Authors

Elaine Lies

Recent and archived articles by Elaine Lies

9 Jul 2019 | 8:56 AM

Former Japanese fisherman finds profit in whale-watching

RAUSU, Japan (Reuters) - Masato Hasegawa is the fourth generation of his family to be a fisherman on Japan's northern oceans, but now his cruises focus on admiring sea life instead of catching it.

9 Jul 2019 | 8:51 AM

In Japan, the business of watching whales is far larger than hunting them

RAUSU, Japan (Reuters) - People packed the decks of the Japanese whale-watching boat, screaming in joy as a pod of orcas put on a show: splashing tails at each other, rolling over, and leaping out of the water.

1 Jul 2019 | 12:02 PM

Ships set off in Japan's first commercial whale hunt in more than 30 years

KUSHIRO, Japan (Reuters) - Five small ships sailed out of harbour on Monday in Japan's first commercial whale hunt in more than three decades, a move that has aroused global condemnation and fears for the fate of whales.

30 Jun 2019 | 6:00 PM

Japanese fleet prepares to resume commercial whaling

KUSHIRO, Japan (Reuters) - Japanese whaling ships prepared on Sunday to set to sea, with crews gathering on decks in a northern port a day ahead of Japan's first commercial whaling hunt in more than 30 years.

27 May 2019 | 4:53 PM

Trump to help Japan bring abductees home from North Korea, but families wary

TOKYO (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday he would work with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to bring home Japanese citizens kidnapped by North Korean agents decades ago, but family members warned him not to be duped.

26 May 2019 | 5:56 PM

Trade beef aside, Trump and Abe bond over burgers, sumo and golf

TOKYO, Japan (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump on Sunday played golf with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and presented a trophy to the winner of a sumo tournament, turning to personal diplomacy for the second day of a Japan visit shadowed by tough trade talk.

17 May 2019 | 4:47 PM

Hearings begin to halt dolphin hunting in notorious Japan village

TOKYO (Reuters) - Court hearings began to stop dolphin hunting in a Japanese village on Friday, with plaintiffs saying the grisly annual hunts, made famous in an Oscar-winning documentary, violate animal protection laws due to their "extreme cruelty".

8 May 2019 | 2:06 PM

Swimming - Leukemia treatment proceeding smoothly, says Japan's Ikee

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japanese swimmer Rikako Ikee, considered a medal contender for the Tokyo Olympics before being diagnosed with leukemia in February, said on Wednesday her treatment is proceeding smoothly but sometimes she feels her "heart might break".

1 May 2019 | 2:31 PM

Emperor Naruhito ascends throne in Japan with 'sense of solemnity'

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japanese Emperor Naruhito formally took up his post on Wednesday a day after the abdication of his father, saying he felt a "sense of solemnity" but pledging to work as a symbol of the nation and the unity of its people.

26 Apr 2019 | 8:45 AM

'Superfan' of Japan's royals has followed them for decades

KAWASAKI, Japan (Reuters) - Wherever Japan's royals go, there too goes Fumiko Shirataki: in summer heat and winter cold, to the ocean and to the mountains.