My AP Stories for 2024, a year that I start out as a Winner for The Associated Press Best of the Week for my quake coverage. And I win The Associated Press Best of The Week again in September for My AP Story that’s part of a package about Chinese migration in the 21st Century. In November, an AP Series compiling spooky stories from around the world, which includes my contribution, wins Best of The AP Honorable Mention.
And My AP Stories for 2025. My AP Stories for 2026 and the years beyond will only appear as Posts, and not as New Pages on the Menu.
My AP Story Nov. 21, 2025, a co-byline with my colleague Terry, about the “rental family” business in Japan and the Hollywood film starring Brendan Fraser it inspired. Click on the link below to see the Video for the Story:
My AP Story Nov. 12, 2025 on “Last Samurai Standing,” for which I interview Junichi Okada, as in the video below:
My AP Story Dec. 8, 2025 on Japan’s revised GDP data.
My AP Story Nov. 11, 2025 on SoftBank saying it’s sold all its stock in Nvidia.
My AP Story Nov. 11, 2025 on Sony’s profits soaring because of blockbuster “Demon Slayer.”
My AP Story Nov. 7, 2025 on Honda’s profits slipping because of Trump’s tariffs.
My AP Story Nov. 6, 2025 about Nissan’s selling its Yokohama headquarters building as it reports losses.
My AP Story Nov. 5, 2025 about Toyota reporting lower profits as a result of tariffs.
My AP Story Nov. 2, 2025 about Japan celebrating the Dodgers becoming the 2025 World Series champions.
My AP Story and My AP Photo Oct. 30, 2025 on how fans are rooting for Shohei Ohtani.
My AP Story Oct. 30, 2025 and My AP Photo on the Tokyo auto show.
My AP Story Oct. 21, 2025 about the newly elected Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s economic policies.
My AP Story Oct. 22, 2025 on Japan’s trade data for September.
My AP Story Oct. 3, 2025 on the AI collaboration between Nvidia and Fujitsu.
My AP Story Oct. 3, 2025 about the cyberattack on Asahi.
My AP Story and My AP Photo Oct. 1, 2025 on Japan’s minister negotiating on Trump’s tariffs.
My AP Story and My AP Photos Sept. 22, 2025 about Nissan’s self-driving technology.
My AP Story Sept. 3, 2025 about a film about the Kabuki theater becoming a big hit.
My AP Story Sept. 3, 2025 when that former executive asserts his innocence.
My AP Story Sept. 2, 2025 on an executive’s resignation at Suntory over drug allegations.
My AP Story and AP Photos Aug. 22, 2025 on the popularity of matcha outside the tea ceremony.
My AP Story and My AP Photos Aug. 8, 2025 about bugs being pets in Japan.
My AP Story July 26, 2025, in which I interview the great Japanese director Kiyoshi Kurosawa.
My AP Story and My AP Photos July 25, 2025 on how AI is being used in traditional weaving. I also did AP Video.
My AP Story July 22, 2025, a book review.
My AP Story July 8, 2025 on Japanese boxing star Junto Nakatani, a story relayed to the world as a Top Story for The Associated Press.
As a reporter, I am privileged to meet some of the best people in the world, like this champion, Junto Nakatani. When I asked him about how he is always smiling, even in the ring, he told me matter-of-factly that it is a disadvantage to get angry because “you lose control.” Obviously, boxing is all about winning. He also said he believes winning by knockout is what is “expected” of him. And I felt like a mom, as I often do at interviews, and in life, because I am one, and couldn’t help but respond with an empathetic: “Hey, it’s OK to just win.” Which goes to say that Nakatani is a very special person _ to bring that out in you.
My AP Story and My AP Photos July 9, 2025 on Tsukudani, a traditional dish made in Tsukuda, Japan.
My AP Story and My AP Photos July 9,2025, a recipe for Tsukudani.
My AP Story July 17, 2025 on Canada’s Couche-Tard dropping its attempt to acquire 7-Eleven.
My AP Story July 15, 2025 on Nissan ending vehicle production at its flagship Oppama plant.
I’m a Contributor to this AP Story June 24, 2025 on travel disruptions because of Middle East tensions.
My AP Story June 10, 2025 on the merger of the truck units of Toyota and Daimler.
My AP Story June 9, 2025 about a sumo wrestler’s retirement.
My AP Story May 27, 2025 and My AP Photo on the new CEO approved by shareholders at 7-Eleven.
My AP Story May 26, 2025 and My AP Photos on Nissan’s e-Power technology.
My AP Story May 20, 2025 on Honda delaying its electrification strategy to focus more on hybrids.
My AP Story May 21, 2025 on Japan’s trade data that show exports falling.
My AP Video Story May 13, 2025 on collectors’ cards being authenticated and evaluated in Japan.
My AP Story May 16, 2025 on Japan’s economy contracting.
My AP Story May 13, 2025 on job cuts at Nissan.
My AP Story May 14, 2025 on record profits at Sony.
My AP Story May 13, 2025 on profits falling at Honda.
My AP Story May 13, 2025 on SoftBank reporting a profit for the first time in four years.
My AP Book Review May 6, 2025.
My AP Story and My AP Photo April 23, 2025 on “Bullet Train Explosion.”
My AP Story May 9, 2025 on job cuts at Panasonic.
My AP Story May 8, 2025 on Toyota’s financial results.
My AP Story and My AP Photos May 1, 2025 on May Day around the world.
My AP Photos are part of this Gallery on May Day.
My AP Story April 22, 2025, a book review on a memoir.
My AP Story April 18, 2025 on a Star Wars event in Japan.
My Co-Byline AP Story May 5, 2025 about Trump’s trade demands.
My AP Story April 30, 2025 on the collaboration between Toyota and Waymo.
My AP Story and My AP Photos April 25, 2025 on the CEO-to-be of the 7-Eleven chain.
My AP Story April 24, 2025 about Nissan’s earnings forecast.
My AP Story May 2, 2025 about a minister’s comment on Japan’s U.S. Treasury holdings.
My AP Story April 17, 2025 on Japan’s trade data.
My AP Story April 15, 2025 about Japanese regulators accusing Google of monopolistic behavior.
My AP Story and My AP Photos April 10, 2025 on a machine that measures the fattiness of tuna.
My AP Story April 6, 2025 on a helicopter crash.
My AP Story April 1, 2025 on a major survey about sentiments on the economy.
My AP Story and My AP Photos March 26, 2025 on Nissan’s soon-to-be CEO.
My AP Story March 18, 2025, a book review.
My AP Story March 13, 2025 on 7-Eleven.
My AP Story March 11, 2025 on Nissan replacing its chief executive.
My AP Story and My AP Photos March 10, 2025 on Nissan’s driverless vehicles.
My AP Story and My AP Photos Feb. 22, 2025 on a city Toyota is building near Mount Fuji.
My AP Story Feb. 25, 2025 on Toyota trying to add diverse views to its board.
My AP Story and My AP Photos Feb. 19, 2025 on marketing Japan’s elderly.
My AP Story Feb. 17, 2025 on Japan’s economy.
My AP Story Feb. 13, 2025 on Nissan and Honda dropping their talks for a business integration.
My AP Story Feb. 5, 2025 on Toyota’s EV initiatives in China and the U.S.
My AP Story Feb. 4, 2025 on the appeals court ruling on the case of Nissan’s former executive Greg Kelly.
My AP Story Jan. 16, 2025 on a YouTube star with eyes now on a global audience.
My AP Story Feb. 3, 2025 on the partnership between SoftBank and OpenAI for smarter artificial intelligence.
My AP Story Jan. 30, 2025 on Nissan’s job and production cuts in the U.S.
My AP Story Jan. 24, 2025 on the Bank of Japan raising interest rates.
My AP Story Jan. 23, 2025 on Japan’s trade data.
My AP Story Jan. 16, 2025 on bank executives taking pay cuts after acknowledging an employee stole from customers’ safe deposit boxes.
My AP Story Jan. 13, 2025 on the quake that hit southwestern Japan.
My AP Story Jan. 7, 2025 on Nippon Steel determined to push its US Steel takeover.
My AP Story Jan. 5, 2025 about a Nagasaki bombing survivor, who has died.
My AP Story Jan. 4, 2025 on the death of the world’s oldest person.
My AP Story Jan. 2, 2025 on the well-wishers at the Imperial Palace.
I’m a Contributor to this AP Story Jan. 1, 2025, which started out as My last AP Story for last year. For that final story for 2024, I contributed these paragraphs to the Dec. 31 AP Story (I’m repeating them here since they are unlikely to survive in full all the updates throughout the day):
Asia gets ready for the Year of the Snake
Much of Japan has shut down ahead of the nation’s biggest holiday, as temples and homes underwent a thorough cleaning, including swatting floor mats called “tatami” with big sticks. The upcoming Year of the Snake in the Asian zodiac is heralded as one of rebirth — alluding to the reptile’s shedding skin. Stores in Japan, which observes the zodiac cycle from Jan. 1, have been selling tiny figures of smiling snakes and other snake-themed products. Other places in Asia will start marking the Year of the Snake later, with the Lunar New Year.
More AP Stories in 2024:
My AP Story Dec. 12, 2024 on Nissan’s management reshuffle meant to fix its money-losing business.
My AP Story Dec. 6, 2024 about Nippon Steel and its planned acquisition of US Steel.
My AP Story Nov. 24, 2024 about a weasel taking kindergarteners’ shoes and the link to the Video.
My AP Story Nov. 19, 2024, an Obit on poet Shuntaro Tanikawa.
My AP Story Nov. 18, 2024 in which I interview the executive heading Uniqlo.
My AP Story Nov. 14, 2024 on sake hoping to win UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage recognition.
My AP Story Nov. 15, 2024 on Japan’s economy.
My AP Story Nov. 7, 2024 on Nissan slashing 9,000 jobs after sinking into quarterly losses.
My AP Story Nov. 6, 2024 on Nintendo and its Switch.
My AP Story and My AP Photo Nov. 2, 2024 about automated transport in Japan, where labor is short.
My AP Story Oct. 31, 2024 on how Hello Kitty is as cute and lucrative as ever at 50.
My AP Story Oct. 31, 2024 is part of a compilation of spooky stories from around the world that wins Best of The AP Honorable Mention.
My AP Story Oct. 8, 2024 on the Netflix series about a real-life professional wrestling legend Dump Matsumoto.
My AP Story and My AP Photos Oct. 2, 2024 on Japanese denim from my recent trip to Kojima.
My AP Story Oct. 19, 2024 on an attack on the ruling party headquarters.
My AP Story Oct. 2, 2024 on Japanese companies dropping out as Olympic sponsors.
My AP Story Sept. 19, 2024 on Greg Kelly’s appeal case, related to pay for former Nissan chief Carlos Ghosn.
My AP Story Sept. 17, 2024 on the craft of temari.
I am one of the 12 journalists who won the Best of the AP award Sept. 14, 2024, the first year in my more than 30 years at the AP I win the award twice in a year. My AP Story and AP Photos that were part of the package:
My AP Story and My AP Photo Sept. 5, 2024 on Chinese choosing to live in Japan.
I’m a Contributor to this AP Story Oct. 27, 2024 about deforestation in Indonesia.
My AP Story Aug. 8, 2024, my debut Music Review, on Ryuichi Sakamoto’s “Opus.”
My very first AP Book Review, My AP Story Sept. 9, 2024.
My AP Story Aug. 31, 2024 and My AP Photo below on Japan and the four-day work week.
My AP Story Sept. 6, 2024 on the parent company of the 7-Eleven convenience store chain turning down Couche-Tard’s takeover offer.
I’m a Contributor to this AP Story Sept. 3, 2024.
My AP Story Aug. 31, 2024 on Japan’s complaint over a Chinese ship in territorial waters.
I’m a Contributor to this AP Story Aug. 31, 2024.
My AP Story Aug. 22, 2024 about the world’s oldest person, a Japanese woman who loves bananas.
My co-byline AP Story Aug. 23, 2024 on Kiribati.
I’m a Contributor to this AP Story Aug. 25, 2024 on wearable devices.
My AP Story Sept. 1, 2024 on the storm.
My AP Story Aug. 31, 2024 on a storm.
My AP Story Aug. 21, 2024 on Japan’s trade data.
My AP Story Aug. 19, 2024 on graffiti at Yasukuni Shrine.
My AP Story Aug. 16, 2024 as evacuations are ordered over a typhoon.
My AP Story Aug. 17, 2024 as the typhoon moves away.
My AP Story Aug. 15, 2024 on Japan’s economy.
My AP Story Sept. 9, 2024 on the revised GDP data.
My AP Story Aug. 6, 2024 about Nissan’s “cool paint” with My AP Photo.
My AP Story July 31, 2024 on how a Sega game “Like A Dragon” is now an online series.
My AP Story Aug. 1, 2024 on how Nissan and Honda are working together to quickly catch up in the electrification age.
My AP Story Aug. 9, 2024 on Toyota’s promise to improve vehicle certification.
My AP Story Aug. 1, 2024 on Toyota’s earnings.
My AP Story and My AP Photo July 31, 2024 on Nissan’s sustainability efforts.
My AP Story July 12, 2024 in which I get close to Kabuki superstar Danjuro.
My AP Story July 3, 2024 on the new bills.
My AP Story and My AP Photos June 28, 2024 on what will become of the old Tsukiji fish market area.
My AP Story June 23, 2024 on the rice ball.
And I make my debut as AP’s recipe writer with My AP Story June 23, 2024.
My AP Obit June 19, 2024 on Japan’s “beat” poet Kazuko Shiraishi.
My AP Story June 19, 2024 on Japan’s trade data.
My AP Story June 18, 2024 on the Toyota shareholders’ meeting.
I’m a Contributor to this AP Story June 15, 2024 about the price of orange juice.
My AP Story June 12, 2024, an obituary on architect Fumihiko Maki.
My AP Story June 10, 2024 on Japan’s economy.
My AP Story June 16, 2024 on Toyota facing some unhappy shareholders.
My AP Story June 3, 2024 on Toyota apologizing for faulty tests on cars.
My AP Story May 30, 2024 in which I interview George Takei.
My AP Story translated into Spanish.
My AP Story May 29, 2024 on a working group under the U.N. issuing a report on human rights abuses in Japan.
My AP Story May 28, 2024 on Toyota’s talking about the ecological engine in the works.
My AP Story May 23, 2024 on Sony’s strategy centering around its creative businesses.
My AP Story May 22, 2024 on Japan’s trade data.
My AP Story May 19, 2024 on the bear attacks.
My AP Story May 16, 2024 on Honda’s EV strategy.
My AP Story May 16, 2024 on the economy.
My AP Story May 5, 2024, an obituary on Juro Kara.
My AP Story April 29, 2024 about a 1990’s TV reality show.
My AP Story April 25, 2024 on ramen noodles.
My AP Sidebar Story on an easy ramen recipe with My AP Photos.
My AP Story May 14, 2024 on Sony’s earnings.
My AP Story May 13, 2024 on SoftBank Group in the red for the fiscal year.
My AP Story May 10, 2024 on Sega Sammy selling a resort to a U.S. fund.
My AP Story May 8, 2024 on Toyota’s booming profit and investment for future growth.
My AP Story May 7, 2024 on Nintendo promising an announcement on a Switch successor.
My AP Story May 3, 2024 on Nippon Steel’s acquisition of U.S. Steel.
My AP Story April 22, 2024 on Japan’s antitrust body telling Google not to undermine competition.
My AP Story April 19, 2024 on a damages lawsuit filed by Japanese doctors against Google.
My AP Story April 17, 2024 on Japan’s March trade data.
My AP Story and My AP Photos April 16, 2024 on Nissan’s EV ambitions.
My AP Story and My AP Photo April 15, 2024 on a lawsuit accusing Japanese police of racial profiling.
My AP Story March 29, 2024 on “Oppenheimer” opening in Japan.
My AP Story April 6, 2024 on the Japanese prime minister’s visit to a semiconductor plant.
My AP Story April 1, 2024 on the Bank of Japan “tankan” survey.
My AP Story March 29, 2024 on the news conference by Japan’s prime minister.
My AP Story March 27, 2024 when I interview the designer of the Godzilla shoes.
My AP Story March 26, 2024 on Markets.
I’m a Contributor to this AP Story March 25, 2024 about North Korea saying Japan seeks summit.
My AP Story March 25, 2024 about Nissan’s aggressive electric vehicle push.
My AP Story March 21, 2024 on Japan’s trade data.
My AP Story March 19, 2024 on the Bank of Japan ending its negative interest rate policy.
My AP Story March 15, 2024 on Nissan and Honda working together on electrification and intelligence technology.
My AP Story May 9, 2024 on Nissan’s earnings for the fiscal year.
Watch the Video here.
My AP Story March 13, 2024 on the failed rocket launch by Space One.
My AP Story March 12, 2024 on Hayao Miayazaki and Japan’s Oscar wins.
My AP Story March 8, 2024 about Kyoto’s geisha district fighting over-tourism with keep-out signs.
My AP Story Feb. 25, 2024 on the opening of a semiconductor plant.
My AP Story Feb. 20, 2024, an obit on the founder of the Daiso 100-yen shop chain.
My AP Story Feb. 9, 2024 in which I interview Mika Ninagawa, and do Photos and Video.
My AP Story Feb. 3, 2024 on the Japanese Embassy’s message about Taylor Swift and the Super Bowl.
My AP Story Jan. 30, 2024 about a pig cafe.
My AP Story Jan. 31, 2024 on the Olympic trial, where the defendant denies the payments were bribes.
My AP Story and My AP Photos Jan. 29, 2024 on a lawsuit demanding a stop to “racial profiling.”
My AP Story Feb. 13. 2024 on a new president at a Toyota subsidiary fighting a scandal.
My AP Story Jan. 30, 2024 on Toyota’s Akio Toyoda stressing a global vision.
My AP Story Jan. 29, 2024 on Toyota apologizing for cheating on testing _ again.
My AP Story and My AP Photo Jan. 23, 2024 on a film that documents how single moms are poor.
My AP Story Feb. 15, 2024 about Japan, now the world’s fourth largest economy.
My AP Story Jan. 22. 2024 on a Toyota subsidiary cheating on vehicle safety tests.
My AP Story Jan. 19, 2024 on the poetry reading at the Imperial Palace.
My AP Story Jan. 18, 2024 on Uniqlo’s lawsuit against a rival retailer over a hit bag.
My AP Story Jan. 15, 2024 and My AP Photos of the men alleging sexual abuse by Johnny Kitagawa expressing dissatisfaction at the company response.
My AP Story Jan. 10, 2024, updated Jan. 11, 2024, on how people are dying after getting rescued from quake damage.
My AP Story Jan. 9, 2024 on a woman who runs a fish store telling us how determined she is to rebuild Wajima. The neighborhood cat below:
My AP Story Jan. 8, 2024 about the thousands of people who have lost their homes.
My AP Story Jan. 7, 2024 on the rescue operations in the snow.
My AP Story Jan. 6, 2024 on a miracle rescue.
My AP Story Jan. 5, 2024 on survivors being found beneath rubble.
My AP Story Jan. 4, 2024 on the losses people are enduring.
Click on the link for heartbreaking video of the man in the photo above seeing the body of his wife.
https://apnews.com/64165a70a05c4d628681647d99acd202
My AP Story Jan. 4, 2024 on rescue efforts after the quakes in Ishikawa Prefecture.
The version that appeared Jan. 3, 2024 in The Stars and Stripes, without the updates that continued into the following day.
My AP Story Jan. 2, 2024 on the death toll from the quakes in Ishikawa climbing.
My AP Story Jan. 1, 2024 when the major quake and tsunami hit.
I’m a Contributor to this AP Story Jan. 1, 2024 that’s a global New Year’s roundup.