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Tag - hearing

 
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July 24, 2026
 

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HEARING

Kanata Konoe, 7, writes kanji characters on a whiteboard as his teacher, Sachiko Shimabukuro, watches over him at Nakadomari Elementary School in the village of Onna, Okinawa Prefecture, in March.
51³Ô¹ÏÍø / Society / Regional Voices: Okinawa
May 11, 2026
Okinawan schoolboy deals with hearing loss with speed and cheerfulness
At the tender age of 7, Kanata Konoe has already come to terms with the fact that everyone is born different, and that¡¯s alright.
In Japan, parents of bilingual children with hearing impairmentsmust navigate unforseen obstacles with a constant goal: giving their kids the best possible chance at a fully realized life.
LIFE / Lifestyle
Feb 28, 2026
In bilingual homes, raising hearing-impaired kids is a long road toward a ¡®normal life¡¯
Early screening, financial assistance and emotional support from wider communities help multilingual families navigate an uncertain process.
Itsuki Nagasawa (center) plays a young woman caught in a feud between her deaf father (Kazuyoshi Kezuka, second from left) and a Kurdish restaurant owner (Murat Cicek, second from right) in Ken Kawai¡¯s ¡°The Chatterboxes.¡±
CULTURE / Film
Dec 3, 2025
¡®The Chatterboxes¡¯: ¡®A comedy of errors finds a common language
Ken Kawai¡¯s comedy about a feud between a deaf Japanese man and a Kurdish immigrant tackles a range of themes including prejudice and communication.
Ryoji Miura communicates with a foreign tourist using International Sign at the tourist information center of the Deaflympics Square in Tokyo¡¯s Shibuya Ward on Nov. 15.
51³Ô¹ÏÍø / Society
Nov 24, 2025
Tokyo Deaflympics sign interpreter wants more to learn International Sign
International Sign is used as the official language at the Deaflympics, but it isn¡¯t well known in Japan, and there is a shortage of interpreters.
Crown Princess Kiko and Prince Hisahito watch an orienteering event of the Tokyo 2025 Deaflympics on Sunday.
51³Ô¹ÏÍø
Nov 23, 2025
Crown Princess Kiko and Prince Hisahito watch Deaflympic event
The members of the imperial family watched the final round of the orienteering event¡¯s men¡¯s relay, which included?Japan and seven other teams.
Masahisa Takemi, a 50-year-old teacher at the Central School for the Deaf, played an instrumental role in the development of the "starting light" and the adoption of the device at sporting events.
51³Ô¹ÏÍø / Society
Nov 19, 2025
¡®Starting light¡¯ developer voices hopes for Deaflympics
Masahisa Takemi pursued a solution that could even the odds after seeing a deaf student of his struggle in track events in which a starting pistol is used.
The opening ceremony for the Tokyo 2025 Deaflympics was held Saturday in the capital, with Japan hosting the quadrennial international sporting event for people with hearing difficulties for the first time.
MORE SPORTS
Nov 16, 2025
Tokyo Deaflympics kick off as Japan hosts games for first time
A record 3,081 athletes from 81 countries and regions were registered, including Russias and Belarusians competing as neutral athletes.
An illustration features the Japanese signs for "ganbare" (good luck) and the Deaflympics, which will be held between Nov. 15 and 26.
SPORTS / Longform
Nov 15, 2025
A century of Deaf sport finds its moment in Tokyo
As Tokyo hosts the Deaflympics, organizers hope to further gains made in the realm of greater inclusivity throughout Japan.
A sign-language lesson is held for staff involved in the upcoming Deaflympics events in Tokyo.
51³Ô¹ÏÍø
Nov 10, 2025
Tokyo government conducts sign language lessons ahead of Deaflympics
Some 3,000 athletes from over 70 countries and regions are slated to compete in the first Japan-held Deaflympics.
Morgan Stanley analysts estimate the top five makers of hearing aids hold roughly 99% of the global market, which they predict will be worth over $14 billion by next year rising from about $12 billion in 2023.
BUSINESS / Tech
May 15, 2025
Trump¡¯s tariffs spare Europe-dominated hearing aid industry
An ecosystem developed over more than a century has given three Danish companies and a Swiss rival a quasi-monopoly on the market for devices that help people hear better.
Tsutomu Ide speaks to reporters after the ruling in the city of Osaka on Monday.
51³Ô¹ÏÍø / Crime & Legal
Jan 21, 2025
In first, Osaka increases compensation to family of disabled girl
It is the first ruling to calculate the potential future income of a disabled child in the same way as able-bodied people.
The suffering of people with disabilities has been compounded by steep shortages in devices to aid them, including wheelchairs and hearing aids, and in damage to roads, sidewalks and homes with accessible features.
WORLD / Society
Dec 9, 2024
Gaza¡¯s disabled people face ¡®impossible times¡¯ of chaos and war
The war has forced most of Gaza¡¯s roughly 2 million residents from their homes and has been particularly punishing for people with disabilities and their families.
Members of the rock band Bright Eyes Super-Duper perform a song using sign language at a venue in Nagoya on Sept. 15.
CULTURE / Music
Oct 27, 2024
Sign-language rock band marks 35 years in Japan
To keep rhythm for their performances, the members of Bright Eyes Super-Duper with impaired hearing feel the vibrations of the music.
Ryo Yoshizawa plays a young man with deaf parents in Mipo O¡¯s decade-spanning drama, ¡°Living in Two Worlds.¡±
CULTURE / Film
Sep 19, 2024
¡®Living in Two Worlds¡¯ raises the bar for depictions of deafness
Mipo O¡¯s film about a child of deaf adults is best when it doesn¡¯t try to educate viewers.
Cochlear's hearing implants will be used for a program to train hearing aid experts in Shizuoka Prefecture, as Japan tries to lower the age when children can receive a cochlear implant.
51³Ô¹ÏÍø / Science & Health
Jul 17, 2024
Australian government funds Japanese hearing implant program for children
Public health experts In Japan want to lower the threshold and the age when children can receive a hearing implant, currently at one year old.
Dr Yilai Shu examines a young patient at the Eye & ENT Hospital of Fudan University on April 17.
WORLD / Science & Health
Jun 6, 2024
New gene therapy offers way to hear for some deaf children
The new gene therapy is focused on people born with a mutation of the OTOF gene, or roughly 2% to 8% of those with inherited deafness.
Pasona plans to use cartilage conduction technology for headsets for staff and guide earphones for visitors in its exhibition at the 2025 World Exposition in Osaka.
51³Ô¹ÏÍø / Society
May 15, 2024
Pasona to promote cartilage conduction technology
The firm plans to use the technology for headsets for staff and for audio guides in its exhibition at the 2025 Osaka expo.
An audio work by Saga University's Art Works to Listen and Imagine project is available on the internet.
51³Ô¹ÏÍø / Society / Regional Voices: Kyushu
Apr 8, 2024
Experiencing art exhibitions through listening
Events and exhibitions are being held to encourage visitors to appreciate artworks with their ears and imagination.
51³Ô¹ÏÍø / Society
Mar 14, 2024
Phone relay service helps hard of hearing government staff
The service facilitates communication for workers hard of hearing and those with speech impediments by connecting them with operators online.
Aissam Dam, 11, the first person to receive gene therapy in the U.S. for congenital deafness, signs to an interpreter during an interview at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia on Jan. 16.
WORLD / Science & Health
Jan 28, 2024
¡®Game changer¡¯: Gene therapy offers hope for children born deaf
The treatment focuses on a rare genetic mutation that affects only a small number of the 26 million people with congenital deafness globally.
Japan scientists identify clusters of protein believed to trigger Alzheimer¡¯s disease
A team of researchers said they found a ¡°seed¡± that accelerates the amyloid beta accumulation process in the brain, naming it ¡°Peak 1 amyloid beta,¡± as seen in a mouse's brain.
Indian brothers make manga debut in Japan
Two Indian brothers made their manga debut in Japan with "Kung Fu Kung Fool" ¡ª an action-comedy series that follows the adventures of a notorious thief and a young boy.
Japan weighs regulating Pokemon cards amid trading mania
A Pokemon event is held in Jakarta on July 11
Low-income families in Japan cut food and air conditioning during summer break
Yumiko Watanabe, the chairperson of nonprofit Kidsdoor, explains the results of a survey in Tokyo's Chiyoda Ward on July 1.
Iran strikes on CIA facilities prompt questions about possible Russian role
Iranian drones are displayed in an undisclosed location in Iran, in this handout image obtained on Jan. 13, 2025.U.S. officials have acknowledged that Russia has ?provided targeting ?and other support for Iran in its drone strikes on U.S. targets in the Persian Gulf region.
The sci-fi sensibilities of electronic trio Black Boboi
Black Boboi was formed in 2018 when solo artists Julia Shortreed, Utena Kobayashi and Ermhoi came together under Kobayashi¡¯s newly founded label, Bindividual.
A perfect storm: Kaze Fujii fans flock to Fuji Rock
Okayama-born singer-songwriter Kaze Fujii has carved out a distinctive place in Japanese pop since his major-label debut in 2019.
Can Japanese comedy get laughs in English? Yoshimoto Kogyo lets the jokes rip
Wes-P has millions of followers and his viral clips made him recognizable out of Japan.
The 180-day locals: Life on Japan¡¯s digital nomad visa
Christopher Flinn works remotely from Tokyo earlier this month. Japan issued 646 digital nomad visas in 2025, but tourism officials are hoping to increase that figure in the coming years, with Japan's relatively cheap cost of living and the weak yen seen as potential draws for young professionals.
Japan reveals hint of new defense spending target in fiscal blueprint
The Self-Defense Forces' Type 16 mobile combat vehicle fires during a joint live-fire drill with U.S. Marines as part of the annual Resolute Dragon exercises in Yufu, Oita Prefecture, on June 28.

Podcast

One of the many entrances to the Kabukicho neighborhood in Tokyo¡¯s Shinjuku Ward.
Kabukicho: Tokyo¡¯s ¡®stadium of desire¡¯

Longform

For many people, utility poles and power lines have become such a familiar part of Japan¡¯s landscape that they often go unnoticed.
Why Japan¡¯s utility poles won¡¯t be disappearing anytime soon
By Alex K.T. Martin

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