The Diplomat | Author
Thisanka Siripala
Thisanka Siripala is an Australian-Sri Lankan cross platform journalist living in Tokyo.
Thisanka Siripala is an Australian-Sri Lankan cross platform journalist living in Tokyo. She specializes in Asia-Pacific news and current affairs while predominantly covering Japan and North Asia-related politics, business, and socio-economic shifts. She is an honors graduate from The University of Melbourne with a degree in International Relations, Media Studies, and Japanese language.
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August 09, 2023
Osaka 2025 World Expo Plagued by Rising Costs and Construction Delays
By Thisanka Siripala
The Osaka World Expo is rushing to prevent an exodus of international participants as construction costs surge.
July 28, 2023
Japan’s LGBTQ Community Battles Tradition and Ultraconservative Politics
By Thisanka Siripala
Securing legal protections for sexual minorities is agonizingly slow in a country playing catch-up.
July 17, 2023
Japan Forges Closer Ties to NATO
By Thisanka Siripala
Kishida champions the Free and Open Indo-Pacific message at the NATO summit.
July 03, 2023
Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant Edges Closer to Discharging Treated Wastewater Into Pacific
By Thisanka Siripala
The controversial release of treated wastewater from the wrecked Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant is moving forward despite opposition.
June 29, 2023
Japan’s Victims of Forced Sterilizations Fight For State Compensation
By Thisanka Siripala
The government is taking a tough stance against compensating victims of the erstwhile Eugenic Protection Law.
June 20, 2023
Victims of J-pop Talent Agency Speak Out About Sexual Abuse
By Thisanka Siripala
Japan has been rocked by allegations that the late J-pop music mogul Johnny Kitagawa was a serial sexual predator.
May 30, 2023
Planned Fukushima Water Release Adds a New Wrinkle to Japan-South Korea Ties
By Thisanka Siripala
As Japan prepares to release treated water from the tsunami-crippled Fukushima nuclear power plant, it battles harsh criticism from South Korea.
May 04, 2023
Japan Toughens Refugee Deportation Protocol
By Thisanka Siripala
Despite growing calls to improve human rights in Japanese detention facilities, the latest bill falls short of fundamental reform.
April 18, 2023
Japan PM Escapes Election Bomb Attack
By Thisanka Siripala
Less than a year after Abe’s murder, violence again erupted on the election campaign trail, raising concerns about how to protect public figures in Japan.
April 13, 2023
What Can Japan Do for Ukraine?
By Thisanka Siripala
Japan is eager to cultivate a lasting commitment to Ukraine, but its international clout is limited despite chairing this year’s G-7 Summit.
March 14, 2023
Fukushima 12 Years After the Nuclear Accident
By Thisanka Siripala
While radiation levels return to normal in towns around the accident epicenter, revitalization is weighed down by accumulating piles of contaminated soil.
March 07, 2023
Japan Welcomes South Korean Deal to End Colonial Era Forced Labor Dispute
By Thisanka Siripala
The long unresolved forced labor dispute nears closure, with South Korea deciding to shoulder victim compensation through donations.