My Ikenobo Ikebana No. 17
Today’s ikebana featured chrysanthemums on Sept. 9, 2026, a special day for the flower, also seen as good luck, which always has the other side of bringing bad luck. A piece of wood, painted black by my teacher Mr. Okada, serves as a dramatic vase, as it has lots of holes that can hold a sponge soaked with water. My Ikenobo ikebana No. 16, and more links to earlier ikebana.
Talking with Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike on Children
I had the opportunity to chat with Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike recently. She wasn’t overbearing at all and laughed when I said, let’s do some girls talk here. Ten years into leading a city with a $1 trillion economy, she says she plans to keep going for the next term. She’s already promoted tourism, startups, greenery and sustainable energy. And last year, Tokyo reversed Japan’s decade-long declining birth rate, actually growing by 0.3%, tiny but a dramatic blip coming after a giant dropping swerve.
“I have always put children first in my policy,” Koike said.
And the programs the Tokyo government offers to encourage people to have children are impressive. Some people are moving into the city just to get the benefits: 60,000 yen ($375) for pregnancy, and another 60,000 for a 1-year-old or 2-year-old child; separately 180,000 yen ($1,125) for each birth. Medical care for children and youngsters is basically free. A teen pays 200 yen ($1.25) for each doctor’s visit. Tokyo offers up to 100,000 yen ($625) to help with medical treatment for reducing the physical pain of childbirth. Koike says people genuinely fear that pain. Affordable housing and free nursery care are also offered for those in need.
Analysts say it’s too early to tell if the reversal in childbirths will really stick or fade. It will take years to decide for sure. But, for one, Tokyo boasts an abundant fiscal base. Americans who hear about Koike’s policies literally gasp in surprise and envy.
Charles McClean, assistant professor of political science at Yale University, who studies Japan, says childbirth is “a hard metric” and nobody has really figured out “the magic” to reverse that, but stresses Koike has done a good job of spreading the word about her policies and programs meant to support children.
“I think population is the foundation of a society. If the population declines, social services will also decline, down to bus services. There won’t be any taxpayers either. Even if you go to a hospital, there won’t be any doctors or nurses, just beds,” Koike told me.
The great cities of the world may build roads, skyscrapers and other infrastructure. But all that will be nothing without people.
“People move society. That is the basic of the basics,” she said.
My AP Stories for 2025. My AP Stories for 2024. The links for 2023 and My AP stories from past years.
My AP Stories for 2026
My AP Story Sept. 4, 2026 about motor maker Nidec.
My AP Story Aug. 27, 2026, an Obit on Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama.
My 2012 Interview with Yayoi Kusama.
My AP Story Aug. 12, 2026, an Obit on Hiroshi Okuda, a former top executive at Toyota.
And because of this story, I get interviewed by Jeremy Siegel for his radio show The World, “Remembering an Auto Industry Giant.”
My AP Story July 29, 2026, in which I interview film director Kiyoshi Kurosawa and the video link to the interview.
My AP Story July 25, 2026, in which I interview Hirokazu Kore-eda about his filmmaking.
My AP Story Aug. 31, 2026 about Honda and Nissan entering a partnership in software development.
My AP Story Aug. 20, 2026 about Japan’s trade data.
My AP Story Aug. 17, 2026 on Japan’s GDP.
My AP Story Aug. 6, 2026 about Nintendo’s financial results.
My AP Story Aug. 6, 2026 about SoftBank Group Corp.’s financial results.
My AP Story Aug. 5, 2026 on Honda making a turnaround from its first ever annual loss.
My AP Story Aug. 4, 2026 about Toyota’s financial results.
My AP Story Aug. 3, 2026 about Nissan’s financial results.
My AP Story July 31, 2026 on Sony’s results, which have yet to factor in the recent Kyushu quake.
I was also busy this week in late July writing the AP Story on the Kumamoto earthquake while my colleagues were on site.
My AP Story July 25, 2026 about school blackboard artworks.
My AP Story and My AP Photo July 16, 2026 on Japanese robotics makers and Nvidia’s physical AI.
My AP Story July 1, 2026 in which I interview Eiko Kadono, the author of “Kiki’s Delivery Service.”
Korochan and Jiji. Reminders my AP Stories go all over the place with one being the toy a 9-year-old always has at her DJ gigs (story below) and the other that cat companion of Kiki the witch, a character created by a 91-year-old writer (story above).
My AP Story July 22, 2026 about Japan’s trade data.
My AP Story July 1, 2026 on the tankan survey.
My AP Story June 28, 2026 about an earthquake, the latest in a series amid typhoon season.
My AP Video June 24, 2026, my interview of “Human Vapor” remake director Shinzo Katayama.
My AP Story June 15, 2026 about a child DJ and My AP Video.
My AP Story June 16, 2026 about SoftBank using OpenAI technology to protect against cyberattacks.
My AP Story June 17, 2026 on the Japan Fair Trade Commission raid on ice cream makers.
My AP Story June 16, 2026 about the Bank of Japan raising its benchmark interest rate.
My AP Story June 3, 2026 and My AP Photos on how to make your own sushi.
My AP Story May 28, 2026 on the Humanoids Summit Tokyo.
My AP Story May 25, 2026, an obituary on the Japanese behind the convenience store empire.
My AP Story June 17, 2026 on Japan’s trade data.
My AP Story May 21, 2026 on Japan’s trade data.
My AP Story May 13, 2026 about chips packaging going without color.
My AP Story May 19, 2026 about Japan’s GDP.
My AP Story May 14, 2026 about Honda posting its first ever full year fiscal loss.
My AP Story May 13, 2026 about Nissan reducing red ink and promising a turnaround.
My AP Story May 13, 2026 about SoftBank seeing profit growth from AI investments.
My AP Story May 8, 2026 about Toyota’s earnings for the year.
My AP Story May 8, 2026 about Nintendo’s financial results.
My AP Story May 8, 2026 about Sony’s financial results.
My AP Story May 2, 2026 on the Inoue-Nakatani fight.
My AP Story April 25, 2026 on Japan’s love for boxing as anticipation grows for the Inoue-Nakatani bout.
And the boxer I interviewed for the story at a Tokyo boxing gym. Really nice guy. And may you keep winning!
My AP Story April 28, 2026 about the Bank of Japan holding the key rate steady.
I’m a Contributor to this AP Story April 23, 2026 by Matt O’Brien on a robot.
My AP Story April 22, 2026 about Japan’s trade data.
My AP Story April 12, 2026 about economic vulnerabilities to “oil shocks.”
My AP Story April 10, 2026 about the art being passed down over generations in Kabuki theater.
Always an honor, even if you just did your very small part, to be part of the Best of AP Honorable Mention awarded in February 2026, for this AP Story about an explosion at U.S. Steel.
My AP Story April 1, 2026 on the Bank of Japan’s “tankan.”
Throughout the year, I filed a lot of Markets stories, so many there are no links here, but sharing the dramatic photos from my AP colleagues.
I’m a Contributor to this AP Story March 19, 2026 on how Asian nations are responding to the energy crunch.
My AP Story March 18, 2026 about Japan’s trade data.
I’m a Contributor to this AP Story March 14, 2026 about North Korea firing a missile.
I’m a Contributor to this AP Story Feb. 24, 2026 about China’s export restrictions.
My AP Story and My AP Photos Feb. 20, 2026 about the kimono and sustainability.
My AP Story Feb. 18, 2026 on Japan’s trade data.
My AP Story Feb. 16, 2026 about Japan’s economic growth.
My AP Story Feb. 6, 2026 on Toyota naming a new chief as profits decline.
My AP Story Feb. 12, 2026 about SoftBank Group thriving on the OpenAI boom.
My AP Story Feb. 12, 2026 about troubled Nissan promising it’s on the right track.
My AP Story Feb. 10, 2026 about Honda’s profits being hurt by Trump’s tariffs and EV policies.
My AP Story Feb. 5, 2026 on Sony’s earnings.
My AP Story Feb. 4, 2026 about heavy snow in Japan.
My AP Story Jan. 22, 2026 about Japan’s trade data.
I’m a Contributor to this AP Story Jan. 4, 2026 about North Korea firing missiles.
My AP Story Jan. 2, 2026 about the emperor and his family greeting well-wishers at the palace for New Year’s.
I usually start the New Year by covering a countdown event for our roundup story. I send a bunch of material but, by the end of the global day, it becomes one line, if even that. It’s a great way to start out the new year as a reporter, a humbling but comforting reminder that we just do our jobs. I am a Contributor to this AP Story Jan. 1, 2026.
My poetry an honorable mention in “The Terrible Fives” by Ishmael Reed
This isn’t coming out until November 2026, but I am thrilled to get an honorable mention in “The Terrible Fives,” the upcoming book by Ishmael Reed, my longtime mentor since my Berkeley days.
I am Interviewed on the Radio about Toyota’s Hiroshi Okuda
I am interviewed on a radio show called The World about Toyota’s Hiroshi Okuda by Jeremy Siegel on the theme of “Remembering an Auto Industry Giant.” My AP Story Aug. 12, 2026, Okuda’s obituary.
POETIC MOMENTS
“Poetic Moments,” a poem I wrote that was part of my poetic series from a few years ago called “The River,” is now a song. The music is by Ryu Miho, singing in this version. Toshiyuki Turner Tanahashi did the background music and arrangement. Believe it or not, I am going to try to learn how to sing it.
Here are the words:
POETIC MOMENTS by Yuri Kageyama
Let me create them
Poetic moments
A Ditch is a River
Poetic moments
The River is Vision
Poetic moments
Lost forever found
Poetic moments
Everywhere
Poetic moments
Nowhere
Poetic moments
Let me create them
Poetic moments
May I stay pure
So I don’t miss them.
I’m trying to express how fleeting are those special moments in life _ those moments of sheer beauty or recognition, coming to an idea or feeling love with certainty, and knowing this will all come to an end. Those moments are special. But only those who deserve them get to experience them. That is what I believe. Being a poet is not a skill, gift or even an inspiration. It is about the kind of life you lead so that you become that kind of person who can be a true poet.
A Podcast about my writing
And on Amazon Podcast
And a Video on LinkedIn
I talk about my journalism and other thoughts. This was done in April 2026, but is being re-released August 2026.
My Ikenobo Ikebana No. 16
My Ikebono Ikebana Aug. 5, 2026. Ikebana is sometimes found art, too. In this case, my teacher saw gardeners cutting the trees, and he asked if he could have some. The maple that is a tree trunk became the central piece for this arrangement.
The link to the work in July, which leads to more links to previous Ikebana. I realize the works on some days will simply have to be searched online, unless I compile it into a list one of these days. I did find the link to my first ever Ikenobo Ikebana May 21, 2025, and my second one, too.
What are movies for you? Why do you keep making movies?
This is before I joined The AP, but I had an opportunity as a young reporter to ask an aging Akira Kurosawa a question: Why do you keep making movies?
I got to tell that exact story in my recent AP story when I interviewed Hirokazu Kore-eda. Kore-eda of course asked: What was Kurosawa’s answer? I pretended to be surprised: 監督それききます?! You would ask; wouldn’t you? Kore-eda said: Come on, the way we are talking now このながれでは that’s the inevitable question. So I told him how Kurosawa had replied with a childlike but faraway look on his face, as though he was talking to no one in particular, maybe himself: If you take movies away from me, I am left with nothing. 僕から映画をとったらなにものこらないから。And Kore-eda instantly remarked: すばらしい！before he gave his answer about how lucky he was that he has his beloved hobby for a job. That interaction and his answer close my AP story.
I asked the same question to Kiyoshi Kurosawa, too. And the funny thing was that he didn’t ask what Akira Kurosawa’s answer was _ the entire opposite of Kore-eda’s reaction. He gave his own answer, which is the top part of the story, about how movies are an eternal mystery, and that’s why he keeps making them. Then I asked him: Aren’t you going to ask what Akira Kurosawa said? And then Kiyoshi Kurosawa said: Well, can I ask? Is it OK? So I said: Of course, I was more surprised you didn’t ask. Which goes to show what a nice person he is. When I told him what Akira Kurosawa had said, he said: うまいこというな。Which translates to: Hey, what a clever answer. It’s telling how his answer was a bit different from how Kore-eda had said すばらしい which just means “Fantastic!”
I’m going to keep asking this same question every time I get to interview a great Japanese auteur. BTW Kiyoshi Kurosawa said he had fun being interviewed. たのしかった he said. I’ve lived life and played reporter long enough I get to have fun now and then. Coincidentally an online “memory” popped up about the Akira Kurosawa Question. That said I’d asked: Why do you keep making movies? 監督はなぜ映画をとり続けるのですか？ rather than What are movies for you? It’s asking the same question, but maybe in a better way for the stage he was in _ both his life and career as a director. So next time I interview a legendary Japanese director, I would have to ask both questions.