{"store":{"baseInfo":{"podcastTitle":"theTokyoBill Japan news brief","slug":"thetokyobill","podcastDescription":"An English language news brief on what’s happening in and around Japan, in a short-form (~5 minute), bi-weekly format.\nI’m a Canadian in Tokyo, covering the Tokyo area craft beer scene & news stories that happen to interest me...and hopefully to you, as well!\nTopics include business, culture, defense, entertainment and more, with news sourced from a variety of reputable media outlets.\nYou’ll find these stories and more on the website -- https://www.thetokyobill.com -- thank you for your interest!","podcastLogo":"https://pbcdn1.podbean.com/imglogo/image-logo/18853352/theTokyoBillNinjaLg.jpg","podcastShareLogo":null,"podcastUrl":"https://thetokyobill.podbean.com","podcastCanSearched":false,"feedUrl":"https://feed.podbean.com/thetokyobill/feed.xml","theme":"elegant","podcastDeepLink":"https://www.podbean.com/pw/pbblog-4e6yw-11fade8?from=usersite","removePodbeanBranding":"no","brandingLogo":null,"timeZone":{"timeZoneId":69,"gmtAdjustment":"GMT+09:00","useDaylightTime":0,"value":9,"text":"(GMT+09:00) Osaka, Sapporo, Tokyo","daylightStartTime":"Second Sunday Of March +2 Hours","daylightEndTime":"First Sunday Of November +2 Hours","timezone":null},"podcastDownloads":null,"totalEpisodes":46,"showComments":true,"iOSAppDownloadLink":null,"customizeCssUrl":null,"androidAppDownloadLink":null,"showPostShare":true,"showLike":true,"author":"TokyoBill","enableEngagementStats":false,"shareEmbedLink":"https://admin5.podbean.com/embed.html?id=pbblog-4e6yw-11fade8-playlist","language":"en","sensitivitySessionExpireTime":3600,"podcastApps":[{"name":"Apple Podcasts","link":"https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/thetokyobill/id1760255519","image":"https://pbcdn1.podbean.com/fs1/site/images/admin5/apple-podcast.png","title":null},{"name":"YouTube","link":"https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLW_syCVxF6vj6dsyPJ_vUbHmT1gP9ClId","image":"https://pbcdn1.podbean.com/fs1/site/images/admin5/youtube_logo.png","title":null},{"name":"Podbean App","link":"https://www.podbean.com/pw/pbblog-4e6yw-11fade8?from=usersite","image":"https://pbcdn1.podbean.com/fs1/site/images/admin5/podbean-app.png","title":null},{"name":"Spotify","link":"https://open.spotify.com/show/7knsRV6YPXG2evUXPms9FY","image":"https://pbcdn1.podbean.com/fs1/site/images/admin5/spotify.png","title":null},{"name":"Amazon Music","link":"https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/864310fb-9daf-4ef8-9393-0946609a3661","image":"https://pbcdn1.podbean.com/fs1/site/images/admin5/AmazonMusic.png","title":null},{"name":"iHeartRadio","link":"https://iheart.com/podcast/185235986","image":"https://pbcdn1.podbean.com/fs1/site/images/admin5/iHeartRadio.png","title":null},{"name":"PlayerFM","link":"https://player.fm/series/3579596","image":"https://pbcdn1.podbean.com/fs1/site/images/admin5/PlayerFM.png","title":null},{"name":"Listen Notes","link":"https://www.listennotes.com/podcasts/thetokyobill-bbintokyo-MD4m9n30AJo/embed/","image":"https://pbcdn1.podbean.com/fs1/site/images/admin5/ListenNotes.png","title":null},{"name":"Podchaser","link":"https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/thetokyobill-5764680","image":"https://pbcdn1.podbean.com/fs1/site/images/admin5/Podchaser.webp","title":null}],"components":{"base":[{"id":"MainStyle","val":"light"},{"id":"Font","val":"Avenir"},{"id":"SecondaryFont","val":"Avenir"},{"id":"PlayerColor","val":"#8fc31f"},{"id":"PlayerStyle","val":"player1"},{"id":"PlayerWave","val":"show"},{"id":"Favicon","val":null},{"id":"CookiesNotice","val":"hide"},{"id":"CookiesNoticeContent","val":"

Cookies Notice

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. By using our website you agree to our use of cookies.

"}],"home-header":[{"id":"HomeHeaderTextColor","val":"#000000"},{"id":"HomeHeaderBackgroundColor","val":"#ffffff"}],"page-header":[{"id":"PageHeaderTextColor","val":"#ffffff"},{"id":"PageHeaderBackgroundColor","val":"#868686"}],"episode-list":[{"id":"EpisodeListType","val":"grid"},{"id":"EpisodesPerPage","val":10},{"id":"EpisodeStats","val":"show"}],"navigation":[{"id":"NavigationFontColor","val":"#FFFBFB"},{"id":"NavigationBackgroundColor","val":"#9F44D2"},{"id":"NavigationSearch","val":"show"},{"id":"NavigationLinks","val":[{"id":"Home","type":"Link","value":"/","text":"Home","subitems":[]},{"id":"Subscribe","type":"Link","value":"https://www.podbean.com/site/podcatcher/index/blog/LYM9jNfJrcwN","text":"Subscribe","subitems":[]},{"id":"Profile","type":"Link","value":"https://www.podbean.com/user-l32Amqf8qTK2","text":"Profile","subitems":[]}]}],"footer":[{"id":"FooterType","val":"Footer2"},{"id":"FooterFontColor","val":"#ffffff"},{"id":"FooterBackgroundColor","val":"#9F44D2"},{"id":"FooterCopyright","val":"Copyright 2024 All rights reserved."},{"id":"SocialMediaLinks","val":{"facebook_username":"","twitter_username":"","instagram_username":"","youtube_username":"","linkedin_username":""}}],"customize-container1":[],"customize-container2":[{"id":"ComponentImageText-7fe4b3f1-9d74-9d43-21ef-2736d235b88e","val":{"ComponentFontColor":"#000000","ComponentBackgroundColor":"#D2C8C8","ComponentImage":"https://mcdn.podbean.com/mf/web/jc4mr5mm85vmzpxz/Ninja.png","ComponentContent":"

About Me

Originally from Canada, I moved to Japan when the internet was new and cell phones could cost one yen. After finding my feet getting work and learning how to live in Tokyo, I got busy with my martial arts studies, where I picked up a number of nicknames including 'Tokyo Bill.' As I work pretty much only in English, I continue to struggle speaking in coherent Japanese. :)

I began writing a blog to keep busy during the pandemic and added podcasting to develop my speaking voice. Not satisfied with the news presentations on my music player about what's going on in Japan, I decided to create my own news site on stories I feel ought to be read (or heard!) by more people.

Anyway, thanks so much for stopping by!

"}}]},"allLinks":[],"mainStylesDefaultSettings":null,"defaultCustomizeComponents":null,"scripts":["https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtag/js?id=G-TP93LLY3WQ","\n window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || [];\n function gtag(){dataLayer.push(arguments);}\n gtag('js', new Date());\n\n gtag('config', 'G-TP93LLY3WQ',{'allow_enhanced_conversions':true});\n"],"metas":null,"appConfig":{"package":"com.podbean.app.podcast","app_store_id":973361050,"app_name":"Podbean","scheme":"podbean"},"customizeCss":null,"canEditCss":null,"enableJsCodeInCustomizeContent":false,"enabledIframeCodeInCustomizeContent":false,"sectionMaxCount":10,"enableEditorLink":false,"enableEditCookiesNotice":false,"siteRedirectToFeed":false,"podcatcherRssUrl":null,"showFeed":true,"showTopBar":true,"enableWebSiteLike":true,"organizationName":null,"organizationPageLink":null},"backToListUrl":"/","tinymceLoaded":false,"listEpisodes":[],"userLikedEpisodes":[],"userLikeCheckedEpisodes":[],"topBarIframeLoaded":false,"listTotalCount":0,"listTotalPage":0,"listPage":0,"listType":"all","listValue":"","listName":"","pageLoading":false,"apiBaseUrl":"https://thetokyobill.podbean.com","apiCommonParams":{"t":"6872baef","clientSignature":"4b1edb61ae5875de2541c9c6c1f4ae03","u":null,"customizing":null},"apiCommonHeaders":{},"comments":[],"commentsTotalCount":0,"commentsTotalPage":0,"commentsPage":1,"commentEpisodeId":"pb25836402-uqkrt","episode":{"id":"pb25836402","idTag":"uqkrt","title":"theTokyoBill Japan news brief, May 9 2025","logo":"https://pbcdn1.podbean.com/imglogo/image-logo/18853352/theTokyoBillNinjaLg_300x300.jpg","shareLogo":null,"largeLogo":"https://pbcdn1.podbean.com/imglogo/image-logo/18853352/theTokyoBillNinjaLg.jpg","previewContent":null,"content":"

Japan's premier short-form English news program. Follow on your favorite podcast player to get the latest news brief.

And, your visit to theTokyoBill.com would be very much appreciated! :)

Music is Motivate by Wavecont, available via Pixabay.com

","publishTimestamp":1746767379,"duration":557,"mediaUrl":"https://mcdn.podbean.com/mf/web/db2hd8zarsbujxgb/theTokyoBill_05092025.mp3","mediaType":"audio/mpeg","shareLink":"https://admin5.podbean.com/embed.html?id=pb-uqkrt-18a3b72","likedCount":0,"deepLink":"https://www.podbean.com/ew/pb-uqkrt-18a3b72","transcriptUrl":"https://mcdn.podbean.com/mf/web/kzamadpxs7xzp23k/15c98df7-86b2-3dae-b4fa-a24909bc8ad6.srt","permalink":"/e/thetokyobill-japan-news-brief-may-9-2025/","downloadLink":"https://www.podbean.com/media/share/pb-uqkrt-18a3b72?download=1","fallbackResource":null,"fallbackResourceMimetype":null,"downloadCount":32,"status":"publish","hasMoreContent":false,"chaptersUrl":null,"explicit":false},"episodeShareLink":null,"deepLink":"https://www.podbean.com/ew/pb-uqkrt-18a3b72","playlist":{"episodes":[],"current":0,"start":0,"stop":0,"playing":true,"playerLoading":true,"playbackRate":1,"playbackRateIndex":1},"toasts":[],"confirm":null,"customizeEditorFormZIndex":999,"lastRequestTime":null,"validateChangesOnBeforeunload":true,"windowWidth":1000,"VITE_FS1_CDN_URL_PREFIX":"https://pbcdn1.podbean.com/fs1","reloadStats":false,"userIdEncrypted":null,"userProfilePicture":null,"username":null,"isVerified":false,"loadUserInfo":false,"loginUrl":"https://www.podbean.com/site/user/login?return=https%253A%252F%252Fthetokyobill.podbean.com%252Fe%252Fthetokyobill-japan-news-brief-may-9-2025%252F&rts=a2968578476a778c209e01fba96a9f3e1fb360a1","recaptchaV3Loaded":false,"recaptchaV2Loaded":false,"likesLoaded":false,"commentLikeMap":{},"commentOffset":0},"episode":{"id":"pb25836402","idTag":"uqkrt","title":"theTokyoBill Japan news brief, May 9 2025","logo":"https://pbcdn1.podbean.com/imglogo/image-logo/18853352/theTokyoBillNinjaLg_300x300.jpg","shareLogo":null,"largeLogo":"https://pbcdn1.podbean.com/imglogo/image-logo/18853352/theTokyoBillNinjaLg.jpg","previewContent":null,"content":"

Japan's premier short-form English news program. Follow on your favorite podcast player to get the latest news brief.

And, your visit to theTokyoBill.com would be very much appreciated! :)

Music is Motivate by Wavecont, available via Pixabay.com