JapanTalkback is produced in Tokyo by the editorial team at caquu.net. Our job is simple to state and hard to do well: take what is happening in Japan, find out what Japanese people are actually saying about it, and explain both to readers who don't read Japanese.

How we work

  • Japanese sources first. Every story starts with Japanese-language primary sources: company releases, government documents, academic papers, domestic press. English coverage is used to cross-check, not as the starting point.
  • Real public voices. The reactions quoted in our articles come from public posts on X, Yahoo! News comments, note, 5ch and similar platforms. We select for range of opinion, not for the loudest take.
  • Numbers and names are verified. Figures, dates, proper nouns and organizational relationships are checked against original sources before publication. Where something cannot be confirmed, we say so.
  • Three languages, one editorial standard. English and Spanish are our primary editions. Every article is checked for consistency across all three versions, including the Japanese one.
  • AI-assisted, human-edited. We use AI tools in research, drafting and translation. Editorial judgment, source verification and final sign-off are done by people. Our bylines are editorial desk names rather than individual reporters, and are described below.

Our desks

Tech & Science Desk — Kenji Hasegawa

Covers semiconductors, materials, robotics, space and the research coming out of Japanese universities and RIKEN-class institutes. Writes for readers who want the engineering detail without needing to know the acronyms in advance.

Business & Policy Desk — Aya Morimoto

Follows Japanese corporate strategy, finance, regulation and energy policy, and the domestic debates behind decisions that look sudden from outside. Particular interest in how "official Japan" and "public Japan" disagree.

Pop Culture Desk — Ren Takahashi

Anime, games, music and the industries that produce them: licensing disputes, studio economics, overseas expansion, and what Japanese fans think of the international reception of their own culture.

Society & Daily Life Desk — Nao Fujiwara

Demographics, work, cities, food, travel, animals and the environment. Stories about how Japan is lived day to day, and how domestic conversation about those subjects differs from the version told abroad.

Spanish Edition — Lucía Ortega

Edits the Spanish-language edition and adapts stories for readers in Spain and Latin America, including comparisons with local context. Works with the desks above to ensure the Spanish version carries the same facts and nuance as the English original.

Corrections

If we have got something wrong, we want to know. Contact the editorial team through caquu.net or our Contact page. Corrections to published articles are noted at the bottom of the affected story.

JapanTalkback is operated by caquu.net, Tokyo. Launched December 2025.

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