suu Kyi promises 'transparency' over Rohingya atrocities
Once hailed as a global rights champion, Suu Kyi has fallen from grace due to her failure to speak up following a brutal military crackdown on Myanmar's Rohingya minority

Boxing's Olympic future in jeopardy
The International Olympic Committee has warned that boxing could be axed from the 2020 Tokyo Olympics

PSC tackles Hidilyn's weightlifting woes
The Philippine Sports Commission makes sure that weightlifting star Hidilyn Diaz will get enough support for her 2020 Tokyo Olympics bid

Meralco falls prey to Japan's Alvark in FIBA Asia Champions Cup
Imports Allen Durham and Diamond Stone combine for 59 points but the Bolts remain winless
Mayweather to impress in Tokyo first before Pacquiao showdown
The undefeated American boxer plans to extend his record to 51-0 before the Manny Pacquiao rematch

IN PHOTOS: Tokyo 2020 revives 1964 Olympic vibe
Some venues used in the Tokyo 1964 Olympics will be part of history once more in the 2020 edition of the world's biggest sports event

Hidilyn Diaz on Olympic gold dreamers: 'The more the merrier'
Hidilyn Diaz feels happy that Asian skate queen Margielyn Didal is also aiming for an Olympic gold

Vienna topples Melbourne in 'most liveable city' ranking
It is the first time a European metropolis has topped the annual chart compiled by the Economist Intelligence Unit which identifies the best urban playgrounds to live and work in

Cat snap: Tokyo 'lucky cat' temple draws Instagrammers
Around 10,000 figurines of white cats seated with one paw raised are stacked and strewn around the Gotokuji temple, providing tempting fodder for social media mavens from Japan and abroad

Canceled Japan flights due to Typhoon Shanshan
Typhoon Shanshan is heading for Japan, prompting the cancellation of certain flights on Wednesday, August 8, and Thursday, August 9

Japan executes last sarin attack cult members on death row
(UPDATED) The execution of the 6 Aum Shinrikyo members draws a line under the horrific attack which shocked the world and prompted national soul-searching over the group and its crimes

PH Blu Girls step up 2020 Olympic bid
The Philippine softball team vies for an Olympic berth in the World Championship starting August 2 in Japan

SONA 2018, Alvarez ousted, Olympics 2020 | Evening wRap
Watch Rappler’s evening newscast with Natashya Gutierrez

LOOK: Tokyo reveals Olympic mascots’ names
Tokyo 2020 organizers formally introduce Miraitowa and Someity to the world

France goes big on Japan with multi-million cultural program
'The French, more than any other nation (in Europe), who know Japanese culture the best,' says Korehito Masuda, director of the 'Japonismes 2018' program

Japan executes sarin attack cult leader, 6 followers
(UPDATED) Japan's Justice Minister Yoko Kamikawa confirms the 7 executions, saying the Aum members were responsible for 'extremely atrocious and grave acts that were unprecedented and should never happen again'

Japan dreams of jackpot with legal casinos
Japan is often viewed as the Holy Grail of gaming in Asia due to a wealthy population, proximity to China and appetite for other forms of legal gambling, including horse racing and pachinko, a slot machine-style game

Trump to host Abe at White House on June 7
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is scheduled to meet US President Donald Trump less than a week from the US-North Korea summit

Japanese kimono makers seek to revive declining industry
Once a standard of the Japanese wardrobe, the kimono is now often a garment reserved for special occasions, such as weddings and coming-of-age ceremonies, and is mostly worn by women

Tokyo digital art museum looks to 'expand the beautiful'
The flower-filled waterfall is the work of Japanese collective teamLab, known internationally for their innovative "digital art" that combines projections, sound and carefully designed spaces to create otherworldly, immersive experiences

Japan's Akita dogs melt foreign hearts
In recent years, foreign ownership of one of Japan's most famous indigenous breeds has skyrocketed, outstripping domestic demand for the fluffy, perky-eared pooches

Tokyo works to boost Paralympic profile before 2020 Games
With the Paralympics looming, Japan is running a raft of new campaigns ranging from television programs to manga comics, aimed at ending public ignorance of disability and celebrating the community's athletic accomplishments

Kim says N. Korea to take part in 2020, 2022 Olympics
(UPDATED) IOC chief Thomas Bach announces the news after landing in Beijing following Friday's 'fruitful' talks with Kim Jong-Un

World-record, ultra-thin condom to debut in 2020 Tokyo Games
Japan condom makers are proud its 'barely there' construction will encourage safe sex among the world's fittest athletes

Japan tsunami, nuclear tragedy remembered 7 years on
Authorities are encouraging evacuees to return, but a government survey released earlier this month showed that about half the residents of Namie and Tomioka are not willing to return

Futuristic superheroes picked as Tokyo 2020 Olympic mascots
The mascots, which have yet to be named, were selected by elementary school kids from a shortlist of three competitors instantly recognizable as "made in Japan"

Asia markets awash with red as rout spreads globally from Wall Street
Tokyo led a collapse throughout the region, briefly diving almost 7% before closing down 4.7%. Hong Kong was down more than 4% and Sydney and Singapore each sank 3%

Sky's the limit for Japan's pint-sized Olympic skateboarding hope
Sky Brown juggles her skateboarding with professional surfing too

U.S. apologizes to Japan over repeated military accidents
US Secretary of Defense James Mattis apologizes to Japanese counterpart Itsunori Onodera after a string of accidents involving American troops and facilities
